Tecumseh: A Chronicle of the Last Great Leader of His People: Vol. 17 of Chronicles of CanadaRaymond, Ethel T.
History
Tecumseh: A Chronicle of the Last Great Leader of His People: Vol. 17 of Chronicles of Canada
Raymond, Ethel T.
Tecumseh, Shawnee chief, 1768-1813
After the treaty of peace between the English and
Americans, the summer before Wayne's army came out,
the British held a council with the Indians and told
them if they would turn out and unite as one man, they
might surround the Americans like deer in a ring of
fire and destroy them all. The Wyandot spoke further
in the council. We see, said he, there is like to be
war between the English and our white brethren, the
Americans. Let us unite and consider the sufferings
we have undergone, from interfering in the wars of
the English. They have often promised to help us, and
at last when we could not withstand the army that came
against us, and went to the English fort for refuge,
[Footnote: He is referring to what happened in 1794
at the Fallen Timbers. There was a British post on
the Maumee not far from the scene of the battle. At
this time, it will be remembered, Detroit and other
western posts, which passed to the United States in
1796, were still held by the British.] the English
told us, 'I cannot let you in; you are painted too
much, my children.' It was then we saw the British
dealt treacherously with us. We now see them going to
war again. We do not know what they are going to fight
for. Let us, my brethren, not interfere, was the speech
of the Wyandot.
Further, the Wyandot said, I speak to you, my little
brother, the Shawnees at Greenville, and to you our
little brothers all around. You appear to be at
Greenville to serve the Supreme Ruler of the universe.
Now send forth your speeches to all our brethren far
around us, and let us unite to seek for that which
shall be for our eternal welfare, and unite ourselves
in a band of perpetual brotherhood. These, brethren,
are the sentiments of all the men who sit around you:
they all adhere to what the elder brother, the Wyandot,
has said, and these are their sentiments. It is not
that they are afraid of their white brethren, but that
they desire peace and harmony, and not that their
white brethren could put them to great necessity, for
their former arms were bows and arrows, by which they
got their living.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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