The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1890-01-22
TEcuMsEH's HORN.
How it was Taken From the Famous
Warrior After Death.
cincinnati Inquirer.l


An interesting bit of the Indian war
history of this vicinity is brought out
by the presentation TO Huff Post, G.. A.
r., at Lawrenceburg, Ind, of pow
der-horn, once the property of the
great Indian chieftain, Tecumseh.
This horn was carried slung across
Tecumseh's shoulder in the famous bat
tie of the Thames, in 1918.
1t was presented TO the Post by Hen
ny Morris, of Lawrenceburg. He is
son of VIM. Morris, better known to
Ohio Valley pioneers as 'Tndian Bill"
who figured in many savage and bloody
encounters.
After the great fight seventy-six years
ago Indian Bill' found the body of
the slain warrior. The powder horn,
still attached to the string around
Tecumseh's neck, lay on his breast.
The scout removed it and preserved il
as the most sacred of his relics. At his
death few years ago he presented it to
his son Henry, who has now given it to
Huff Post, and it hangs ON the wall in
that organizations hall.
The horn was cut from the head of
the first buffalo Tecumseh killed. He
carefully scraped and polished it, and
displayed great deal of skill and in
genuity in fitting bottom to it and
shaping the mouth. The entire surface
of the receptacle is covered with In
dian characters and legends.
Mr.. Morris has another and more
CORY and CHASTITY trophy of that famous
battle. 1t is strip of skin ont from the
middle of Tecumsea's back. The old
settlers felt about the same savage salts
faction in cutting mp and mutilating the
bodies of their slain red foes as the In
dams did in scalping. After taking the
horn off Tecumsh's body, old "Indian
Bill" turned the Chieftain on his face,
and with his scalping knife cut strip
of skin several inches wide off the war
rior's back down the entire length
This strip was Cured" and for the re-
mainder of Bills life did service as
razor strap.
Indian Bill Morris, at the time Of his
death, in Switzerland county, Indiana,
few years ago, was l04 years old.
When only years old, living with his
parents near what became the site of
Lexington, KY, he was stolen and car
ried into captivity by the Indians.
Two white men were taken prisoners
with him. When the party reached
what is now Chilhcothe, Ohio then
great Indian encampment, the
two white men were skinned alive
by the squaws of the village and then
slowly roasted to death. The boy was
made slave by an old squaw, and suf-
fered incredible hardships. When she
died Bill fell to the lot of another old
woman, who devised even more fiendish
treatment for him than his first mis-
tress. Bill was washing hominy at the
river one day, when he was about 10
years old, when the old woman struck
him with club. The Infatuated lad
wrenched the weapon from her and
dealt her blow that knocked her sense
less into the stream and she drowned.
The boy was followed for three days
and nights by the savages, and finally
escaped by hiding himself in hollow
log that was floating down the Ohio
River with other driftwood. When he
finally reached the settlement of Gin
cinnati he narrowly escaped being shot
for an Indian, so closely did he resem-
BILE one. He finally got back to his par
ents, who long mourned him as dead.
From that long captivity among the In
dams he got that implacable hatred of
the red man which distinguished him in
after years.
For years, in company with Daniel
Boone and other noted pioneers, Bill
followed little else than Indian trials,
and no less game than savage red
skin satisfied his hatred. He was one
of the bravest soldiers under Colonel
Dick johnson, and killed nine Indians
Dick johnson, and killed nine Indians
himself in the battle Of the Thames.
When he saw Tecumseh fall under the
unerring aim of comrade, he rushed
forward and secured the powder horn,
and the strip Of skin off the dead Chiefs
back.