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Draper MSS 5YY:53 (Tecumseh Papers)

A Pioneer Story
Major Riddle’s Sons Captured and Brought Up by Indians

The question is often disputed as to whether Tecumseh commanded at the battle 
of Fort Harrison. Mr. Boord says that he did, and tells the following story 
to prove it:

Stephen and Abraham Riddle, sons of Maj. Riddle, of Kentucky, were stolen in 
the early days of Kentucky by the Indians, and carried North. The youths were 
raised among the Indians and became warriers. Stephen married a squaw and 
became a chief on account of his bravery. But Abraham was never nothing more 
than a common, dirty Indian. At last Stephen tired of his Indian life, and 
longed to see the face of white people. He could remember his home in 
Kentucky, his father and mother and sister. He was a powerful chief and 
commanded many warriors. One day he called a council and told his warriors 
thathe thought of going to see Gen. Wayne, then at Fort Wayne. The warriors 
all declared their determination to go with him, and they set off on their 
journey.They traveled from the Northwestern part of Indiana to near Fort 
Wayne. Chief Stephen did not wish to present himself suddenly before the fort 
with his warriors for fear it would create alarm. He waited in the timber 
till one ofthe soldiers came out to hunt, and captured him. He told the 
soldier that he meant him no harm, and that he wanted to see Gen. Wayne. The 
soldier conducted him and his band to within a few hundred yards of the fort, 
when, fearing treachery  to the fort, he ran away from the Indians and 
alarmed the garrison. But Chief Steve succeeded in making the soldiers 
understand that he was friendly, and Gen. Wayne, accompanied by aguard, came 
out to treat with him. Wayne expressed astonishment that the Chief should 
talk such good English, and asked him why it was. Then the Chief told him his 
story and how he longed to see his pale-faced father and mother. Gen.Wayne 
was astonished. He knew Maj. Riddle, and knew that he had two stolen boys. 
“Where is your brother?” asked Gen. Wayne. “Here he is,” said Chief Steve, 
leading Abraham forward. But Abraham was an orney looking Indian, and Gen. 
Wayne did not “take shine to him.” “You return here when the moon has twice 
filled, and I will show you your father,” said the General. The Indians went 
their way, and Gen. Wayne sent a message to Maj. Riddle, in Kentucky,telling 
him that he had found his long lost sons. The Major came to the fort. His two 
sons had been there several days waiting for him. Chief Steve met his father 
with a dignified and chiefly air, and offered him the pipe of peace. The 
father recognized him. “Where is my other son?” asked the father. “My 
brother will not be here before to-morrow, as he is with the soldiers,” said 
Chief Steve. Abraham, in true Indian style, had picked up with the soldiers 
and got drunk on firewater. He had trashed every soldier in the fort, and it 
had been found necessary to “buck and gag” him to make him quiet. Maj. 
Riddle raged, and demanded that his other son be brought forthwith before 
him, and Gen. Wayne ordered him to be brought. When the father gazed upon him 
he declared him no son of his, and wanted to brain him. But Gen. Wayne 
reasoned with him, and at last the father recognized him. The two sons 
returned to Kentucky with theirfather, Steve taking his squaw. Steve was one 
of soldiers in Fort Harrison during the fight, and he declares that Tecumseh 
commanded, and that he could have killed him if he had so desired. Stephen 
afterwards became a Baptist preacher, and preached in Terre Haute in early 
days. His squaw did not take to civilized life, and he gave her ponies and 
sent her back to the tribe. Mr.Boord says that the northwest corner block 
house of the fort was burned during the filght. When the battle raged the 
hardest a soldier stood exposed to theview of the Indians, and for hours 
threw water on the flames to keep them from spreading. A woman handed him the 
water. Another soldier went up to help him and was instantly picked off. One 
Indian attempted to get into the fort by running through the flames, but he 
was overcome by the smoke and roasted todeath. Soldiers in the fort say that 
many Indians were killed. The Indians threw their dead into the river, and 
when they were driven away the soldiers found a perfect road leading down the 
river where the Indians had dragged their dead. – Terre Haute Express – Aug 
1883

Draper MSS 5YY:56-59

Terre Haute, Ind. Oct.31, 1883

Mr. Lyman Draper,
Madison Wis.
Dear Sir,
Yours of the 27 of Sept was duly received. I take pleasure in answering it. I 
see their has been some mistake –Ruddell was not at Fort Harrison at the time 
of the battle – I heard Ruddell say that Tecumseh was at the battle of Fort 
Harrison. Ruddell was sent by government to preach to the Indians in the 
north of Indiana & Ohio. Ruddell was taken prisoner at Nine years of age and 
lived with the Indians until he was married and had two children. He was made 
a chief of, and was acquainted withTecumseh. Stephen Ruddell was not at Fort 
Harrison at the time of the battle. Stephen knew Tecumseh and I heard him say 
Tecumseh was at Fort Harrison at the time of the battle. I believed it for 
Stephen Ruddell was raised from the time he was nine years old with the 
Indians, became a chief had a squaw and two papooses and when he got home his 
father gave him some education and he became a Baptist minister and the 
Government sent him to preach in the north of Ohio and Indiana to the 
Indians. His father was rich and Stephen had a good farm and several slaves 
to work it. He was considered a religious, a trustful, and trustworthy man. I 
have spent some time in tring to find a survivor of the battle of Fort 
Harrison but have been unable to do so. But my best informationis that there 
is now no person alive who took part in that engagement.
Abraham Ruddell a brother of Stephen was a soldier in the war of 1812 and 
served under Gen. Harrison and acted as a spy, and was at Winchester’s defeat 
and when our forces surrendered, the Indians by an robbury and mal treat any 
the prisoners. Abram Ruddell toldme that the officers applied to Gen. Proctor 
who was then in command for protection, but he saw that he could not help 
them, they then sent for Tecumseh and he stopped the Indians at once. 
Tecumseh said to proctor “it is a shame you allow your prisoners so badly 
treated” and appears to be very angry – I heard about the same statements 
from one Kenater, who served with Ruddell and was a prisoner with him.

Abraham Ruddell was a man of affluence and shuned any in that community and 
was regarded as a man of truth. If there is any further information that I 
can give you in this regard I will gladly do so. With Kindest regards.
I am Very Truly Yours.

Geo.G. Boord.