Elkswatawa

by James Strange French

We have now traced to a close, the main incidents in our story, and still it is unfinished as far as regards the fate of several characters who have played a conspicuous part in the foregoing narrative. To give a brief sketch of their subsequent history is now our purpose.

With the loss of the battle of Tippecanoe at once sunk the character of Elkswatawa as a Prophet. He had prophesied success to those who should be engaged in the battle, and with it an exemption from all injury. His prophecies were proved false; for the battle was lost, and many of his warriors killed. His power was now gone; those who had lost relatives in the late action, reviled and abused him as a bad man, and public opinion among the Indians was also very strong against him on account of his having embroiled them with the whites, and plunged them into difficulties from which they now saw no hope of escape. In this state of things, he retired with a small party, to one of the Huron villages, where he determined to remain until the opposition against him had in some measure spent its force, when he would again endeavour to regain that influence which he before possessed. The immediate consequence of the defeat of the Indians at Tippecanoe was a disposition on their part to sue for peace. The chiefs of all the tribes which were in the late action, the Shawanees alone excepted, repaired to Vincennes, and delivered up their arms; and the Prophet's band having dwindled down to a mere handful of men, circumstances seemed to promise a speedy and amicable adjustment of the Indian affairs.

When the battle of Tippecanoe was fought, Tecumseh was absent at the south, having avowed to General Harrison, previous to his departure, that his object in visiting the Indians in that quarter, was to endeavour to unite them in the confederacy he had already formed. But no sooner had the battle taken placed and the Indians delivered up their arms and sued for peace, than he returned to his lands on the Wabash. When he found that all the plans which he had so long been maturing, had been frustrated by the rashness of Elkswatawa and his followers, his soul was wrung with anguish:—he vented his wrath against him, and wept over the derangement of his schemes.—He had now with him but eight followers, and the band of the Prophet amounted to but few more;—and this was the result of their joint labours for so many years. When Tecumseh saw this, he repined no longer, but reconciling all differences with Elkswatawa, went at once to work to endeavour to regain what he had lost.

Previous to Tecumseh's visit to the south, Mr. Madison, who was then President of the United States, had expressed a wish, that those chiefs who were dissatisfied with the late treaties, should visit Washington, for the purpose of stating their grievances; at the same time, promising them that they should be redressed if practicable. Tecumseh had consented to do so, upon his return; and now, for the purpose of gaining time, and also quieting still further the apprehensions of the whites, he sent a messenger to General Harrison, avowing that he was ready to set out with the deputation which had been invited to proceed to Washington, to treat for peace; but that his wish was to go as its chief.

He was answered, that he might visit Washington with the deputation, but not in the capacity he desired. This wounded his pride, for he thought himself entitled to the rank to which he aspired, and with the refusal he relinquished all thoughts of peace. He saw that the battle was to be fought, and he nerved himself for the contest. His exertions were now more unremitting than ever:—again he visited every neighbouring tribe; called its warriors together, depicted the wrongs they suffered, dwelt upon the ruinous consequences of such a peace as the whites would dictate, and urged them on to battle for their rights. He spoke of the invasion of the whites, and the battle of Tippecanoe, and in fine, left no topic untouched, which was calculated to excite the Indians against the United States. The Prophet also was again seen wandering far and wide, and preaching the words of the Great Spirit. His failure at Tippecanoe, he rationally accounted for, by saying that some woman had, by touching his sacred utensils on the evening of the battle, destroyed their charm, and so specious were the devices he used, and so ignorant the multitude upon which he operated, that we find him again playing quite a conspicuous part. But he was never destined to regain the power which but a short time before he had wielded. Tecumseh now avowed himself the master spirit of the projected enterprise, and rose as rapidly in favour with the Indians, as the Prophet had declined. The result of his exertions will be seen, when, notwithstanding the deranged state in which he found his affairs upon his return, two months after this time, we find him at the head of a roving band, spreading terror and devastation along the whole range of our north-western frontier. Nothing could equal the fear he inspired, for so extensive was the confederation he had formed, that incursions would be made by members of his band, and families murdered at a distance of one and two hundred miles apart. When pursuit was made, the Indians were gone, and the occurrence of these things at so many different points, tended so much to distract and divide public attention, that it was found impossible to embody the militia at any one place, in sufficient numbers to be of service. No one knew when he was safe, for murders were committed in places deemed hitherto secure, and very often the attack was directed where least expected. There was no guarding against it, for no one could tell where the blow was to fall, and the result was, that entire families were seen deserting their homes, and flying they knew not where for protection. Many sought Vincennes, but scarcely would they reach it, before rumour represented that the Prophet, with a numerous band was coming down upon the town, and the fugitives left it, to continue their flight. In every quarter, was terror, consternation, and fear exhibited.

To counteract this, all the troops under General Harrison were called out, and so disposed as to protect as much of the frontier as possible, and a special messenger was likewise despatched, for the purpose of calling together a council of the tribes, and either settling upon the terms of peace, or else securing their neutrality. This was essential, because the chiefs of many of the tribes had delivered up their arms, after the battle of Tippecanoe, and expressed a willingness to treat for peace; and it was also highly necessary, because the attitude assumed by England at this time, warranted the belief that war would soon be declared between the two countries; and as in case of such an event, the contest would lay in a great measure along the lakes, it became a matter of great moment, to conciliate as many of the tribes as practicable.

The special messenger appointed by General Harrison, so far succeeded in his mission, that, in May, 1812, a grand council of twelve tribes was held at Mississinniway, on the Wabash. Each tribe had its orator, who addressed the council, and all were for peace, with the exception of Tecumseh. Even he, seeing that all were against him, dissembled, and said he was willing to treat for peace; but in his speeches, he never lost sight of the injuries which had been inflicted by the whites, nor did he fail to advert to the causes of complaint which he considered most irritating. He deemed it unwise there to avow that his intentions were for war, yet at the close of one of his speeches, in allusion to the whites, he said, “should they come again and make an unprovoked attack on us at our village, we will die like men, but we will never strike the first blow.” During the discussion, the Prophet was spoken of by several of the tribes, as a bad man, and their present difficulties were attributed to him. They protested that they would no longer listen to his doctrines, nor have any connexion with him; and the council adjourned, leaving an impression on the whites, that peace would be adhered to by most of the tribes which were present.

Although Tecumseh had expressed a willingness to be at peace, and a disposition to remain so, no sooner was the council broken up than we find him going among the very tribes whose chiefs had just pledged themselves to preserve peace, strengthening the confederacy which he had already formed, and urging the Indians in the most exciting language, to prepare for battle. With the breaking up of the council at Mississinniway, he drew off all reserve, and no longer pretended to conceal his designs. He proclaimed that his voice was for battle, and battle he would have until he and his warriors should be no more, or until the Ohio river should be acknowledged as the northern boundary of the United States, and a promise on the part of the whites be given, never more to purchase lands of the Indians, without the consent of every tribe on the continent.

The breach between England and the United States, was now every day widening, and all foresaw that war was inevitable. In consequence of this, extensive preparations were made:—forts were built and garrisoned, and the whole northern frontier placed in the best possible state of defence. Tecumseh, who when he first projected the scheme which he had been so long maturing, was as bitter in his feelings against the English as the Americans, now saw that he could do nothing by opposing both, and that he must at once take part with one or the other. The injuries inflicted by the Americans, were fresh in his mind; he saw them in possession of lands to which he thought his tribe entitled, and he saw them grasping at the small portion of territory yet left to the red men. He had received overtures before this, from English agents, and he now bent his steps toward the Canada lines.

On the 18th of June, of the year 1812, war was declared against England, and affairs in the west wearing a more alarming aspect, greater preparations became necessary. To General Harrison was assigned the command of the western army, and all his exertions were devoted to making preparations for the opening campaign. Tecumseh had, in the meantime, formed an alliance with the English; for soon after his return to the Wabash, he was heard to state to the commander at Fort Wayne, while on his way to the Malden council, that he had orders from the English, to receive twelve horse loads of ammunition, for the use of his people at Tippecanoe. He was also placed at the head of the Anglo-Indian Department, and to him was assigned the rank of a general officer in the English army.