The Battle of Tippecanoe, Historical Sketches

What it is

This is a book by Reed Beard, a fourth edition copyrighted in 1911. Its full title is The Battle of Tippecanoe, Historical Sketches. It describes the famous field where General William Henry Harrison won renown that aided him in reaching the Presidency. It also covers the lives of the Prophet and Tecumseh and the campaign of 1888 that elected General Benjamin Harrison. The scanned copy is held by the Internet Archive, which digitized it in 2008.

Why it matters

Beard wrote about the 1811 battle a century later, so this is a later study rather than an eyewitness account. It shows how the battle was remembered in the early twentieth century, when Harrison's victory was linked to his political career. The book also names the Prophet and Tecumseh, so readers can see that the story had other people at its center. Beard's note in the front says he became blind in infancy and credits the Indiana Institute for the Education of the Blind for his education.

Look closer

• Which parts of Harrison's story does Beard emphasize, and which does he leave out?
• How might a book written in 1911 differ from an account written by someone who was at the battle?
• Why would a book about a battle also cover a later presidential election?