the
Prophet, who by the aid of his incantations had inspired them with a
belief that they would certainly overcome their enemy: the supposition,
likewise, that they had taken the governor's army by surprise,
doubtless contributed to the desperate character of their assaults.
They were commanded by some daring chiefs, and although their spiritual
leader was not actually in the battle, he did much to encourage his
followers in their gallant attack. Of the force of the Indians engaged,
there is no certain account. The ordinary number at the Prophet's town
during the preceding summer, was four hundred and fifty; but a few days
before the action, they had been joined by all the Kickapoos of the
prairie, and by several bands of the Potawatamies, from the Illinois
river, and the St. Joseph's of lake Michigan. Their number on the night
of the engagement was probably between eight hundred and one thousand.
Some of the Indians who were in the action, subsequently informed the
agent at fort Wayne, that there were more than a thousand warriors in
the battle, and that the number of wounded was unusually great. In the
precipitation of their retreat, they left thirty-eight on the field;
some were buried during the engagement in their town, others no doubt
died subsequently of their wounds. The whole number of their killed,
was probably not less than fifty.

Of the army under governor Harrison, thirty-five were killed in the
action, and twenty-five died subsequently of their wounds: the total
number of killed and wounded was one hundred and eighty-eight. Among
the former were the lamented colonel Abraham Owen and major Joseph
Hamilton Davies, of Kentucky.

Both officers and men behaved with much coolness and
bravery,--qualities which, in an eminent degree, marked the conduct of
governor Harrison throughout the engagement. The peril to which he was
subjected may be inferred from the fact that a ball passed through his
stock, slightly bruising his neck; another struck his saddle, and
glancing hit his thigh; and a third wounded the horse on which he was
riding.

Peace on the frontiers was one of the happy results of this severe and
brilliant action. The tribes which had already joined in the
confederacy were dismayed; and those which had remained neutral now
decided against it.

CHAPTER X.

Tecumseh returns from the south--proposes to visit the President, but
declines, because not permitted to go to Washington at the hea