of the battle was received with
delight, and it was fondly believed that the backbone of Tecumseh's
conspiracy was broken. It was even supposed that the indomitable
chieftain and his brother would be forthwith surrendered by the Indians
to the authorities of the United States. Harrison was acclaimed as a
deliverer. The legislatures of Kentucky, Indiana, and Illinois formally
thanked him for his services; and if, as his Federalist enemies charged,
he had planned the whole undertaking with a view to promoting his
personal fortunes, he ought to have been satisfied with the result. It
was the glamour of Tippecanoe that three decades afterwards carried him
into the President's chair.

In precipitating a clash while Tecumseh, the master-mind of the
fast-growing confederacy, was absent, the Prophet committed a capital
blunder. When reproached by his warriors, he declared that all would
have gone well but for the fact that on the night before the battle
his squaw had profanely touched the pot in which his magic charms were
brewed, so that the spell had been broken! The explanation was not very
convincing, and ominous murmurings were heard. Before the end of the
year, however, word came to Vincennes that the crafty magician was back
at Tippecanoe, that the village had been rebuilt, and that the lives
of the white settlers who were pouring into the new purchase were again
endangered.

Still more alarming was the news of Tecumseh's return in January, 1812,
from a very successful visit to the Creeks, Choctaws, and Cherokees. He
began by asking leave to make his long-projected visit to Washington to
obtain peace from the President, and he professed deep regret for "the
unfortunate transaction that took place between the white people and
a few of our young men at our village." To the British agent at
Amherstburg he declared that had he been on the spot there would have
been no fighting at Tippecanoe. It is reasonable to suppose that in
this case there would have been, at all events, no Indian attack; for
Tecumseh was thoroughly in sympathy with the British plan, which was
to unite and arm the natives, but to prevent a premature outbreak. The
chieftain's presence, however, would hardly have deterred Harrison from
carrying out his decision to break up the Tippecanoe stronghold.

The spring of 1812 brought an ominous renewal of depredations. Two
settlers were murdered within three miles of Fort Dearborn; an entire
family was massacr