The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1869-07-21
Who Killed Tecumseh.

A correspondent, signing himself
"Historicus" writes as follows to the
Pittsburg Gazette
Who killed Tecumseh =? Few ques-
tions, rising out of our contest with
the Indians, have beeu oftener asked,
or more unsatisfactory answered. The
following account 1 had some twenty
five years since, from Lieut.. Houston,
of Kentucky, and offer it as being not
only plausible, but so far as 1 am
aware, not heretofore published.
There was in the army of Gen. Har-
rison an old Kentucky Indian spy.
On the morning of the battle this spy
had observed certain signs of the pre-
sence of Indians Watching the move
ments of the army, and ~concealing
himself, he got sight of one that had
been hidden on a small island in the
river: he shot him, swan his horse to
the island and obtained his scalp.
When he regained his place in the
ranks, he found his companions dis
cussing the probabilities of a battle.
Putting his hand into his coat pocket,
he pulled out and shook at them his
trophy, saying 81 have got n of
their night-caps anyhow" and added,
1--WE will have a battle before two
hours. l have been in II Indian
fights ; to-day / will be in the 18th I;
then l shall go home and grease my
old rifle and hang her for the good
she has DONE" In a few minutes the
conflict commenced. Col. Richard
johnson being ordered~to advance and
draw the fire of the Indians who lay
concealed in the tall grass and having
done Sc to retreat, allowing the main
line to engage the enemy, but the
ColonePs impetuosity carried him
into the midst of the savages, and for
a time his command received the con-
centrated fire of that position of the
enemy. He received a wound in the
hand with which he managed his bri-
die, in consequence of which he was
unable to control his mare. An In
dian observing the fact, attempted to
tomahawk the Colonel. but he drew a
pistol and shot the Indian. The mare
was afterwards killed and the Colonel
rescued from his perilous condition.
On the next morning Lieut.. Houston
called at the tent Of Col. Johnson, and
in answer to his inquiries about the in
c:dentS Of the battle, was requested to
go to the contiict-and look up the Col
onel's dead Indian, whom he found, as
directed, lying nea to the dead a
"A large Indian, shot in the forehead,
the ball passing DOWN at an angle in
dicating that he had been shot by a
man close to him and on horseback.
Upon receiving the report of his
friend, the Colonel replied, "That's
my dead Indian" Tecumseh was
shot through the body, the ball pas
sing horizontally, showing that he was
killed by a man on the ground. And
now who killed Tecumseh? Our old
Kentucky spy had a horse shot under
him, and his body was found lying
close 10 that of Tecumseh ; his old
rifle, which he was to have creased and
hung up after the kbattle. was lying
seven feet from him but his knife
was in his hand and it was then be-
lieved that he died in attempt to obtain
the scalp of the great Indian hero.
For a time no one could identify TIE
cum with certainty. Finally a negro
who had ran away from his master
and had gone to the Indians, but had
left them and joined the army before
the battle, said he could identify Teeu.
msch by certain scars which he had OBJ.
served on his body while in bathing
with him. Thus was the fallen CHIEF
pointed out, and to the Cid Hero OF
eighteen Indian battles" was the
honor given of having stepped his
career Of blood /; and of having lost
his own life in his eagerness to have
Tecumseh's "night-cap," to grace the
walls Of hisEcabin in his forest home,
Years after, a Kentucky politician, fol
political purposes, was mean enough
to rob the old fallen hero of his wei
earned glory. Yet it is some consola
ton to know that the public judg
ment everywhere enters her demul
AGAINST fhn uSurDer'S claim