Battle of Tippecanoe
Near Battle Ground, Indiana
What happened
Governor William Henry Harrison of the Indiana Territory led United States soldiers and militia against warriors of an alliance of Native nations led by Tenskwatawa, the Shawnee Prophet, while his brother Tecumseh was away. In 1809 the Treaty of Fort Wayne gave about 3 million acres of Native land to the United States, and the Shawnee leader Tecumseh argued that land belonged to all tribes together and could not be sold by a few. He and his brother Tenskwatawa built an alliance of many nations centred on their village, Prophetstown. In November 1811, with Tecumseh away, warriors attacked Harrison's camp before dawn, and after about two hours the attackers withdrew and Harrison's men burned the empty Prophetstown.
Why it matters
Result: United States victory. Leaders: Tenskwatawa against William Henry Harrison. Why it matters: The defeat weakened Tecumseh's alliance, and Tenskwatawa lost much of his influence. It helped push Tecumseh to side with the British in the War of 1812.
What came next
In the War of 1812, Tecumseh fought alongside the British until he was killed at the Battle of the Thames in 1813. Harrison later used the nickname 'Tippecanoe' in his 1840 campaign for president.
Did you know?
Prophetstown, founded in 1808, grew into a large community where people from many different Native nations lived together.
Timeline
- 1808Tenskwatawa and Tecumseh found Prophetstown.
- 1809The Treaty of Fort Wayne gives about 3 million acres to the United States.
- November 7, 1811Harrison's forces and Tenskwatawa's warriors fight at Tippecanoe.
- 1813Tecumseh is killed at the Battle of the Thames.