Gallop toward the sun : Tecumseh and William Henry Harrison's struggle for the destiny of a nation

**A vivid account of the rivalry between future president William Henry Harrison and the Shawnee chief Tecumseh—and of the Native American alliance that fought westward expansion—from the __New York Times__ bestselling author of __Astoria__****“Taut, multi-layered . . . a much-needed reevaluation of this crucial period of our nation’s history.”—Laurence Bergreen, author of __Over the Edge of the World__** The conquest of Indigenous land in the eastern United States through corrupt treaties and genocidal violence laid the groundwork for the conquest of the American West. In __Gallop Toward the Sun,__ acclaimed author Peter Stark exposes the fundamental conflicts at play through the little-known but consequential struggle between two extraordinary leaders. William Henry Harrison was born to a prominent Virginia family, the son of a signer of the Declaration of Independence. He journeyed west, became governor of the... A vivid account of the rivalry between future president William Henry Harrison and the Shawnee chief Tecumseh—and of the Native American alliance that fought westward expansion—from the New York Times bestselling author of Astoria “Taut, multi-layered . . . a much-needed reevaluation of this crucial period of our nation’s history.”—Laurence Bergreen, author of Over the Edge of the World The conquest of Indigenous land in the eastern United States through corrupt treaties and genocidal violence laid the groundwork for the conquest of the American West. In Gallop Toward the Sun, acclaimed author Peter Stark exposes the fundamental conflicts at play through the little-known but consequential struggle between two extraordinary leaders. William Henry Harrison was born to a prominent Virginia family, the son of a signer of the Declaration of Independence. He journeyed west, became governor of the vast Indiana Territory, and sought statehood by attracting settlers and imposing one-sided treaties. Tecumseh, by all accounts one of the nineteenth century’s greatest leaders, belonged to an honored line of Shawnee warriors and chiefs. His father, killed while fighting the Virginians flooding into Kentucky, extracted a promise from his sons to “never give in” to the land-hungry Americans. An eloquent speaker, Tecumseh traveled from Minnesota to Florida and west to the Great Plains convincing far-flung tribes to join a great confederacy and face down their common enemy. Eager to stop U.S. expansion, the British backed Tecumseh’s confederacy in a series of battles during the forgotten western front of the War of 1812 that would determine control over the North American continent. Tecumseh’s brave stand was likely the last chance to protect Indigenous people from U.S. expansion—and prevent the upstart United States from becoming a world power. In this fast-paced narrative—with its sharply drawn characters, high-stakes diplomacy, and bloody battles—Peter Stark brings this pivotal moment to life. A vivid account of the rivalry between William Henry Harrison and Tecumseh, and the Native American alliance that, in the early 19th century, struggled to prevent the United States from expanding westward and taking over the continent from the New York Times bestselling author of Astoria . The conquest of the American West through violence and corrupt treaties in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries transformed the global balance of power. It was an upheaval on a grand scale, but acclaimed author Peter Stark shows us its fundamental conflicts through the clash between two menShawnee chief and warrior Tecumseh and Indiana governor William Henry Harrison. Harrison, the son of a prominent member of Virginia's founding generation, set out into the western territories with an eye fixed on Indiana statehood. He passed legislation that encouraged individual farmers to move west and compelled Native leaders to enter treaties, often signing away their land. Tecumseh was a warrior and accomplished speaker who for the first time in North American history, inspired Indigenous nations to join a confederacy based on their shared identity as Native Americans in opposition to a common enemy. Eager to stop U.S. expansion, the British backed Tecumsehs confederacy against the U.S. on the now-forgotten western front of the War of 1812. Leading two powerful forces, Harrison and Tecumseh faced each other in tense diplomatic meetings over Harrison's illegal claims to land and in battles that would determine the future of the North American continent. Tecumseh, by all accounts, is one of the 19th century's greatest leaders, and his stand against the United States was the last real opportunity to prevent the upstart nation from expanding across the continent and becoming a world power. In this fast-paced narrative, Peter Stark brings this storywith its bloody battles, high-stakes diplomacy, and sharply drawn charactersto life. "The conquest of indigenous land in the American East through corrupt treaties and genocidal violence laid the groundwork for the conquest of the American West. Acclaimed author Peter Stark exposes the fundamental conflicts at play through the little-known but consequential struggle between two extraordinary leaders. William Henry Harrison was born to a prominent Virginia family, son of one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. He journeyed west, became governor of vast Indiana Territory and sought statehood by attracting settlers and imposing one-sided treaties. Tecumseh belonged to an honored line of Shawnee warriors and chiefs. His father died while fighting the Virginians flooding into Kentucky and in his dying words, extracted a promise from his sons to "Never give in" to the land-hungry Americans. Tecumseh was, by all accounts, one of the nineteenth century's greatest leaders. An eloquent speaker, he traveled from Minnesota to Florida and west to the Great Plains convincing far flung tribes to join a great confederacy and face down their common, American, enemy. Eager to stop U.S. expansion, the British backed Tecumseh's confederacy in a series of battles during the forgotten western front of the War of 1812 that would determine control of the North American continent"-- Provided by publisher