Land of the Free (32 page)

Yank looked at him and shook
his head sadly.

“Listen to me, Yank.”
Harrison started to grab Yank’s sleeve but caught himself. “I’ve
spent my whole adult life trying to turn this territory into a
state.”

“Don’t give me that
political horse-flop. I was with General Wayne when you first
reported as an ensign and I’ve been close by, watching every step
you’ve taken ever since.”

“I have nothing to be
ashamed of.”

“I wasn’t implying that you
did. You’re a fine politician, but I don’t happen to like
politicians.” He looked Harrison in the eye. “I used to like you,
however, Bill, before you let your ambition overshadow your
patriotism.”

Harrison walked along beside
him for some time, struggling with his temper. Finally he stopped
and looked around. “Where the hell are we going, Yank?”

Yank stopped too, looked
around too and then laughed. “I don’t know.”

“Maybe we should turn back
before somebody takes a shot at us.”

“I agree.” Yank turned and
started back the way they came. “I know you’re angry because I
didn’t take the brevet brigadier position but it wasn’t
personal.”

“What bothered me more was
you making me look like a fool in front of President
Madison.”

“If I did that it was
unintentional and I apologize.”

“You said that he shouldn’t
trust what I said unless you verified it. That doesn’t seem
unintentional to me.”

Yank looked at him. “Madison
wouldn’t have trusted me if I’d said anything else.”

“Why not?”

“Because he doesn’t trust
you, Bill.”

“If he doesn’t it’s because
of something you told him.”

Yank shook his head. “I
never once said anything to him about you. The reports I gave him
were of my investigations of events, such as that incident with the
two white trappers and the Erie boys. He had my version and your
version of the story. If he decided not to trust you it was from
comparing our reports, not from anything I said about
you.”

“So what are you gonna do
now?”

“Find Tecumseh to try and
confirm your report that he’s being armed by the
British.”

“He’ll be here in three days
for a meeting with me and his warriors will be armed with British
muskets.”

Yank looked
dubious.

“He flaunts them to show me
that if I defy him, he’ll bring all the nations and the British
down on me.” The expression on Yank’s face convinced Harrison that
he was making progress so he hurried on. “The last time Tecumseh
was here he had four hundred braves with him and we came within an
inch of open combat. If I hadn’t accidently had a regular infantry
regiment here that day, we would be pushing up daisies.”

Yank took a moment to absorb
what the governor had said. “Well, if he does anything like that
again there’ll certainly be no difficulty in getting President
Madison’s attention.”

“How well do you know
Madison?”

Yank shrugged. “I’ve talked
to him at some length on a number of occasions but he’s a hard man
to know.”

“Will he fight?”

“Oh yes. If
necessary.”

“There’s the rub. Jefferson
could never be convinced that it was necessary.”

“Madison won’t be as hard to
convince as Jefferson.”

“Really?”

“He’s tougher than he looks
and very committed to westward expansion.”

“So what do we
do?”

“To start, we give him
facts, not fables. If he thinks the British are a real threat to
western settlement, you’ll have your way and he’ll go to
war.”

“How long can you stay
here?”

Yank shrugged. “If Tecumseh
turns up for your meeting, armed with British weapons as you think
he will, there’s no need for me to stay.”

“I have to go to Kentucky on
business the day after that meeting. John Gibson will be acting
governor while I’m gone. I’d feel a lot better if you were here to
help him if he needs it.”

“What will he say to
that?”

“I talked to him about you
before I stopped off at West Point. He’s a veteran of the French
and Indian War, Lord Dunmore’s War, the Revolutionary War and he
knew your father very well. He’d be more than glad to have
you.”

“Then I don’t see any
problem with staying. The orders that President Madison gave me are
carte blanche.”

“Be sure to send your report
to Madison as soon as you see Tecumseh’s weapons.”

“Of course. Why did you
mention it?”

“Because I want to make sure
that Madison gets the information in case you catch an arrow.
There’s a lot riding on his decision.”

August 17, 1811

Vincennes, Indiana
Territory

Acting Governor John Gibson
looked across the desk at Yank. “Tecumseh’s on the march toward us
with an estimated eight hundred armed warriors, some of them
mounted.”

Yank raised an eyebrow.
“Mounted?”

“He was resupplied with
weapons, ammunition and mounts by a British supply barge on the
Tippecanoe River.” Gibson sighed. “At least that cat’s finally out
of the bag. Harrison should like that.”

“That cat was out of the bag
a few minutes after Tecumseh’s army left here. I sent my report to
President Madison on the eleventh. He may even have it by
now.”

“Based on that, can you
authorize the regulars?”

“No, I don’t have any
authority here.”

Gibson looked
glum.

“But,” Yank said.
“Fortunately, no one knows that but you. So I will. I suppose you
know that there are only about two hundred fifty regulars here
right now.”

“Yes, I do know.” Gibson
nodded. “But they’ll be a big help. I called out the territorial
militia and sent fast riders to recall Harrison from Kentucky
but...”

“Speaking of Kentucky. Bill
left about a hundred Kentucky volunteers here. They’re just north
of the bridge as we speak.”

“Oh, that’s right. I forgot
about them.”

“What about the Indiana
Rangers? Their rifles could be very useful.”

Gibson nodded and made a
note. “That gives us about six hundred to Tecumseh’s eight
hundred.”

“Those are not bad odds if
the militia’s even half trained.”

“They’re not trained as a
military unit but they’ll follow orders and they won’t
run.”

“How long until Tecumseh
reaches us?”

“Three or four days but I’m
hoping he won’t.”

“Won’t come? I’m not
following you, sir.”

Gibson sat back in his
chair. “If we can muster a big enough show of force he might go
home to Prophetstown and wait for his brother, Tenskwatawa’s
forces, to join him. That could double his force.”

“Where’s
Prophetstown?”

“That’s what they’re calling
the village up there at the confluence of the Wabash and
Tippecanoe.”

Yank chuckled. “Where’s
Tenskwatawa?”

“Somewhere in the south
recruiting the Creeks. Tennessee or the Alabama Territory, I
think.”

“What do you want me to do,
sir?”

“Stick close to me and make
sure I don’t do something stupid. With any luck, we can back
Tecumseh down and Harrison will get here before Tenskwatawa
does.”

September 30,
1811

Van Buskirk Point, New
Jersey

Nannette hurried out to the
porch. “Marina.” she called over her shoulder. “The post rider has
brought a letter and Thomas is waving it over his head.”

Marina dashed out to join
her and excitedly waved back at Tom who was walking from the dock.
“Perhaps I should run down there and meet him so he doesn’t rush
and hurt his wounded leg.”

“You go on and I’ll watch
your children.”

Marina jumped from the porch
and raced down the hill to meet Tom.

“Postmarked Vincennes on
September first,” Tom said with a grin, handing her the
envelope.

She took it from him and
read the address and return-address.

“Aren’t you going to open
it?” Tom asked.

“I’ll read it to you and Nan
when we get settled on the porch.”

“I walk too slow. Read it to
yourself while we walk and then read it out loud when we get
there.”

“No. I’d rather share it
with you.”

“Sorry to hold you up. I
sure hate getting old.”

“Take your time and I’ll
savor just having the letter.”

“Don’t know why it still
takes so long to get a letter from there.”

“It may have something to do
with the British ships on the Great Lakes.”

“Bloody British. We’re gonna
have to show ‘em again.”

“Yes. It does look that
way.”

When they reached the house
and were comfortably seated on the porch with Nanette, Marina
opened the envelope and began to read aloud.

Vincennes, Indiana
Territory

September 1,
1811

My dearest wife,

On the
12
^th
of last month, Governor Harrison was called away on business
to Kentucky. Before departing, he asked me to stay here while
Secretary John Gibson acted as governor and I agreed. A few days
later, the Shawnee Chief, Tecumseh, and eight hundred warriors,
began moving down the Wabash toward Vincennes.

On the
20
^th
,
intent upon intercepting Tecumseh, I took command of two hundred
fifty regular infantrymen and joined Governor Gibson, who had about
three hundred fifty militia with him. We had proceeded no more than
twenty miles when we received word that Tecumseh had turned back to
his village, which he now calls Prophetstown.

Without Governor Harrison’s
approval, Acting Governor Gibson was reluctant to undertake any
offensive battle and we have been waiting here in Vincennes for
Tecumseh or Bill Harrison ever since.

Today Governor Harrison
arrived and he has told me that he intends to challenge Tecumseh
and his brother. I have permission from the President to stay here
in command of the regulars until this situation is resolved or I am
reassigned.

Your loving
husband,

John Van Buskirk

November 6, 1811

Near Prophetstown, Indiana
Territory

Yank kicked his horse to a
run and raced along Burnett Creek to join Governor Harrison, who
was with the color guard at the front of the column of six hundred
men.

“White flag,” Harrison said
as Yank reined in. He gestured toward an approaching delegation of
Indians.

“They look like
Tenskwatawa’s believers.” Yank was examining the
terrain.

“I don’t trust that bastard,
or his white flag.”

“And you shouldn’t,” Yank
agreed. “Let me go parley with them for you.”

“No.” Harrison turned in his
saddle to look back at his small army. “It has to be me. And I want
you out of pistol range when I meet with these people.”

“Very well.”

“If they shoot me down, make
‘em pay, will ya?”

“I promise.” Yank wheeled
his horse and trotted away then turned back to watch.

The meeting lasted only a
few minutes. When the Indian delegation turned back toward
Prophetstown, Yank rejoined Harrison. “Well?”

“Tenskwatawa’s requesting a
ceasefire until the morning when we can hold a peace-talk. I
agreed.”

“His defenses are
incomplete. He just wants time to plan an attack and to
maneuver.”

“Let him come.” Harrison
pointed at a large building on a hill just ahead of them. “That’s
the Catholic Mission School. There’s a steep drop-off on the east
side and a broad lawn to the south where we can deploy. The creek
and this slope will give us protection from the west. It’s very
good ground, very good. Inform your men.”

Yank saluted, and then ran
his horse to the rear of the column where the two-hundred-fifty men
of the regular infantry under his command were waiting. “Officers
call,” he said to the bugler as he reined in.

His officers, Major Joseph
Daviess, former congressman Captain Benjamin Parke, and Ensign John
Tipton, were riding forward before the echoes of the bugle had
died.

Yank just had time to repeat
what Harrison had said when the column began to move.

They marched north past the
mission school, then crossed the bridge over Burdett Creek and
turned south to climb the gradual slope to the school. Harrison
stood in his stirrups to examine the terrain as he was joined by
his officers. “Lovely ground, isn’t it? We don’t even need to dig
in.”