The Holbrook news., 1912-03-08


 calls to mind one of the most decisive defeats ever inflicted on the Indians, and a battle greatly Import ant in it's bearing on the subsequent attitude of the fierce war-like tribes of the northwest It quelled the naughty spirit of these diseontented 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 conjurations and prophecies of their medicine men, It 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 a boldness and reckless dar- ing during the engagement that can only be accounted for by their re- liance on the spacious 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 precedence 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 a neighboring eminence. chanting a war song.
 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 im- 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- deavors to rouse them to a hostile feeling against the settlers and the army.
 There had been no war with the aa~I feat by Mad Anthony" Wayne at the Maumee Rapids in 1795. 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 a hold upon the creduIity of the deluded Indians that his infiu- ence over the warriors of several pow | erful tribes was practically unbound i cd.
 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 It was fortunate for the l future of the country that the most | capable man for deaiing with such | serious state of things was on the | spot-WiIIiam 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 h. 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- ice 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- 1 pointed secretary of the territory in | 1797, and governor four years later. | In congress he had procured the pass- ing of law relating to the sale of | federal land in small parcels, to which | the western states ascribe a large share of their prosperity. He was now to find plenty of scope for his | talents and experience as soldier and | statesman, in the land troubles with the Indians. The sale of lands to the | United States under the treaty of Greenville. in 1795. had been dis avowed by Tecumseh. and the subse- Quent treaties of sale effected by liar