Tecumseh visits the Wyandots--governor Harrison's letter about the
Prophet to the Secretary at War--British influence over the
Indians--Tecumseh burns governor Harrison's letter to the
chiefs--great alarm in Indiana, in consequence of the assemblage of
the Indians at Tippecanoe--death of Leatherlips, a Wyandot chief on a
charge of witchcraft.
During the autumn of this year, 1808, nothing material occurred with
the Prophet and his brother, calculated to throw light upon their
conduct. The former continued his efforts to induce the Indians to
forsake their vicious habits. The latter was occupied in visiting the
neighboring tribes, and quietly strengthening his own and the Prophet's
influence over them. Early in the succeeding year, Tecumseh attended a
council of Indians, at Sandusky, when he endeavored to prevail upon the
Wyandots and Senecas to remove and join his establishment at
Tippecanoe. Among other reasons presented in favor of this removal, he
stated that the country on the Tippecanoe was better than that occupied
by these tribes; that it was remote from the whites, and that in it
they would have more game and be happier than where they now resided.
In this mission he appears not to have been successful. The Crane, an
old chief of the Wyandot tribe, replied, that he feared he, Tecumseh,
was working for no good purpose at Tippecanoe; that they would wait a
few years, and then, if they found their red brethren at that place
contented and happy, they would probably join them.[A] In this visit to
Sandusky, Tecumseh was accompanied by captain Lewis, a Shawanoe chief
of some note, who then engaged to go with him to the Creeks and
Cherokees, on a mission which he was contemplating, and which was
subsequently accomplished. Lewis, however, did not finally make the
visit, but permitted Jim Blue Jacket to make the tour in his place.
[Footnote A: Anthony Shane.]
In April of the year 1809, the agent of the United States at fort
Wayne, informed governor Harrison, that it had been reported to him
that the Chippewas, Potawatamies and Ottawas, were deserting the
standard of the Prophet, because they had been required to take up arms
against the whites, and to unite in an effort to exterminate all the
inhabitants of Vincennes, and those living on the Ohio, between its
mouth and Cincinnati--it being the order of the Great Spirit; and that
their own destruction would be the consequence of a refusal. The agent
did not think, however, that hostilities were likely to ensue, as he
was informed there were not more than one hundred warriors remaining
with the Prophet. The governor, however, had information from other
sources, that although there might be but that number of warriors at
the Prophet's village, there were, within fifty miles of his
head-quarters, four or five times that number, who were devoted to him
and to his cause. Under these circumstances, he decided to organize
forthwith, under previous orders from the War department, two companies
of volunteer militia, and with them to garrison fort Knox--a post about
two miles from Vincennes--then the general depot of arms and
ammunition, for the use of the neighboring militia. The agent at fort
Wayne was accordingly directed by the governor to require the Delaware,
Miami and Potawatamie tribes, to prevent any hostile parties of Indians
from passing through their respective territories. This they were bound
to do, by a stipulation in the treaty of Greenville. But no hostile
movements, (if any had been meditated,) were made by the Prophet, and
before the close of the month of May, most of his warriors had
dispersed, and all apprehension of an attack from the Indians was
dispelled.
In the month of July, in reply to a letter from the Secretary of War,
on the subject of the defence of the north-western frontier, governor
Harrison, in reference to the Prophet, says:
"The Shawanoe Prophet and about forty followers, arrived here about a
week ago. He denies most strenuously, any participation in the late
combination to attack our settlements, which he says was entirely
confined to the tribes of the Mississippi and Illinois rivers; and he
claims the merit of having prevailed upon them to relinquish their
intentions.
"I must confess that my suspicions of his guilt have been rather
strengthened than diminished at every interview I have had with him
since his arrival. He acknowledges that he received an invitation to
war against us, from the British, last fall; and that he was apprised
of the intention of the Sacs and Foxes, &c. early in the spring, and
was warmly solicited to join in their league. But he could give no
satisfactory explanation of his neglecting to communicate to me,
circumstances so extremely interesting to us; and towards which I had a
few months before directed his attention, and received a solemn
assurance of his cheerful compliance with the injunctions I had
impressed upon him.
"The result of all my enquiries on the subject is, that the late
combination was produced by British intrigue and influence, in
anticipation of war between them and the United States. It was,
however, premature and ill-judged, and the event sufficiently manifests
a great decline in their influence, or in the talents and address, with
which they have been accustomed to manage their Indian relations.
"The warlike and well armed tribes of the Potawatamies, Ottawas,
Chippewas, Delawares, and Miamis, I believe, neither had, nor would
have, joined in the combination; and although the Kickapoos, whose
warriors are better them those of any other tribe, the remnant of the
Wyandots excepted, are much under the influence of the Prophet, I am
persuaded that they were never made acquainted with his intentions, if
these were really hostile to the United States."
In the latter part of the year 1809, under instructions from the
President of the United States, governor Harrison deemed the period a
favorable one to extinguish the Indian title to the lands on the east
of the Wabash, and adjoining south on the lines established by the
former treaties of fort Wayne and Grousland. A council was accordingly
held, in the latter part of September, at fort Wayne, with the Miami,
Eel river, Delaware and Potawatamie tribes, which resulted in the
purchase of the land above mentioned. A separate treaty was made with
the Kickapoos, who confirmed the grants made at the above treaty, and
also ceded another tract. In making these treaties, governor Harrison
invited all those Indians to be present, who were considered as having
any title to the lands embraced within them.
Throughout the remainder of the year 1809, things remained quiet with
Tecumseh and the Prophet. The number of their followers was again on
the increase; and, although no overt acts of hostility against the
frontier settlements were committed, there was a prevalent suspicion in
that quarter, that the Indians entertained sinister designs towards the
whites. The events of the early part of the year 1810, were such as to
leave little doubt of the hostile intentions of the brothers. In the
latter part of April, governor Harrison was informed, upon credible
authority, that the Prophet was really instigating the Indians to acts
of hostility against the United States; and that he had under his
immediate control about four hundred warriors, chiefly composed of
Kickapoos and Winnebagoes, but embracing also some Shawanoes,
Potawatamies, Chippewas, and Ottawas. The traders among them attributed
this hostile feeling to British influence. That the followers of the
Prophet had received a supply of powder and ball from the English
agents, was generally admitted. They refused to buy ammunition from our
traders, alleging that they were plentifully supplied from a quarter
where it cost them nothing. About the middle of May, it was ascertained
that the number of warriors with the Prophet, amounted to more than six
hundred men, and there were reasons to apprehend that his influence had
kindled a hostile feeling among several of the tribes to the west and
north of his head quarters. A meeting of Indians having been appointed
to take place about this time, on the St. Joseph's river, governor
Harrison made an appeal to them through the Delawares, in which he
forcibly pointed out the unhappy results that would certainly follow
any attack upon the United States; and cautioned the friendly tribes,
upon the dangers to which they would be subjected, in consequence of
the difficulty of discriminating between friends and enemies, in case a
war should occur. In July the governor was authorized by the Secretary
of War, to take such steps as he might deem necessary for the
protection of the frontier; and, at the same time was informed that
some troops had been ordered to Vincennes to keep in check the hostile
Indians of that quarter.
Fresh apprehensions were now felt for the safety of the frontiers. The
Prophet, it appears, had gained over to his cause the Wyandot tribe,
whose councils had always exerted a strong influence among the Indians.
To this tribe had been committed the preservation of the Great Belt,
the symbol of union among the tribes in their late war with the United
States; and also the original duplicate of the Greenville treaty of
1795. The Prophet sent a deputation to the Wyandots requesting
permission to examine the provisions of that treaty, and artfully
expressing his astonishment that they, who had ever directed the
councils of the Indians, and who were alike renowned for their talents
and bravery, should remain passive, and see the lands of the red men
usurped by a part of that race. The Wyandots, pleased with these
flattering speeches, replied, that they had carefully preserved the
former symbol of union among the tribes; but it had remained so long in
their hands without being called for, they supposed it was forgotten.
They further replied, that weary of their present situation, they felt
desirous of seeing all the tribes united in one great confederacy: that
they would join such a union, and labor to arrest the encroachments of
the whites upon their lands, and if possible recover those which had
been unjustly taken from them. This reply of the Wyandots was exactly
suited to the objects of the Prophet; and he lost no time in sending
his heralds with it, in every direction. The Wyandots soon afterwards
made a visit to Tippecanoe; and in passing thither, had a conference
with some of the Miami chiefs, to whom they showed the great belt, and
charged them with having joined the whites in opposition to their red
brethren. The Miamis at length concluded to join in a visit to the
Prophet, and also invited the Weas to join with them.
About this time, the governor was informed by an aged Piankishaw,
friendly to the United States, that the Prophet had actually formed a
plan for destroying the citizens of Vincennes by a general massacre;
and that he boasted that he would walk in the footsteps of the great
Pontiac. From another source the governor learned that there were
probably three hundred Indians within thirty miles of the Prophet's
quarters; and that although their proceedings were conducted with great
secrecy, it had been discovered that they were determined to stop the
United States' surveyors from running any lines west of the Wabash.
Other evidences of approaching hostilities were not wanting. The
Prophet, and the Kickapoos who were at his village, refused to accept
the salt which had been sent up to them as a part of their annuities,
and after it had been put upon the shore, the carriers were not only
required to replace it in their boat, but whilst doing so, were treated
with rudeness, and ordered to take the salt back to Vincennes. They
were Frenchmen, or in all probability they would have been treated
still more harshly.[A]
[Footnote A: Governor Harrison's letters to the War Department.]
In the early part of July, governor Harrison received a letter from
John Johnston, Indian agent at fort Wayne, in which he says:
"A person just arrived, who it appears has lost himself in his route to
Vincennes, affords me an opportunity of announcing to you my return to
this fort. I was delayed on my journey in attending to the
transportation of the public goods; and on my arrival in the state of
Ohio, I had learned that the Prophet's brother had lately been at work
among the Shawanoes, on the Auglaize; and, among other things, had
burned your letter delivered to the chiefs at this place last fall. I
accordingly took Wapakonetta in my route home, assembled the chiefs,
and demanded the reason why they had suffered such an improper act to
be committed at their door. They disavowed all agency in the
transaction, and their entire disapprobation of the Prophet's conduct;
and concurring circumstances satisfied me that they were sincere. The
white persons at the town informed me that not one of the chiefs would
go into council with the Prophet's brother, and that it was a preacher
named Riddle, who took the letter to have it interpreted, and that the
brother of the Prophet took it from his hand, and threw it into the
fire, declaring, that if governor Harrison were there, he would serve
_him_ so. He told the Indians that the white people and the government
were deceiving them, and that for his part, he never would believe
them, or put any confidence in them; that he never would be quiet until
he effected his purpose; and that if he was dead, _the cause_ would not
die with him. He urged the Indians to move off to the Mississippi with
him, saying, that there he would assemble his forces. All his arguments
seemed to be bottomed on the prospect of hostilities against our
people. He made no impression on the Shawanoes, and went away much
dissatisfied at their not coming into his views. I consider them among
our best friends. I indirectly encouraged their emigration westward,
and told them their annuity should follow them. They appear determined
to remain, and are much attached to the town and the improvements,
which are considerable."
Notwithstanding the Prophet appears in all these recent transactions,
to be the prominent individual, it is certain that a greater one was
behind the scene. In the junction of the Wyandots with the Prophet, may
be seen the result of Tecumseh's visit to that tribe, in the previous
year, at Sandusky, an account of which has been already given. In
regard to the salt annuity, the Prophet knew not what course to pursue,
until he had consulted with his brother. Tecumseh, burning the
governor's letter, and the threat, that if he were present he should
meet the same fate, were acts in keeping with his bold character, and
well calculated to maintain his ascendancy among the Indians. While the
Prophet was nominally the head of the new party, and undoubtedly
exercised much influence by means of his supposed supernatural power,
he was but an agent, controlled and directed by a master spirit, whose
energy, address and ceaseless activity, were all directed to the
accomplishment of the grand plan to which he had solemnly devoted his
life.
The information which flowed in upon governor Harrison, from different
quarters, relative to the movements of Tecumseh and the Prophet, and
the number of their followers, were such as to induce him to make the
most active preparations to meet the impending storm. A meeting of the
citizens of Vincennes was held on the subject, two companies of militia
were called into active service, and the rest were directed to hold
themselves in readiness for the field. Alarm-posts were established,
and other measures adopted, especially for the preservation of
Vincennes, which appeared to have been fixed upon as the first point of
attack.
Toward the close of June, Winnemac, at the head of a deputation of
Potawatamies, visited the governor at Vincennes, for the purpose of
informing him of the decision of a council, held at the St. Joseph's of
lake Michigan, which had been attended by all the tribes of that
quarter, and by a delegation from the Delawares. This deputation was
present for the purpose of dissuading the Indians from joining the
Prophet. The duty appears to have been faithfully performed by them.
They protested in strong terms, against the schemes of the Prophet and
his brother, and induced, it is believed, these tribes to give up all
idea of joining them. Winnemac was directed to inform the governor, of
the determination to which they had come, and also, to lay before him
the plans of the Prophet. According to the information before the
council, Detroit, St. Louis, fort Wayne, Chicago and Vincennes, were
all to be surprised. Efforts were making to persuade the tribes
residing on the Mississippi, to unite in the confederacy. It further
appeared, that the followers of the Prophet, drawn as they were from
all the tribes, embraced but few, if any of the peace chiefs, while not
a few of the war chiefs, or the leaders of small parties, were
enrolling themselves under his standard. Winnemac stated to the
governor, that the Prophet had actually suggested to his young men, the
expediency of murdering all the leading chiefs of the surrounding
tribes, on the plea that their own hands would never be untied until
this was done. They, he said, were the men who sold their lands, and
invited the encroachments of the whites.
About the period of Winnemac's visit, an Indian belonging to the Iowa
tribe, told general Harrison, that two years before, a British agent
visited the Prophet, and delivered a message to him. The object was to
induce the Prophet to persevere in uniting the tribes against the
United States, but not to make any hostile movement, until the signal
was given him by the British authorities. From this Iowa, and others of
his tribe, the governor ascertained that the Prophet had been
soliciting them and other tribes on the Mississippi to join the
confederacy. To these the Prophet stated, in his plausible manner, that
the Americans were ceaselessly and silently invading the Indians, until
those who had suffered most, had resolved to be driven back no farther;
and that it was the duty of the remote tribes upon whose lands the
march of civilization had not yet pressed, to assist those who had
already lost theirs, or in turn a corresponding calamity would follow
upon them. This, the Prophet declared, he was directed by the Great
Spirit of the Indians to tell them, adding, that this Great Spirit
would utterly destroy them, if they ventured to doubt the words of his
chosen Prophet.[A]
[Footnote A: General Harrison's official correspondence--Dawson's
Historical Narrative.]
On the first of June, a Wyandot chief, called Leatherlips, paid the
forfeit of his life on a charge of witchcraft. General Harrison
entertained the opinion that his death was the result of the Prophet's
command, and that the party who acted as executioners went directly
from Tippecanoe, to the banks of the Scioto, where the tragedy was
enacted. Leatherlips was found encamped upon that stream, twelve miles
above Columbus. The six Wyandots who put him to death, were headed, it
is supposed, by the chief Roundhead. An effort was made by some white
men who were present to save the life of the accused, but without
success. A council of two or three hours took place: the accusing party
spoke with warmth and bitterness of feeling: Leatherlips was calm and
dispassionate in his replies. The sentence of death, which had been
previously passed upon him, was reaffirmed. "The prisoner then walked
slowly to his camp, partook of a dinner of jerked venison, washed and
arrayed himself in his best apparel, and afterwards painted his face.
His dress was very rich--his hair gray, and his whole appearance
graceful and commanding." When the hour for the execution had arrived,
Leatherlips shook hands in silence with the spectators. "He then turned
from his wigwam, and with a voice of surpassing strength and melody
commenced the chant of the death song. He was followed closely by the
Wyandot warriors, all timing with their slow and measured march, the
music of his wild and melancholy dirge. The white men were likewise all
silent followers in that strange procession. At the distance of seventy
or eighty yards from the camp, they came to a shallow grave, which,
unknown to the white men, had been previously prepared by the Indians.
Here the old man knelt down, and in an elevated but solemn tone of
voice, addressed his prayer to the Great Spirit. As soon as he had
finished, the captain of the Indians knelt beside him, and prayed in a
similar manner. Their prayers of course were spoken in the Wyandot
tongue. * * * * After a few moments delay, the prisoner again sank
down upon his knees and prayed as he had done before. When he had
ceased, he still continued in a kneeling position. All the rifles
belonging to the party had been left at the wigwam. There was not a
weapon of any kind to be seen at the place of execution, and the
spectators were consequently unable to form any conjecture as to the
mode of procedure, which the executioners had determined on, for the
fulfilment of their purpose. Suddenly one of the warriors drew from
beneath the skirts of his capote, a keen, bright tomahawk--walked
rapidly up behind the chieftain--brandished the weapon on high, for a
single moment, and then struck with his whole strength. The blow
descended directly upon the crown of the head, and the victim
immediately fell prostrate. After he had lain awhile in the agonies of
death, the Indian captain directed the attention of the white men to
the drops of sweat which were gathering upon his neck and face;
remarked with much apparent exultation, that it was conclusive proof of
the sufferer's guilt. Again the executioner advanced, and with the same
weapon, inflicted two or three additional and heavy blows. As soon as
life was entirely extinct, the body was hastily buried, with all its
apparel and decorations; and the assemblage dispersed."[A]
[Footnote A: Mr. Otway Curry, in the Hesperian for May, 1838.]
One of Mr. Heckewelder's correspondents, as quoted in his Historical
Account of the Indian Nations, makes Tarhe, better known by the name of
Crane, the leader of this party. This has been denied; and, the
letter[A] of general Harrison on the subject, proves quite conclusively
that this celebrated chief had nothing to do with the execution of
Leatherlips. Mr. Heckewelder's correspondent concurs in the opinion
that the original order for the death of this old man, was issued from
the head quarters of the Prophet and his brother.
[Footnote A: Published in the Hesperian for July, 1838.]