west. Thus the
American Union was to be met by an Indian union. Tecumseh had a brother,
known in history as "The Prophet," who visited the various tribes and
brought the influence of superstition to bear in favor of Tecumseh's
projects. Governor William Henry Harrison, whose Territory of Indiana
included the present States of Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin,
viewed Tecumseh's operations with alarm, although assured by that
chieftain that his intentions were peaceful. In order to remove any just
ground for discontent Governor Harrison offered to restore to the Indians
any lands that had not been fairly purchased. Tecumseh met Governor
Harrison at Vincennes, and recited the old story of Indian wrongs. After
complaining of white duplicity in obtaining sales of land, and
endeavoring to sow strife between the tribes, Tecumseh added: "How can we
have confidence in the white people? When Jesus Christ came upon the
earth, you killed him and nailed him on a cross. You thought he was dead,
but you were mistaken. Everything I have said to you is the truth. The
Great Spirit has inspired me." The first interview ended in great
excitement, but a second meeting, on the following day, was more decorous
in character. Nothing came of these discussions, as Tecumseh's demand for
the restoration of all Indian lands purchased from single tribes could
obviously not be granted. Hostilities followed, and the battle of
Tippecanoe was fought during the absence of Tecumseh, who on going South
to visit the Cherokees and other tribes had given strict orders to his
brother, the Prophet, not to attack the Americans. The Indians attempted
a surprise after midnight, November 7, 1811. They fought furiously, and
if Harrison had been a Braddock, the story of Duquesne might have been
repeated. But Harrison understood frontier warfare, and he directed his
men so skillfully, although many of them had never been under fire
before, that the Indians were at length repulsed. One of Harrison's
orders, which probably saved his army, was to extinguish the campfires,
so that white and Indian fought in the darkness on equal terms. The
American loss was thirty-seven killed and 151 wounded, and that of the
Indians somewhat smaller. In effect Tippecanoe was a decisive victory for
the Americans, and broke the spell in which Tecumseh and the Prophet had
held the tribes.

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The War of 1812 revived the hopes of the gr