diately announced that he revoked his decrees, but
instead of doing so, he enforced them more rigidly than before, thus
accomplishing what he sought, that of arraying the United States against
Great Britain. The Non-Intercourse Law was revived against Great
Britain, whose conduct became more exasperating than ever. Our whole
coast was under surveillance, and many of our merchant vessels were
captured without any excuse whatever.

[Illustration: JAMES MADISON. (1751-1836.) Two terms, 1809-1817.]

In the dusk of early evening, May 16, 1811, the British sloop _Little
Belt_, while occupied in holding up American vessels, hailed the frigate
_President_ off the coast of Virginia. Deeming the reply of the American
not sufficiently respectful, the _Little Belt_ fired a shot at the
_President_, which instantly let fly with a broadside, followed by
several others, that killed eleven men and wounded twenty-one. The
incident added to the angry excitement in both countries and brought war
nearer.

BATTLE OF TIPPECANOE.

The population of the United States in 1810 was 7,239,881, somewhat more
than a third of Great Britain and Ireland. Our growth in the West was
rapid. There was a continual stream of emigration thither, and the
Indians, seeing how rapidly their hunting grounds were passing from
them; combined to resist the invasion. This was done under the
leadership of Tecumseh, the ablest Indian that ever lived. In this
course he was incited by British agents, who, knowing that war was
coming, were anxious to do the Americans all the harm they could. The
outrages of the red men became so numerous that General William Henry
Harrison, governor of the Northwest Territory, gathered a large, force
and marched against them. Near the present city of Lafayette, while
encamped at a place called Tippecanoe, he was furiously assailed (Nov.
7, 1811) by the Indians. Tecumseh was absent at the time, and the battle
was brought on, against his orders, by his brother, called "The
Prophet." The loss was severe on both sides, but the Indians were
decisively defeated.

By this time the American people were clamoring more loudly than ever
for war with England. The congressional candidates were obliged to
declare whether they favored or opposed the war. Those who opposed it
were beaten at the polls. Congress, which had been making preparations
for some time for hostilities, declared war against England, June 18,
1812. It is a regrettable fact tha