Mission Command In The Battle Of Tippecanoe

The Lakota and Northern Cheyenne Indians along with a few other defiant tribes, joined forces under the Lakota holy man, Sitting Bull, in an active resistance to U.S. expansion (Gregory, 2016). In 1876, federal troops were dispatched to force the noncompliant Indians onto their reservations and to pacify the Great Plains (Powers, 2010).

Army Doctrine Publication (ADP) 6-0 defines mission command as “the exercise of authority and direction by the commander using mission orders to enable disciplined initiative within the commander’s intent to empower agile and adaptive leaders in the conduct of unified land operations” (U.S Army, Training and Doctrine Command, Combined Arms Center, Center for the Army Profession and Ethic, 2015, p. 1). The six principles of mission command direct leaders to build cohesive teams through mutual trust, create shared understanding, provide a clear commander’s intent, exercise disciplined initiative, use mission orders, and accept prudent risk. These principles enable subordinates that understand their commander’s intent to accomplish missions by adapting to the situation and taking advantage of opportunities as they arise (U.S Army, Training and Doctrine Command, Combined Arms Center, Center for the Army Profession and Ethic, 2015, p. 2). Various battles throughout history provide examples of the application of the principles of mission command as well as the failure to adhere to them. The Battle of the Little Bighorn is an example of the latter and marks the “most decisive Native American victory and the worse U.S. defeat during the long Plains Indian War” (History.com Staff, 2009).

Tecumseh’s biggest concerns were that his people would not live according to the Prophet which was casting off all elements of the Euro-American society. He believed that his people would turn to alcohol, firearms, and trade goods set out by English ways, which was what the Prophet said, would be detrimental to their ways. No matter what, Tecumseh was going to make sure the Indian way of life would continue forever. He led a revolution of young men who thought the leadership structure needed to be looked over again in order to survive. They fought to make sure The Indians East of the Mississippi to keep control over their home land. Tecumseh tried to visit neighboring tribes to form an alliance to protect the lands held by the Natives. He was successful in the way the Southern tribes would accept the alliance, but unsuccessful with others when some refused to join the reliance, such as the Iroquois tribe.

The Battle of Tippecanoe was one of the major steps towards the War of 1812. It took place on November 8, 1811, in a clearing near Prophet’s Town. It was also perhaps one of the most controversial battles in the War of 1812. Although a peace treaty had been made one day prior before the Battle of Tippecanoe, the Native Americans attacked, which caused the American soldiers to fight back, who were led by General William Henry Harrison. The Native Americans had been led by Tecumseh, a Shawnee Indian Chief. The Battle of Tippecanoe was a controversial battle which the Natives Americans started, and ultimately, lost.

The battle occurred as a result of tensions between the confederacy of Native Americans and the United States government. The confederacy of Native Americans was upset by the United States’ cessations of territories previously occupied by Native American tribes. Though both sides lost less than 100 troops, the Battle of Tippecanoe is a decisive point in United States history because it reinforced the rising tension with Great Britain, who many Americans saw as Tecumseh’s puppeteer. This view contributed to a declaration of war only a few months later. Furthermore, Governor Harrison later used the Battle of Tippecanoe as a mark of his success in his presidential campaign.

When the War of 1812 began on June 18, the Shawnee decided to side and fight with the British in Canada (West). After Tecumseh preachings spread across the nation, the number of Shawnee followers increased dramatically, and Tecumseh’s support changed the balance of power during the war. His first goal was to stop the Europeans and get them to stay out of the lives of Native Americans permanently. Tecumseh believed this would only be possible if they formed an alliance with Great Britain. With the thought that the United States would only spread further west in the future, Tecumseh formed an alliance with Sir Isaac Brock, the general commanding the British Army during the war. They were both brave, aggressive and savvy, and became friends instantly. Tecumseh believed that the British would allow the Shawnee and other indian tribes to keep the land they had roamed for centuries, while the Americans would not allow them to have land or power. The death of Tecumseh in the War of 1812 was a major turning point in the United States and the War of 1812. While in Procter, Canada, Tecumseh and his Indian warriors were preparing for battle alongside the British forces. The battle took place in a marshy setting, the Americans were led by General William Henry Harrison. Tecumseh was shot through the heart and died on the battlefield at Thames. Before the start of the war, Tecumseh and the Shawnee dreamed of a Pan-Indian confederation that spread across the lands of North

Oklahoma was once referred to as the “Unassigned Lands” (Fugate,138). This land was land inside Indian Territory that had not been claimed by one of the tribes (Hoig). Whites believed they were entitled to this land and wanted to get the statement across that America is a “white man’s country” (Dorman, 38). Immediately after Benjamin Harrison, the United States of America’s president at the time, announced the land would be opened for settlement, people began gathering their belongings, loading their wagons, or preparing their horses for travel. Thousands of people crowded the borders of the Unassigned Lands in hopes of establishing a settlement in the area (Fugate,140). At noon on April 22, 1889, people dashed across the land with their belongings seeking a plot of land. The Oklahoma Land Run was an exciting, puzzling, and in some cases, a violent day in Oklahoma’s history.

The Shawnee chief Tecumseh a well-known Indian, became famous for his attempt to merge the Native American tribes against the Americans. In 1809 he began his voyage in order to profess his requests. A few years later Tecumseh arrived in the Osage Nation around the region of Oklahoma and tried to influence the Osage Nation with his political agenda. Tecumseh had wanted the Osage Nation to join the pan-Indian confederacy. Jointly with other unique tribes and the military aid of the British troops. Tecumseh the Shawnee chief called upon the Osages to start or commence war against the Americans. The speech Tecumseh presents gives evidence of his political standing.

In your opinion, what significance does this obscure battle have in the expansion of the United States?

His death led to a series of events that quickly elevated to a full on war, known today as the Nez Perce War. The settlers made no hesitation to enlist the help of the U.S. Government. When Chief Joseph still refused to give up his and his tribe’s home, the U. S. Army came. This was how and when the War began. The Nez Perce War was 4 months long, full of skirmishes, casualties, and hope of victory for both sides. (Lafarge, Oliver, “American Indians” 12). Some of the major mini battles, were The Battle at Big Hole, The Battle of White Bird Canyon, and The Battle of Bear Paw. The battle of white bird canyon was the very first battle of the whole war. For the Nez Perce, only 3 warriors were injured, out of the 70 that had gone to the battle. Not one on the Nez Perce side was killed in the first war. On the U. S. Army's side, 34 were killed out of the 117 warriors and 13 scouts that entered the battlefield. The battle lasted one day, and the end of this first battle was declared a Nez Perce victory. The battle of Big Hole was much different. This two-day battle ended as a tie between the Indians and the U. S.

The United States expansion into the western territories, motivated by an increasing number of settlers and their requisite demand for land ownership, was well under way and picking up steam by the early 1800’s. Native American resistance progressed to be one of the principal challenges, for U.S. forces and settlers alike, during their quest of westward expansion. The increasingly common and vicious skirmishes between Native Americans and U.S. forces, to include the westward migrating settlers, caused the war over land rights to reach a level that would prove to be insurmountable for most Native Americans. One such skirmish led to The Battle of Horseshoe Bend; this battle had an overwhelming effect on the southern expansion of the United

by Mohawk chief Joseph Brant. Joseph Bryant wanted to hold all of their resources and fight off the white settlers. While chief Joseph did that, Tecumseh was the leader of a raiding party that attacked white settler boats making it harder for them to get to Ohio. He did not like the brutality of his people against a settler. They burned him on a stake, after witnessing

This brought Indian tribe from though out the Midwest to the Ohio. Tecumseh traveled thought the Midwest talking to the other tribe, saying they have to join together to fight the “white men” because this is their holy land. Tecumseh joined forces with the British at least he thought we did, until one battle they wouldn’t let them in the gates and when the British knew they were t going to win the war they bailed on the Shawnee’s tribe. Tecumseh was a great leader and everyone that came into contact with him respected him even the British, other Indian chiefs, and Americans.

Maj. Gen. “Fighting Joe” Hooker demonstrated an excellent example of failed mission command during the Battle of Chancellorsville in April 1863. He had thought he would defeat General Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia by maneuver beginning in Chancellorsville as he pushed Lee toward Richmond. His commitment toward his own plan for Lee’s response would overshadow his operational planning and ultimately lead to a mission command failure at Chancellorsville despite outnumbering Lee’s troops 128,000 to 60,000. Through decentralized execution, Hooker could have empowered agile and adaptive leadership to operate under uncertainty, exploit opportunities, and achieve unity of effort. Instead, he failed in exercising at least four principles of mission command. He did not provide a clear commander’s intent, create shared understanding, exercise disciplined initiative, or accept prudent risk.

The Battle of Horseshoe Bend illustrated some important lessons that are as applicable to today’s military operational environments as they were back then These lessons are timeless. Studying this battle can help leaders and Commanders identify strengths and weakness that lead to mission success and enemy defeat. General Andrew Jackson had engaged the enemy Creek Indians in previous battles. He was able to learn valuable lessons and make adjustments to ensure that the Battle of Horseshoe Bend achieved his operational objectives and had the desired end state for mission success.