Mad River, near where
Dayton stands, between a party of Kentuckians, commanded by colonel
Benjamin Logan, and some Shawanoes. At this time Tecumseh was very
young, and joined the expedition under the care of his brother, who was
wounded at the first fire. It is related by some Indian chiefs that
Tecumseh, at the commencement of the action, became frightened and
ran.[C] This may be true, but it is the only instance in which he was
ever known to shrink from danger, or to loose that presence of mind for
which he was ever afterwards remarkably distinguished.

[Footnote A: Stephen Ruddell's MS. account.]

[Footnote B: Anthony Shane.]

[Footnote C: A similar statement is made in regard to the first battle
of the celebrated Red Jacket.]

The next action in which Tecumseh participated, and in which he
manifested signal prowess, was an attack made by the Indians upon some
flat boats, descending the Ohio, above Limestone, now Maysville. The
year in which it occurred is not stated, but Tecumseh was not probably
more than sixteen or seventeen years of age. The boats were captured,
and all the persons belonging to them killed, except one, who was taken
prisoner, and afterwards burnt. Tecumseh was a silent spectator of the
scene, having never witnessed the burning of a prisoner before. After
it was over, he expressed in strong terms, his abhorrence of the act,
and it was finally concluded by the party that they would never burn
any more prisoners;[A] and to this resolution, he himself, and the
party also, it is believed, ever afterwards scrupulously adhered. It is
not less creditable to the humanity than to the genius of Tecumseh,
that he should have taken this noble stand, and by the force and
eloquence of his appeal, have brought his companions to the same
resolution. He was then but a boy, yet he had the independence to
attack a cherished custom of his tribe, and the power of argument to
convince them, against all their preconceived notions of right and the
rules of warfare, that the custom should be abolished. That his effort
to put a stop to this cruel and revolting rite, was not prompted by any
temporary expediency, but was the result of a humane disposition, and a
right sense of justice, is abundantly shown by his conduct towards
prisoners in after life.

[Footnote A: Stephen Ruddell.]

The boats were owned by traders. The number of whites killed in the
engagement has not been ascertained. In the attack upon them, Tecum