The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1912-01-12

calls to mind one of the most
decisive defeats ever inflicted on the
indians, and battle greatly import
ant in it's bearing on the subsequent
attitude of the fierce war-like tribes
of the northwest. 1t quelled the
naughty spirit of these disconnected
hostiles, and defeated the ambitious
plan, which they had almost matured.
of attacking and destroying the border
settlements in detail. If the Indians
had been victorious, the American
army would have been annihilated,
and the whole extent of the defense
less frontier would have been at the
mercy Of sanguinary and unsparing
savages, drunk with blood and mad
dened with the COMPUTATIONS and
prophecies Of their medicine men.
1t was unquestionably one Of the
most spirited and best fought actions
recorded in the annals of Indian war.
fare. The numbers and weapons on
either side were nearly equal; and
the Indians. contrary to their usual
custom, fought hand to hand, and
with the most desperate ferocity. dis
playing boldness and reckless dar-
ing during the engagement that can
only be accounted for by their re-
lance on the specious promises held
out to them by Ellskwatawa, their
principal commander and medicine
man. This worthy, known to history
as the Prophet and generally regard
ed by his followers as possessing the
gift Of prescience In an eminent de-
gree, had promised his warriors that
the Great Spirit would turn the pow
der OF the whites into ashes, and
charm their bullets, so that they
they should. drop harmless" He was
wise enough to take no active part In
the battle, Notwithstanding his proph-
ecies of victory, and during the whole
OF the contest remained secure on
neighboring eminence, chanting a war
song.
The Prophet was a Shawnee chief
and brother to the celebrated Tecum-
sch. He was cunning. cruel, coward
ly and treacherous. He was no war
rior, but was an accomplished and
persuasive orator. A shrewd and
crafty impostor, he announced him.
self as a medicine man possessed of
vast and miraculous powers, and as
having been specially sent by the
Great Spirit to reform the condition
of the red people, to restore them to
their former prosperity, and to re-
place them In possession of their lost
prairies and hunting grounds.
The Celebrated Tecumseh.
Tecumseh, his brother, was cast in
a different mold. He was a bold and
skillful warrior, sagacious In council
and formidable in battle. An active,
daring, energetic man, but one who
preferred tact and secret manage
ment to open violence. Deeply i'm
bued with a hatred of the whites.
against whom he had sworn an unre.
lenting enmity, full of enthusiasm
and highly gifted with eloquence, he
appealed with great success to the
passions of the Indians, in his en-
beavers to rouse them to a hostile
feeling against the settlers and the
army.
There had been no war with the
Indians since their disheartening de-
feat by Mad Anthony" Wayne at the
Maumee Rapids in 1895. In 1906,
however, Tecumseh, who had been
one of the most active braves In the
Maumee war, and his brother began
a series Of artful and daring intrigues
among the Indians along the whole
western border. His brother, the
Prophet, had succeeded in obtaining
so strong hold upon the creduIity
of the deluded Indians that his influ-
ence over the warriors of several pow
erful tribes was practically ,nbound-
ed. Tecumseh claimed that the trea-
ties, by which large tracts of Indian
land had been ceded to settlers, were
illegal, as the land was the common
property of all the tribes, and there
fore could only be alienated by COM
mon consent. The general discomfort
was increased by the action of specu-
iators in ejecting Indians from lands,
and by British emfssaries, and the
brothers soon had large following.
During the FIVE years from 1906 to
1911 the situation on the northwest
frontier was undoubtedly grave. The |
threatened Indian coalition was warm
ly backed by the British In Canada,
both with arms and men, openly and
in secret. 1t was fortunate for the
future of the country that the most
capable man for dealing with such
serious state Of things was on the
spot-William Henry Harrison, then
governor of Indiana territory. that is.
of the whole northwest Major Gen
eral Francis Greene says of him that
I'VE probably never had in the service |
a better Indian fighter or one who
more thoroughly understood the In
dian character"
Harrison's Ability.
Throughout the five years Indian
war Harrison revealed a military ca
pacity which showed that his desire |
to enter the army was born of latent |
ability.
With the exception of years serv-
tee in congress as delegate from the |
northwest. Harrison had lived on the |
frontier for the 20 years preceding
the battle of Tippecanoe. He was ap-
pointed secretary of the territory in |
1877, and governor four years later.
In congress he had procured the pass
ing OF law relating 70 the sale of |
fedsral land IN small pasceIa- to which |