Alarm on the frontier continues--a Muskoe Indian killed at
Vincennes--governor Harrison sends a pacific speech to Tecumseh and
the Prophet--the former replies to it--in July Tecumseh visits
governor Harrison at Vincennes--disavows any intention of making war
upon the whites--explains his object in forming a union among the
tribes--governor Harrison's opinion of Tecumseh and the
Prophet--murder of the Deaf Chief--Tecumseh visits the southern
Indians.
The spring of 1811 brought with it no abatement of these border
difficulties. Early in the season, governor Harrison sent a boat up the
Wabash, loaded with salt for the Indians,--that article constituting a
part of their annuity. Five barrels were to be left with the Prophet,
for the Kickapoos and Shawanoes. Upon the arrival of the boat at
Tippecanoe, the Prophet called a council, by which it was decided to
seize the whole of the salt, which was promptly done--word being sent
back to the governor, not to be angry at this measure, as the Prophet
had two thousand men to feed; and, had not received any salt for two
years past. There were at this time about six hundred men at
Tippecanoe; and, Tecumseh, who had been absent for some time, on a
visit to the lakes, was expected daily, with large reinforcements. From
appearances, it seemed probable that an attack was meditated on
Vincennes by these brothers, with a force of eight hundred or one
thousand warriors; a number far greater than the governor could
collect, even if he embodied all the militia for some miles around that
place. He accordingly wrote to the Secretary of War, recommending that
the 4th regiment of U.S. troops, then at Pittsburg, under the command
of colonel Boyd, should be ordered to Vincennes; at the same time
asking for authority to act offensively against the Indians, so soon as
it was found that the intentions of their leaders were decidedly
hostile towards the United States.
Under date of June 6th, governor Harrison, in a letter to the war
department, expresses the opinion that the disposition of the Indians
is far from being pacific. Wells, the agent at fort Wayne, had visited
the Prophet's town, relative to some stolen horses, and certain
Potawatamies who had committed the murders on the Mississippi. Four of
the horses were recovered, but Tecumseh disclaimed all agency in taking
them, although he acknowledged that it was done by some of his party.
Tecumseh openly avowed to the agent his resolute determination to
resist the further encroachments of the white people. In this letter
the governor remarks, "I wish I could say the Indians were treated with
justice and propriety on all occasions by our citizens; but it is far
otherwise. They are often abused and maltreated; and it is very rare
that they obtain any satisfaction for the most unprovoked wrongs." He
proceeds to relate the circumstance of a Muskoe Indian having been
killed by an Italian innkeeper, in Vincennes, without any just cause.
The murderer, under the orders of the governor, was apprehended, tried,
but acquitted by the jury almost without deliberation. About the same
time, within twenty miles of Vincennes, two Weas were badly wounded by
a white man without the smallest provocation. Such aggressions tended
greatly to exasperate the Indians, and to prevent them from delivering
up such of their people as committed offences against the citizens of
the United States. Such was the fact with the Delawares, upon a demand
from the governor for White Turkey, who had robbed the house of a Mr.
Vawter. The chiefs refused to surrender him, declaring that they would
never deliver up another man until some of the whites were punished,
who had murdered their people. They, however, punished White Turkey
themselves, by putting him to death.
On the 24th of June, soon after the return of Tecumseh from his visit
to the Iroquois and Wyandots, for the purpose of increasing his
confederacy, governor Harrison transmitted to him and the Prophet,
together with the other chiefs at Tippecanoe, the following speech:
"Brothers,--Listen to me. I speak to you about matters of importance,
both to the white people and yourselves; open your ears, therefore, and
attend to what I shall say.
"Brothers, this is the third year that all the white people in this
country have been alarmed at your proceedings; you threaten us with
war, you invite all the tribes to the north and west of you to join
against us.
"Brothers, your warriors who have lately been here, deny this; but I
have received the information from every direction; the tribes on the
Mississippi have sent me word that you intended to murder me, and then
to commence a war upon our people. I have also received the speech you
sent to the Potawatamies and others, to join you for that purpose; but
if I had no other evidence of your hostility to us, your seizing the
salt I lately sent up the Wabash, is sufficient.
"Brothers, our citizens are alarmed, and my warriors are preparing
themselves; not to strike you, but to defend themselves and their women
and children. You shall not surprise us as you expect to do; you are
about to undertake a very rash act; as a friend, I advise you to
consider well of it; a little reflection may save us a great deal of
trouble and prevent much mischief; it is not yet too late.
"Brothers, what can be the inducement for you to undertake an
enterprise when there is so little probability of success; do you
really think that the handful of men that you have about you, are able
to contend with the Seventeen Fires, or even that the whole of the
tribes united, could contend against the Kentucky Fire alone?
"Brothers, I am myself of the long knife fire; as soon as they hear my
voice, you will see them pouring forth their swarms of hunting shirt
men, as numerous as the musquetoes on the shores of the Wabash;
brothers, take care of their stings.
"Brothers, it is not our wish to hurt you: if we did, we certainly have
power to do it; look at the number of our warriors to the east of you,
above and below the Great Miami,--to the south, on both sides of the
Ohio, and below you also. You are brave men; but what could you do
against such a multitude?--but we wish you to live in peace and
happiness.
"Brothers, the citizens of this country are alarmed; they must be
satisfied that you have no design to do them mischief, or they will not
lay aside their arms. You have also insulted the government of the
United States by seizing the salt that was intended for other tribes;
satisfaction must be given for that also.
"Brothers, you talk of coming to see me, attended by all your young
men; this, however, must not be so; if your intentions are good, you
have no need to bring but a few of your young men with you. I must be
plain with you; I will not suffer you to come into our settlements with
such a force.
"Brothers, if you wish to satisfy us that your intentions are good,
follow the advice that I have given you before; that is, that one or
both of you should visit the President of the United States, and lay
your grievances before him. He will treat you well, will listen to what
you say, and if you can show him that you have been injured, you will
receive justice. If you will follow my advice in this respect, it will
convince the citizens of this country and myself that you have no
design to attack them.
"Brothers, with respect to the lands that were purchased last fall, I
can enter into no negotiations with you on that subject; the affair is
in the hands of the President, if you wish to go and see him, I will
supply you with the means.
"Brothers, the person who delivers this, is one of my war officers; he
is a man in whom I have entire confidence: whatever he says to you,
although it may not be contained in this paper, you may believe comes
from me.
"My friend Tecumseh! the bearer is a good man and a brave warrior; I
hope you will treat him well; you are yourself a warrior, and all such
should have esteem for each other."
Tecumseh to the governor of Indiana, in reply:
"Brother, I give you a few words until I will be with you myself.
"Brother, at Vincennes, I wish you to listen to me whilst I send you a
few words, and I hope they will ease your heart; I know you look on
your young men and young women and children with pity, to see them so
much alarmed.
"Brother, I wish you now to examine what you have from me; I hope that
it will be a satisfaction to you, if your intentions are like mine, to
wash away all these bad stories that have been circulated. I will be
with you myself in eighteen days from this day.
"Brother, we cannot say what will become of us, as the Great Spirit has
the management of us all at his will. I may be there before the time,
and may not be there until the day. I hope that when we come together,
all these bad tales will be settled; by this I hope your young men,
women and children, will be easy. I wish you, brother, to let them know
when I come to Vincennes and see you, all will be settled in peace and
happiness.
"Brother, these are only a few words to let you know that I will be
with you myself, and when I am with you I can inform you better.
"Brother, if I find that I can be with you in less time than eighteen
days, I will send one of my young men before me, to let you know what
time I will be with you."
On the second of July, governor Harrison received information from the
executive of Illinois, that several murders had been committed in that
territory; and that there were good grounds for believing these crimes
had been perpetrated by a party of Shawanoes. The governor had been
previously informed that it was the design of the Prophet to commence
hostilities in Illinois, in order to cover his main object--the attack
on Vincennes. Both territories were in a state of great alarm; and the
Secretary of War was officially notified, that if the general
government did not take measures to protect the inhabitants, they were
determined to protect themselves.
In a letter under date of Vincennes, 10th July, 1811, governor Harrison
writes as follows to the Secretary of War.
"Captain Wilson, the officer whom I sent to the Prophet's town,
returned on Sunday last. He was well received, and treated with
particular friendship by Tecumseh. He obtained, however, no
satisfaction. The only answer given was, that in eighteen days Tecumseh
would pay me a visit for the purpose of explaining his conduct. Upon
being told that I would not suffer him to come with so large a force,
he promised to bring with him a few men only. I shall not, however,
depend upon this promise, but shall have the river well watched by a
party of scouts after the descent of the chief, lest he should be
followed by his warriors. I do not think that this will be the case.
The detection of the hostile designs of an Indian is generally (for
that time) to defeat them. The hopes of an expedition, conducted
through many hundred miles of toil and difficulty, are abandoned
frequently, upon the slightest suspicion; their painful steps retraced,
and a more favorable moment expected. With them the surprise of an
enemy bestows more eclat upon a warrior than the most brilliant success
obtained by other means. Tecumseh has taken for his model the
celebrated Pontiac, and I am persuaded he will bear a favorable
comparison, in every respect, with that far famed warrior. If it is his
object to begin with the surprise of this place, it is impossible that
a more favorable situation could have been chosen, than the one he
occupies: it is just so far off as to be removed from immediate
observation, and yet so near as to enable him to strike us, when the
water is high, in twenty-four hours, and even when it is low, their
light canoes will come fully as fast as the journey could be performed
on horseback. The situation is in other respects admirable for the
purposes for which he has chosen it. It is nearly central with regard
to the tribes which he wishes to unite. The water communication with
lake Erie, by means of the Wabash and Miami--with lake Michigan and the
Illinois, by the Tippecanoe, is a great convenience. It is immediately
in the centre of the back line of that fine country which he wishes to
prevent us from settling--and above all, he has immediately in his rear
a country that has been but little explored, consisting principally of
barren thickets, interspersed with swamps and lakes, into which our
cavalry could not penetrate, and our infantry, only by slow, laborious
efforts."
The promised visit of Tecumseh took place in the latter part of July.
He reached Vincennes on the 27th, attended by about three hundred of
his party, of whom thirty were women and children. The council was
opened on the 30th, in an arbor erected for the purpose, and at the
appointed time the chief made his appearance, attended by about one
hundred and seventy warriors, without guns, but all of them having
knives and tomahawks, or war clubs, and some armed with bows and
arrows. The governor, in opening the council, made reference to the
late murders in Illinois, and the alarm which the appearance of
Tecumseh, with so large an armed force, had created among the people on
the Wabash. He further informed Tecumseh that, whilst he listened to
whatever himself or any of the chiefs had to say in regard to the late
purchase of land, he would enter into no negociation on that subject,
as it was now in the hands of the President. The governor, after
telling Tecumseh that he was at liberty to visit the President, and
hear his decision from his own mouth, adverted to the late seizure of
the salt, and demanded an explanation of it. In reply, the chief
admitted the seizure, but said he was not at home, either this spring
or the year before, when the salt boats arrived; that it seemed
impossible to please the governor: last year he was angry, because the
salt was refused, and this year equally so, because it was taken. The
council was then adjourned until the following day. When it was again
opened, a Wea chief made a long speech, giving the history of all the
treaties which had been made by the governor and the Indian tribes; and
concluded with the remark, that he had been told that the Miami chiefs
had been forced by the Potawatamies to accede to the treaty of fort
Wayne; and that it would be proper to institute enquiries to find out
the person who had held the tomahawk over their heads, and punish him.
This statement was immediately contradicted by the governor, and also
by the Miami chiefs who were present. Anxious to bring the conference
to a close, the governor then told Tecumseh that by delivering up the
two Potawatamies who had murdered the four white men on the Missouri,
last fall, he would at once attest the sincerity of his professions of
friendship to the United States, and his desire to preserve peace. His
reply was evasive, but developed very clearly his designs. After much
trouble and difficulty he had induced, he said, all the northern tribes
to unite, and place themselves under his direction; that the white
people were unnecessarily alarmed at his measures, which really meant
nothing but peace; that the United States had set him the example of
forming a strict union amongst all the Fires that compose their
confederacy; that the Indians did not complain of it, nor should his
white brothers complain of him for doing the same thing in regard to
the Indian tribes; that so soon as the council was over, he was to set
out on a visit to the southern tribes, to prevail upon them to unite
with those of the north. As to the murderers, they were not at his
town, and if they were, he could not deliver them up; that they ought
to be forgiven, as well as those who had committed some murders in
Illinois; that he had set the whites an example of the forgiveness of
injuries which they ought to follow. In reply to an enquiry on the
subject, he said he hoped no attempt would be made to settle the new
purchase, before his return next spring; that a great number of Indians
were coming to settle at Tippecanoe in the autumn, and they would need
that tract as a hunting ground, and if they did no further injury, they
might kill the cattle and hogs of the white people, which would create
disturbances; that he wished every thing to remain in its present
situation until his return, when he would visit the President, and
settle all difficulties with him. The governor made a brief reply,
saying, that the moon which they beheld (it was then night) would
sooner fall to the earth, than the President would suffer his people to
be murdered with impunity; and that he would put his warriors in
petticoats, sooner than he would give up a country which he had fairly
acquired from the rightful owners. Here the council terminated. In a
day or two afterwards, attended by twenty warriors, Tecumseh set off
for the south, on a visit to the Creeks and Choctaws. The governor was
at a loss to determine the object of Tecumseh, in taking with him to
Vincennes, so large a body of his followers. The spies said that he
intended to demand a retrocession of the late purchase, and if it was
not obtained, to seize some of the chiefs who were active in making the
treaty, in presence of the governor, and put them to death; and in case
of his interference, to have subjected him to the same fate. Many of
the neutral Indians entertained the opinion that he meditated an attack
upon Vincennes. If such was the case, his plan was probably changed by
observing the vigilance of governor Harrison and the display of seven
or eight hundred men under arms. It is questionable, however, we think,
whether Tecumseh really meditated violence at this time. He probably
wished to impress the whites with an idea of his strength, and at the
same time gratify his ambition of moving, as a great chieftain, at the
head of a numerous retinue of warriors.
The day after the close of this council, the governor wrote to the War
Department. The following is a part of his communication.
"My letter of yesterday will inform you of the arrival and departure of
Tecumseh from this place, and of the route which he has taken. There
can be no doubt his object is to excite the southern Indians to war
against us. His mother was of the Creek nation, and he builds much upon
that circumstance towards forwarding his views. I do not think there is
any danger of further hostility until he returns: and his absence
affords a most favorable opportunity for breaking up his confederacy,
and I have some expectations of being able to accomplish it without a
recourse to actual hostility. Tecumseh assigned the next spring as the
period of his return. I am informed, however, that he will be back in
three months. There is a Potawatamie chief here, who says he was
present when the message from the British agent was delivered to the
Prophet, telling him that the time had arrived for taking up arms, and
inviting him to send a party to Malden, to receive the necessary
supplies. This man is one of the few who preserve their independence.
"The implicit obedience and respect which the followers of Tecumseh pay
to him, is really astonishing, and more than any other circumstance
bespeaks him one of those uncommon geniuses which spring up
occasionally to produce revolutions, and overturn the established order
of things. If it were not for the vicinity of the United States, he
would, perhaps, be the founder of an empire that would rival in glory
Mexico or Peru. No difficulties deter him. For four years he has been
in constant motion. You see him to-day on the Wabash, and in a short
time hear of him on the shores of lake Erie or Michigan, or on the
banks of the Mississippi; and wherever he goes he makes an impression
favorable to his purposes. He is now upon the last round to put a
finishing stroke to his work. I hope, however, before his return that
that part of the fabric which he considered complete, will be
demolished, and even its foundations rooted up. Although the greater
part of his followers are attached to him from principle and affection,
there are many others who follow him through fear; and he was scarcely
a mile from town, before they indulged in the most virulent invectives
against him. The Prophet is impudent and audacious, but is deficient in
judgment, talents and firmness."
The following anecdote illustrates the coolness and self-possession of
Tecumseh, not less than the implicit obedience that was paid to his
commands by his followers.
A Potawatamie, called the Deaf Chief, was present at the late council.
After it was closed, he stated to the governor, that had he been called
upon during the conference he would have confronted Tecumseh, when he
denied that his intentions towards the United States were hostile. This
declaration having been repeated to Tecumseh, he calmly intimated to
the Prophet, that upon their return to Tippecanoe, the Deaf Chief must
be disposed of. A friend of the latter informed him of his danger, but
the chief, not at all intimidated, returned to his camp, put on his
war-dress, and equipping himself with his rifle, tomahawk and scalping
knife, returned and presented himself before Tecumseh, who was then in
company with Mr. Baron, the governor's interpreter. The Deaf Chief
there reproached Tecumseh for having ordered him to be killed,
declaring that it was an act unworthy of a warrior. "But here I am
now," said he, "come and kill me." Tecumseh making no answer, the
Potawatamie heaped upon him every term of abuse and contumely, and
finally charged him with being the slave of the red-coats, (the
British.) Tecumseh, perfectly unmoved, made no reply, but continued his
conversation with Mr. Baron, until the Deaf Chief, wearied with the
effort to provoke his antagonist to action, returned to his camp. There
is some reason for believing that the Prophet did not disobey his
orders: the Deaf Chief was never seen again at Vincennes.
Of the result of the mission of Tecumseh to the southern tribes, we
have no detailed information. Hodgson, who subsequently travelled
through this country, in his "Letters from North America," says:
"Our host told me that he was living with his Indian wife among the
Creeks, when the celebrated Indian warrior Tecumseh, came more than one
thousand miles, from the borders of Canada, to induce the lower Creeks,
to promise to take up the hatchet in behalf of the British, against the
Americans, and the upper Creeks whenever he should require it: that he
was present at the midnight convocation of the chiefs, which was held
on that occasion, and which terminated after a most impressive speech
from Tecumseh with a unanimous determination to take up the hatchet
whenever he should call upon them. This was at least a year before the
declaration of the last war."
In the "History of the Tribes of North America," there is an
interesting notice of this visit of Tecumseh.
"The following remarkable circumstance may serve to illustrate the
penetration, decision and boldness of this warrior chief. He had been
south, to Florida, and succeeded in instigating the Seminoles in
particular, and portions of other tribes, to unite in the war on the
side of the British. He gave out that a vessel, on a certain day,
commanded by red-coats, would be off Florida, filled with guns and
ammunition, and supplies for the use of the Indians. That no mistake
might happen in regard to the day on which the Indians were to strike,
he prepared bundles of sticks, each bundle containing the number of
sticks corresponding to the number of days that were to intervene
between the day on which they were received, and the day of the general
onset. The Indian practice is to throw away a stick every morning; they
make, therefore, no mistake in the time. These sticks Tecumseh caused
to be painted red. It was from this circumstance that in the former
Seminole war, these Indians were called 'Red Sticks.' In all this
business of mustering the tribes, he used great caution; he supposed
enquiry would be made as to the object of his visit; that his plans
might not be suspected, he directed the Indians to reply to any
questions that might be asked about him, by saying, that he had
counselled them to cultivate the ground, abstain from ardent spirits,
and live in peace with the white people. On his return from Florida, he
went among the Creeks in Alabama, urging them to unite with the
Seminoles. Arriving at Tuckhabatchee, a Creek town on the Tallapoosa
river, he made his way to the lodge of the chief called the Big
Warrior. He explained his object, delivered his war-talk, presented a
bundle of sticks, gave a piece of wampum and a hatchet; all which the
Big Warrior took. When Tecumseh, reading the intentions and spirit of
the Big Warrior, looked him in the eye, and pointing his finger towards
his face, said: 'Your blood is white: you have taken my talk, and the
sticks, and the wampum, and the hatchet, but you do not mean to fight:
I know the reason: you do not believe the Great Spirit has sent me: you
shall know: I leave Tuckhabatchee directly, and shall go straight to
Detroit: when I arrive there, I will stamp on the ground with my foot,
and shake down every house in Tuckhabatchee.' So saying, he turned and
left the Big Warrior in utter amazement, at both his manner and his
threat, and pursued his journey. The Indians were struck no less with
his conduct than was the Big Warrior, and began to dread the arrival of
the day when the threatened calamity would befal them. They met often
and talked over this matter, and counted the days carefully, to know
the time when Tecumseh would reach Detroit. The morning they had fixed
upon, as the period of his arrival, at last came. A mighty rumbling was
heard--the Indians all ran out of their houses--the earth began to
shake; when at last, sure enough, every house in Tuckhabatchee was
shaken down! The exclamation was in every mouth, 'Tecumseh has got to
Detroit!' The effect was electrical. The message he had delivered to
the Big Warrior was believed, and many of the Indians took their rifles
and prepared for the war.
"The reader will not be surprised to learn, that an earthquake had
produced all this; but he will be, doubtless, that it should happen on
the very day on which Tecumseh arrived at Detroit; and, in exact
fulfilment of his threat. It was the famous earthquake of New Madrid,
on the Mississippi. We received the foregoing from the lips of the
Indians, when we were at Tuckhabatchee, in 1827, and near the residence
of the Big Warrior. The anecdote may therefore be relied on. Tecumseh's
object, doubtless was, on seeing that he had failed, by the usual
appeal to the passions, and hopes, and war spirit of the Indians, to
alarm their fears, little dreaming, himself, that on the day named, his
threat would be executed with such punctuality and terrible fidelity."