It was built at the end of the Northwest Indian War to exert United States influence at a large collection of Native American towns known as Kekionga.

The 1809 Treaty of Fort Wayne, which granted approximately 30 million acres of Native American land to white settlers in the areas of Illinois and Indiana, was a major influence behind the motivation to resist the United States' expansion.

[8] Days after his arrival, Rhea wrote to Colonel Jacob Kingsbury: "I am much pleased with my Command; I hope to be continued here ... at this Post everything has been going on very correct; I mean to take the Tract of Capt.

"[9] Rhea also soon took note of the fort's inhabitants' tendency for drunkenness, lamenting the behavior as an "abominable [sic] practice" and confiding that he was "Much hurt to see so much intoxication".

[10] However, initially Rhea proved to be an effective commander overseeing substantial repairs to the fort as well as the institution of a sanitation program and furthered progress on land clearance.

[12] This news created disquiet in the garrison, and Indian agent John Johnston sent Shawnee Captain Logan to help evacuate the local women and children to the neighboring state of Ohio, 20 miles to the east.

[15] Historian Milo M. Quafie maintains news of the siege had been relayed “to Picqua, Ohio by Stephen Ruddle, whence his message was conveyed to Harrison".

[17] Lieutenant Curtis then rose from his seat and in a plea to Winamac stated: My good friend, I love you; I will fight for you; I will die by your side.

Winamac did not attend the breakfast, but instead sent a band of five warriors who initiated the siege on the morning of 5 September 1812, after attacking two soldiers returning from an outhouse who died of their wounds by the afternoon.

[3][19] Rhea, who was known to be a heavy drinker, was described as taking to drink at the moment of the siege impending, and was said to be:Drunk as a fool, and perfectly incapable of exercising rationality on any subject whatsoever, but was constantly abusing and ill treating everyone that came in his presence.

General James Winchester was commander of the Northwestern Army, but Kentucky Governor Charles Scott had recently appointed Indiana Territory Governor William Henry Harrison as Major General of the Kentucky Militia and authorised him to relieve Fort Wayne, Harrison was at Newport Barracks to assume command of the militia.

[25] Harrison wrote a letter to Secretary of War William Eustis explaining the situation and apologising for taking unauthorised action,[26] then quickly organised a militia force of 2,200 men and marched north to the fort.

They delivered the news that a relief effort was approaching, and again rode through Winamac's siege to report to Harrison that the fort remained under U.S.

General Isaac Brock learned that a temporary armistice had been made in the east, and ordered Colonel Henry Procter to cease support for the attack on Fort Wayne.

No major Indian attacks occurred in the Indiana Territory for the rest of the war, but it was not until Tecumseh's defeat at the Battle of the Thames that the Native American pressure on United States settlers waned.