ed
Tecumseh, with the greatest disdain, 'you are unfit to command; go and
put on petticoats.'"

[Footnote A: This letter is from Mr. Wm. G. Ewing, formerly of Piqua,
O., and is addressed, under date of May 2d, 1818, to John H. James,
Esq. now of Urbana.]

This was not the only occasion on which Tecumseh openly manifested the
contempt which he felt for the character and conduct of general
Proctor. Among other instances, it is stated by an officer of the
United States' army, in a letter, under date of 28th September,
1813,[A] that in a conversation between these two commanders of the
allied British army, Tecumseh said to Proctor, "I conquer to save, and
you to murder;"--an expression founded in truth, and worthy of the
magnanimous hero from whose lips it fell.

[Footnote A: Niles' Register.]

There is another incident connected with the defeat of Dudley, which
justice to the character of Tecumseh requires should be recorded.
Shortly after he had put a stop to the horrid massacre of the
prisoners, his attention was called to a small group of Indians
occupied in looking at some object in their midst. Colonel Elliott
observed to him, "Yonder are four of your nation who have been taken
prisoners; you may take charge of them, and dispose of them as you
think proper." Tecumseh walked up to the crowd, where he found four
Shawanoes, two brothers by the name of Perry, Big Jim, and the Soldier.
"Friends," said he, "colonel Elliott has placed you under my charge,
and I will send you back to your nation with a talk to our people." He
accordingly took them on with the army as far as the river Raisin, from
which point their return home would be less dangerous, and then
appointed two of his followers to accompany them, with some friendly
messages to the chiefs of the Shawanoe nation. They were thus
discharged under their parole, not to fight against the British during
the war.

CHAPTER XIII.

Tecumseh present at the second attack on fort Meigs--his stratagem of
a sham-battle to draw out general Clay--is posted in the Black swamp
with two thousand warriors at the time of the attack on fort
Stephenson--from thence passes by land to Malden--compels general
Proctor to release an American prisoner--threatens to desert the
British cause--urges an attack upon the American fleet--opposes
Proctor's retreat from Malden--delivers a speech to him on that
occasion.

After abandoning the siege of fort Meigs, general