Tecumseh and William Henry Harrison

November 11, 1811 an army under William Henry Harrison (Governor of Indiana Territory) defeated Tecumseh's warriors at the Battle of Tippecanoe.  The Indians had attacked Harrison's army, but with Tecumseh absent they lost.

Tecumseh's brother, named "the Prophet" wielded great spiritual influence.  His headquarters were at Prophetstown.  Harrison had it burned. Tecumseh was traveling - recruiting tribes to his confederation when Prophetstown was lost.

The causalities were high for Harrison. (40 Indians to 61 Americans) He claimed the Indians were armed with British weapons which only heightened already anti-British feeling.  British were violating Americans right on the high seas at this time, leading to the War of 1812.

When the war broke out, Tecumseh led his warriors onto the British side.  They had notable victories at Detroit and Raisin River, but Tecumseh was killed at the Battle of the Thames River.  With him died all hope of an Indian nation.

Next time...Blood on the Frontier
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Today in Pioneer History: "On February 22, 1828, the first printing press designed to use the newly invented Cherokee alphabet arrives at New Echota, Georgia. The General Council of the Cherokee Nation had purchased the press with the goal of producing a Cherokee-language newspaper. The press itself, however, would have been useless had it not been for the extraordinary work of a young Cherokee named Sequoyah, who invented a Cherokee alphabet.