houses, about a thousand: Detroit was garrisoned by ninety-four men, and Mackinaw by seventy-nine. Thus the entire population of the state was only about four thousand eight hundred, four fifths of whom were Canadian French, and the remainder chiefly Americans, with a few English and Scotch.*

As there was no longer any doubt of the hostile intentions of the savages, it was deemed prudent to present a memorial to Congress, setting forth the defenceless condition of the territory, and praying for aid from that body. Accordingly, on the 27th of December, 1811, such a petition was drawn up, signed by the principal inhabitants of Detroit, and forwarded to Washington.

The joint efforts of Tecumseh and the Prophet were successful in drawing a large body of Indians, probably not less than eight hundred, from the shores of Lake Superior to the station of the latter at Tippecanoe, though it is supposed that one third of their number died of want and hardship on the way. Their plans were now nearly ripe for action, and parties of the Ottawas, the Miamis, the Chippewas, the Wyandots, the Mississagies, the Shawanese, and the Winnebagoes were to be seen with their bodies painted for war, and again seizing the hatchet.

The first hostile demonstrations were made + Schoolcraft.

* American State Papers.

R

against the French settlements, where bands of savage warriors made their appearance, armed for battle, and painted in the most hideous manner, with feathers stuck in their hair, and strings of bears' claws about their necks, entering the houses by force, taking whatever they chose, and wantonly destroying with their tomahawks the beehives in the gardens of the settlers. Near the banks of the Kalamazoo, in the county of the same name, a smith's forge had been set up, where hatchets and knives were made for the approaching contest; and at no great distance from it, in a retired spot, surrounded by a dense forest, the Indian women, with their children, had collected, for the purpose of raising corn to furnish a supply of food for the

warriors.

Still more flagrant acts of aggression were perpetrated in the State of Indiana, where numerous murders were committed, and horses and other property stolen. It had been for some time noticed that the savages were collecting about the Prophet's station, apparently with no friendly design. A conference was therefore held, in which it was insisted that these hordes should be made to return to their homes, that the property which had been stolen from the Americans should be restored, and that the murderers should be given up.

Tecumseh, on his part, denied that any league,

such as was complained of, had been formed, and protested that he and his brother had no other object in collecting the tribes together but to strengthen the amicable relations between them, and to improve their moral condition. In regard to the murderers of the whites, who were alleged to have taken refuge among his tribe, he denied that they were there, saying, at the same time, that even if they were, they ought to be forgiven, as he had forgiven the whites who had murdered his own people in Illinois.*

All their plans having been fully matured, the contest at length began in earnest, on the banks of the Wabash, at the Prophet's town; and, while the battle was raging, the Prophet was seen on an adjoining eminence, singing a war-song, to inflame with greater desperation the savage combatants. It was now no longer doubtful that another fierce and obstinate struggle was to be encountered. The Indian warriors, excited by fanaticism and a thirst for blood, in opposition to their chiefs, hastened from all sides towards the lake frontier to join Tecumseh. Meanwhile, the English on the opposite shores were looking with no small interest upon what was passing, regarding the savages as important allies to their own cause in the conflict in which they expected shortly to be engaged.

* Thatcher.

"My son," said one of their agents to an Indian chief, "keep your eyes fixed on me. My tomahawk is now up; be you ready, but do not strike till I give the signal.”*

The statement of the fact should not be omitted, that about this time the American Fur Company was formed, under the auspices of Mr. John Jacob Astor, of New-York. Its operations were carried on much after the manner of the old French and English companies, by establishing chains of posts along the lake shores. This company is still in existence, and annually collects a great quantity of furs, which are sent by the way of the Mississippi or the lakes to New-York, from whence a large part of them are exported to foreign countries. This company has also an extensive fishery on Lake Superior, where they take great quantities of trout and whitefish, which are salted, packed in barrels, and sent to the different ports of the adjoining country.†

* Dawson.

+ Irving's Astoria.

CHAPTER IX.

War declared between Great Britain and the United States.Representations of Governor Hull.-Appointed to Command the Western Army.- Crosses to Sandwich and Addresses the Canadians.-Policy of Prevost.-Surrender of Detroit.Tecumseh.-Conduct of Hull.-Expedition to the River Raisin.-Capture of Chicago. - Battle of the River Raisin.— General Harrison's Campaign. - Commodore Perry. - His Victory on Lake Erie.-General Harrison arrives at Malden. -Marches to Detroit.-Battle of the Thames.- Death of Tecumseh.-His Character.-Attack on Mackinaw.-Peace Concluded.

IN June, 1812, war was declared between Great Britain and the United States. Without entering into particulars as to the causes of this war, suffice it to say that it was chiefly provoked by the continued impressment of American seamen, the unjust capture of American vessels, and the enforcement of illegal blockades.

Governor Hull, the year before, had represented to the general government the exposed and defenceless condition of Michigan. That the posts at Detroit, Mackinaw, and Chicago were badly fortified and with insufficient garrisons, while at no great distance from them there was a large body of British subjects, who could, in case of war,