Augustin de La Balme Augustin Mottin de la Balme was a French cavalry officer who served in Europe during the Seven Years War and in the United States during the American Revolution . His attempt to capture Fort Detroit in 1780 ended in defeat when he was ambushed by forces under Chief Little Turtle . Seven Years War . Augustin Mottin was born 28 August 1733 , in the French Alps near Saint - Antoine , the son of a tanner . He served as a trooper in the distinguished “ Scottish ” company of the Gendarmerie de France during the Seven Years War . The French forces were nearly destroyed at the Battle of Minden , but Augustin Mottin was one of the surviving French Cavalry officers . Incidentally , another French officer , Colonel Lafayette , was killed in the battle , leaving his two - year old son Gilbert du Mottier with the title " Marquis de Lafayette " . The British forces at Minden were under the command of Lieutenant General Lord George Sackville , who was court - martialed for failing to crush the defeated French . Mottin would hear these names again during the American Revolution . Following the war , Augustin studied horsemanship , eventually becoming master at the Gendarmerie ’ s Riding School in Lunéville . Mottin was promoted to Fourrier - Major in 1766 , and retired with a pension in 1773 . Using the assumed name “ Mottin de La Balme , ” he wrote a book on horsemanship in 1773 , titled " Essai sur l ’ équitation ou principes raisonnés sur l ’ Art de monter et de dresser les chevaux " . He followed with a book on cavalry tactics in 1776 . American Revolution . Augustin de La Balme left for the United States to assist in the American Revolution . In 1777 , he was appointed as the Colonial Army ’ s Inspector General of Cavalry . Upon learning that Casimir Pulaski would be in command of the United States Cavalry , La Balme resigned in October 1777 In 1780 , allegedly under secret orders from General Washington , but as likely acting on his own , he traveled down the Ohio River to Kaskaskia . The success of General Clark ’ s capture of Fort Sackville at Vincennes inspired La Balme to attempt a similar feat against the British at Fort Detroit . La Balme arrived in Kaskaskia as a French officer and was " greeted as Masiah " by the local Canadien residents , who had been living under British rule for over a decade . He gathered a list of grievances from residents living under the rule of the Virginians , which was to be delivered to the French Ambassador at Fort Pitt . La Balme coordinated a diversionary attack against Fort St . Joseph , then began his journey to Detroit , recruiting militia from among the Canadian citizens of Kaskaskia , Cahokia , and Vincennes . At Vincennes , he started up the Wabash River with the expectation of adding to his force from the Canadian villages of Ouiatenon ( present day West Lafayette , Indiana ) and Kekionga ( present day Fort Wayne ) . La Balme apparently expected Canadian residents at Fort Detroit to join him as well , once they arrived . The expedition marched under a French flag . La Balme ' s force had little opposition until reaching Kekionga , where La Balme had planned to arrest Charles Beaubien , the British agent . Beaubien and many of the Miami were not there , however , so the force raised the French flag and raided British stores for over three days while awaiting reinforcements that never arrived . Upon learning of the return of a Miami hunting party to Kekionga , Le Balme departed to raid another trading post on the Eel River . Leaving some twenty men to guard the captured stores at Kekionga , his force marched out over the Eel River trail ( the same trail Colonel John Hardin would follow ten years later ) . The Miami Indians , learning of the intrusion , destroyed the small group of men left at Kekionga . Chief Little Turtle , who lived in a village along the Eel River , attacked La Balme before he reached the Eel River trading post . La Balme and his men fortified themselves on the banks of the river . There remains some confusion as to the length of the battle ; accounts of the siege vary from several days to several weeks . They were eventually defeated by an overwhelming force , and only a few survivors managed to escape . Augustin de la Balme died in the battle , which became known as La Balme ' s Defeat . " A detachment of Canadians from the Illinois and Post Vincennes arrived Kekionga about 10 days ago , and entered the village , took the horses , destroyed the horned cattle and plundered a store I allowed to be kept there for the convenience of the Indians , soon after assembled and attacked the Canadians , led by a French colonel . " Aftermath . " … The Miami resisting the fire of the enemy , had five of their party killed , being , however , more resolute than savages are in general , they beat off the enemy , killed 30 and took LaBalme prisoner with his papers . . . I expect the Colonel in every hour … ” " … I am very sorry for what has happened to Monsieur LaBalme . . . [ he ] having , perhaps , attempted with imprudence an undertaking which needed more time , more strength and better circumstances . . . "