Newspaper Account of William Henry Harrison's Peace Negotiations with Native Americans
The Freeman's Chronicle of June 25, 1813
On Monday last General Harrison held a council in this place with the chiefs of the Delaware, Shawanee, Wyandot and Seneca tribes of Indians, to the amount of about fifty. In the General's talk he observed that he had been induced to call them together from certain circumstances having come to his knowledge which led him to suspect the fidelity of some of the tribes, who had manifested signs of a disposition to join the enemy, in case they had succeeded in capturing Fort Meigs. That a crisis had arrived which demanded that all the tribes, who had heretofore remained neutral, should take a decided stand, either for us or against us. That the president wished no false friends, and that it was only in adversity that real friends could be distinguished. That the proposal of General Proctor to exchange the Kentucky prisoners for the friendly tribes within our borders indicated that he had been given to understand that those tribes were willing to raise the tomahawk against us. And that in order to give the United States a guarantee of their good dispositions the friendly tribes should either move, with their families, into the settlements or their warriors should accompany him in the ensuing campaign and fight for the United States. To this proposal the chiefs and warriors present unanimously agreed, and observed that they had long been anxious for an opportunity to fight for the Americans.
We cannot recall the precise remarks that were made by the chiefs who spoke, but Tarhe (The Crane), who is the principal chief of the Wyandots and the oldest Indian in the western wilds, appeared to represent the whole assembly and professed, in the name of the friendly tribes, the most indissoluble attachment for the American government and a determination to adhere to the Treaty of Greenville.
The General promised to let the several tribes know when he should want their services, and further cautioned them that all who went with him must conform to his mode of warfare; not to kill or injure old men, women, children nor prisoners. That by this means we should be able to ascertain whether the British tell the truth when they say that they are not able to prevent Indians from such acts of horrid cruelty; for if Indians under him (Gen. H.) would obey his commands and refrain from acts of barbarism, it would be very evident that the hostile Indians could be as easily restrained by their commanders. The General then informed the chiefs of the agreement made by Proctor to deliver him to Tecumseh in case the British succeeded in taking Fort Meigs, and promised them that if he should be successful he would deliver Proctor into their hands—on condition that they should do him no other harm than to put a petticoat on him; for said he, 'none but a coward or a squaw would kill a prisoner.' The council broke up in the afternoon and the Indians departed next day for their respective towns.
Reprinted in Taylor, William Alexander. Centennial History of Columbus and Franklin County, Ohio. 1909
On Monday last General Harrison held a council in this place with the chiefs of the Delaware, Shawanee, Wyandot and Seneca tribes of Indians, to the amount of about fifty. In the General's talk he observed that he had been induced to call them together from certain circumstances having come to his knowledge which led him to suspect the fidelity of some of the tribes, who had manifested signs of a disposition to join the enemy, in case they had succeeded in capturing Fort Meigs. That a crisis had arrived which demanded that all the tribes, who had heretofore remained neutral, should take a decided stand, either for us or against us. That the president wished no false friends, and that it was only in adversity that real friends could be distinguished. That the proposal of General Proctor to exchange the Kentucky prisoners for the friendly tribes within our borders indicated that he had been given to understand that those tribes were willing to raise the tomahawk against us. And that in order to give the United States a guarantee of their good dispositions the friendly tribes should either move, with their families, into the settlements or their warriors should accompany him in the ensuing campaign and fight for the United States. To this proposal the chiefs and warriors present unanimously agreed, and observed that they had long been anxious for an opportunity to fight for the Americans.
We cannot recall the precise remarks that were made by the chiefs who spoke, but Tarhe (The Crane), who is the principal chief of the Wyandots and the oldest Indian in the western wilds, appeared to represent the whole assembly and professed, in the name of the friendly tribes, the most indissoluble attachment for the American government and a determination to adhere to the Treaty of Greenville.
The General promised to let the several tribes know when he should want their services, and further cautioned them that all who went with him must conform to his mode of warfare; not to kill or injure old men, women, children nor prisoners. That by this means we should be able to ascertain whether the British tell the truth when they say that they are not able to prevent Indians from such acts of horrid cruelty; for if Indians under him (Gen. H.) would obey his commands and refrain from acts of barbarism, it would be very evident that the hostile Indians could be as easily restrained by their commanders. The General then informed the chiefs of the agreement made by Proctor to deliver him to Tecumseh in case the British succeeded in taking Fort Meigs, and promised them that if he should be successful he would deliver Proctor into their hands—on condition that they should do him no other harm than to put a petticoat on him; for said he, 'none but a coward or a squaw would kill a prisoner.' The council broke up in the afternoon and the Indians departed next day for their respective towns.
Reprinted in Taylor, William Alexander. Centennial History of Columbus and Franklin County, Ohio. 1909
