Harrison was hailed as a hero in the Battle of Tippecanoe and became known as Old Tippecanoe.. General William Henry Harrison leads American troops to victory over the British and their Native American allies in the Battle of the Thames during the War of 1812. At Fort Washington, Harrisons polish and coolness under fire impressed his commander, General Mad Anthony Wayne, who commanded the newly organized Legion of the United States, which had been formed to defend the countrys territorial claims against Indian tribes. Anna Harrison, the only First Lady never to have lived in the White House, died in February 1864 and also was interred there. His father, Benjamin Harrison, was long prominent in Virginia politics and became a member of the Virginia House of Burgesses in 1764, opposing Patrick Henrys Stamp Act resolutions in the following year. [9], His father died in the spring of 1791, and he was placed in the care of Robert Morris, an intimate family friend in Philadelphia. At sixty-seven, Harrison was the oldest person to run for president at the time. The Whig Ladies of Alexandria presented a pro-Harrison banner to the local Tippecanoe club, which carried it in a Harrison campaign parade. A very long speech and a very short Presidential term. But what Harrison is probably best known for is his short stint in office: less than a month after taking the Presidency, Harrison died. Indian resistance to American expansion came to a head, with the leadership of Shawnee brothers Tecumseh and Tenskwatawa ("The Prophet"), in a conflict that became known as Tecumseh's War. "[115], Harrison's only other official decision of consequence was whether to call Congress into a special session. Harrison's concept of the presidency was very limited. Some Indians disputed the authority of the tribes joining in the treaty. William Henry Harrison Inaugural Speech Analysis | ipl.org While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Learn about Old Tippecanoe's marches against Native Americans and brief term as president of the United States. [142], Freehling refers to Harrison as "the most dominant figure in the evolution of the Northwest territories into the Upper Midwest today". The session would have begun on May 31 as scheduled if Harrison had lived. William Harrison Jefferson directed Harrison to buy land for white settlement from the Native Americans, instructing him in a February 1803 letterto provide the tribes with effectual protection against wrongs from our own people, but to use trade to run up debt with the Indians so they would lop off some of their lands and sell them. [111], Clay was not the only one who hoped to benefit from Harrison's election. Harrison was born into the Harrison family of Virginia at their homestead, Berkeley Plantation. William Henry Harrison is the first presidential candidate to give campaign speeches for his own candidacy in his groundbreaking Log Cabin and Hard Cider campaign, which features huge rallies and the first involvement of women in presidential elections. [2] His father also served in the Virginia legislature and as the fifth governor of Virginia (17811784) in the years during and after the American Revolutionary War. [57] Tenskwatawa convinced the tribes that they would be protected by the Great Spirit and no harm could befall them if they rose up against the settlers.