Archibald Hutchinson
 

Kentucky Post, Thursday, 30 November 1899, page 6

Squire Archibald Hutchinson, of the Highlands near Ft Thomas, is said to be the only living man, who ever saw the celebrated Indian chief, Tecumseh. Squire Hutchinson was born in Scott County Ky. in 1802. When quite a young his father moved to near where the Squire is now living. One day in the fall of 1844 the chief, Tecumseh came to the Hutchinson home and asked for food and a nights lodging.

It afterward developed that the sly old chief was spying through the State in order to learn the military strength of the settlers. Squire Hutchinson says that although he was but a small by, he well remembers the chief. He would not eat at the table with the family. The elder Hutchinson, knowing that the Indians would never eat with anyone upon whom they expected to make war, sent word to all his neighbors to be on watch for hostile Indians.

An older brother of the Squire's was a soldier in the war of 1812 and was at the Battle of the River Thames, where Tecumseh was killed. The brother was wounded and unable to rise from the ground when he saw his commander, Colonel Richard Johnson, reel in the saddle. A British musket ball had broken the Colonel's leg and killed the horse. In falling the body of the animal pined Colonel Johnson to the ground.

While in this condition an Indian, who was leading a large body of warriors through the woods, found the wounded Colonel and attempted to brain him with a tomahawk. Colonel Johnson pulled a flint lock pistol from his belt and shot the Indian through the heart. He did not know until the next day that the man he had killed was the great chief.

 

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