William Henry Harrison (2/9/1773 – 4/4/1841), a career military man, was the hero of the battle of Tippecanoe, fought in 1811 between Native Americans and the US Army near Prophetstown, at the junction of the Tippecanoe and Wabash Rivers.

In 1803, President Thomas Jefferson appointed Harrison governor of the newly-formed territory of Indiana, and gave him authority to negotiate treaties. In 1810, Tecumseh, leader of the Shawnees, took 400 warriors to meet Harrison in Vincennes, the territorial capital. Tecumseh protested the US acquisition of too much tribal land. Harrison countered that he had negotiated with the chiefs who owned the lands, so the sales were final. Tensions rose and blood was nearly shed.

In November, 1811, the War Department ordered Harrison to intimidate the tribes. When Harrison drove 1,000 troops on a mission to intimidate the tribes, Tecumseh launched a surprise attack, even though he was outnumbered. Harrison won and gained praise as “Old Tippecanoe”.

In 1840, the Whig Party's Harrison and John Tyler—“Tippecanoe and Tyler, Too”—won the Oval Office. Giving a two-hour inaugural address in the rain, wearing neither hat nor coat, he took ill. He attended inauguration parties all night. He got no sleep as office-seekers badgered him for days. He died on April 4.

The last US president born a British subject, Harrison also became the first to die in office, after having served 30 days, 12 hours, and 30 minutes, the shortest term ever.

More Info: en.wikipedia.org