St. Louis is known for the Gateway Arch, Budweiser, Nelly and… the Revolutionary War? Few people realize that the only battle of the American Revolution west of the Mississippi River occurred in what is now the heart of downtown St. Louis. While baseball fans pass through Ballpark Village to watch teams battle it out at Busch Stadium, they are walking through a little-known site of St. Louis history. Today, a plaque is the only reminder of the Battle of Fort San Carlos.
The British Are Coming
In 1780, St. Louis was a small village and trading hub on the Mississippi River. It was the capital of Upper Spanish Louisiana governed by Lieutenant Governor Fernando de Leyba. A fur trader warned him of British plans to attack St. Louis and the American post across the river at Cahokia.
The British wanted to secure the Mississippi River, aiming to overtake corridors including New Orleans and St. Louis. The governor at Fort Michilimackinac in Michigan organized the British forces. He recruited Native American tribes to join the St. Louis expedition, offering them control of the fur trade. Emanuel Hesse commanded the force of about two dozen fur traders and 750 to 1,000 Sioux, Chippewa, Winnebago, Menominee, Sac, and Fox warriors.
Defending St. Louis
Back in St. Louis, Governor de Leyba had only 29 army soldiers and an inexperienced militia force of 168 to defend the village. He ordered the construction of four stone towers, asking residents to help pay for and construct the fortifications. There was only time to build one tower, named Fort San Carlos. It was about 30 feet in diameter and 40 to 40 feet tall. Cannons from a nearby fort were mounted in the tower and placed at trenches dug between the tower and the Mississippi River.
St. Louis also received help from François Vallé, a former French captain who lived nearby. He sent his two sons, 151 French militia, and lead for musket and cannon balls to aid in the defense. Valle later known as the “Defender of St. Louis.”
The Western Front of the Revolution
On May 26, 1780, the British and Native American forces attacked both Cahokia on the east side of the Mississippi and St. Louis. The tower fired a warning shot and then attacked the approaching forces. The British captured and killed some of the Spanish forces who were fighting in the trenches. However, they eventually withdrew.
Over in Cahokia, George Rogers Clark arrived to help defend the fort and repeal the British. Clark was the elder brother of William Clark who would launch his expedition with Meriwether Lewis from St. Louis a few decades later. Clark Street in Chicago is named in honor of George Rogers Clark. The British lost the battles on both sides of the Mississippi River!
The Only Sign of Fort San Carlos
Despite being outnumbered two to one, the Spanish forces and townspeople crushed the British attempt to take St. Louis. The Battle of Fort San Carlos, also known as the Battle of St. Louis, is significant for preventing the British from gaining control of the Mississippi River.
Today, the Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark tower stands where the Fort San Carlos tower once did. A plaque is the only indication of the area’s Revolutionary War action. In 1946, the General Society Sons of the Revolution placed the plaque. You can find it on South Broadway at Market Street in front of a Starbucks.
The Fort San Carlos Society commemorates the battle every year by meeting at the historic marker to read the names of those who lost their lives defending the If you visit on Every year (on May 28th), the Fort San Carlos Society commemorates the event at that site by reading the names of the 22 early St. Louisans who gave their lives in defense of the city.
Sources
- “Battle of St. Louis.” American Revolutionary War, RevolutionaryWar.US.
- “Commemoration Committee for the Battle of Fort San Carlos.” FSC Commemoration Committee.
- Holleman, Joe. “Battle of St. Louis Documentary Now Available for Streaming.” STLtoday.com, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 27 May 2021.
Fort San Carlos Historical Marker
1 S. Broadway
St. Louis, MO 63102
Jessica Mlinaric founded Urban Explorer in 2010 to inspire curious travelers by highlighting arts and culture, history, and hidden gems in Chicago and beyond. She is the author of ‘Secret Chicago’ and ‘Chicago Scavenger.’ Jessica has visited 20+ countries and 30+ U.S. states. She has more than 16 years of experience as a marketing strategist and works as a freelance writer and photographer.
