WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON – IN THE WAR OF 1812

PENS AN ORDER, JUST WEEKS BEFORE HIS DEFEATING THE BRITISH AND THE KILLING OF TECUMSEH, THE NATIVE AMERICAN LEADER, AT ‘THE BATTLE OF THE THAMES’

HARRISON, WILLIAM HENRY.  (1773-1841).  Ninth President of the United States.  Boldly penned Autograph Letter Signed, Will[ia]m Henry Harrison”, at a critical period in the War of 1812, and his dealings with the Native American population in the Northwest territory.  “Headquarters, U[pper] Sandusky,  6 Aug[ust] 1813”. One page, quarto.  To Corps Q[uarter]s / C Baillett / Q[uart]er M[aster] Gen[era]l”.   Harrison writes:

 

“Please to pay Col[onel] N. Lewis [?] an issuing Commissary at this place from the First of June until the close of his account.  Yours Respectfully, William Henry Harrison”.

 

In 1813, after a series of British successes, Harrison took the offensive, and led the US Army north into battle. He won victories in the Indiana Territory as well as Ohio and recaptured Detroit. On October 5, 1813, at the ‘Battle of the Thames’,  his army defeated the British, and Tecumseh — the American Indian Chief, was killed.  It was considered to be one of the great American victories in the war, second only to the Battle of New Orleans, and secured a national reputation for Harrison.  Accompanied by a steel engraving depicting Harrison as Major General. The letter is in generally fine condition, with Harrison’s boldly penned signature measuring over 5 inches in length!                 

 

 $3200.00