| The Battle of Tippecanoe was fought on November 7, 1811, between United States forces led by Governor William Henry Harrison of the Indiana Territory and forces of Tecumseh’s growing American Indian confederation led by his younger brother Tenskwatawa (aka the Prophet). In response to rising tensions with the tribes and threats of war, a United States force of militia and regulars set out to launch a preemptive strike on the headquarters of the confederacy. While camping outside Prophetstown, at the confluence of the Tippecanoe and Wabash Rivers, awaiting a meeting with tribal leaders, Harrison’s army was attacked in the early morning hours by forces from the town. Although the tribal forces took the army by surprise, their attack was ultimately repulsed as their ammunition ran low. |
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| Although the tribes attacked with fewer men and sustained fewer casualties, the United States was victorious both tactically and strategically. The immediate result of the battle allowed Harrison’s army to destroy Prophetstown and scatter its inhabitants. In addition to serving as an important political and symbolic victory for the United States, the Tippecanoe defeat dealt a devastating blow to Tecumseh’s confederacy, which never fully regained its former strength. The battle was the culmination of rising tensions in a period sometimes called Tecumseh’s War, which continued until collapse of tribal resistance with Tecumseh’s death in 1813. Public opinion in the United States blamed the Native American uprising on British interference; it was later revealed that the British leaders in Canada had supplied Tecumseh’s force with firearms and munitions. This suspicion led to further deterioration of American relations with Great Britain and served as a catalyst to the War of 1812, which began only six months later.
ROLL OF CAPTIAN DAVID ROBB’S COMPANY OF MOUNTED RIFLEMEN OF THE INDIANA MILITIA FROM OCTOBER 25 TO NOVEMBER 19, 1811:DAVID ROOB, CAPTIAN JOSEPH MONTGOMERY, LIEUTENANT JOHN WALLER, ENSIGN ELSBERRY ARMSTRONG, SERGEANT WILLIAM MAXIDON, SERGEANT EZEKIEL KITE, CORPORAL GEORGE ANTHEES, CORPORAL BRYANT HARPER, TRUMPTER PRIVATES WILLAIM ALLSOP *JAMES ASBERRY(KILLED IN ACTION 11-7-1811) WILLIAM ASKINS JAMES BASS WILLIAM BASS ASMSTEAD BENNETT JOHN BLACK JAMES BLANKS EDWARD BUTNER (MORTALLY WOUNDED 11-7 DIED 11-8, 1811) PETER CARTWRIGHT JOHN CRAWFORD JOHN CHRIST STEWART CUNNINGHAM THEODORUS DAVIS ABRAHAM DECKER WILLIAM DOWNING JOHN DRAGOO THOMAS DUNN DAVID EDWARDS DANIEL FISHER (DOW 11-12-1811) JOSEPH GARRESS THOMAS GARRESS THOMAS GIVENS FRANCIS HALL SAMUEL HAMILTON JONATHAN HUMPHREYS SAMUEL JAMES THOMAS JORDAN (TRANSFERED CAPT. DUBOIS CO. 11-20-1811) JACOB KORTER DAVID KNIGHT JAMES LANSDOWN GEORGE LEECH JR. DAVID LILLEY ALEX MAHEN (BADLEY WOUNDED 11-7-1811) DAVID MILLS JAMES MINOR JESSEE MUSIC JOHN ZA. ORTON WILLIAM PETERS RICHARD POTTS KADER POWELL (KILLED IN ACTION 11-7-1811) FREDERICK RELL WILLIAM SELVEY HUGH SHAW BOOKER SHEILDS THOMAS SHOUSE JOHN SLAVEN THOMAS SULLIVAN JOHN SUVERNS JOHN RIGGS GEORGE ROBINSON (BADLEY WOUNDED 11-7-1811) JONAH ROBINSON MOSES SANDRIDGE ROBERT TENNESSON JAMES TWEEDLE WILLIAM TWEEDLE *JOSEPH TOBIN THOMAS PARKER VANPETT THOMAS C. VINES THOMAS WEST ROBERT WILLSON *WILLIAM WITHERHOLT (Weatherholt) JOSEPH WRIGHT *KNOWN SOLDIERS FROM PERRY COUNTY
Note: After Spencer and his lieutenants were killed their men and Warrick’s held their ground gallantly. They were speedily reinforced by Robb’s riflemen, held the lines of the camp unbroken. Of the conduct of the Militia General Harrison wrote: “Several of the Militia companies were in nowise inferior to the regulars. Spencer’s. Geiger’s and Warricks maintained their posts amidst a monstrous carnage, as, indeed, did Robb’s after he was posted on the right flank; its loss of men and keeping its ground is sufficient evidence of its firmness.” Source: Wikipedia and History of the Battle of Tippecanoe
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