What was the Battle of Tippecanoe?

The Battle of Tippecanoe occurred on November 7, 1811, near the Tippecanoe River in present-day Battle Ground, Indiana. A U.S. expeditionary force led by Major General William Henry Harrison defeated Shawnee Indians under the leadership of Laulewasikau (Tenskwatawa), also known as the Prophet, who was the brother of Tecumseh. Harrison's mission aimed to dismantle the growing intertribal alliance promoted by Tecumseh and his brother. The battle broke Tecumseh’s power and ended the threat of an Indian confederation of around 30 tribes. Although losses were nearly equal on both sides, the battle was considered a U.S. victory, boosting Harrison's reputation and helping him win the presidential election of 1840 with the slogan "Tippecanoe and Tyler, too!".

When and where did the Battle of Tippecanoe occur?

On November 7, 1811, the Battle of Tippecanoe took place at Prophetstown, near the Tippecanoe River, which is the site of the present-day town of Battle Ground, close to Lafayette, Indiana. A seasoned U.S. expeditionary force, under Major General William Henry Harrison, won the battle against Shawnee Indians, who were led by Tecumseh’s brother Laulewasikau (Tenskwatawa), also known as the Prophet. Harrison was on a mission to destroy the power of an intertribal defensive alliance being promoted by Tecumseh and his brother when he repelled a Shawnee attack and burned the village. The U.S. victory broke Tecumseh’s power and ended the threat of an Indian confederation.

Why did the battle happen?

The Battle of Tippecanoe occurred because of rising tensions between the United States and Native American tribes in the Indiana Territory. Shawnee Chief Tecumseh and his brother, known as "The Prophet," created a confederation of tribes to resist U.S. settlers. Despite warnings, Indian attacks persisted, leading Governor William Henry Harrison to assemble a force to destroy the power of the intertribal alliance. On November 7, 1811, Harrison's troops clashed with the Shawnee at Prophetstown, resulting in the Battle of Tippecanoe . Although losses were nearly equal, the battle was considered a U.S. victory that broke Tecumseh’s power and helped establish Harrison’s national reputation.

What was the outcome of the Battle of Tippecanoe?

The Battle of Tippecanoe on November 7, 1811, was a significant victory for the U.S. forces under Major General William Henry Harrison, who led an expedition against the Shawnee Indians led by Tecumseh’s brother, Laulewasikau (Tenskwatawa), also known as the Prophet. Harrison's victory broke Tecumseh’s power and ended the threat of a large Indian confederation of about 30 tribes. Although both sides suffered considerable losses, the battle helped establish Harrison’s national reputation. The battle is viewed as a major cause of the War of 1812. After the battle, Tecumseh and his followers joined the British, and Tecumseh would face Harrison again at the Battle of the Thames in 1813.

How did the Battle of Tippecanoe affect relations between Native Americans and the United States government?

The Battle of Tippecanoe in 1811 significantly strained relations between Native Americans and the U.S. government. Led by William Henry Harrison, the U.S. forces clashed with the Shawnee Indians, who were under the command of Tecumseh's brother, Laulewasikau, also known as the Prophet. Harrison's victory at Prophetstown weakened Tecumseh's tribal confederation, which aimed to resist U.S. expansion. Tecumseh later allied with the British during the War of 1812, further solidifying the divide. The battle and subsequent events fueled animosity and distrust, leading to more conflicts over territorial rights and ultimately contributing to the displacement of Native American tribes from their lands.

Battle of Tippecanoe

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Battle of Tippecanoe: William Henry Harrison

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Date:: November 7, 1811

Location:: Lafayette; Tippecanoe River; United States

Participants:: Shawnee; United States

Key People:: William Henry Harrison; The Prophet

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Battle of Tippecanoe

United States history

Written by

Raymond K. Bluhm

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Britannica Editors

Last updated

Oct. 31, 2026 •History

Top Questions

What was the Battle of Tippecanoe?
The Battle of Tippecanoe occurred on November 7, 1811, near the Tippecanoe River in present-day Battle Ground, Indiana. A U.S. expeditionary force led by Major General William Henry Harrison defeated Shawnee Indians under the leadership of Laulewasikau (Tenskwatawa), also known as the Prophet, who was the brother of Tecumseh. Harrison's mission aimed to dismantle the growing intertribal alliance promoted by Tecumseh and his brother.

The battle broke Tecumseh’s power and ended the threat of an Indian confederation of around 30 tribes. Although losses were nearly equal on both sides, the battle was considered a U.S. victory, boosting Harrison's reputation and helping him win the presidential election of 1840 with the slogan "Tippecanoe and Tyler, too!".
2 Britannica Sources
1. Tippecanoe River
2. Battle of Tippecanoe
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
When and where did the Battle of Tippecanoe occur?
On November 7, 1811, the Battle of Tippecanoe took place at Prophetstown, near the Tippecanoe River, which is the site of the present-day town of Battle Ground, close to Lafayette, Indiana. A seasoned U.S. expeditionary force, under Major General William Henry Harrison, won the battle against Shawnee Indians, who were led by Tecumseh’s brother Laulewasikau (Tenskwatawa), also known as the Prophet. Harrison was on a mission to destroy the power of an intertribal defensive alliance being promoted by Tecumseh and his brother when he repelled a Shawnee attack and burned the village. The U.S. victory broke Tecumseh’s power and ended the threat of an Indian confederation.
2 Britannica Sources
1. Tippecanoe River
2. Battle of Tippecanoe
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Who fought in the Battle of Tippecanoe?
The Battle of Tippecanoe was fought between a U.S. expeditionary force led by Major General William Henry Harrison and Shawnee Indians led by Tecumseh’s brother, Laulewasikau (Tenskwatawa), also known as the Prophet.

The battle occurred on November 7, 1811, at Prophetstown, the Indian capital on the Tippecanoe River near modern-day Battle Ground, Indiana. Harrison's mission aimed to dismantle the growing intertribal alliance promoted by Tecumseh and his brother. The U.S. victory broke Tecumseh’s power and ended the threat of an Indian confederation of 30 tribes.
3 Britannica Sources
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Why did the battle happen?
The Battle of Tippecanoe occurred because of rising tensions between the United States and Native American tribes in the Indiana Territory. Shawnee Chief Tecumseh and his brother, known as "The Prophet," created a confederation of tribes to resist U.S. settlers. Despite warnings, Indian attacks persisted, leading Governor William Henry Harrison to assemble a force to destroy the power of the intertribal alliance. On November 7, 1811, Harrison's troops clashed with the Shawnee at Prophetstown, resulting in the Battle of Tippecanoe. Although losses were nearly equal, the battle was considered a U.S. victory that broke Tecumseh’s power and helped establish Harrison’s national reputation.
3 Britannica Sources
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
What was the outcome of the Battle of Tippecanoe?
The Battle of Tippecanoe on November 7, 1811, was a significant victory for the U.S. forces under Major General William Henry Harrison, who led an expedition against the Shawnee Indians led by Tecumseh’s brother, Laulewasikau (Tenskwatawa), also known as the Prophet. Harrison's victory broke Tecumseh’s power and ended the threat of a large Indian confederation of about 30 tribes. Although both sides suffered considerable losses, the battle helped establish Harrison’s national reputation. The battle is viewed as a major cause of the War of 1812. After the battle, Tecumseh and his followers joined the British, and Tecumseh would face Harrison again at the Battle of the Thames in 1813.
3 Britannica Sources
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
How did the Battle of Tippecanoe affect relations between Native Americans and the United States government?
The Battle of Tippecanoe in 1811 significantly strained relations between Native Americans and the U.S. government. Led by William Henry Harrison, the U.S. forces clashed with the Shawnee Indians, who were under the command of Tecumseh's brother, Laulewasikau, also known as the Prophet. Harrison's victory at Prophetstown weakened Tecumseh's tribal confederation, which aimed to resist U.S. expansion.

Tecumseh later allied with the British during the War of 1812, further solidifying the divide. The battle and subsequent events fueled animosity and distrust, leading to more conflicts over territorial rights and ultimately contributing to the displacement of Native American tribes from their lands.
4 Britannica Sources
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Battle of Tippecanoe, victory of a seasoned U.S. expeditionary force under Major General William Henry Harrison over Shawnee Indians led by Tecumseh’s brother Laulewasikau (Tenskwatawa), known as the Prophet. Fought on November 7, 1811, the battle took place at Prophetstown, the Indian capital on the Tippecanoe River and the site of the present town of Battle Ground, near Lafayette, Indiana. Harrison, who was on a mission to destroy the power of an intertribal defensive alliance being promoted by Tecumseh and his brother, repelled a Shawnee attack and burned the village.

Defeat at Fallen Timbers in 1794 and the subsequent treaties did not end American Indian resistance to U.S. expansion into the Ohio Valley following the Revolutionary War. The U.S. victory broke Tecumseh’s power and ended the threat of an Indian confederation, which by then had grown to encompass fully 30 tribes.

Shawnee chief Tecumseh and his brother, "The Prophet," worked to build a confederation of tribes, from Michigan to Georgia, to resist settlers. Indian attacks in the Indiana Territory persisted despite conferences with Tecumseh and warnings by Governor William Henry Harrison.

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Civil War era cannon overlooks Kennesaw Mountain National Battle. (military, artillery, American history)

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During the summer of 1811, Harrison assembled a force of 950 territorial militia and regular infantry. In September, he marched north from Vincennes up the Wabash River toward Prophetstown, Tecumseh’s main village near the Tippecanoe River. Tecumseh was absent, but on November 6, a delegation from The Prophet appeared and arranged a conference for the next day. Harrison camped his men on a small rise of ground near the village. Wary of a trick, he placed them into a rectangular defensive formation with orders to remain on full alert. Ammunition was distributed, sentries posted, and bayonets fixed.

At about 4:00 AM on November 7, hundreds of Indians attacked the north end of the camp, then all sides. The battle lasted more than two hours with hand-to-hand fighting in the dark. Some warriors rushed in seeking to kill Harrison, but missed him. Three times the Indians charged. Harrison, fighting on horseback at the front lines, led his small reserve to repulse each attack. At dawn, as the Indians fell back to regroup, Harrison counterattacked with the regulars and militia. Taken by surprise, the Indians scattered, hotly pursued by the mounted troops. The village and crops were destroyed.

Discredited, Laulewasikau fled to Canada. Tecumseh took his followers there to join the British, siding with them during the War of 1812. There he would face Harrison at the Battle of the Thames in 1813. Although the two sides suffered near equal losses, the Battle of Tippecanoe was widely regarded as a U.S. victory and helped establish Harrison’s national reputation. In the presidential election of 1840, he successfully used the slogan, "Tippecanoe and Tyler, too!"

A 96-acre park preserves a portion of the battlefield and contains a history museum and a commemorative marble obelisk, erected in 1908.

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