Mission Command:
Governor Henry Harrison and the Battle of Tippecanoe
Successful leadership on a battlefield can be measured in different ways. It is possible for a good, successful leader to lose a battle. Conversely, it is possible for an ineffective leader to win a battle, given the right circumstances. What distinguishes a successful leader from an unsuccessful one is his/her ability to oversee an operation using effective mission command. In ADP 6-0, mission command as a philosophy is defined as “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” (ADP, 1). William Henry Harrison, Governor of the Indiana Territory, executed good mission command in the Battle of Tippecanoe because of his ability to effectively utilize the doctrinal tasks of “understand, visualize, describe, direct, and lead” operations.
Overview and Implications
The Battle of Tippecanoe was fought on November 7, 1811 in Battleground, Indiana between a confederacy of Native Americans and American forces. The confederacy of Native Americans was led by Tenskwatawa, often referred to as the Prophet, in lieu of his brother Tecumseh who was absent from the battle. The United States forces were commanded by William Henry Harrison, governor of the Indiana Territory. Tecumseh and his brother, the Prophet, were massing Native American warriors at Prophetstown because they were opposed to cessations of Native American land carried out by the United States government. Governor Harrison marched 1000 troops to Prophetstown as a demonstration of force and in order to eliminate the enemy if necessa...
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...he Battle of Tippecanoe. Though the Americans took severe losses during the surprise assault on their camp, the damage would have been much worse if not for Harrison’s good execution of mission command using the doctrinal tasks of “understand, visualize, describe, direct, and lead” operations. He gained a good picture of his operational environment and determined a desired end state—to neutralize the threat of Tecumseh’s warriors at Prophetstown. Then, he made a detailed plan and directed its execution. Throughout the entire process, he led his men from the front with determination and calm.
Bibliography
Walker, Adam. A Journal of Two Campaigns of the Fourth Regiment US. Infantv in the Indiana and Michigan Territories. Keene, NH: Sentinel Press, 18 16.
Whickar, Wesley J., ed. “Shabonee’s Account of Tippecanoe.” Indiana Magazine of History 17 (1921): 353-63.
The 7th Cavalry Regiment's destruction at the Battle of the Little Bighorn in June 1876 is the subject of over a century of debate. LTC George A. Custer failed to exercise four key responsibilities that were expected of him as the regiment’s commander. He failed to understand the problem and environment, visualize a feasible solution, clearly describe it to his subordinates, and effectively direct his forces. These four aspects of mission command are integral to the operations process and help Soldiers understand and execute their commander's intent. Custer's failure to properly fulfill his role in the operations process resulted in his death and a strategic defeat for the nation.
The mission command philosophy helps commanders counter the uncertainty of operations by reducing the amount of certainty needed to act. Commanders can build teams and achieve their final goals through adapting the six principles of mission command to warfighting situation. I analyzed and compared the performance of General Sherman and General Hampton in four of six mission command principles.
Wooster R. (1998). The Military and United States Indian policy 1865-1903 (pp. 43, 47). West
Operational leaders see how the individual components of an organization fit together and use those individuals work to make a larger outcome. When they focus on a problem, they think of what works best within the process and systems to make an impact on the situation. These types of leaders play a big part in making sure that things get done in an effective and functioning manner. According to the Army Doctrine ADP 6-0, the Army over time has strayed away from operational leaders and adapted Mission Command, which gives leaders the ability at the lowest level the capability to exercise disciplined initiative in an act of carrying out the larger mission . Mission Command is made up of the following six steps: Understanding, Visualize, Describe, Direct, Lead and Assess, in which a commander is responsible for. General Patton understood the intent of the Battle of the Bulge on different levels, he was able to form a mental image for the course of actions for the allies, enemies and lead his Army into combat while guiding his officers and soldiers to succeed in meeting his intent. The Battle of the Bulge is where General Patton gained one of his greatest military achievements by using his tactical leadership and logistical genius, which in return helped him turn around the main forces and forced the Germans to drive back in their final counter-offensive. General Patton strongly exercised Mission Command by understanding, visualizing, leading, and commanding what was known as the largest and bloodiest battle during World War II.
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Though Fredericksburg was arguably the biggest blow to both the morale of the Union Army and the leaders in Washington, the leadership and courage demonstrated on Prospect Hill would find its way into a future battle. In this battle, Meade would find himself at the helm of decision making. At Gettysburg Meade would make Lee feel the pain of Fredericksburg.
Andrew Jackson had already gained a reputation for being a fierce fighter and leader for his fighting with Native Americans by the time he fought in the Battle of New Orleans. However, the Natives were primitive, and the Battle of New Orleans was against the strong British Empire. In command of the British forces was Major General Lord Edward Pakenham, and his army consisted of hardened veterans who had fought the French. The American forces included active duty military, state militia, pirates, and free blac...
Purcell, L. Edward., and Sarah J. Purcell. "Battle of Germantown." Encyclopedia of Battles in North America, 1517 to 1916. New York: Facts On File, 2000. Print.
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In 1811, Indiana was a territory rather than a state. A charismatic Indian leader, Tecumseh, led a confederation of tribes in central and northern Indiana and opposed further American expansion. Governor William Henry Harrison aimed to gain land for settlers and achieve statehood. These competing interests led to conflict in the fall of 1811, culminating in the Battle of Tippecanoe and the destruction of an Indian town and the center of a new Indian confederacy, Prophetstown. Harrison’s strategic aims and actions were not in line with the intent of his commander, President Madison. However, Harrison’s leadership during tactical action in the Battle of Tippecanoe demonstrated effective execution of the doctrinal tasks of Mission Command.
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