President Harrison: A Successful Military Leader

Profiles in history: An ongoing series of lesser known but significant figures who shaped our world

Defeated president Martin Van Buren leaves Washington in a wagon pulled by his political allies. The new president William Henry Harrison stands on the steps to the right, behind Henry Clay, who holds an eviction notice and a key to the White House. Original Artwork; printed by H. R. Robinson. MPI/Getty Images

The Whig Party laid the groundwork for the Republican Party of today. Between the 1830s and late 1850s, distinguished statesmen in the party, including Henry Clay and Daniel Webster, advocated for entrepreneurship, social reform, and less government for the new nation.

William Henry Harrison ran on the Whig platform and was elected president in 1840, but he held the office only 32 days, the shortest in U.S. history.

This portrait of Harrison originally showed him in civilian clothes as a congressional delegate in 1800; the uniform was added after service in the War of 1812. Circa 1813, by Rembrandt Peale. Public Domain

Members of his family were deeply patriotic Americans. His father, Benjamin Harrison V, was a signer of the Declaration of Independence, and one of William Henry’s grandsons, Benjamin Harrison, was elected the nation’s 23rd president.

Although his father wished him to take up medicine, Pres. Harrison’s heart was with the military. When his father passed away in 1791, the estate went to Harrison’s older brothers. No longer able to afford his schooling, Harrison used his family’s influence to follow his dream of joining the military.

His first mission was to recruit soldiers and head west. He took to the streets of Philadelphia and rounded up about 80 young men, some of whm sought adventure and others who were troublemakers and led them to Ft. Washington near present day Cincinnati.

Indian Wars

Harrison served as Gen. “Mad Anthony” Wayne’s right hand man in the Northwest Indian War. Once Gen. Wayne took command of the army in the Northwestern Territory in 1792, Harrison was promoted to lieutenant. In 1794, he played a vital role in the decisive victory in the Battle of Fallen Timbers.

Gen. William Henry Harrison (R), later the ninth president of the United States, tries to avoid a diplomatic incident during a meeting with Shawnee leader Tecumseh at Vincennes, Ind., August 1810. Engraved by W. Ridgway after Chapin. Kean Collection/Getty Images

After the victory, Gen. Wayne applauded the efforts of Harrison in the military campaign. “I must add the name of my faithful and gallant Aide-de-camp ... Lieutenant Harrison, who ... rendered the most essential service by communicating my orders in every direction, ... conduct and bravery exciting the troops to press for victory,” Gen. Wayne said, according to the article, “William Henry Harrison: Life Before the Presidency” by William Freehling.

In 1798, Harrison resigned from the military to work towards a career in government in the Northwest Territory. He served as the territorial secretary and a congressional delegate for the territory before becoming the governor of the Indiana Territory in 1801.

While governor, Harrison pushed towards acquiring lands from the Native Americans west of the territory to expand settlement. In 1805, Harrison successfully bought over 50 million acres of land from leaders of various tribes, paying less than a dollar for 20,000 acres.

But after the large land acquisition, tempers rose among leaders of certain Native American tribes. In 1810, the Shawnee leader Tecumseh brought 75 of his warriors to Harrison’s home, known as Grouseland, in Vincennes, the capital of Indiana Territory.

Tecumseh warned Harrison that if he encroached any further into Native American land, it would mean war. Tensions heated up at the meeting to the point where swords, war clubs, and pistols were drawn. For a moment, the two sides stared each other down. The incident caused further negotiations to cease.

In 1811, President James Madison sanctioned a raid against the Native Americans. Harrison then convinced the president to allow him to lead the troops.

Although surprised during the Battle of Tippecanoe, Harrison’s efforts resulted in the Native American forces getting greatly reduced. Then in 1813, Harrison overcame a combined British and Native American force in the Battle of the Thames. During the battle, Tecumseh was killed, which forced his warriors to scatter.

Harrison would then spend the next several years vying for various political seats. In 1836, he became one of the candidates of the Whig party to run against Democrat Martin Van Buren. Harrison fell into second place, and Van Buren was elected the country’s eighth president.

In 1840, Harrison campaigned as the sole Whig candidate and won under the motto “Tippecanoe and Tyler Too.”  During his inaugural address, Pres. Harrison delivered a two-hour speech in cold weather without wearing a coat or a hat. After his speech, he caught a cold, which would soon turn into pneumonia.

In the White House just over a month, Pres. Harrison succumbed to pneumonia and died on April 4, 1841.

Would you like to see other kinds of arts and culture articles? Please email us your story ideas or feedback at [email protected]