WAR OF 1812.

   A cursory view of Indian affairs prior to the war of 1812, will enable us the more clearly to understand the real cause of the war. Although the popular notion is that it grew out of the assumed right of search for British seamen on American vessels, it will be observed by the reading people, that the British never wholly acknowledged the independence of the colonies; therefore, by order of the British Council, during her war with France, all our vessels, under penalty of liability to capture, were obliged to call at a British port, on their. passage to or from France or her allies. Napoleon, in retaliation, decreed that all vessels that had submitted to this regulation, should be liable to capture by his cruisers. This, in addition to the British impressment of our seamen, was an outrage not to be tolerated by an independent people. Prior to this-- indeed, ever since the treaty of Greenville, the Indian agents, grin cipally McKee, had been busy, sowing the seeds of dissension among the Indians, which were finally to be nurtured into open hostility. The prime disturbing elements among the Indians were the Prophet, and his illustrious brother, Tecumseh, or, more properly, Tecumthe, who claimed that the Indian title to their lands was never extinguished by the treaty of Greenville. He traveled from north to south, and east to west, in his endeavors to unite all the Indian tribes to resist the incursion of the whites, in which he was encouraged by the British agents in this country. To strengthen his influence, the Prophet assumed the role of seer and oracle, and, with bold effrontery, pretended to receive communications from the Great Spirit, and having, by Borne means, ascertained the date of an eclipse of the moon, warned the Indians to rise and slay the whites; that the Great Spirit was angry at their delay, and on a certain, night would hide his face from them. The event coming to pass, as foretold, filled the superstitious minds of the Indians with perfect confidence in his supernatural powers, and with dreadful apprehensions of the Divine visitation unless they obeyed his commands.The crushing defeat by General Wayne still rankled in their bosoms, and cried aloud for vengeance. At the treaty of Fort Wayne, 1809, the Indians ceded their lands along the Wabash. Tecumseh was absent, and the Prophet and his band were not invited, because they did not own the land. On Tecumseh's return, he threatened to kill the chiefs who had signed the treaty. This led to negotiations between this celebrated chief and General Harrison, which only increased their complications. The wily chief sought to stave off open hostility till he could bring all the tribes together, and strike a simultaneous blow, in conjunction with the British; as soon as war was declared between England and the United States.
   After his last stormy interview with General Harrison, Tecumseh departed for the south, leaving the Prophet in charge. That ambitious schemer rushed the Indians into open hostilities, by instigating murders and. plundering; until the battle of Tippecanoe, which, although he had told them that the Great Spirit had vouchsafed to him certain victory, terminated disastrously to the savages. This battle, fought against the express advice of Tecumseh, frustrated his plans for a confederation of all the tribes. The Prophet was in disgrace. Said a Winnebago chief to him: "You are a liar; for you told us that the whites were dead, or crazy, when they were all in their senses, and fought like the devil." He answered, by saying there must have been some mistake in the compounding of his decoction. It. is related that Tecumseh upbraided him in the most severe terms, and on his offering palliating replies, seized him by the hair, shook him violently, and threatened to take his life.
   On Tecumseh's return, he insolently demanded ammunition at Fort Wayne, which being denied him, He said he would go to his British father, who would not deny him; remained standing thoughtfully a moment, then gave an appalling war-whoop, and disappeared.
   Meanwhile the affairs between the United States and Great Britain were rapidly approaching a crisis. April 1812, an embargo was laid by congress on all the shipping in the ports of the United States. An act authorizing the president to detach 100,000 militia for six months was passed; also for organizing a regular army. The same month, a requisition was made by the president upon Ohio for 1,200 militia; in obedience to which Governor Meigs issued orders to the majorgenerals of the middle and western divisions of the state for their respective quotas of men, to rendez-vous at Dayton, April 29th. With an ardor and love of country unsurpassed, many more than were wanted tendered their services, and citizens of the first circles flocked in from Montgomery, Miami, Greene, Warren, and surrounding counties, literally contending with each other who should go first: The officers elected for the three regiments formed, were respectively: Duncan McArthur, colonel, James Denny and William A. Trimble, majors, 1st regiment; James Findley, colonel, Thomas Moore and Thomas B. Vanhorne, majors, 2d regiment; Lewis Cass, colonel, Robert Morrison and J. R. Munson, majors, 3d regiment. On the 25th of May, 1812, they were formally put under the command of General Hull, Governor of the Territory and Superintendent of Indian Affairs. Speeches were made by Governor Meigs, Colonel Cass, and General Hull, and the fire of patriotism and military ardor burned bright in every bosom, and all things looked auspicious.
   June 1st the army marched up the Miami to Staunton, in Miami County; where they halted until their baggage came up the river in boats; on the arrival of which they continued their march to Urbana, about thirty miles east of Staunton, where on the 8th they were informed they would be reviewed by the governor and some Indian chiefs. At this place Governor Meigs and General Hull held a council with twelve chiefs of the Shawanoes, Wyandot, and Mingo nations, to obtain, leave to pass through their territory, which was readily granted, and every facility offered to aid the progress of the army. It was the humane policy of the govern-ment, in diametrical contrast with the contemptible course of Great Britain, to exhort the Indians to neutrality, in order to avoid the horrors of the tomahawk and- scalping-knife. June 15th they broke camp and marched for Detroit, on their way wading through a swamp knee-deep for over forty miles.
   On Saturday, September 22d, news reached Dayton that Hull had surrendered at Detroit, August 16th. This created intense excite-ment and consternation along the frontier counties, and steps were at once taken to organize the militia. There were over $40,000 worth of stores at Piqua, and the Indians who had assembled there at the grand council were still hanging around. Hand-bills were distributed calling upon all able-bodied citizens to rendezvous with arms at Dayton, immediately, to march to the relief of the frontiers. On Sunday morning before

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