now advanced to the foot of the Rapids, where a temporary work was erected for the security of baggage. The Indians were found already encamped behind a thick wood and the English fort.

On the 20th of August, 1794, decisive movements were made. The Americans marched in columns, the right flank of the legion covered by the Miamis; one brigade of mounted volunteers on the left; and another in the rear. A select battalion marched in front to give timely notice of any ambush, or probability of action. The select battalion had not proceeded far, before it was attacked by a heavy fire from an invisible enemy, and compelled to retreat.

The Indians had taken a position almost inaccessible to cavalry, on account of timber, which had been prostrated by a tornado. They had formed in three lines, with a very extended front, reaching two miles, in right angles with the river. Their object was to turn the left flank of the

army.

The legion in two lines advanced with trailed arms, with the view of rousing the enemy from his coverts by the point of the bayonet, then to fire, and to pursue the flying foe without giving him time to load again. In case of the attempt of the Indians to turn the American left, the second line was directed to aid the first. The legion cavalry penetrated between the river and the Indians, in order to change their left. By a circuit, the mounted volunteers were to turn their right. So entirely did the plan of the Americans succeed, that only a part could get into action. In one hour, the Indians were driven more than two miles through a thick wood, and the battle terminated within pistol shot of the British fort.

All their houses were burned, and their cornfields destroyed; among the rest, the house and store of a British trader, who had exerted his influence to continue the war. On the return of the army, all the villages within 50 miles of AuGlaize were consumed, and other property destroyed. The number on the American side, of the killed and wounded amounted to 107 men only. The enemy, it was allowed, lost more than twice that number. The savages were now willing to bury the hatchet of war, and smoke the pipe of peace.

CHAPTER XVI.

Indian ravages renewed. Arms loaned to Ohio. Indian confederacies. The Shawanese prophet. Governor Harrison marches against him. Parley. Encampment. Battle in the night. Major Davies killed. State of the army. Indians desire peace. New massacres near Vin

cennes. 1812.

THE hatred towards the Americans, entertained by the original natives since the first settlement of the country to the present period, continued for more than 300 years, with little intermission of hostilities, cannot be expected to cease but with the diminution of their power, or the extinction of their race.

During the summer of 1814, the western savages carried murders, waste and terrors into the new settlements in their vicinity, where the people were too remote from the white people to receive timely and adequate successors from their brethren. Depredations indeed had frequently been made, in no degree differing from the usual character, mode or miseries of Indian warfare; but now they had become too frequent and too atrocious to be any longer endured, while tardiness to chastise past injuries and insults was considered by many as already criminal, and deemed an evident neglect of that great political duty, which is solicitous to extend equal protection to all.

The congress of the United States, foreseeing what would probably be the result of things, had passed a resolution, 18th of November, 1811, to loan arms, artillery and other instruments of defence to the state of Ohio, which being a new state and contiguous to the seat of hostilities would probably not only be the first and principal sufferer, but also less able to defend itself. The territory of Indiana was still younger among the federal sisters, and even more exposed. The whole militia of the Indiana territory cannot be supposed to exceed 3000; and in 1809 it amounted to 2067 only; and these being less to be feared by being scattered over a large extent of country.

The Indians had formed extensive confederacies; and they were using every effort to combine still more tribes in the premeditated attack on our frontier inhabitants. To their habitual hatred of the Americans they now joined the aid of superstition, to which of all people savages are most inclined. One of the chiefs of the Shawanoe tribe had made pretensions to the spirit of prophecy. However he might be wanting in the divine afflatus he was not wanting in art. He made the prophet useful to the man, and his inspiration subservient to the designs he wished to accomplish. To his countrymen he did not fail to prophesy smooth things, predicting the victories which would attend his arms, and promising to his followers the favor and patronage of the Great Spirit, which enthusiasts always think they have at their own command. In an ignorant people, credulity is increased in some proportion to the extravagance of claims; and even the wise Greeks could credit oracular responses; and the grave Romans decided the most interesting affairs of states by the direction, or rather by the contingences of omens, not less unworthy of belief than the pretensions of the Shawanese prophet. Like Mahomet too, he united the character of the warrior with the high claims of divinity.

His red brethren were also already inclined to credit any thing, which had a tendency to drive away the white people from lands which they themselves wished to possess, free from the dangers to be apprehended from a white people who felt power, and too often had forgot right. The Shawanese tribe to which the prophet belonged, however, was not to be greatly feared, as it could bring only 450 warriors into the field of battle. Confederacies only were to be feared, and they were increasing every day.

The attempts at reconciliation had become ineffectual, the spirit of forbearance exhausted, new injuries inflicted, and the strength of the enemy increasing by gaining time, when governor Harrison of the Indiana territory marched against the Shawanese fanatic and his confederated followers. The American force consisted of some regulars, militia and volunteer companies raised from the adjacent states. These, proceeding from Vincennes for the Wabash, built a fort on the way for heavy baggage and provisions. After the usual occurrences of a march through the wilderness, on the 5th of November, 1811, they arrived within II miles of the proph

I

et's town. The next day, a march for 6 miles was through prairies seperated from each other by small points of woods.

The order of march was similar to that adopted by general Wayne; but this was necessarily changed in order to comform to the nature of the ground, over which they had to pass. The day before the battle, few Indians were to be seen; and these seemed to wish to avoid all intercourse. A flag was advanced towards the town, but was obliged to return, as the enemy manifested an intention to cut them off from the main army. Upon a further advance of the troops to Tippacanoe, 3 Indians, one of whom was in high estimation with the prophet, came to desire a parley, in which he expressed surprise at the sudden appearance of an army. He alleged a previous agreement not to commence hostilities till an answer should have been returned through the Delewares and Miamis, who by another route were now on their way to Vincennes When they were assured that uo hostilities would now commence, if they would faithfully comply with the requisitions already made, they seemed satisfied; and directed the governor to a place to encamp convenient for wood and water. The ground selected was a piece of elevated dry oak land, with prairies in front and rear, excellent for regulars, but affording great facility to the approach of savages. But no better was to be found.

Towards the left flank, this bench of high land, near which ran a small stream clothed with willows and other brush wood, widened considerably, but became gradually narrow in the opposite directions, at a distance of 150 yards from each other on the left and something more than half that distance on the right flank. These flanks were filled up, the first by two companies of 120 mounted riflemen under major Wells; the other by Spencer's company of 80 mounted riflemen. The front was composed of one battalion of United States infantry under major Floyd, flanked on the right by two companies of militia, and on the left by one company. The rear line was composed of a battalion of United States' troops under captain Baen, acting as major, and four companies of militia infantry under lieutenant col. Decker. The regular troops of the line joined the mounted riflemen nnder major Wells on the left flank, and colonel Decker's battalion formed an angle with Spencer's company on the left. Two troops of dragoons of sixty men were encamped in the rear of the left flank, and captain Parke's troop, which

was larger than the other two, in the rear of the front line. This order of encampment was varied only from the nature of the ground and from necessity.

Thus, they encamped for the night. The troops were arranged in the best order, ready for battle, with their accoutrements on; their arms within their reach, and double guards set, who still proved very negligent of their duty. During the night, the order of encampment was the order of battle. A single file was used, as in an Indian warfare the extension of lines is of the first importance. It was usual at night to assemble all the officers, to give the watch-word, and all necessary instructions; and the troops were used to be called up before day, and made to continue under arms till quite light.

On the morning of the 7th of November, governor Harrison had arisen at a quarter past 4 o'clock. In two minutes more, the signal would have been given for calling out the men, when the enemy began his fire. The guards first assaulted fired only a single gun, and fell back upon the camp. The yells of the savages breaking in upon the lines gave the first alarm to the main body of the army. Those awaked seized their arms; while those most tardy had to encounter the Indians at the doors of their tents.

The first part of the storm fell upon the regulars and mounted riflemen, where the fire was uncommonly severe. Some Indians penetrated into the encampment a considerable way before they were killed. All the troops were in arms before they received the fire of the enemy, except the two first companies attacked. The morning was dark, it being also more than two hours before sunrise. The fires which were burning were soon extinguished, as they only served to direct the aim of the savages with a more fatal effect. The governor was instantly on horseback, giving his directions in every quarter; and a good degree of order was maintained. Major Davies, the chief justice of the Indian territory, as distinguished for his eloquence as eminent for his knowledge of law, was mortally wounded in a gallant attempt to drive back the enemy from a particular spot, whence their heaviest fire seemed to proceed. In a few minutes, the fire from the enemy extended all along the lines. The great object of governor Harrison was to prevent the enemy from breaking the lines, till daylight should enable him to give a general battle. At the dawn of day, the lines were ably en