t and
brave chiefs of their respective tribes, has since the commencement
of the war been marked with acts of true heroism, and in nothing
can they testify more strongly their love to the king, their
great father, than by following the dictates of honour and
humanity by which they have been hitherto actuated. Two
fortifications have already been captured from the enemy without
a drop of blood being shed by the hands of Indians. The instant
the enemy submitted, his life became sacred.

That such was the case at Detroit was almost entirely due to the
dominating influence of Tecumseh over his followers.

CHAPTER VIII

FIGHTING ON AMERICAN SOIL

After Brock had accomplished his work at Detroit, he hastily returned
to the seat of government at York to make preparations for guarding
the Niagara frontier; and here we must take our leave of the great
soldier, for another writer in these Chronicles is to tell of his
subsequent movements, and of his glorious death on Queenston Heights.
Colonel Procter was left in command of the western forts, to which
Tecumseh was attached. Owing to an unfortunate armistice arranged
between the belligerent nations, the energetic Indian chief could
do nothing more than exert his powers in persuading many undecided
warriors to become Britain's allies. In this business he moved
through the Indian country between Lake Michigan and the Wabash,
daily increasing his forces.

In the meantime General Harrison, of whom we learned something in
a preceding chapter, was given command of the north-western army
of the United States. He was invested with wide authority, and
instructed, first of all, to provide for the defence of the western
frontiers and then to 'retake Detroit, with a view to the conquest
of Canada.' The first part of these instructions he proceeded to
carry out by raiding Indian villages and burning their cornfields.
Next he arranged his autumn campaign, which had in view the recapture
of Detroit and, if possible, the capture of Fort Malden and the
invasion of Canada. His troops occupied Fort Defiance, on the
Maumee, as a base of supplies, and Sandusky, on the south shore of
Lake Erie, as an observation post. Before much could be done,
however, the autumn waned, and Harrison, with seventeen hundred
men, encamped for the winter on the right bank of the Maumee, at
the foot of the rapids, near the place where Wayne had fought the
battle of the Fallen Timbers