out twelve miles from his former residence, on
this side of the Wabash, where also were twelve or fifteen Hurons. The
Kickapoos are encamped near the Tippecanoe, the Potawatamies have
scattered and gone to different villages of that tribe. The Winnebagoes
had all set out on their return to their own country, excepting one
chief and nine men, who remained at their former villages. The Prophet
had sent a messenger to the Kickapoos of the prairie to request that he
might be permitted to retire to their town. This was positively
refused, and a warning sent to him not to come there. These chiefs say
that the whole of the tribes who lost warriors in the late action,
attribute their misfortune to the Prophet alone; that they constantly
reproach him with their misfortunes, and threaten him with death; that
they are all desirous of making their peace with the United States, and
will send deputations to me for that purpose, as soon as they are
informed that they will be well received. They further say, that the
Prophet's followers were fully impressed with a belief that they could
defeat us with ease; that it was their intention to have attacked us at
fort Harrison, if we had gone no higher; that Racoon creek was then
fixed on, and finally Pine creek, and that the latter would probably
have been the place, if the usual route had not been abandoned, and a
crossing made higher up; that the attack made on our sentinels at fort
Harrison was intended to shut the door against accommodation; that the
Winnebagoes had forty warriors killed in the action, and the Kickapoos
eleven, and ten wounded. They have never heard how many of the
Potawatamies and other tribes were killed."

With the battle of Tippecanoe, the Prophet lost his popularity and
power among the Indians. His magic wand was broken, and the mysterious
charm by means of which he had for years, played upon the superstitious
minds of this wild people, scattered through a vast extent of country,
was dissipated forever. It was not alone to the character of his
prophetic office that he was indebted for his influence over his
followers. The position which he maintained in regard to the Indian
lands, and the encroachments of the white people upon their hunting
grounds, increased his popularity, which was likewise greatly
strengthened by the respect and deference with which the politic
Tecumseh--the master spirit of his day--uniformly treated him. He had,
moreover, nimble wit, quicknes