| Notes |
- I believe that following news article referes to Levi Pete Gritton as he is the only Levi Gritton who matches dates and locations of the story.
Louisville Daily Democrat. 4 December 1845. Page 3
New Harmony, Indiana, Sept. 10th, 1842.
Sir: - Your kind invitation on behalf of the State Central committee of Pennsylvania, to unite with our fellow citizens throughout the Union, in the approaching celebration at Danville, of the anniversary of the memorable battle of the Thames, has been duly received. I deeply regret that my duty as Trustee of the State University of Indiana, which imperatively requires my attendance at Bloomington, during commencement week, (five days only previous to your celebration,) compels me to forego the gratification I should have experience in meeting, on such an occasion, the disingnished [sic] men who will assemble, amonst [sic]whom is our valued fried, Co. R. M. Johnson.
Since I have alluded to the death of Tecumsah by Col Johnson's hand, I may be pardoned on this occasion, for alluding, in proof of a fact which nothing but party jealousy ever disputed, to evidence of the most direct character, which chance enabled me to procure, and which was never before, as I know of, laid before the public.
Levi Gritton, an humble farmer, now living about three miles east of Evansville, in this state, was present, then quite a youth, at Winchester's defeat; was taken prisoner and carried to Malden and had there frequent opportunities of seeing Tecumseh, and of receiving at his hands, a degree of kindness, not imitated by those who called themselves the civilized allies of the Indian chief. Tecumseh's appearance then, was stamped upon Mr. Gritton's recollection, by that which is never forgotten, kind deeds to a captive in a strange land. After a time, an oath was tendered to the prisoners at Malden, not to serve again. Gritton and two others, who refused to take it, were hurried to Montreal and sold to a French trader there; but after five or six weeks captivity, Gritton seized a skiff, descended the St. Lawrence, and returned by way of Buffalo, after enduring many hardships, to his home in Mercer county, Kentucky.
Then he enlisted as one of McAffee's company, and was afterwards present at the battle of the Thames. These particulars, and those I am about to relate, I had from his own lips, noting them down at the time; and after reading them to Gritton, causing him to append to them his signature.
The young soldier, then not yet twenty-one was elected as one of the forlorn hope which, as every one knows, was led up against the Indians, in advance of the mounted men by Col. Johnson in person. Next to Col. Johnson, rode Col. Whitley, and immediately behind him Levi Gritton. Whitley as is well know, fell dead at the first fire; and it was Gritton who afterwards carried home to his widow the rifle and shot pouch of the fallen soldier. The same fire which killed Whitley, brought to the ground every man of the forlorn hope, Col. Johnson, and one other excepted. Gritton received a wound in the left leg, and had his horse shot from under him. When Col. Johnson turned round and saw the forlorn hope down, he called out to the rest of his men, to dismount and fight the Indians after their own fashion. Each who was not disabled then took to a tree; and a desultory combat was kept up for some quarter of an hour; Johnson's men still advancing from tree to tree upon the Indians. About that time it was, that Gritton who had taken his station behind a beech, saw col. Johnson ride round the top of a fallen tree about ten or twelve yards in advance of him, and perceived an Indian who he instantly recognized as Tecumseh, standing a few steps from the root of the same tree. He saw Tecumseh raise his tomahawk as in the act to throw, and at that moment Col. J. shot him with his own pistol. He saw Tecumseh fall and die on the same spot. Next morning Gritton's men, knowing that he was acquainted with Tecumseh, induced him to go with them about sunrise to the scene of the combat, and there they still found the body were it first lay. About the same time Anthony Shane, the half breed interpreter, who had known Tecumseh for years visited the body and recognized it instantly. I asked Gritton if he had ever heard it doubted in the army, that Tecumseh was the Indian shot by Col. J.
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1790 - 1845 (55 years)
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