Sorrow in Our Heart: The Life of Tecumseh Book

Well researched and wonderfully written story of the life of a charismatic, wise, driven native leader, who was cagey, brave, legendary for his battle skills, his coolness under pressure, his ability to turn an apparent rout against the aggressors. He lived from mid - 1700's to 1813 when he was killed in battle. He was Shawnee, but his legacy was his dream and realization, in large part, of the unification of historically warring tribes in a joint effort to repel the white "shamenese" incursions into the Ohio country being the land west and north of the Ohio river. The "Americans" used a tactic of getting a tribal chief who had no title or right to a tract of land either inebriated or entrusted by large gifts and promises of substantial sums of money to deed the land to the whites. Tecumseh saw that if he could unit the tribes they could resist these "legal" acquisitions of their land, and, if necessary, have the combined strength to fight off the whites. His efforts were undermined by jealous, greedy and short-sighted tribal chiefs who continued to bargain with the whites who, so very numerous and well armed, would rely on their ill-gotten "titles" to land to justify settling of the land. In the early years Tecumseh and other natives were able to drive off these settlers, but by 1800 their numbers were so great and the US government so well established and armed that the only hope of excluding them from the Ohio country was for the natives to throw their support behind the British who seemed more inclined to honour the natives land claims. The war of 1812 had some victories, but not so far as the Ohio was concerned.

I found myself awed by Tecumseh's intelligence, command of numerous languages, especially English, his unigue abilities to "prophecy". Sometimes his prophecies were nothing more than a keen intellect, ability to read, and knowledge of when an eclipse was to occur, which served him well on one occassion to convince tribes that he had prophetic powers. However, there were some prophecies which no one could have predicted and about which he was very specific, having sent out notice to all tribes of when a large meteor would streak across the sky (which it did with great effect) and that thirty days later the earth would shake with great feriosity (which it did, over a length of 1000 miles, right through the Missouri to the Niagra area, causing cataclismic damage, and in an area not known for earthquakes).

Another thing which set him apart was his abhorence, from an early age, of the torture of defenseless enemies. When he was fifteen he'd had enough and told his tribal chief that such torture was a sign of weakness, not of bravery and that he would challenge anyone who did it again. This was one of the tenants of his basic philosophy which he was able to convince most tribes of. Also, all his followers were not permitted to consume alcohol.

His story is inspirational, sad, enlightening relative to native life and its understanding of living with the earth, and an insightful perspective on a great man whose true desire was peace, just to be left to live the life he had been raised with and loved, a life of living off the land.

Highly recommended.