Army general and President of the United States. Born in Charles City County, Virginia on February 9, 1773. Harrison was the son of Benjamin Harrison III, a signer of the Declaration of Independence. He attended college to study medicine, however in 1791 he sought appointment as an ensign in the U.S. Army. Harrison was assigned to duties on the frontier where his diligence was recognized by Anthony Wayne who made him his aide-de-camp. He gained valuable experience in wilderness campaigning and was commended by Wayne for his brave conduct at the battle of Fallen Timbers in 1794.
Harrison resigned from the Army in 1798 and in May 1800 he became the first governor of the Indiana Territory. His most notable accomplishment was negotiating land treaties with the Indians, and gaining millions of acres of land for the US. These treaties brought him into conflict with Tenskwatawa (the Prophet) and his brother Tecumseh. In November 1811, Tenskwatawa attacked Harrison's army near Prophetstown on the Tippecanoe River. Harrison's strong tactical leadership spoiled the Indian attack and broke the brothers' influence with many tribes.
Harrison actively sought military command once war was declared on Great Britain in 1812. In September 1812, Madison appointed him brigadier general and commander of the Northwestern Army with the mission to recover Detroit and invade Canada. Unfortunately, the defeat of Winchester's force at Frenchtown in January 1813 disrupted his plans. In March 1813 Harrison was promoted to major general and established several important posts, such as Fort Meigs and Fort Stephenson, where he reconstituted his army's strength.
Harrison's leadership at Fort Meigs in May 1813 foiled a siege by the British and Indians commanded by Henry Procter. He continued to defend against further British attacks at Fort Meigs in July and Fort Stephenson in August 1813. Following Oliver H. Perry's victory on Lake Erie in September 1813, Harrison launched his offensive to recapture Detroit. On October 6, 1813 at the Battle of the Thames his army defeated Procter's forces in a short fight that resulted in the death of Tecumseh.
Harrison resigned his commission in 1814 and settled in Ohio where he served as Congressman, Ohio Senator and U.S. Senator from 1816 - 1828. In 1836 he unsuccessfully ran for President. Harrison proved successful in his quest in 1840 when he joined John Tyler with an enduringly famous campaign slogan of "Tippecanoe and Tyler too!" His inauguration on March 4, 1841 was marked by an unusually long speech in poor weather, which perhaps contributed to his subsequent illness. Harrison died on April 4, 1841, the first President to die in office. He is buried in North Bend, Ohio.
An ambitious, popular and dedicated public official, Harrison was fully committed to the expansion of the United States.
Steven J. Rauch
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