CHAPTER VIII.

Alarm on the frontier continues—­a Muskoe Indian killed at Vincennes—­governor Harrison sends a pacific speech to Tecumseh and the Prophet—­the former replies to it—­in July Tecumseh visits governor Harrison at Vincennes—­disavows any intention of making war upon the whites—­explains his object in forming a union among the tribes—­governor Harrison’s opinion of Tecumseh and the Prophet—­murder of the Deaf Chief—­Tecumseh visits the southern Indians.

The spring of 1811 brought with it no abatement of these border difficulties.  Early in the season, governor Harrison sent a boat up the Wabash, loaded with salt for the Indians,—­that article constituting a part of their annuity.  Five barrels were to be left with the Prophet, for the Kickapoos and Shawanoes.  Upon the arrival of the boat at Tippecanoe, the Prophet called a council, by which it was decided to seize the whole of the salt, which was promptly done—­word being sent back to the governor, not to be angry at this measure, as the Prophet had two thousand men to feed; and, had not received any salt for two years past.  There were at this time about six hundred men at Tippecanoe; and, Tecumseh, who had been absent for some time, on a visit to the lakes, was expected daily, with large reinforcements.  From appearances, it seemed probable that an attack was meditated on Vincennes by these brothers, with a force of eight hundred or one thousand warriors; a number far greater than the governor could collect, even if he embodied all the militia for some miles around that place.  He accordingly wrote to the Secretary of War, recommending that the 4th regiment of U.S. troops, then at Pittsburg, under the command of colonel Boyd, should be ordered to Vincennes; at the same time asking for authority to act offensively against the Indians, so soon as it was found that the intentions of their leaders were decidedly hostile towards the United States.

Under date of June 6th, governor Harrison, in a letter to the war department, expresses the opinion that the disposition of the Indians is far from being pacific.  Wells, the agent at fort Wayne, had visited the Prophet’s town, relative to some stolen horses, and certain Potawatamies who had committed the murders on the Mississippi.  Four of the horses were recovered, but Tecumseh disclaimed all agency in taking them, although he acknowledged that it was done by some of his party.  Tecumseh openly avowed to the agent his resolute determination to resist the further encroachments of the white people.  In this letter the governor remarks, “I wish I could say the Indians were treated with justice and propriety on all occasions by our citizens; but it is far otherwise.  They are often abused and maltreated; and it is very rare that they obtain any satisfaction for the most unprovoked wrongs.”  He proceeds to relate the circumstance of a Muskoe Indian having been killed by an Italian innkeeper,