Misplaced Pages

Winamac

Article snapshot taken from Wikipedia with creative commons attribution-sharealike license. Give it a read and then ask your questions in the chat. We can research this topic together.

Winamac was the name of a number of Potawatomi leaders and warriors beginning in the late 17th century. The name derives from a man named Wilamet, a Native American from an eastern tribe who in 1681 was appointed to serve as a liaison between New France and the natives of the Lake Michigan region. Wilamet was adopted by the Potawatomis, and his name, which meant "Catfish" in his native Eastern Algonquian language, was soon transformed into "Winamac", which means the same thing in the Potawatomi language . The Potawatomi version of the name has been spelled in a variety of ways, including Winnemac, Winamek, and Winnemeg.

#236763

127-600: The Winamac name became associated with prominent members of the Fish clan of the Potawatomi tribe. In 1701, Winamac or Wilamet was a chief of the Potawatomi villages along the St. Joseph River in what is now the U.S. state of Michigan . This man or another of the same name was an ally of New France who helped negotiate an end to the Fox Wars in the 1730s. Two other Winamacs were prominent during

254-487: A clerk who left the post for the Ohio. What followed were occasional firing of outbuildings and shots aimed at any and all movement seen from the outside. On September 4, Winamac approached under a flag of truce. Making no offer, Winamac found the fort susceptible to attack. The next day, two soldiers were killed outside the fort. Late in the afternoon, Winamac approached the fort with a small delegation and sought admittance to see

381-575: A different soldier had fired the fatal shot. The matter became controversial in the 1830s when Johnson was a candidate for Vice President of the United States to Martin Van Buren . Johnson's supporters promoted him as Tecumseh's killer, employing slogans such as "Rumpsey dumpsey, rumpsey dumpsey, Colonel Johnson killed Tecumseh." Johnson's opponents collected testimony contradicting this claim; numerous other possibilities were named. Sugden (1985) presented

508-491: A major Indian victory ( St. Clair's defeat ) on November 4 because he was hunting or scouting at the time. The following year he participated in other skirmishes before rejoining Cheeseekau in Tennessee. Tecumseh was with Cheeseekau when he was killed in an unsuccessful attack on Buchanan's Station near Nashville in 1792. Tecumseh probably sought revenge for his brother's death, but the details are unknown. During this time, he

635-521: A misfit with little promise. In 1805, he began preaching, drawing upon ideas espoused by earlier prophets, particularly the Delaware prophet Neolin . Lalawéthika urged listeners to reject European influences, stop drinking alcohol, and discard their traditional medicine bags . Tecumseh followed his brother's teachings by eating only Native food, wearing traditional Shawnee clothing, and not drinking alcohol. In 1806, Tecumseh and Lalawéthika, now known as

762-546: A mock battle within earshot of the fort, hoping the Americans would ride out to assist. The ruse failed and the second siege of Fort Meigs was lifted. Procter then led a detachment to attack Fort Stephenson on the Sandusky River , while Tecumseh went west to intercept potential American advances. Procter's attack failed and the expedition returned to Amherstburg. Tecumseh hoped further offensives were forthcoming, but after

889-554: A more traditional lifestyle. In 1808, Tecumseh and Tenskwatawa established Prophetstown , a village in present-day Indiana , that grew into a large, multi-tribal community. Tecumseh traveled constantly, spreading the Prophet's message and eclipsing his brother in prominence. Tecumseh proclaimed that Native Americans owned their lands in common and urged tribes not to cede more territory unless all agreed. His message alarmed American leaders as well as Native leaders who sought accommodation with

1016-467: A most favorable opportunity for breaking up his Confederacy." In September 1811, Harrison marched toward Prophetstown with about 1,000 men. In the pre-dawn hours on November 7, warriors from Prophetstown launched a surprise attack on Harrison's camp, initiating the Battle of Tippecanoe . Harrison's men held their ground, after which the Prophet's warriors withdrew and evacuated Prophetstown. The Americans burned

1143-422: A new name, Tenskwatawa ("The Open Door"), meaning he was the door through which followers could reach salvation. Like Greenville, Prophetstown attracted numerous followers, comprising Shawnees, Potawatomis , Kickapoos , Winnebagos , Sauks , Ottawas , Wyandots , and Iowas , an unprecedented variety of Natives living together. Perhaps 6,000 people settled in the area, making it larger than any American city in

1270-551: A prominent figure as he built an intertribal confederacy to counter U.S. expansion. In August 1810, Tecumseh met with William Henry Harrison at Vincennes , capital of the Indiana Territory, a standoff that became legendary. Tecumseh demanded that Harrison rescind the Fort Wayne cession, and said he would oppose American settlement on the disputed lands. He said the chiefs who had signed the treaty would be punished, and that he

1397-506: A son, Paukeesaa, born about 1796. Their marriage did not last, and Tecumapease raised Paukeesaa from the age of seven or eight. Tecumseh's band moved to various locations before settling in 1798 close to Delaware Indians , along the White River near present-day Anderson, Indiana , where he lived for the next eight years. He married twice more during this time. His third marriage, to White Wing, lasted until 1807. While Tecumseh lived along

SECTION 10

#1732869100237

1524-512: A stand at Chatham , along the Thames River . Tecumseh reluctantly agreed. The British burned Fort Malden and public buildings in Amherstburg, then began the retreat, with William Henry Harrison's army in pursuit. Tecumseh arrived at Chatham to find that Procter had retreated even further upriver. Procter sent word that he had chosen to make a stand near Moraviantown . Tecumseh was angered by

1651-516: A thighbone in a riding accident as a youth and thereafter walked with a limp, but neither thigh of this skeleton had been broken. Nevertheless, in 1941 the remains were buried on nearby Walpole Island in a ceremony honoring Tecumseh. St-Denis (2005), in a book-length investigation of the topic, concluded that Tecumseh was likely buried on the battlefield and his remains have been lost. Initial published accounts identified Richard Mentor Johnson as having killed Tecumseh. In 1816, another account claimed

1778-418: A vital habitat for resident species as well, such as wild turkey ( Meleagris gallopavo ), coyote ( Canis latrans ), fox, beaver ( Castor canadensis ), mink ( Neogale vison ), Indiana bat ( Myotis sodalis ), eastern box turtle ( Terrapene carolina carolina ), and the rare spotted turtle ( Clemmys guttata ) and northern redbelly snake ( Storeria occipitomaculata occipitomaculata ), both protected by

1905-548: A wall of water, 3 to 5 feet (0.91 to 1.52 m) high, up the river at St. Joseph and Benton Harbor. This raised the level of the river by 4 to 5 feet (1.2 to 1.5 m). The cause of the seiche was unknown, but has been attributed to a sudden squall or change in atmospheric pressure. Factories located in South Bend because of access to the river and hydro-power created in the East and West Races. The water rights to what would become

2032-634: A wide meandering route generally northwest through Niles and past Berrien Springs . Just North of Niles it receives the Dowagiac River . It divides St. Joseph and Benton Harbor , receiving the Paw Paw River from the north approximately 1 mile (1.6 km) from its mouth in St. Joseph on Lake Michigan. There are 190 dams in the St. Joseph River watershed, and 17 on the river mainstem. Most of these dams block fish passage, although fish ladders constructed on

2159-516: A young war leader, Tecumseh joined Shawnee Chief Blue Jacket 's armed struggle against further American encroachment, which ended in defeat at the Battle of Fallen Timbers in 1794 and with the loss of most of Ohio in the 1795 Treaty of Greenville . In 1805, Tecumseh's younger brother Tenskwatawa , who came to be known as the Shawnee Prophet, founded a religious movement that called upon Native Americans to reject European influences and return to

2286-518: Is a man!" Tecumseh and Brock "formed an immediate friendship that served to cement the alliance." Brock's high esteem for Tecumseh likely contributed to a popular belief that Tecumseh was appointed a brigadier general in the British Army, though this is a myth. Tecumseh led about 530 warriors in the Siege of Detroit . According to one account, Tecumseh had his men repeatedly pass through an opening in

2413-866: Is building a hydroelectric dam on the waterway. The project was funded by the University of Notre Dame . Two sites in the river basin, Moccasin Bluff and Fort St. Joseph , are listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places . Carey Mission , Fort Miami , and Burnett Trading Post are listed as State Registered Historic Sites . Before European settlement, the watershed was dominated by deciduous forests consisting of maple, ash, oak, elm, walnut, and beech species, along with pockets of white, red and jack pine species. There were also prairies up to several miles across, which were grazed by elk ( Cervus canadensis ), white-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus ), moose ( Alces alces ), and bison ( Bison bison ). By 1900

2540-574: Is fragmentary, and was exaggerated in folklore, but he probably met with Chickasaws , Choctaws , Muscogee, Osages , western Shawnees and Delawares, Iowas, Sauks, Foxes, Sioux , Kickapoos, and Potawatomis. He was aided in his efforts by two extraordinary events: the Great Comet of 1811 and the New Madrid earthquake , which he and other Native Americans interpreted as omens that his confederacy should be supported. Many rejected his overtures, especially in

2667-526: Is present-day Indiana and Illinois. Although many Indian leaders signed the treaty, others who used the land were deliberately excluded from the negotiations. The treaty created widespread outrage among Indians, and, according to historian John Sugden, "put Tecumseh on the road to war" with the United States. Before the Treaty of Fort Wayne, Tecumseh was relatively unknown to outsiders, who usually referred to him as "the Prophet's brother." Afterwards he emerged as

SECTION 20

#1732869100237

2794-845: Is the third largest watershed draining to Lake Michigan. The land within its bounds is primarily used for agriculture . The river and its tributaries provide a variety of paddling and fishing environments. Historically, the river served as an important canoe transportation route for various Native American tribes, and for French Canadian Voyageurs . The St. Joseph River watershed drains 4,685 square miles (12,130 km ) from 15 counties: Berrien , Branch , Calhoun , Cass , Hillsdale , Kalamazoo , St. Joseph and Van Buren in Michigan and DeKalb , Elkhart , Kosciusko , LaGrange , Noble , St. Joseph and Steuben in Indiana. The watershed includes 3,742 river miles (6,022 km) and flows through and near

2921-473: Is unknown. The earliest account stated that his body had been taken by Canadians and buried at Sandwich . Later stories said he was buried at the battlefield, or that his body was secretly removed and buried elsewhere. According to another tradition, an Ojibwe named Oshahwahnoo, who had fought at Moraviantown, exhumed Tecumseh's body in the 1860s and buried him on St. Anne Island on the St. Clair River . In 1931, these bones were examined. Tecumseh had broken

3048-462: The Battle of Maguaga , successfully thwarting Hull's attempt to reopen his line of communications. Two days later, Hull pulled the last of his men from Amherstburg, ending his attempt to invade Canada. On August 14, Major-General Isaac Brock , British commander of Upper Canada, arrived at Fort Malden and began preparations for attacking Hull at Fort Detroit . Tecumseh, upon hearing of Brock's plans, reportedly turned to his companions and said, "This

3175-520: The Chickamauga Cherokees near Lookout Mountain in what is now Tennessee . Some Shawnees already lived among the Chickamaugas, who were fierce opponents of U.S. expansion. Cheeseekau led about forty Shawnees in raids against colonists; Tecumseh was presumably among them. During his nearly two years among the Chickamaugas, Tecumseh probably had a daughter with a Cherokee woman; the relationship

3302-521: The Illinois Country . European American settlement of the St. Joseph river basin area began to increase in earnest after southwestern Michigan was surveyed in 1829. From the early 1830s until 1846, the river bore various commodities from upstream to a busy port at St. Joseph, where they were loaded onto lake boats for shipment to Chicago and elsewhere. On April 11, 1893, a Lake Michigan seiche (a phenomenon similar to an ocean tsunami ) pushed

3429-526: The Mekoche Shawnee division, signed the Treaty of Fort Finney , surrendering most of Ohio to the Americans. Later that year, Moluntha was murdered by a Kentucky militiaman, initiating a new border war. Tecumseh, now about eighteen years old, became a warrior under the tutelage of his older brother Cheeseekau , who emerged as a noted war chief. Tecumseh participated in attacks on flatboats traveling down

3556-775: The Old Sauk Trail , a major east-west Indian trail, crossed the river. The indigenous trade and navigation networks in the area allowed for extensive trade and movement of people, which allowed early Europeans access to the area in 1675 when Père Jacques Marquette was guided up the Mississippi River via the Illinois River , then to the Kankakee River and portaged to Sakiwasipi and then down to Lake Michigan. On November 1, 1679 René Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle sailed southeast across Lake Michigan and built Fort Miami at

3683-663: The Osages , Winamac's party stole horses from some white Illinois settlers. The settlers pursued the raiders, and the Potawatomis attacked, killing four men. Governor Ninian Edwards demanded that the Potawatomis surrender the raiders, but chief Gomo informed U.S. officials that the raiders had gone to Prophetstown in Indiana, headquarters of the anti-American resistance movement led by the Shawnee Prophet and his brother Tecumseh . Along with chiefs Shabbona and Waubonsie , Winamac led

3810-549: The Potawatomi Chief Baw Beese . The river follows a zigzag route generally westward across southern Michigan, dipping into northern Indiana. From its headwaters, it flows initially northwest past Hillsdale into southeastern Calhoun County , then turns abruptly southwest to flow past Tekonsha , Union City , Sherwood , and Mendon . At Three Rivers it is joined from the north by the Rocky and Portage rivers, and by

3937-511: The Potawatomi and early settlers used spears, seines and dip nets to catch their annual supply of fish. The abundance of lake sturgeon made the area around Niles famous in the mid-to late-1800s. Fish up to 12 feet (3.7 m) long and 300 pounds (140 kg) were taken by anglers, and their roe was exported to Russia as caviar. Sturgeon used to migrate as far as Hillsdale County, Michigan , and Sturgeon Lake near Colon, Michigan , still bears

Winamac - Misplaced Pages Continue

4064-722: The Prairie River from the east, after making an abrupt turn south. At Constantine it receives the Fawn River from the east. Next, after returning to a southwest course, it receives the Pigeon River from the east, near the Michigan– Indiana state line. In northern Indiana, the river flows west-southwest through Elkhart , Mishawaka , and South Bend , where it turns abruptly to north to re-enter southwestern Michigan in southeastern Berrien County . In southwestern Michigan, it follows

4191-617: The Scioto River valley, near present-day Chillicothe, Ohio , or in a nearby Kispoko village. Tecumseh's father, Puckeshinwau, was a Shawnee war chief of the Kispoko division. Tecumseh's mother, Methoataaskee, probably belonged to the Pekowi division and the Turtle clan, although some traditions maintain that she was Muscogee . His mother may have been a blood relative of William Weatherford . Tecumseh

4318-603: The Shawnee language include "I Cross the Way", and "Shooting Star", references to a meteor associated with the Panther clan. Later stories claimed that Tecumseh was named after a shooting star that appeared at his birth, although his father and most of his siblings, as members of the Panther clan, were named after the same meteor. Tecumseh was likely born in the Shawnee town of Chillicothe, in

4445-571: The Tippecanoe in November 1811, Winamac marched with him. When they were a short march from Prophetstown, Winamac went ahead to talk with the Prophet. Winamac returned south to meet Harrison, but was on the far side of the Wabash and passed him by. On the night of November 6, Gov. Harrison encamped for the night, planning on entering Prophetstown the next day. When the sun rose, the confederacy had surrounded

4572-450: The War of 1812 . One was active opponent of the United States, while the other was a U.S. ally. These two Winamacs have often been confused with each other. In 1681, a group of Native Americans from several Algonquian tribes of New England accompanied French explorer René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle on an expedition to the west. One of these Natives, Wilamet (or Ouilamette or Wilamek),

4699-590: The salmonid runs were extended to the Twin Branch Dam in Indiana, a distance of 63 miles (101 km) from Lake Michigan. This enabled the trout and salmon to spawn in coldwater tributaries such as McCoy Creek . Although completion of fish ladders on the lowest five mainstem dams in 1992 allowed salmonine passage as far as Twin Branch Dam in Mishawaka, Indiana , 94% of the fish that pass are salmon and trout, as

4826-582: The salmonids to run an additional 10 miles (16 km) upstream to the Buchanan Dam. In 1980 the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Indiana Department of Natural Resources and United States Fish and Wildlife Service signed the "St. Joseph River Interstate Cooperative Salmonid Management Plan", which led to construction of fish ladders at the Buchanan, Niles, South Bend and Mishawaka dams. By 1992

4953-501: The "principal chief" of the Shawnees. Black Hoof and other leaders around the Shawnee town of Wapakoneta urged Shawnees to accommodate the United States by adopting some American customs, with the goal of creating a Shawnee homeland with secure borders in northern Ohio. The Prophet's movement represented a challenge to the Shawnee chiefs who sat on the tribal council at Wapakoneta. Most Ohio Shawnees followed Black Hoof's path and rejected

5080-558: The American naval victory in the Battle of Lake Erie on September 10, 1813, Procter decided to retreat from Amherstburg. Tecumseh pleaded with Procter to stay and fight: "Our lives are in the hands of the Great Spirit. We are determined to defend our lands, and if it is his will, we wish to leave our bones upon them." Procter insisted the defense of Amherstburg was untenable now that the Americans controlled Lake Erie, but he promised to make

5207-404: The Americans. Tecumseh did not attend the signing of the Treaty of Greenville (1795), in which about two-thirds of Ohio and portions of present-day Indiana were ceded to the United States. By 1796, Tecumseh was both the civil and war chief of a Kispoko band of about 50 warriors and 250 people. His sister Tecumapease was the band's principal female chief. Tecumseh took a wife, Mamate, and had

Winamac - Misplaced Pages Continue

5334-571: The Americans. The left, commanded by Procter, collapsed almost immediately, and Procter fled the battlefield. Colonel Richard Mentor Johnson led the American charge against the Indians. Tecumseh was killed in the fierce fighting, and the Indians dispersed. The Americans had won a decisive victory. After the battle, American soldiers stripped and scalped Tecumseh's body. The next day, when Tecumseh's body had been positively identified, others peeled off some skin as souvenirs. The location of his remains

5461-555: The British into Upper Canada , where American forces engaged them at the Battle of the Thames on October 5, 1813, in which Tecumseh was killed. His death caused his confederacy to collapse. The lands he had fought to defend were eventually ceded to the U.S. government. His legacy as one of the most celebrated Native Americans in history grew in the years after his death, although details of his life have often been obscured by mythology. Tecumseh

5588-621: The British on August 16. In September 1817, Winamac and Metea represented the eastern Potawatomis at the treaty of Fort Meigs , in which they sold lands in Ohio and south central Michigan to the United States. Winamac died in 1821. St. Joseph River (Lake Michigan) The St. Joseph River (known locally as the St. Joe ) is a 210-mile-long (340 km) river that flows in a generally westerly direction through southern Michigan and northern Indiana , United States , before emptying into Lake Michigan . The St. Joseph River drainage basin covers 4,685 square miles (12,130 km ), and

5715-517: The British, a region the Shawnee and other tribes used for hunting. Shawnees attempted to organize further resistance against colonial occupation of the region, culminating in the 1774 Battle of Point Pleasant , in which Puckeshinwau was killed. After the battle, Shawnees ceded Kentucky to the colonists. When the American Revolutionary War between the British and their American colonies began in 1775, many Shawnees allied themselves with

5842-616: The British, raiding into Kentucky with the aim of driving out American settlers. Tecumseh, too young to fight, was among those forced to relocate in the face of American counterraids. In 1777, his family moved from the Scioto River to a Kispoko town on the Mad River , near present-day Springfield, Ohio . General George Rogers Clark , commander of the Kentucky militia, led a major expedition into Shawnee territory in 1780. Tecumseh may have witnessed

5969-586: The East and West Races were claimed by Alexis Coquillard and Lathrop Taylor in 1831, when the city of South Bend was founded. Although the idea of digging a mill race (man-made canal) was put forth in 1835, a dam and the East and West Races were not constructed until 1843. The construction was done by the South Bend Manufacturing Company, incorporated in December 1842 for this very purpose. The South Bend Manufacturing Company thus became owner of

6096-540: The Kalamazoo-Portage, Elkhart-Goshen, Mishawaka-South Bend, and St. Joseph/Benton Harbor metropolitan areas. The St. Joseph River main stem is 206 miles (332 km) long, rising in southern Michigan in Hillsdale County flowing from Baw Beese Lake , within 5 miles (8 km) of the headwaters of the other St. Joseph River of the eastward-flowing Maumee River watershed. Baw Beese Lake was historically named for

6223-507: The Mississippi River. Tecumseh was widely admired in his lifetime, even by Americans who had fought against him. His primary American foe, William Henry Harrison, described Tecumseh as "one of those uncommon geniuses, which spring up occasionally to produce revolutions and overturn the established order of things." After his death, he became an iconic folk hero in American, Indigenous, and Canadian history. For many Native Americans in

6350-641: The Nazi elements. An East German film, Tecumseh , was released in 1972. In the United States, Tecumseh became a legendary figure, the historical details of his life shrouded in mythology. According to Edmunds (2007) , "the real Tecumseh has been overshadowed by a folk hero whose exploits combine the best of fact and fiction." Only in the late 20th century did academic historians begin to unravel fact from fiction. The fictional Tecumseh has been featured in poems, plays, and novels, movies, and outdoor dramas . Examples include George Jones 's Tecumseh; or, The Prophet of

6477-745: The Ohio Country following its victory in the French and Indian War . That year, Cheeseekau took part in Pontiac's War , a pan-tribal effort to counter British control of the region. Tecumseh was born in the peaceful decade after Pontiac's War, a time when Puckeshinwau likely became the chief of the Kispoko town on the Scioto. In a 1768 treaty , the Iroquois ceded land south of the Ohio River (including present-day Kentucky ) to

SECTION 50

#1732869100237

6604-631: The Ohio River, carrying waves of immigrants into lands the Shawnees had lost. He was disturbed by the sight of prisoners being cruelly treated by the Shawnees, an early indication of his lifelong aversion to torture and cruelty, for which he would later be celebrated. In 1788, Tecumseh, Cheeseekau and their family moved westward, relocating near Cape Girardeau, Missouri . They hoped to be free of American settlers, only to find colonists moving there as well, so they did not stay long. In late 1789 or early 1790, Tecumseh traveled south with Cheeseekau to live with

6731-600: The Oliver Chilled Plow Works constructed a hydro-electric power plant on the waterway to supply electricity for light, heat, and power to the Oliver Opera House, Oliver Hotel, South Bend factories, and other Oliver buildings. Other sources of energy and changes in technology resulted in the canals no longer being used for industrial purposes. In the late 1940s the Indiana and Michigan Electric Company purchased

6858-503: The Potawatomi contingent against the Americans at the Battle of Tippecanoe at Prophetstown in 1811. Winamac began the organization for the 1812 siege of Fort Wayne . Late in August, Winamac called together a war party from northern Indiana and Michigan. First attempting to convince Captain Rhea of their friendly intent, they sought entry to the post. Rebuffed, on August 28, 1812 the warriors killed

6985-486: The Potawatomi tribe. In 1719, Wilamek traveled to Montreal with a group of Meskwaki leaders in an effort to make peace. The following year, his son was captured by the Meskwakis, but he was later released. During the War of 1812 era, the Potawatomis, like other tribes, were divided over whether to oppose the expansion of the United States or to seek peaceful accommodation. Two men named Winamac were prominent in this era. One

7112-537: The Potawatomi villages along the St. Joseph River in what is now the U.S. state of Michigan . Wilamet was therefore not a traditional Potawatomi leader (or okama ), but was instead a "chief" appointed by the French. French-appointed chiefs were a common feature of the Franco-Indian alliance . According to historian Richard White , "as the French singled out certain leaders to be the channels by which French power entered

7239-421: The Potawatomis at the great Treaty of Montreal , which ended the war with the Iroquois. During the Fox Wars (1712–1733), a Wilamek was a leader of the Fish clan of the St. Joseph Potawatomis. Historian David Edmunds portrays this man as the same one who had attended the 1701 treaty, although Richard White writes that a Wilamek of this era was of a man of Sauk and Meskwaki (Fox) parentage who had married into

7366-450: The Prophet's movement. Important converts who joined the movement at Greenville were Blue Jacket, the famed Shawnee war leader, and Roundhead , who became Tecumseh's close friend and ally. American settlers grew uneasy as Indians flocked to Greenville. In 1806 and 1807, Tecumseh and Blue Jacket traveled to Chillicothe, the capital of the new U.S. state of Ohio, to reassure the governor that Greenville posed no threat. Rumors of war between

7493-408: The Shawnee Prophet, established a new town near the ruins of Fort Greenville (present-day Greenville, Ohio ), where the 1795 Treaty of Greenville had been signed. The Prophet's message spread widely, attracting visitors and converts from multiple tribes. The brothers hoped to reunite the scattered Shawnees at Greenville, but they were opposed by Black Hoof , a Mekoche chief regarded by Americans as

7620-446: The Shawnees, Wyandots, and Senecas . After returning to Prophetstown, he sent a delegation to the Iroquois in New York. In July 1811, Tecumseh again met Harrison at Vincennes. He told the governor he had amassed a confederacy of northern tribes and was heading south to do the same. For the next six months, Tecumseh traveled some 3,000 miles (4,800 km) in the south and west to recruit allies. The documentary evidence of this journey

7747-458: The United States and First Nations people in Canada , he became a hero who transcends tribal identity. Tecumseh's stature grew over the decades after his death, often at the expense of Tenskwatawa, whose religious views white writers found alien and unappealing. White writers tended to turn Tecumseh into a "secular" leader who only used his brother's religious movement for political reasons. For many Europeans and white North Americans, he became

SECTION 60

#1732869100237

7874-425: The United States and Great Britain followed the Chesapeake incident of June 1807. To escape the rising tensions, Tecumseh and the Prophet decided to move west to a more secure location, farther from American forts and closer to potential western Indian allies. In 1808, Tecumseh and the Prophet established a village Americans would call Prophetstown , north of present-day Lafayette, Indiana . The Prophet adopted

8001-464: The United States without the consent of all the tribes. This idea made a strong impression on Tecumseh, who was just fifteen years old when he attended the conference. As an adult, he would become such a well-known advocate of this policy that some mistakenly thought it had originated with him. The United States, however, insisted on dealing with the tribes individually, getting each to sign separate land treaties. In January 1786, Moluntha , civil chief of

8128-484: The United States. A more sagacious or a more gallant warrior does not I believe exist. He was the admiration of every one who conversed with him. Brock likely assured Tecumseh that the British would support Native American land claims. He wrote his superiors that restoration of land "fraudulently usurped" from the Native Americans should be considered in any peace treaty. News of Detroit's capture revived British discussion of creating of an Indian barrier state to ensure

8255-520: The United States. In 1811, when Tecumseh was in the South recruiting allies, Americans under William Henry Harrison defeated Tenskwatawa at the Battle of Tippecanoe and destroyed Prophetstown. In the War of 1812, Tecumseh joined his cause with the British, recruited warriors, and helped capture Detroit in August 1812. The following year he led an unsuccessful campaign against the United States in Ohio and Indiana. When U.S. naval forces took control of Lake Erie in 1813, Tecumseh reluctantly retreated with

8382-444: The West (1844 play), Mary Catherine Crowley 's Love Thrives in War (1903 novel), Brave Warrior (1952 film), and Allan W. Eckert 's A Sorrow in Our Hearts: The Life of Tecumseh (1992 novel). James Alexander Thom 's 1989 novel Panther in the Sky was made into a TV movie, Tecumseh: The Last Warrior (1995). The outdoor drama Tecumseh! has been performed near Chillicothe, Ohio , since 1973. Written by Allan Eckert ,

8509-462: The West" was intended to "preserve the memory of one of the noblest and most gallant spirits" in history. Canadian writers such as Charles Mair ( Tecumseh: A Drama , 1886) celebrated Tecumseh as a Canadian patriot, an idea reflected in numerous subsequent biographies written for Canadian school children. The portrayal of Tecumseh as a Canadian patriot has been criticized for obscuring his true aim of protecting Native homelands outside of Canada. Among

8636-409: The White River, Native Americans in the region were troubled by sickness, alcoholism, poverty, the loss of land, depopulation, and the decline of their traditional way of life. Several religious prophets emerged, each offering explanations and remedies for the crisis. Among these was Tecumseh's younger brother Lalawéthika, a healer in Tecumseh's village. Until this time, Lalawéthika had been regarded as

8763-472: The battle was a setback for Tenskwatawa, but he continued to serve as the confederacy's spiritual leader, with Tecumseh as its diplomat and military leader. Harrison hoped his preemptive strike would subdue Tecumseh's confederacy, but a wave of frontier violence erupted after the battle. Native Americans, many who had fought at Tippecanoe, sought revenge, killing as many as 46 Americans. Tecumseh sought to restrain warriors from premature action while preparing

8890-416: The battle, so Procter was compelled to lift the siege. One of the most famous incidents in Tecumseh's life occurred after the battle. American prisoners had been taken to the nearby ruins of Fort Miami . When a group of Indians began killing prisoners, Tecumseh rushed in and stopped the slaughter. According to Sugden (1997), "Tecumseh's defense of the American prisoners became a cornerstone of his legend,

9017-424: The change in plans, but he led a rearguard action at Chatham to slow the American advance, and was slightly wounded in the arm. Many of Tecumseh's despairing allies deserted during the retreat, leaving him 500 warriors. Procter and Tecumseh, outnumbered more than three-to-one, faced the Americans at the Battle of the Thames on October 5. Tecumseh positioned his men in a line of trees along the right, hoping to flank

9144-463: The commander. Inside, they were heavily guarded, ending their ploy to kill the commander and attack from inside. The following day, September 6, saw the greatest action in the siege, but without help, the fort could not be taken. On September 11, a relief column under Governor Harrison arrived from Piqua and the siege ended. After the siege of Fort Wayne, Winamac served as a scout under British Indian agent Matthew Elliott . On November 22, 1812, Winamac

9271-620: The confederacy for future hostilities. By the time the United States declared war on Great Britain in June 1812, as many as 800 warriors had gathered around the rebuilt Prophetstown. Tecumseh's Native American allies throughout the Northwest Territory numbered around 3,500 warriors. In June 1812, Tecumseh arrived at Fort Malden in Amherstburg to join his cause with the British in the War of 1812 . The British had few troops and scant resources in

9398-495: The confrontation with Harrison, Tecumseh traveled widely to build his confederacy. He went westward to recruit allies among the Potawatomis, Winnebagos, Sauks, Foxes , Kickapoos, and Missouri Shawnees. In November 1810, he visited Fort Malden in Upper Canada to ask British officials for assistance in the coming war, but the British were noncommittal, urging restraint. In May 1811, Tecumseh visited Ohio to recruit warriors among

9525-469: The creation of a Native American barrier state in the Old Northwest. The Americans refused and the matter was dropped. The Treaty of Ghent (1814) called for Native American lands to be restored to their 1811 boundaries, something the United States had no intention of doing. By the end of the 1830s, the U.S. government had compelled Shawnees still living in Ohio to sign removal treaties and move west of

9652-462: The destruction, councils were held at Cahokia and Vincennes . Winamac and Five Medals assured the agents that the few anti-American warriors were not representative of the Potawatomi. Because of the influence of the pro-British chiefs, Winamac and Five Medals refused a trip to Washington. Tecumseh the Shawnee spoke at the council blaming Winamac and Five Medals for not controlling their warriors. When Gov. Harrison marched north to Prophetstown on

9779-685: The early 1980s, the East Race canal was re-excavated. It was converted to a man-made whitewater kayaking course, now known as the East Race Waterway. 41°40′34″N 86°14′42″W  /  41.676°N 86.245°W  / 41.676; -86.245 In 1984, the abandoned East Race canal in South Bend, whose outlets were both at the river, was converted into the East Race Waterway , North America's first artificial whitewater waterway and

9906-667: The earth like a ground hog. Give me your answer. Tecumseh returned to Amherstburg in April 1813. Meanwhile, the Americans, having suffered defeat at the Battle of Frenchtown in January 1813, were pushing back toward Detroit under the command of William Henry Harrison. Tecumseh and Roundhead led about 1,200 warriors to Fort Meigs , a recently constructed American fort along the Maumee River in Ohio. The Indians initially saw little action while British forces under General Henry Procter laid siege to

10033-544: The ensuing Battle of Piqua on August 8. After the Shawnees retreated, Clark burned their villages and crops. The Shawnees relocated to the northwest, along the Great Miami River , but Clark returned in 1782 and destroyed those villages as well, forcing the Shawnees to retreat further north, near present-day Bellefontaine, Ohio . After the American Revolutionary War ended in 1783, the United States claimed

10160-530: The entire length of the main stem, if they are prepared to portage. Many of the larger tributaries offer opportunities for paddling, hiking, hunting, and fishing. A list of dams on the St. Joseph River. AKA Niles Dam Jack Mosley AKA Fairbanks Morse Dam St. Joseph River crossings are located in towns or cities within seven counties of two states . Tecumseh Tecumseh ( / t ɪ ˈ k ʌ m s ə , - s i / tih- KUM -sə, -⁠see ; c.  1768  – October 5, 1813)

10287-500: The evidence and argued that Johnson's claim was the strongest, though not conclusive. Johnson became Vice President in 1837, his fame largely based on his claim to have killed Tecumseh. Tecumseh's death led to the collapse of his confederacy; except in the southern Creek War, most of his followers did little more fighting. In the negotiations that ended the War of 1812, the British attempted to honor promises made to Tecumseh by insisting upon

10414-430: The first American fatalities of the war. Tecumseh turned his attention to cutting off Hull's supply and communication lines on the U.S. side of the border, south of Detroit . On August 5, he led 25 warriors in two successive ambushes , scattering a far superior force. Tecumseh captured Hull's outgoing mail, which revealed that the general was fearful of being cut off. On August 9, Tecumseh joined with British soldiers at

10541-462: The first of four in the United States. Locals first proposed in 1973 that the 19th-century waterway be reopened; construction began in August 1982 and the East Race reopened on June 29, 1984. Through the use of movable barriers and obstacles, the East Race can be configured to provide a whitewater course for recreational and competitive canoeing, kayaking and rafting. In 2021, the East Race was temporarily closed for construction. The City of South Bend

10668-449: The foremost example of the " noble savage " stereotype. Tecumseh is honored in Canada as a hero who played a major role in Canada's defense in the War of 1812, joining Sir Isaac Brock and Laura Secord as the best-remembered people of that war. John Richardson , an important early Canadian novelist, had served with Tecumseh and idolized him. His 1828 epic poem "Tecumseh; or, The Warrior of

10795-462: The fort. Fighting outside the fort began on May 5 after the arrival of American reinforcements, who attacked the British gun batteries. Tecumseh led an attack on an American sortie from the fort, then crossed the river to help defeat a regiment of Kentucky militia. The British and Native Americans had inflicted heavy casualties on the Americans outside the fort, but failed to capture it. Procter's Canadian militia and many of Tecumseh's warriors left after

10922-533: The headwaters in southwestern Michigan, where travelers could make a portage to the St. Joseph River of the Maumee River watershed, which drained into Lake Erie . The second major transfer point was at South Bend, Indiana, where a short portage to the nearby Kankakee River allowed access to the Illinois River and subsequently to the Mississippi. Another major access point along river was at Niles, Michigan, where

11049-496: The ladders were not designed to permit passage of migrating native fish. Historically, the migrating native species included lake sturgeon ( Acipenser fulvescens ), bass (smallmouth and largemouth), redhorse (silver, golden, shorthead, river, and greater) ( Moxostoma ssp. ), walleye ( Sander vitreus ), lake trout ( Salvelinus namaycush ), lake whitefish ( Coregonus clupeaformis ), northern pike ( Esox lucius ) and American pickerel ( E. americanus vermiculatus ). Every spring

11176-511: The lands north of the Ohio River by right of conquest; Britain had renounced its claims to the area in the Treaty of Paris . In response, Indians convened a great intertribal conference at Lower Sandusky in the summer of 1783. Speakers, most notably Joseph Brant of the Mohawk , argued that Indians must unite to hold onto their lands. They put forth a doctrine that Indian lands were held in common by all tribes, and so no further land should be ceded to

11303-401: The lower dams allow salmonine passage as far as the Twin Branch Dam in Mishawaka, Indiana . But, the fish ladders are not adequate for many native species, such as sturgeon , and the dams tend to be built on the higher gradient portions of the river, which are the most critical river habitats for fish spawning. saakiiweesiipiiwi (Outlet River, also historically spelt Sakiwasipi ), as it

11430-735: The many things named for Tecumseh in Canada are the naval reserve unit HMCS Tecumseh and the towns of Tecumseh in Southwestern Ontario and New Tecumseth in Central Ontario. In 1931, the Canadian government designated Tecumseh as a person of national historic significance . Tecumseh has long been admired in Germany, especially due to popular novels by Fritz Steuben , beginning with The Flying Arrow (1930). Steuben used Tecumseh to promote Nazism , though later editions of his novels removed

11557-576: The mouth of the river. La Salle named the river La Rivière des Miamis (River of the Miamis). At the end of 1679, La Salle followed indigenous trade routes in the opposite direction of that taken by Marquette; heading up the St. Joseph River and portaging to the Kankakee River, getting as far west on the Illinois River as modern-day Peoria, Illinois , before returning to Fort Miami. After giving up on

11684-527: The name of this mighty fish. Now the spawning sturgeon rarely reach Niles, as they are impeded by the dam at Berrien Springs , reducing the length of the river used by them for spawning by 155 miles (249 km). Historically, ninety-seven species of fish were native to the St. Joseph River Basin. In 1994, the Friends of the St. Joe River (FotSJR), a non-profit conservation organization, was founded by Athens, Michigan , residents Al and Margaret Smith, to organize

11811-517: The plan was developed, the river carried the greatest portion of atrazine into Lake Michigan. It is an agricultural herbicide associated with cancer even at low levels and is a very common contaminant of drinking water. The St. Joseph River is a trout and salmon sport fishery, encompassing 47 miles (76 km) of river in Michigan and 16 miles (26 km) in Indiana. The economic benefits to local Michigan and Indiana communities are estimated at several million dollars annually. Canoeists can travel

11938-544: The proper methods and lands, these efforts would soon prove futile as the native people were apathetic towards the agricultural mission, with their focus remaining largely on local affairs and settlement conflicts. In 1807, President Monroe wanted to acquire more Indian land. A council was called at Fort Wayne in September. Winamac led the Potawatomi delegation. When the other chiefs and the Miami refused to negotiate land cessions, it

12065-515: The region. Jortner (2011) argues that Prophetstown was effectively an independent city-state . At Prophetstown, Tecumseh and Tenskwatawa initially worked to maintain a peaceful coexistence with the United States. A major turning point came in September 1809, when William Henry Harrison , governor of the Indiana Territory , negotiated the Treaty of Fort Wayne , purchasing 2.5 to 3 million acres (10,000 to 12,000 km ) of land in what

12192-541: The return of his ship, Le Griffon , in April 1680, he became the first European to walk the well traveled indigenous routes east across the Lower Peninsula of Michigan back to the Detroit River and Canada. The French established Fort St. Joseph at the crossroads of Old Sauk Trail and this well-established east–west trail in 1691. The watershed was later used as canoe route by early French fur trappers in

12319-489: The rights along the East Race canal. They began filling it in around 1954 for re-use for other purposes. In 1973 the Oliver Chilled Plow Works hydro-electric plant was demolished to make room for construction of the Century Center , which was completed in 1977. The West Race still exists as a canal North of Jefferson Boulevard and South of Colfax Avenue on the banks of Century Center, between Pier Park and Island Park. In

12446-470: The river communities to clean and restore the river. In 2002 FotSJR developed the St. Joseph River Watershed Management Plan, with grant support from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality . The river delivers significant pollutants to Lake Michigan - including sewage overflows from riverside communities, sediments and toxic substances such as mercury and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB). When

12573-576: The security of Upper Canada. After his short stay in the area, Brock returned to the Niagara frontier, where he was killed in action several weeks later. Meanwhile, the British had negotiated a temporary armistice and called off further offensives. Tecumseh was frustrated by the unexpected British-American armistice, which came at a time when his confederacy was attacking other American forts and needed British support. In September 1812, he and Roundhead led 600 warriors to assist in an attack on Fort Wayne , but

12700-489: The siege failed before they arrived. Another siege against Fort Harrison also failed. Tecumseh stayed in the Prophetstown region for the remainder of 1812, coordinating Native American war efforts. I have with me eight hundred braves. You have an equal number in your hiding place. Come out with them and give me battle; you talked like a brave when we met at Vincennes, and I respected you; but now you hide behind logs and in

12827-674: The south, most notably the Choctaws and Chickasaws; his most receptive southern listeners were among the Muscogee. A faction among the Muscogee, who became known as the Red Sticks , responded to Tecumseh's call to arms, contributing to the coming of the Creek War . According to Sugden (1997), Tecumseh had made a "serious mistake" by informing Harrison he would be absent from Prophetstown for an extended time. Harrison wrote that Tecumseh's absence "affords

12954-493: The state of Michigan. The lower Pigeon River is home to the federally endangered Indiana Bat. In 1969, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources began stocking the lower 23 miles (37 km) of the river for steelhead trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss ), Chinook salmon ( Oncorhynchus tshawytscha ) and coho salmon ( Oncorhynchus kisutch ). In 1975, Michigan constructed a fish ladder at the Berrien Springs Dam to enable

13081-499: The story features a fictional, doomed romance between Tecumseh and a white settler woman, an example of the " vanishing Indian " scenario popular with white Americans. William Tecumseh Sherman , a Union general during the American Civil War , was also named after Tecumseh. In 2024, the main-belt asteroid 47069 Tecumseh was named in his honor. Also in 2024, Firaxis Games worked with chief Ben Barnes and other members of

13208-549: The troops. The Potawatomi were led by Shabbona with Waubansee and Winamac (2nd another chief among the Potawatomi). The defeat of the Indian confederacy scattered the tribes to their home villages. The dispersal of the Indian confederacy did not end the raids among the settlements. Tension was so bad, even Winamac was warned to stay out of the settlements. His unfailing support of the Americans would not protect him from harm. When

13335-484: The ultimate proof of his inherent nobility." Some accounts said Tecumseh rebuked General Procter for failing to protect the prisoners, though this might not have happened. Tecumseh and Procter returned to Fort Meigs in July 1813, Tecumseh with 2,500 warriors, the largest contingent he would ever lead. They had little hope of taking the strongly defended fort, but Tecumseh sought to draw the Americans into open battle. He staged

13462-768: The village the following day and returned to Vincennes. Historians have traditionally viewed the Battle of Tippecanoe as a devastating blow to Tecumseh's confederacy. According to a story recorded by Benjamin Drake ten years after the battle, Tecumseh was furious with Tenskwatawa after the battle and threatened to kill him. Afterwards, it was said, the Prophet played little part in the confederacy's leadership. Modern scholarship has cast doubt on this interpretation. Dowd (1992), Cave (2002), and Jortner (2011) argued that stories of Tenskwatawa's disgrace originated with Harrison's allies and are not supported by other sources. According to this view,

13589-514: The villages, they created a new kind of chief which can best be distinguished as an alliance chief". Wilamet helped La Salle promote French policies while countering Iroquois influence in the Lake Michigan region. In 1694, a man named Ouilamek, probably the same Wilamet, led 30 Potawatomis in an expedition under Cadillac against the Iroquois. In 1701, Wilamet and Onanghisse (or Onangizes), another prominent Potawatomi alliance chief, represented

13716-545: The virgin forests were mostly logged, and the prairies largely converted to agricultural use, as were many drained wetlands. Among the unique natural features that remain in the watershed are prairie fens , coastal plain marshes, bogs , floodplain forests, hardwood swamps, and moist hardwood forests. Rare plants include prairie dropseed ( Sporobolus heterolepis ), rosinweed, tall beak rush, and umbrella grass. The wetlands and floodplain forests provide habitat to nearly half of all migratory birds in Indiana and Michigan and are

13843-535: The war between the United States and England was known, Winamac continued to support the Americans and led a delegation to the Lake Peoria villages seeking the warriors accused of raiding the settlements. He was ridiculed by the Potawatomi warriors and left unsuccessful. It was Winamac who carried William Hulls orders from Detroit to Fort Dearborn (Chicago) to evacuate, an attack was eminent. Winamac told Commander Heald that they must leave that day to save themselves, this

13970-605: The water power rights on the West Race canal, while Samuel L. Cottrell purchased the water rights along the East Race canal. In 1867 the South Bend Hydraulic Company purchased the rights to the East Race canal for $ 100. In 1903 the ownership of stock, property rights, and property of the South Bend Manufacturing Company on the West Race canal passed to the Oliver Chilled Plow Works . Over the next two years

14097-498: The west, so Native allies were essential to the defense of Upper Canada. The British quickly recognized Tecumseh as the most influential of their Indian allies and relied upon him to direct the Native forces. He and his warriors scouted and probed enemy positions as American General William Hull crossed into Canada and threatened to take Fort Malden. On July 25, Tecumseh's warriors skirmished with Americans north of Amherstburg, inflicting

14224-445: The woods to create the impression that thousands of Native Americans were outside the fort, a story that may be apocryphal. To almost everyone's astonishment, Hull decided to surrender on August 16. Afterwards, Brock wrote of Tecumseh: He who attracted most of my attention was a Shawnee chief, Tecumset [ sic ], brother to the Prophet, who for the last two years has carried on, contrary to our remonstrances, an active warfare against

14351-486: Was Winamac who persuaded first the Miami and then the Potawatomi to agree to the cession. When 3 million acres (12,000 km) were agreed to, none were lands of the Potawatomi. Winamac and the Potawatomi received a generous share of the payment for these lands. The months following the treaty found Winamac at Detroit settling disputes for the lands in northwest Ohio. Because of the Fort Wayne Treaty, discontent

14478-438: Was a Shawnee chief and warrior who promoted resistance to the expansion of the United States onto Native American lands. A persuasive orator, Tecumseh traveled widely, forming a Native American confederacy and promoting intertribal unity. Even though his efforts to unite Native Americans ended with his death in the War of 1812 , he became an iconic folk hero in American, Indigenous, and Canadian popular history. Tecumseh

14605-456: Was an active opponent of the United States, while the other became a U.S. ally. These two men have often been confused with each other. American historians have often distinguished them by referring to the "anti-American" or "hostile" Winamek and the "pro-American" or "friendly" Winamek. The "anti-American" Winamac was a Potawatomi leader who first appears in the historical record in 1810. That year, while returning from an unsuccessful raid against

14732-508: Was appointed by La Salle to serve as a laison between New France and the natives of the Lake Michigan region. Wilamet was adopted by the Potawatomis , and his name, which meant "Catfish" in his native Eastern Algonquian language, was eventually transformed into "Winamac", which means the same thing in the Potawatomi language . Before long, he was recognized by the French as the "chief" of

14859-462: Was born in Shawnee territory in what is now Ohio between 1764 and 1771. The best evidence suggests a birthdate of around March 1768. The Shawnee pronunciation of his name has traditionally been rendered by non-Shawnee sources as "Tecumthé". He was born into the Panther clan of the Kispoko division of the Shawnee tribe. Like most Shawnees, his name indicated his clan: translations of his name from

14986-438: Was born in what is now Ohio at a time when the far-flung Shawnees were reuniting in their Ohio Country homeland. During his childhood, the Shawnees lost territory to the expanding American colonies in a series of border conflicts. Tecumseh's father was killed in battle against American colonists in 1774. Tecumseh was thereafter mentored by his older brother Cheeseekau , a noted war chief who died fighting Americans in 1792. As

15113-599: Was brief, and the child remained with her mother. In 1791, Tecumseh returned to the Ohio Country to take part in the Northwest Indian War as a minor leader. The Native confederacy that had been formed to fight the war was led by the Shawnee Blue Jacket , and would provide a model for the confederacy Tecumseh created years later. He led a band of eight followers, including his younger brother Lalawéthika, later known as Tenskwatawa . Tecumseh missed fighting in

15240-506: Was called by the Miami people, was inhabited for thousands of years by various indigenous tribes as it served an essential trade avenue in the Great Lakes region. The most recent indigenous inhabitants of the area were the Miami and Potawatomi peoples. Two different portages allowed nearly continuous travel by canoe among different watersheds of the region. The first major transfer point was at

15367-505: Was growing and the number of warriors at Prophetstown was increasing. Winamac provided information to Governor Harrison on the plans and activities at Prophetstown. Harrison invited the Prophet to Washington and in June, Tecumseh led a delegation to Vincennes to meet with Harrison. Here, Tecumseh denounced Winamac as a 'black dog' for supporting the American interests. Through the winter of 1811–1812, Potawatomi raids were launched against settlements in southern Indiana and Illinois. To end

15494-435: Was on August 9. On August 13, an escort of 13 Miami Indians arrived. On August 15, Mad Sturgeon and Blackbird led the Potawatomi ambush of 500+ warriors against the 62 soldiers and 27 civilians in the dunes of Lake Michigan. Fifty-three of the Americans died that day. Fifteen of the Indians died. Fort Dearborn fell on August 15, 1812 to an ambush, then Mackinac. These were followed by the siege of Detroit, which surrendered to

15621-437: Was sent but never used, as only these chiefs were interested in agriculture, not their people. Previous attempts at farming the land south of Fort Wayne were also made in the early spring of 1805 by Chief Little Turtle , who welcomed two visiting Quakers that came upon the area at Little Turtle's request for their instruction, knowing their farming methods were sufficient. However, as would occur in 1807, although equipped with

15748-434: Was somewhat known as "an eloquent speaker" among Native Americans, and this reputation would follow him for the rest of his life as he grew in prominence. Tecumseh returned to the Ohio Country at the end of 1792 and fought in several more skirmishes. In 1794, he fought in the Battle of Fallen Timbers , a bitter defeat for the Indians. The Native confederacy fell apart, especially after Blue Jacket agreed to make peace with

15875-507: Was the fifth of eight children. His parents met and married in what is now Alabama , where many Shawnees had settled after being driven out of the Ohio Country by the Iroquois in the 17th-century Beaver Wars . Around 1759, Puckeshinwau and Methoataaskee moved to the Ohio Country as part of a Shawnee effort to reunite in their traditional homeland. In 1763, the British Empire laid claim to

16002-470: Was uniting the tribes to prevent further cessions. Harrison insisted the land had been purchased fairly and that Tecumseh had no right to object because Native Americans did not own land in common. Harrison said he would send Tecumseh's demands to President James Madison , but did not expect the president to accept them. As the meeting concluded, Tecumseh said that if Madison did not rescind the Fort Wayne treaty, "you and I will have to fight it out." After

16129-520: Was with a scouting party that captured several Indians, including Shawnee chief Logan ( Spemica Lawba ), a U.S. ally. Winamac was killed in an exchange of gunfire when Logan and his companions escaped; Logan died later from his wounds. The "pro-American" Winamek was a chief from the Tippecanoe Potawatomi on the Wabash. Beginning in 1807 he and Five Medals and Topinabee continued to ask the American government for agricultural help. The equipment

#236763