Indiana in the War of 1812

In 1811, Tecumseh's confederacy, formed in response to encroachment by White American settlers, was defeated by U.S. forces at the Battle of Tippecanoe.

In 1813, violent skirmishes between U.S. troops and settlers and Native Americans increased, and in April the indecisive Battle of Tipton's Island occurred.

Beginning with the 1809 Treaty of Fort Wayne, tensions between the settlers in the Indiana Territory and the Indians began to increase dramatically.

In the battle William Henry Harrison led the territorial militia and army regulars against the forces of Tecumseh's Confederacy at Prophetstown.

The confederacy's defeat was a major blow to their plans for a larger uprising, but left the tribes looking to outward sources of support.

[1] Henry Clay and his supporters in Congress attacked and denounced the British who had supplied firearms to the western tribes and the Battle of Tippecanoe further raised tensions between the United States and Great Britain.

As it became apparent that hostilities would soon break out, Gibson ordered the militia to organize and sent emergency riders to inform Harrison of the situation and to return him to the territory as soon as possible.

First, Chief Little Turtle died on July 14, which meant that the United States lost one of the Indian leaders they could rely on to maintain peace.

This was followed three days later by British forces gaining control of Lake Michigan by the capture of the American fort at Mackinac Island.

After being appointed brigadier general of the Kentucky militia on August 22, Harrison went to attain the force in order to defend the Indiana territorial government at Vincennes.

[8] During September the Territorial Legislature met and Dennis Pennington introduced a bill to move the capitol from Vincennes because of its proximity to the Indians.

The resolution stated: "Resolved: That the capitol be removed from Vincennes, because it is dangerous to continue longer here on account of threatened depredations of the Indians, who may destroy our valuable records.

Prophetstown was again destroyed on November 22 by General Samuel Hopkins, backed by attacking the deserted Tippecanoe River villages of the Kickapoo and Winnebago.

In July 1813, a large punitive expedition left Fort Vallonia and destroyed the well-developed Miami city at the confluence of the Wabash and Mississinewa Rivers.