The Ohio union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1849-1854, 1853-11-02
VINO Killed the Indian CHIEF yecpmssll


Who Killed the Indian Chief Tecumsshe
From the cihcinnati EnquirerJ
The Detroit Free Press, Of the 22d
inst, publishes a letter and an affidavit in
reference to this matter, which WI think
is calculated to remove all doubt that ever
existed in tho public mind that Col. Rich
ard NJ. Johnson. formsrly Vice President
OF the United States, is entitled TO that
honorable distinction. Tecumseh fell in
The battle known aslths Thames which
was fought, in October, 1913, between ihe
Americans, commanded by GepefafW ms
Ii. Harrison, and the British, under Col.
Proctor, assisted by the Indians, under the
lead of their celebrated Chief. ltresplIed
in a complete and decisive victory of the
Americans, who gaiaed by; il all that had
been lost by the pusillanimous surrender
Of General Hull al DelIoll the year pre-,
yious. Il was the last action Of much
importance that was fought in the norths
western country, and virtually. ended the.
war, so far as that portion of the conieder,
acy was concerned. The great weight Of
the battle fell upon the Indians, who be-
hayed with great bravery, and charged
upon the Americans with the most heroic
determination. #, y. t.;l all .fts.r .s
The British soon scampered off the
field, but not so with their red allies, who
contested The ground with the energy Of
despair. Led by Tecumseh, an Indian
Chief Of the greatest proves and ability,
one Of the most formidable and iar.seeing
foes The whites ever had in this country,
the worthy successor Of the celebrated
King Phillip, of New England war me-
mory, they displayed prodigies of valor.
and for a time made the fortunes of the
day doubtful. They we're finally beaten
and driven off the ground by a charge Of
mounted Kenuckians under the command
of Col. Johnson, who then, as there is
now but little reason or doubt, killed iTe-
cumseh with his own hand. : elt '
When he came up as a candidate for
Vice President. under Mr.. Van Buren,,
The fact being commented on by his friends,
partisan calumhy attempted 10 rob him OF
The distinction aud conferred upon il an
other, a private soldier, whose name we
do not now recollect. ~
General Cass, who was one of General
Harrison aids in the battle OF the Thames,
in a speech which he made in the United
States Senate last winter, narrated some
circumstances connected with the battle,
that came under his W observation al
the time, that induced him 10 believe that
Tecumseh fell by the hand of Col. John;
son. The affidavit above alluded to as
being in The Free Press, is made by Capt.
Knaggs, who was a soldier in the Ranger
service, aud is in the foil wing words:
was attached 10 a company of mount-
ed men called Rangers, a, The battle OF
the Thames, in Upper Canada. in The
year 1873. During The battle. we charged
into the swamp, where several OF our
| horses mired down, and an order was
given 10 retire 10 the hard ground in our
rear, which we did. The Indians in the
from, believing that we were relreating,
Immediately advanced upon US, with Te-
cumseh at their head. distinctly heard
his voice, with which | was perfectly ia
milliar. lie yelled like a tiger, and urged
on his braves 10 the attack. We were
then but a few yards apart. ...# g .oa
We halted on the ground and continued
our fire. After a few minutes of very Sc.
we're firing | discovered Col Johnson ly.
ing near, on the ground, with one leg con.
fined by the body Of his while mare, which
had been killed and had fallen upon him.
My friend, Medard Labadie, was with me.
We went up 10 the Colonel, with whom
we were previously acquainted, and found
him badly wounded, lying on his side,
with one Of his pistols lying in his hand.
| saw Tecumseh al The same time, lying
on his lace, dead, and about fifteen or
twenty feet (romnahe Colonel. He was
stretched at fd.l fenglh, and was shot
through the bdslys 1 think near the heart.
The. ball weRt tAfough his back. lie
held his tomahawk in his right hand, Il
had a brass pipe on the head of it,) his
arm was extehded as if striking, aud the
edge Of DE tomahawk was suck in the
ground. Tecumseh was dressed in red
specified leggings and a iringed hunting
sLirl; he lay stretched directly toward
Col. Johnson. When we went up TO he
Colonel, we offered TO help him. He
replied with great animation, "Knasgs,
let me lay here, and push on and take
Proctor" However we liberated him
from his dead horse, took his blanket from
his saddle, placed him in it, and bore him
of the field. | had known Tecumseh
from my ~boyhood; We were boys together.
There was no other Indian killed imme.
dIately around where Col. Johnson OF
Tecumseh lay, though there were many
near The small creek, a few rods back o
the place where Tecumseh fell.
| had no doubt then, and have none
now, that Tecumseh fell by the hand OIL
Col. Johnson. -.atH
JAMES KNAGGS.
Sworn 10 before me, this 23d day o
September, 1853.
n II II WiTHEDPII '