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3L IAS ISOUDINOT, Editop .
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JOHN CANDIT;
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ed.
It is not to lie supposed, that
any reinaikable achievements of the
young warrior in his fust battles,
should Ijo preserved on record. The
Shatvanees relate, that he made his
debut in an engagement with the Ken- j
lucky troops, which took place on
the banks of Mad river. In the;
spins the counsellor of his brother.
Do contented himself, at all events
"'ill) being a subordinate actor in the
play, from first to last, thuigh he
was by no means an insignificant one.
It has been very generall* under
stood, that either this mans brain
"’(is affected lay some accident, or
heat of the skirmish, he most ungal*. that lie had (lie good fortune to be
I tint I v turned riglu-abotit-lace, and naturally possessed of a certain spe-
inado the bust of bis way from the cies of mind, or rather want of mind,
field, with all possible diligence, and j which most of the Indians holt in pc-
tliat too while one ol his brothers | euliar eslcoin. This may havg been
stood bis ground with the other In- true, but we think the probabilities
AGENTS.
William E. Holley, Maryville, E
esse".
'}. Williams, Colossc, New^York.
IkmtAJBT S.
TECUM SEN.
\e Nor 111 American Review for
contains an article of some
entitled 11 Indian Biography.”
Iprincipally taken in recounting
jis'ory and exploits of the eele-
Jd Indian chief, Toeuniieh. He
luini on tire banks ol the Scioto
|, near Chillicoihc. Ohio.
,'V. Y. Jour. Com.
Is father, who was aimed Snaw-j
[warrior, fell at the bailie ol
jwa, while Teeums -li was yel
Ire* boy. II is mot her is said by
to have been a Sli iwance, and
|liers a Creek; but he is under*
himself to have told a geutle-
|al Vincennes, in 1810, that slie
Che.okec, who had been taken
|ncr in a war between that nn j
»ud ihe .Shatvanees, and adopted,
Iriling to Indian custom, into a
|y of the latter nation, which re-
near the Miami of the Lake.—
[account is confirmed by l ie eir-
slanee of this worn in having mi-
J*d into the Cherokee territory in
■need age, and died there. The
of her tribe is said to have been
Kle, and of the father’s a li-
all the information which
how be gathered respecting the
years of Tecumseh, it appears
I lie gave a striking evidence in
Jovhotd of the singular spirit,
lb characterized him through
He was distinguished for a
dy adherunco to principle, and
|rally that of the best kind. He
ed himself upon his temperance
[us truth, maintaining ail uncoin-
reputation for integrity, and,
is still rarer among his country-
nover indulged in the excessive
of food or liquor, lie would not
[y until long after the customary
7'i; <otid then, as a matter ol nu-
I'ly, in consequence of the solid-
Jns of friends, he scons to have
Iceted hnnself with an old woman
J <vas perhaps not the handsomest
lost agreeable lady in the world,
fvho nevertheless boro him one
his only offspring. With this
Option, he adopted in his inntri
r«d life certain practices of the
|®f Blinkers, whose principles, as
Ml known, were afterwards so
liuousl promulgated by hisbrolh-
I,® Prophet, that a certain prime
Itionary in that denomination gave
pne credit of being ns good a dis-
himself. Whether there wus
*pre8« concert or actual co-ope-
rt between tj l0 t 1V o, a t this early
rn »pectcng this dr any other
Ft or policy i n which they «ub*
di.ms. and fought tiil he was wounded
and carried off. It must be admitted,
that this is uot so creditable a pro
ceeding as may be conceived; but the
extreme youth of the party goes some
way to explain, as Ins subsequent
conduct did to excuse it. But from
this time, whatever might be Ins an
imal courage, bo was never known
to shrink. Indeed previously to the
treaty of Greenville, (in 1705) when
he was probably about twenty-live
years of age, lie is said to have &i:,
nalized himself so much, as to have
bcen reputed one of the boldest o! iti
Indian Warriors. No individual was
more regularly engaged in those ter
riblo men sinus, by which me firs,
settlers of Kentucky were so much
harrassud; and few could boast ol
having intercepted so many boats on
the Ohio liver, or plundered so man)
houses on the civilized shore, lit
was sometimes pursued, but nevei
overtaken, li the' enemy advance"
into his own country, he retreated In
the banks of the Wabash, until the
storm Intel passed by; and then,
just as limy were laying aside the
sword for the axe and ploughshare,
swooped down upon III m again in
their min settlements. It goes to
show the disinterested genetosily al
ways ascrib -J to him, that, although
(he booty collected in itie course ol
these adventures must have been very
considerable in quantity and value, be
rarely retained any portion of it for
his own use. tiis ruling passion was
the love of glory, as that of his fol
lowers was the love of gain; and of
course a compromise could always
he effected between them, to the per
fect satisfaction of bull) parties.—
lie was a feudal baron among boors.
Il remained for subsequent occasions,
then little dreamed of, to show that
Ins temperament, like his talent, was
evei heller adapted to the manage
ment of a targe engagement, than to
the melee of a small one.
We have now arrived at an epoch
in his lile^when it is no longer possi
ble to give his own history to much
advantage, but by connecting with il
that of his celebrated brother, the
prophet already mentioned. The
ntime ol'tIlia personage was Elskwata-
wa # He and Tecumseh, and still u-
nother, Kumshaka, were the offspring
of the same mother at the same birth.
Probably there was an understanding
between them, at^ an early date,
respecting the great plans which the
prophet and the orator afterwards
carried iulo execution; hut ns we
hear little or i olhing <>l the subse
quent co-operation ef Kumshaka, it
may he presumed lljal he did uot live
—employment would eeitainly have
been found for him, if he had It has
been said (hat it was about the year
I80li, when his two brothers first
conceived their design of uniting all
the Western Indians in a war against
the Americans. But it appears to us
probable, that the main project was
older than this, although the mintUice
of it never were nor could be agteed
upon at any one time. Whether it
was Tecvimsoh’s alone, or the Proph
et’s alone, in llio first instance,—or
the rosull of the joint deliberations of
the two, cannot now be determined.
The better opinion, perhaps, favors
first theory; wit! the qualification,
of the ease are in favor of a different
supposition,—to wit,—that his |!nt*n-
zy was feigned; and that his hr.lluir
instigated and instructed him to make
nn important use of it in the promo
tion of the grand scheme, which was
scarcely exercising the ingenuity and
fostering the ambition of both. It
goes igninsl the former theory, that
Ibrfse who are best acquainted with
Llskavvata, and especially such as
knew him personally, were the least
suspicious of any deficiency m his in
tellect Take the evidence of (-5 n-
cral Harrison, for example, who had
uprated opportunities oi closely scru-
inizing his conduct and conversation,
i'he author of the life of that Gcntle-
n.iu, publish', il ;n Cincimt :lti in 18;28,
• n speaking ol a visit of a fortnight
rom the Proprct, in Augmt, 1808,
IVserves, that ‘the Governor discov-
red him to he possessed of consider
■ hie talents.’ Again, “his astonish
ment was excited, by the address and
ut with which he managed the fi-
dinis.’ It could by no means be
lathered from his language, whether
lie was under British infl imice. Thai
point, indeed, never was ascertained
satisfactorily, by any American; and
so far was General Harrison in nar-
tieular in gain ng it, that his biogra
pher frankly ad oiis him to have been
“completely deceived’ l/y ‘this fel
low’s’ profound !»u bt illy, notwith
standing both tun special prejudice he
lud previously formed against him,
and the general knoe ledge ho possess
ed ot Indian cunning and dupiici-
'y-
led. The policy of the more promin
ent tenets cannot he mistaken. Just
Jin proportion to their observance,
they must inevitably promote the de
pendence of the Indian nations, first,
by diminishing their independence up
on the whites, and secondly, by in
creasing their intercourse and har
mony with each other.
In addressing himself to such sub
jects, with such a system, Elskawn-
tnwa could hardy fail of success.—
For some years, indeed, his commits
were few; for great as the influence
is, which a man of his pretensions ex
ercise over his ignorant countrymen,
when his reputation is once fai.ily ac
quired, it is by no mean) so easy an
undertaking, to acquire it in the out
set. The extent and permanence o!
bis success, in fact, are, more conclu
sive as to his talent, than the mere
conception and adoption of the policy.
’Phis ivas comparatively common
place, and common-place personage
might undertake it. Mr. Tanner,
who pi hlished, a year or two since,
a very interesting narrative of his
suspended, only Iliac a last effort
might be more advantageously made,
for a compromise with the disnffeei-
eu tribes. Early in 1811, the Indian
lorce mustered at Tippecanoe was
larger, than Governor Harrison hiin-
sclf could easily collect; and the body-
guard of Tecumseh, on (lie visit
which he paid the former at Vin
cennes, in July ol this scaion, consist-
c.l^ol more than three hundred mem
This meeting took place ostensibly
in consequence of a speech, which the
Governor had sent to the brothers at
their encampments on the Wabash
in June, lie hud taken that occasion
to repeal his former complaints of
(Ik. insults and injuiics he sojjposed
to have been ollered to American ci
tizens, by Indians under their inllu-
enoe, to- inform thorn that lie Pad
heard ol their recent attempt to has
ten hostilities uctivccn the Union and
various Indian tribes; ami, finally, to
:cniiiHi them in strong terms, of the
consequences of persisting in (his
conduct. ‘Brothers!’- 1 ]
in
, myself,
ul the Lor.gknife lire.’ As soon as they
He inculcated, in the first place,
that a radical reform <was necessary
in the manners of the red people.—
Tins was proved, by enlarging upon
the evils which had ensued from the
neighborhood ol the'whites,—the im
itation of their dress and manners, the
introduction of ardent spirits, diseas
es, contentions ami wars: by the vast
diminution of iho means f subsist
ence, and the narrowed limits of ter
ritory to which they wore now hem
med in, and by other considerations ol
the most inhaling, ns well as plau
sible kind, the force of which was
uot at all lessened by occasional com
ment on particular transactions, and
glowing references to the long, peace*
lul and happy lives ef their forefath
ers. This point being gained, and a
favorable excitement produced, the
next thing in order was his own com
mission from the Gr. at Spirit. This
was aiilhenti. tiled by the astonishing
miracles he was able to perform, ami
still more, by the great: benefits he
was able to confer on his followers.—
The budget ot reform was then
brought forward. There was to be
no more fighting between the tribes,
— they were brcihicn. They were
lo abandon the use of ardent spirits,
and to wear skins, as their ancestors
had done, instead of blankets. Steal
ing, quarrelling, and other immoral
modern habits were denounced. In
junctions of minor importance seem
to have been enforced merely with a
view to test the pliability of savage
superstition, to embarrass the jealous
scrutiny of those who opposed or
doubted, and to establish a superfi
cial uniformity, whereby the true be
lievers should be roadily distinguish-
residence of thirty years among the In- hear my voice, you w ill see tin m
dians, has given incidental sketches ; pouring forth their swarms of hunt-
ofns many as three or lour pretend- i gsirri men, as m,hu m us a s themo*-
ers. Sninc of them were laughed at qui cos on'tlie si o es of ti c Uab.. I*,
for their pains. Others obtained a ‘Brothers! take < are ol (heir slinks.’
temporary credence; but we hear n j- Tecumseh promptly replied to inis
thing of them beyond a year or two. [communication, by promising to vis.t
Elskatvaluwn was at this very peri- ; the Governor in piedsely eight.-ed
od extending his reputation from 1 days, lor the purpose uf ‘washing
tribe to tribe, over the whole West, away all llie,-e had stories.’ feuine
Difficulties and discouragements were delay occurred; Init upon Saturney,
encountered by him; bn! lie ncverllie- the 27th of July, he made his appeal'-
less persevered and pievailed. His a nee at \ iuceones, with les thr'ctl
first establishment consisted of about hundred fvli-jivers. As mi'lc r the
"he bundled warriors of his own tribe
whom he had very artfully convinced
or at least conciliated, hv preaching . entertainment,
up the superiority of the Shawnees J commence the
Governor nor the inhabilanis gi n.Tal
ly were desirous of prolonging ins
it was proposed to
negc.liations o . Mou-
over every olhei people under llenv- day; hut (Ins lie deelm.-d d. ing, m d
en. This doctrine, however, was it was late on Tuesday before he
not Calculated for general use; and made his appc..r«nee. at the arboi
the prophet had scarcely collected his prepared for the occasion. A or did
pariizaiis around him at. Greenville, • he then come, without taking the p>-e*
when his efforts to add to their mini 'caution to ascertain p-eviouslv,
her from other tribes,--and upon o(h- whether (lie G vetiim was to be t-
er grounds, of emiise,—compelled ; tended by aimed men at the council,
him to modify his theory so much, j — li s.i, he sh old apopi the same eii-
th.it about half of I is own country-; quelle. Being left to his own optmc.
meiuleserted him. Bat their place j and given lo understand that, Ins c\-
was soon supplied by stragglers, who j ample w ould he imitated, lm cams
came in .from various quarters. In | with a guard > f nearly two hundred
June 1807, the United Stales’ agent ! men, some armed will) hoivs and or
al Fort Wayne wrote to General j rows, and othe.s with knives, tom-
Harrison, then governor of Indiana j abawks, and war-clubs. The Gov-
Territory, that no fewer than fifteen j ernor, on the other hand, was ntieiM
hundred Indians has passed that sta-1 ded by a full troop of dragoons, dic
tion, on their way to hear the preach- J mounted, and completely furnisoed
ing of ll'.e Shawnes Prophet. In Ihe i with fire-arms; and he bad taken
course of this season, tho effects of! care, on Tecumseh’s first otiivil, tq
his exhortations became so palpable, | secure the town, by stationing ttvd
as to excite some apprehensions it- foot companies and a detachment of
tnong the while settlements on Ihe
frontiers. Suspicious movements were
visible among tho Kickapoos, and a
mong portions of the Potawatoniics,
1809,
Chippewas, and Ottnwas. In
I lie Prophet removed from Green
ville to Tiipaeanoe, on the upper
part ol the Wabash, and his disciples
followed in his train. During the
next year, rumors of war became
prevalent, and though the preacher
had a little before this been deserted,
lie was now reported to have more
cavalry in the outskirts. He placed
himself in front of his dragoons: To'-
cumsch stood at the head of his taw
ny hand, and the conference was
commenced with a speech on the
pail of the Governor. This was
briefly replied to, but a heavy min
coming on, matters remained in stain
qu>, until iIil* next day, when Tecum*
sell made a long and ingenious haran
gue, bnili exposing and justifying his
his oan schemes, much more openly
than he had ever done before. , IL -
than one thousand individuals under i spcctiug the demand which the Gov-
Ins entire control. The Wyandots
and many ol the Winriobngoes had
joined him; and the warlike Sacs and
and Foxes followed soon afterwards.
Meanwhile murders am * 1 other out
rages are said to have taken place in
the vicinity ofilie Prophet’s settle
ment. A general alarm existed a-
mong the whites, throughout Indiana
and Illinois. Measures had already
been taken, under the immediate
charge of Governor Haraison, for the
defence of the frontiers; and of Vin
cennes in particular, whore the first
onset of the enemy was expected.—
The affrenlion of the General Govern
ment itself was about (bis time so
much aroused, that a proposal from
the President to make prisoners of
both Tecumseh and his brother was
ernor had mailey that two Palawa-
laiiiie mu’derors should be given up
to punishment, who wore staled to lie
resident at Tippecanoe, be, in the
first place, denied that they uor$
the ret and went on very deliberately
to show, that he could not deliver
them up if they were there ‘It was
uot light,’ lie said, to punish thosd
people.’ They ought to bo forgiven,
«s mil as these who had recently mur
dered his people in the Illinois. Tho
whites should follow lii.s qvvn exam !e
of forgiveness; he had forgiven tho
Oltawas and the Osages. Finally he
desired that the matters might re
main in their present situation, and
especially that no settlements should
be attempted upon the' lands recently
purchased of certain tribes, until hs
iff
1