Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 05.djvu/135

 HARRISON

HARRISON

and he resigned his commission in the army and under Gen. Arthur St. Clair as governor assumed his new duties. He was lieutenant-governor ex officio and acting governor during tlie frequent and prolonged absences of General St. Clair. He resigned iu October, 1799, having been elected with William McMillan the tirst territorial del- egates admitted to congress, and he represented the territory northwest of the Oliio river in the 6th congress, 1799-1801. In this congress, as chairman of the committee of investigation into the existing land laws, he secured the subdivi- sion of the public lands into small tracts to the advantage of actual settlei's, but much to the regret of speculators, who opposed the measure. When the territory of Indiana, comprising the present area of the state of Indiana, Illinois, Mich- igan and Wisconsin, was formed, Harrison was appointed by President Adams in 1800 governor of the new territory and sviperintendeut of Indian affairs, and he served by reappointment through the administrations of Presidents Jefferson and Madison. His powers were extraordinary in that he was commander-in-cliief of the territorial militia, Indian commissioner, land commissioner, sole legislator and law-giver. He appointed all magistrates and civil officers and all military officers below the grade of general. He was empowered to divide the territory into counties, and townships, and was the sole judge of the va- lidity of existing land gi*ants, his signature on a title making it unquestionable. He secured for the government treaties with the Indians by which they ceded huudreds of thousands of acres of land to the United States. He also held the pardoning power and supreme power to treat with the Indians. In 1803 the vast territory of Upper Louisiana was placed imder his jurisdic- tion and added greatly to his labor, extending his lines of travel on horseback and by canoe and river crafts in visiting the various posts and tribes. His opportunities for speculating in lands, a business then extensively carried on, were unlimited and unchecked, and yet he re- frained to the extent of not acquiring a single foot of land for personal use, fearing lest his official integrity should be questioned. In 1805 he obtained some relief by prevailing on congress to organize the territory with Vincennes as the capital and to provide for an election by the people, for a territorial legislature and for a council of five for the territory, selected by congress from names suggested by the legislature. His conduct of the government of Upper Louisiana resulted in a vote of thanks from the citizens of St. Louis in 1805 for the manner in which he had served their interest. He refused a gift of one-third of the land on which the city afterward stood for his assistance in building it up. The Indian

tribes, provoked in a measure by influence from the borders of British America, became exces- sively troublesome and General Harrison early in 1811 learned of a gathering of 1000 warriors at Tippecanoe, the town of EUskwatawa. brother of their chief and prophet of the tribe. He lield a council with them, July 27, 1811, which led to no settlement and was prevented from being tragic by the coolness of Harrison, who reported the condition of affairs to Washington and was- authorized to use force to subjugate the savages. In October he advanced with 1000 men takeiii from the regular infantry and from the territo- rial militia, built Fort Harrison near the site of

FORT HARF^ISO/N.

Terre Haute, and on the 28th, leaving a garrison at the fort, marched within a mile and a half of the town when his force of about 700 was sud- denly attacked while in camp. In the battle which ensued the Indians who had gathered were completely defeatetl and driven trom the field by the cavalry. Governor Harrison directed the bat- tle and escaped from the bullets of the savages, although a target for their rifles as he rode his horse at the head of the little army and led in person the company of the 4th infantry that turned the fortune of the day. His hat was pierced by the same rifle ball that killed his aide, Colonel Owen. For his " masterlj' conduct in the direction and manoeuvring of the troops," and " for the collected firmness which distinguished the commander on an occasion requiring the utmost exertion of valor and discipline,'" he was mentioned in the message of the President to congress and the legislatures of Kentuckj' and Indiana. When war was declared with Great Britain, June 18, 1812, the Indians took sides with the British and Harrison was invited to Frankfort, Ky., to consult with Governor Shelby on the adoption of defensive measures. He also consulted with Henry Clay and reported the condition of affairs to President Madison. The British had taken possession of Mackinac and