seems to have had little fear of an attack, as he did not
even fortify his camp with intrenchments. But his men slept on their
arms that night, and, although no sound from the Indian village
disturbed the stillness, there was a general feeling of restlessness.

Between four and five in the morning, in the dark that comes before the
dawn, a sentinel's shot followed by the Indian yell brought every man to
his feet. As the soldiers stood in the light of the camp fires, peering
into the blackness with cocked muskets, they were shot down by savages,
who rushed upon them with such force that they broke the line of guards
and made an entrance into the camp. Had the number of assailants been
greater, or had Harrison been less alert, they would doubtless have
created a panic. But Harrison was already up and on the point of rousing
his soldiers when the alarm sounded. With perfect self-possession he
rode about where bullets were flying thickest, giving orders and
encouraging his men.

The brave Daveiss, having gained Harrison's consent, recklessly plunged
with only a few followers into a thicket to dislodge some Indians who
were firing upon the troops at close range. He was soon surrounded and
shot down.

The Indians fought with great persistence and kept up the attack for two
hours, during which the troops held their ground with admirable
firmness. As day dawned the Indians gradually withdrew.

Harrison's situation was perilous. Counting killed and wounded he had
already lost one hundred and fifty fighting men. The Indians might
return at any moment in larger numbers to attack his exhausted force.
Provisions were low and it was cold and raining. The men stood at their
posts through the day without food or fire. All day and all night the
soldiers kept watch. The second day, the horsemen cautiously advanced to
the town. To their relief they found it empty. The Indians had evidently
fled in haste, leaving behind large stores of provisions. Harrison's
troops helped themselves to what they wanted, burned the deserted town,
and returned to Vincennes with rapid marches.

[Illustration: BATTLE OF TIPPECANOE]

As a result of the battle of Tippecanoe, Harrison was the hero of the
hour. News of the destruction of the Prophet's town carried cheer into
every white man's cabin on the frontier.

XI. REORGANIZATION OF THE INDIANS

Of the six hundred Indians that Harrison estimated had taken part in the
battle of Tippecanoe, th