s other western
bands, taught the males of their tribes the arts of war from their
earliest youth. When old enough to bear arms, they were disciplined to
act in concert, to obey punctually all commands of their war chiefs, and
cheerfully unite to put them into immediate execution. Each warrior was
taught to observe carefully the motion of his right hand companion, so
as to communicate any sudden movement or command from the right to the
left, Thus advancing in perfect accord, they could march stealthily and
abreast through the thick woods and underbrush, in scattered order,
without losing the conformation of their ranks or creating disorder.
These maneuvers could be executed slowly or as fast as the warriors
could run. They were also disciplined to form a circle, a semi-circle or
a hollow square. They used the circle to surround their enemies, the
semi-circle if the enemy had a stream on one side or in the rear, and
the hollow square in case of sudden attack, when they were in danger of
being surrounded. By forming a square and taking to trees, they put
their faces to the enemy in every direction and lessened the danger of
being shot from behind objects on either side.

The principal sachem of the village was seldom the war chief in charge
of an expedition. War chiefs were selected with an eye solely to their
skill and ability; to entrust the care and direction of an army to an
inexperienced leader was unheard of. One man, however, was never trusted
with the absolute command of an army. A general council of the principal
officers was held, and a plan concerted for an attack. Such a council
was held before the battle of Fallen Timbers, in which Blue Jacket, of
the Shawnees, Little Turtle of the Miamis, and other celebrated leaders
participated. The plan thus concerted in the council was scrupulously
carried out. It was the duty of the war chief to animate his warriors by
speeches and orations before the battle. During the battle he directed
their movements by pre-arranged signals or a shout or yell, and thus
ordered the advance or retreat. The warriors who crept through the long
grass of the swamp lands at Tippecanoe to attack the army of Harrison,
were directed by the rattling of dried deer hoofs.

It was a part of the tactics practiced by the war chiefs to inflict the
greatest possible damage upon the enemy, with the loss of as few of
their own men as possible. They were never to bring on an attack without
some consid