War Information
10 sectionsWar History and Conflicts in Chicago
From a small trading post to an industrial metropolis, Chicago has witnessed numerous wars and conflicts. The military history of Chicago begins with violence against Natives and continues to police violence today.
Fort Dearborn Massacre (1812)
On August 15, 1812, Potawatomi Natives attacked Fort Dearborn at the site of present-day Chicago. 86 American soldiers and civilians were killed. Women and children were among the dead. The fort was burned and the area was abandoned until 1816. This was the worst American military defeat in the Great Lakes region during the War of 1812.
American Civil War (1861–1865)
Chicago served as a critical logistical center for the Union Army. The city was home to Camp Douglas, a training camp and POW camp where over 4,000 Confederate prisoners died in horrific conditions. Chicago was also a center for weapons and military equipment production.
Great Chicago Fire (1871)
Though a natural disaster, the Great Chicago Fire had military dimensions. The army was called in to maintain order and prevent looting. Martial law was declared and soldiers patrolled the streets. The ruling class used the devastation to implement capitalist development plans.
Labor War — Haymarket and Pullman
Chicago was the main battlefield of class war in America. The Haymarket Affair of 1886 and the Pullman Strike of 1894 showed the US government using military force to suppress workers. The Haymarket bombing and execution of four labor leaders was a turning point in world history.
Racial Violence and Police
From the 1919 Race Riot to the 1968 Convention and the 1969 Panther assassination, Chicago has always been a site of racial conflict and state violence against Black people. Today, gun violence and police violence in Chicago constitute a permanent human rights crisis.
