Considered one of the bloodiest Native American massacres in modern history, it marked a decisive moment in the Osage-Cherokee conflict in Indian Territory.
Key Facts
- Date
- June 1817
- Location
- Claremore Mound, present-day Rogers County, Oklahoma
- Osage village attacked
- Pasuga, Chief Clermont's band
- Attacker
- Western Cherokee and allies under Chief Spring Frog
- Victims present
- Women, children, sick, and elderly only
- Outcome for village
- All remaining members killed or captured; village destroyed
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Ongoing warfare between the Osage and Cherokee nations created a volatile situation in Indian Territory. The Osage village of Pasuga was left largely undefended when most of its warriors departed on a seasonal hunt lasting three to four months, leaving behind only women, children, the elderly, and the sick.
In June 1817, a band of Western Cherokee and their allies, led by Chief Spring Frog (Too-an-tuh), launched an assault on the Osage village of Pasuga at the foot of Claremore Mound. The attackers killed or captured every remaining member of Chief Clermont's band and destroyed or carried away all possessions and structures they could.
The battle, also called the Claremore Mound Massacre, became one of the most destructive episodes of the Osage-Cherokee war. Historians regard it as one of the bloodiest Native American massacres in modern history, and it deepened hostilities between the two nations in Indian Territory.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Chief Spring Frog (Too-an-tuh).
Side B
1 belligerent
Chief Clermont.