The Delaware chiefs
immediately visited the prophet to dissuade him from commencing
hostilities and were grossly insulted. On the 6th of November, 1811,
Governor Harrison, with about nine hundred and fifty effective troops,
composed of two hundred and fifty of the 4th Regiment U. S. Infantry,
one hundred and thirty volunteers and a body of militia, being within a
mile and a half of the prophet's town, was urged to make an immediate
assault upon the village; but this he declined, as his instructions from
the president were positive not to attack the Indians as long as there
was a probability of their complying with the demands of the government.
The Indians, in the course of the day, endeavored to cut off his
messengers and evinced other hostile symptoms, which determined Harrison
to at once march upon the town, when he was met by three Indians, one of
them a principal counselor of the prophet, who avowed that the prophet's
designs were pacific. Accordingly a suspension of hostilities was agreed
upon, and the terms of peace were to be settled on the following morning
by the governor and the prophet's chief. At night the army encamped
about three fourths of a mile from the prophet's town.
The governor was well convinced of the hostility of the prophet. He
believed that after attempting to lull his suspicions he intended to
make a treacherous attack on the Americans.
Pages:
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119