6!)() THE GHOST-DANCE RELIGION [eth.asn.14 



object of his life— a confederation of all the tribes — brought to nothing. 

 His grief and disappointment were bitter. lie reproached his brother 

 in unmeasured terms for disobeying his instructions to preserve peace 

 in his absence, and when the prophet attempted to reply, it is said that 

 Tecumtha so far forgot his dignity as to seize his brother by the hair 

 and give him a violent shaking, threatening to take his life. 



Early in 1812 Tecumtha sent a message to Governor Harrison, inform- 

 ing him of his return from the south, and stating that he was now 

 ready to make the proposed visit to the President. To this Harrison 

 replied, giving his permission, but refusing to allow any party to accom- 

 pany him. This stipulation did not please the great leader, who had 

 been accustomed to the attendance of a retinue of warriors wherever 

 he went. He declined the terms, and thus terminated his intercourse 

 with the governor. In June, 1812, he visited the agent at Fort Wayne, 

 and there reiterated the justice of his position in regard to the owner- 

 ship of the Indian lands, again disclaimed having hail any intention 

 of making war against the United States, and reproached Harrison 

 for marching against his people in his absence. In return, the agent 

 endeavored to persuade him now to join forces with the United States 

 in the approaching conflict with England. "Tecumtha listened with 

 frigid indifference, made a few general remarks in reply, and then with 

 a haughty air left the council house and took his departure for Maiden, 

 where he joined the British standard." {Drake, Tecumseh, S.) His 

 subsequent career is a part of the history of the war of 1812. 



Formal declaration of war against Great Britain was made by the 

 United States on June IS, 1812. Tecumtha was already at Maiden, 

 the British headquarters on the Canadian side, ami when invited by 

 some friendly Indians to attend a council near Detroit in order to make 

 arrangements for remaining neutral, he sent back word that he had 

 taken sides with the king, and that his bones would bleach on the 

 Canadian shore before he would recross the river to join in any council 

 of neutrality. A few days later he led his Indians into battle on the 

 British side. For his services at Maguaga he was soon afterward 

 regularly commissioned a brigadier general in the British army. 



We pass over the numerous events of this war — Maguaga, the 

 Baisin, Fort Meigs, Perry's victory— as being outside the scope of our 

 narrative, and come, to the battle of the Thames, October 5, 1SJ3, the 

 last ever fought by Tecumtha. After Perry's decisive victory on 

 the lake, Proctor hastily prepared to retreat into the interior, despite 

 the earnest protests of Tecumtha, who charged him with cowardice, an 

 imputation which the British general did not dare to resent. The 

 retreat was begun with Harrison in close pursuit, until the British and 

 Indians reached a spot on the north bank of the Thames, in the vicin- 

 ity of the present Chatham, ( >ntario. Here, finding the ground favora- 

 ble for defense. Tecumtha resolved to retreat no farther, and practically 

 compelled Proctor to make a stand. The Indian leader had no hope of 



