"Tecumseh: Fact and Fiction" Topic

"Any discussion of Tecumseh's role in the War of 1812 must include a contextual backdrop to the Anglo-Native alliance. As the struggle on the western (or Detroit River) theatre ended with an American victory, enough American accounts have been written on it to fill a small library. But these accounts uniformly tell the story from the American point of view and even those historians who sought to include the Anglo-Canadian perspective were frustrated to find that such writings ranged from scarce to nonexistent.

Two pertinent British writings did appear in the 1840's, John Richardson's War of 1812 and Ferdinand Tupper's Life of Brock. Both of these had their shortcomings, albeit in different ways. Richardson, a gifted writer who gained posthumous fame as Canada's first novelist, had been a fifteen year old participant on the Detroit theatre when war broke out. He wrote his account three decades after the events and from a worm's eye point of view, devoid of considerations that we now call the elements and principles of war. He confined his interpretation largely to a personality based approach of good guys like Brock and Tecumseh and bad guys like Henry Procter, the commander who, he felt, did not adequately recognize his services…"
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Amicalement
Armand

I'll have to read this article and see what's new to me. I don't know that much in detail about Tecumseh, altho' what I do know, or think I know, is highly favorable to my eyes. He seems to have been a great Indian patriot and hero who like many other such was cut down before he might have made a difference. I expect expansionist Americans at the time did not regard him in such a kindly light. But I wouldn't mind seeing him replace Jackson on the $20 USD bill. Old Hickory would never stop spinning.

During my research on the Muskogee Civil War of 1812 which became known as the Creek War of 1813-14, I read several accounts of Tecumseh's visit to both the Muskogee and Choctaw tribes trying to encourage them to fight the Americans.

His speeches inspired the Upper Creek tribes and random Choctaw warriors to join his cause. The result was a number of 'judicial hunts' where warrants were issued by certain Lower Creek tribes against uncontrolled acts. Warrants were Death Warrants. The enforcement of these led to a civil War between towns months before the Americans got involved.

Thanks for the "Heads Up" Armand!!!

Charlie

A votre service mon ami!… (smile)

The article is quite critical to Tecumseh…

"…His speeches inspired the Upper Creek tribes and random Choctaw warriors to join his cause…"

If you read it my friend, take note the little amount of indians who really follow him in compartion of the numbers who were there on those days…

Amicalement
Amrand