Elkswatawa

by James Strange French

We have already seen that he was opposed to the summary process of removing his opponents, which had been suggested by his brother, the Prophet; and now, upon the remonstrance of Gov. Harrison, and also fearing the odium which would attach to their cause, should more victims be sacrificed, and their shallow devices discovered, he began to persuade his brother to desist from his persecutions on account of witchcraft, and to declare publicly, that all the witches were exterminated, and the Great Spirit appeased; and that then they would adopt some other plan for the removing of those who were endeavouring to thwart their views. The Prophet acquiesced. A revelation from the Great Spirit was soon received, which said that all the witches were exterminated, and he satisfied with his red children; and, soon after, the two brothers were engaged heart and hand, in exciting jealousies among the various tribes, toward their respective chiefs, and in persuading them to take all authority into their own hands. This plan was pursued with success:—all the chiefs who were opposed to the Prophet were dethroned, and the affairs of their tribes managed by the warriors. Dark and midnight meetings were now continually held; multitudes were flocking from a distance to see the Prophet, and hear him preach; and so much excitement prevailed, that constant information of every proceeding was furnished to Gen. Harrison, at his request, by persons employed for that purpose.

Information from sources, somewhat vague and questionable, was now often received by the whites, indicating a hostile intention on the part of the Indians. But the Prophet's band, or those who regularly remained with him, were not sufficient in numbers to create much alarm, and for a time, no active steps were taken. The great gatherings to hear the words of the Prophet were now generally attended with petty aggressions on the lands of the whites, and so many accounts were brought in of a hostile disposition on the part of the Indians, that the Governor began to organize and discipline the militia of his territory. Circumstances had also transpired which indicated an unfriendly feeling on the part of the British, and it now became manifest that English agents had been tampering with the Indians, and endeavouring to excite them against the United States.

About this time, also, the Prophet determined to remove his head-quarters from their present position, near Fort Wayne, to the upper branches of the Wabash. To this movement, there was strong opposition, both from the red men and white, yet he succeeded. The Miamies and Delawares, who claimed the land where he purposed to locate himself, with a hope of defeating this measure, sent a deputation to the Prophet, remonstrating with him for so doing. But he refused to see them, and sent in his place his brother, Tecumseh. He met them, and gave them such a reception that the deputation returned with fear and trembling.

Elkswatawa's power was now at its height; yet he still had enemies, men who would not have hesitated to seize and assassinate him, but for the mystery which surrounded his character. Fearing for his personal safety, he had from the commencement denounced the most awful punishment against any one, who should dare to molest the “Prophet of the Most High.” And on this account, so much was he feared even by those who hated him, that his person was by all regarded as sacred. Having removed to the upper branches of the Wabash, he settled at a place which he called Tippecanoe, and began at once to build a town. He also now began to mingle warlike with religious exercises, and after preaching, it was customary for him to make his warriors to draw the bow, throw the tomahawk, or wield the war club.

Notwithstanding these preparations, he was not yet ready to strike the blow he had so long been meditating. The necessity of full preparation had been urged by Tecumseh, who was the soul of all the proceedings, and who was to give the signal and lead them on, the foremost in the fight. Although the ascendency of the Prophet was so great, yet it was chiefly in the tribes around him, that his power was felt. This was but a part of his plan. To ensure the cordial co-operation of all the distant and wandering tribes was likewise his object, and to effect this was Tecumseh now incessantly labouring.

The mingling of warlike exercises with religious duties, and the continual assembling of large crowds around the Prophet, partially disclosed his intentions, and also served to awaken the whites to a sense of their danger.

In consequence of the information which had been regularly forwarded to Washington, orders were received from the general government, in pursuance of an act of Congress previously passed, requiring the different states and territories to organize, arm, and equip their respective quotas of one hundred thousand men, and hold them in readiness to march at a moment's warning. The Prophet was apprized of these preparations, his plans were as yet unfinished, and all his energies were directed, to lull the suspicions which his conduct had created. As a first step he resolved to visit the Governor in person, and sent him a runner, with a message to that effect, also stating, that his views and intentions had been misrepresented, and soon after made his appearance, accompanied only by his own immediate followers. He was received with courtesy, and remained several days, during which, in explanation of his views, he delivered to the Governor the following speech:

“Father, it is three years since I first began with that system of religion which I now practise. The white people and some of the Indians were against me; but I had no other intention but to introduce among the Indians those good principles of religion which the white people profess. I was spoken badly of by the white people, who reproached me with misleading the Indians; but I defy them to say that I did any thing amiss.

“I heard when I settled on the Wabash that my father, the Governor, had declared that all the land between Vincennes and Fort Wayne, was the property of the ‘Seventeen Fires.’ I also heard that you wanted to know, my father, whether I was man or God.

“The Great Spirit told me to tell the Indians, that he had made them, and made the world—that he had placed them on it to do good and not evil. I told all the red skins, that the way they were in was not good, and that they ought to abandon it—that we ought to consider ourselves as one man, but we ought to live agreeable to our customs, the red people after their mode, and the white people after theirs; and that they must always follow the directions of the Great Spirit, and we must listen to him, as it was he that made us.