moosey] TECUMTHA AMONG THE CREEK 6S7 



those uncommon geninses which spring up occasionally to produce revolutions and 

 overturn the established order of things. If it were not for the vicinity of the 

 United States, ho would perhaps he the founder of an empire that would rival iu 

 glory Mexico or Peru. No difficulties deter him. For four years he has been in con- 

 stant motion. You see him to-day on the Wabash, and in a short time hear of him 

 on the shores of Lake Erie or Michigan or on the banks of the Mississippi, and 

 wherever he goes he makes an impression favorable to his purposes. He is now 

 upon the last round, to put a finishing stroke to his work. I hope, however, before 

 his return that that part of the fabric which he considered complete will be demol- 

 ished, aud eveu its foundations rooted up. (Drake. Tecumseh, 5. 1 



On this trip Tecumtha went as far as Florida and engaged the Semi- 

 nole for Lis confederacy. Then, retracing his steps into Alabama, he 

 came to the ancient Creek town of Tukabachi, on the Tallapoosa, near 

 the present site of Montgomery. What happened here is best told in 

 the words of McKenney and Hall, who derived their information from 

 Indians at the same town a few years later: 



He made his way to tin- lodge of the chief called the Ifig Warrior. He explained 

 his object, delivered his war talk, presented a bundle of sticks, gave a piece of wam- 

 pum aud a war hatchet — all which the Big Warrior took — when Tecumthe, reading 

 the spirit ami intentions of the Big Warrior, looked him in the eye. aud, pointing 

 his linger toward his face, said: "Your blood is white. You have taken my talk, 

 aud the sticks, and the wampum, and the hate bet, but you do not mean to light. 

 I know the reason. You do not believe the Great Spirit has sent me. Y'ou shall 

 know. I leave Tuckhabatchee directly, and shall go straight to Detroit. When I 

 arrive there, I will stamp on the ground with my foot and shakedown every house 

 in Tuckhabatchee." So saying, he turned and left the Big Warrior in utter amaze- 

 ment at both his manner and his threat, aud pursued his journey. The Indians 

 were struck no less with his conduct than was the Big Warrior, and began to dread 

 the arrival of the day when the threatened calamity would befall them. They met 

 often and talked over this matter, and counted the days carefully to know the day 

 wheu Tecumthe would reach Detroit. Tin 1 morning they had fixed upon as the 

 day of his arrival at last camo. A mighty rumbling was heard — the Indians all ran 

 out of their houses — the earth began to shake; wheu at last, sure enough, every 

 house in Tuckhabatchee w~as shaken down. The exclamation was in every mouth, 

 "Tecumthe has got to Detroit ! " The effect was electric. The message he had deliv- 

 ered to the Big Warrior was believed, and many of the Indians took their rifles and 

 prepared for the war. The reader will not be surprised to learn that an earthquake 

 had produced all this; but he will be, doubtless, that it should happen on the very 

 day on which Tecumthe arrived at Detroit, and in exact fulfillment of his threat. 

 It was the famous earthquake of New Madrid on the Mississippi. (McKenney and 

 Hall, 1.) 



The fire thus kindled among the Creek by Tecumtha was fanned 

 into a blaze by the British and Spanish traders until the opening of 

 the war of 1S12 gave the opportunity for the terrible outbreak known 

 in history as the Creek war. 



While Tecumtha was absent in the south, affairs were rapidly 

 approaching a crisis on the Wabash. The border settlers demanded 

 the removal of the prophet's followers, stating in their memorial to the 

 President that they were "fully convinced that the formation of this 

 combination headed by the Shawano prophet was a British scheme, and 

 that the agents of that power were constantly exciting the Indians to 

 14 eth — pt 2 4 



