He had been looking forward to this moment so much. The old soldier made a powerful propaganda action out of the inauguration and played the main role himself. For an unforgettable day, the triumphant had to pay with his life.
It was easier for his contemporaries to believe that the famous politician was killed by the Indian curse than in the fact that constant wars do not lead to good. The biography of this man is a series of general battles, in which he literally gnawed victory with his teeth. Sooner or later, the hostilities had to end.
Childhood
Planter Benjamin Harrison from Virginia was an outstanding personality. It is difficult to find a freethinker and a bawker among the rich. In addition to extensive holdings and good income from them, this gentleman had a large friendly family. His wife Elizabeth gave birth to seven children. The youngest of these was William Henry, born in February 1773.
The kid still did not quite understand what fateful days he was going through and in what historical events his father took an active part. Colonies emerged from British rule, Benjamin was among those who fought for freedom. In 1776 he was among those who signed the Declaration of Independence. In 1781 he was elected governor of the state. He wanted to see his youngest son as a general. The education of the boy was given such that would help him make a career in the army.
Youth
Military service for William Henry began in 1791. He tried to convince papa that he wanted to become a doctor, not a marshal, but the parent was adamant. The young man set out to defend the northeastern border. It was restless there, periodically there were uprisings of the Indians. They were supported by relatives from Canada and opponents of United States independence from across the ocean. The authorities did not want to engage in dialogue with the Native Americans, organizing massacres in response to disobedience and attacks on colonist settlements.
A year after starting service, Garrison was appointed adjutant to General Anthony Wayne. This general was nicknamed the Mad for his penchant for drastic measures. He began to aggressively displace the Indians from their lands, from which the number of fighting clashes with the Redskins increased. William Henry showed courage on the battlefield, for which he earned the respect of soldiers and officers. Now he himself believed that military affairs was his vocation.
The soldier in big politics
During one of his visits home in 1795, the young hero was informed by his parents that he was going to marry. Anna Tuthill Simms was chosen for the role of the bride. The Harrison family loved this young lady that she was the daughter of the Chief Justice of New Jersey. News of clashes with the Indians reached Virginia, and relatives thought about a safer place of work for their heir. William Henry became the husband of the girl he had chosen and did not lose. He was happy in his personal life, had 9 children in marriage.
An associate of Mad Anthony retired in 1798. Following his father's example, William Henry entered politics and was elected governor of a region called Indiana Territory. For the novice manager, the image of the defender of the white population of the country from aggression from the aborigines and a champion of traditional values was very important. He began to impose unfavorable land purchase contracts on the Indians, which led to bloodshed. The belligerent governor was not reelected for a new term.
The main battle
Having failed in big politics, Garrison returned to the army. His activities led to the fact that several tribes united against the European settlers. The warriors were led by the Shawnee leader Tekumse. In 1811, William Henry Harrison raised an army, adding militia to the regular regiments. His competent actions allowed him to win under Tippekanu.
The Indians retreated but did not surrender. They heard about their charismatic leader overseas. The credibility of Tekumse and his confidence in victory won the trust of the British. When Congress declared war on London in 1812, London responded with financial aid to the Redskins. This became known to the US leadership. The rebels were immediately declared accomplices of the British crown and enemies of the Fatherland. Garrison set out to confront the mobs that terrified American soldiers. He chased the leader for a year and overtook him in Canada. Tekumse died in hand-to-hand combat. Before he died, he cursed his enemy.
To victory and death
Soon our hero resigned and took up politics again. For his constant boasting of his victories, he was nicknamed Old Tippekana. The veteran was, indeed, a bit eccentric. He closed the whiskey distillery that belonged to him, so as not to get his compatriots drunk, became interested in literary work dedicated to his personality and the wars with the Indians, worked as a clerk so as not to starve. In 1825 he was elected to the Senate, and soon sent on a diplomatic mission to Colombia.
The pinnacle of our hero's political career was the victory in the presidential elections in 1841. He knew that he had many opponents, so he conceived his inauguration as a great propaganda action. The old man wanted to convince everyone of the value of his contribution to the well-being of the country. On a cold March day, he told voters about his achievements for 2 hours, as a result of which he caught a bad cold. Instead of treatment, the old man began to issue orders and played out to the point of pneumonia. In early April, the triumphant died.
