HISTORY

Tecumseh

Tecumseh, meaning Shooting Star, opposed the American practice of setting two tribes against one another through treaties with one party representing the land of the other. For example, at one point the Iroquois tribe claimed ownership to all of Ohio lands and sold Ohio Shawnee territory to America in exchange for money.

Tecumseh made the first, and perhaps the only serious attempt, to unite Native Americans to resist the encroachment of the US. He began by getting support for the idea that ownership of native lands belonged to all tribes; there were no separate territories. In 1812, Tecumseh joined British Major-General Sir Isaac Brock to force the surrender of Detroit. Tecumseh had his warriors march out from a nearby wood repeatedly, making it appear that there were many more than was actually the case. Brock then sent a note to Hull saying he would not be able to control his allies should a siege start. Hull surrendered in fear of massacre should he refuse.

Encouraged by Tecumseh, the Creek War (1813-1814), which began as a civil war within the Creek nation, became a new front in the War of 1812. Although the war with the British was a stalemate, the United States was more successful on the Southern and Western fronts against the united native tribes.

Procter, who replaced Brock, did not have the same working relationship with Tecumseh. Procter failed to appear at Chatham on October 4 as expected by the Native Americans. Harrison crossed into Upper Canada on October 5, 1813, and won a victory over the British and the Native Americans at the Battle of the Thames shortly after. Tecumseh, who directed most of the fighting on the right wing, was killed. His body was carried from the field and buried secretly in an unmarked grave. Tradition states that Tecumseh was killed by Col. Richard M. Johnson. Shortly after the Thames, the tribes of Tecumseh's confederacy collapsed and surrendered to Harrison at Detroit.

After the war, the British abandoned their Indian allies to the Americans. This proved to be a major turning point in the Indian Wars, marking the last time that Native Americans would be supported by a foreign power.