USA > Massachusetts > Our western border : its life, combats, adventures, forays, massacres, captivities, scouts, red chiefs, pioneer women, one hundred years ago, containing the cream of all the rare old border chronicles > Part 16
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she told what she had seen to some. neighbors, when a blacksmith re marked that many of the savages had lately visited his shop and de- sired to borrow saws and files for a purpose which they would not dis- close. The Canadians were suspicious. M. Gouin, an old and wealthy settler, went to Gladwyn and conjured him to be watchful. But little heed was given to the friendly advice.
In the Pottawattamie village lived a pretty Ojibwa girl who was on most intimate terms with Gladwyn. The very next day Catharine, as she was called, repaired to Gladwyn's quarters with a pair of elk-skin moccasins, wrought with porcupine. quills in divers figures, which he had requested her to make. There was something unusual in her man- ner; her face was sad and downcast ; she said little and soon left the rcom, but continued loitering around as if her errand were yet unac- complished. At length Gladwyn's notice was attracted, and calling her in he pressed to know what was on her mind. She gave various ex- cuses, but finally, on Gladwyn's urging her, she was induced to re- luctantly reveal her dread secret.
To-morrow, she said, Pontiac, with a large crowd of chiefs, will come to the fort, each armed with a shortened gun hidden under his blanket. Pontiac would demand to hold a friendly council, and after his speech would be over he would offer a wampum belt, which would be the sig- nal for an attack by the chiefs on the officers. These dispatched, they would then join their warriors in the streets, who, with curtailed rifles, likewise concealed, would push into the town under the pretence of trading. Every Englishman was to be butchered, but not the scalp of a Canadian would be touched.
Gladwyn, it may well be supposed, was astounded at this intelligence. He gathered all the information he could from the girl, and called his officers together. The garrison was weak, and the defences flimsy and in bad order. Every preparation was made to meet the possible if not probable emergency. Half the garrison were ordered under arms, and Gladwyn himself was so uneasy that he walked the ramparts that night and saw personally to every man's being at his post. As he thus anxiously paced the ramparts, he heard, at intervals, sounds of fearful por- tent-the dull, monotonous beat of the Indian drum and the wild chorus of quavering yells, as the warriors, around their distant camp fires, were celebrating in advance the triumphs of the dread to-morrow.
At early sun, a cloud of bark canoes could be seen sweeping swiftly down the Detroit river. The plains about the fort began to be dotted over with groups of squaws and warriors, some naked and others fan- tastically arrayed in barbarous finery. Grim warriors, closely wrapped in their gaudy blankets, could be seen stalking with erect forms, with
An Indian Maid Betraying Pontiac's Plot to Gladwyn. SEE PAGE 123.
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AN OJIBWA MAID REVEALS THE PLOT.
springy steps and restless, gleaming eyes towards the fort. Then with an air of assumed indifference they would lounge about or edge over to- wards the gate.
All this stirring panorama of savage life boded no good. It seemed to confirm the Indian girl's tale. None but Gladwyn and his officers knew the secret, and they were prepared. The chiefs, headed by the majestic figure of Pontiac, had now made a landing, and strode, with furtive looks and measured steps towards the great gate. All were at once admitted, Gladwyn choosing to convince his crafty foes that though their treachery was detected, it was also despised. The whole garrison had been early ordered under arms, and commands had been issued to the traders that, as a large concourse of savages was to be held in the town that morning, it would be well to close their stores and arm their men. A Canadian going to his home, had shortly before met Pontiac and his sixty chiefs, all marching in Indian file. As he stood aside to let them pass, he recognized among them an old and familiar acquaintance. The savage returned his salutation with a deep, sullen voice, opened for an instant the folds of his blanket, revealing the rifle beneath, and with a smile and gesture of a peculiar significance, strode on with his fellows.
And now the file of stern, proud and plumed chiefs are fairly within the palisades. All were wrapped to the throats with blankets. Their eyes gleamed around with the venom of the rattlesnake. As Pontiac's restless, roving glance caught the guard of soldiers and the rows of glistening arms ranged on either side of the gate, and as his quick ear caught the measured tap of the drum, he gave a sudden start, and a guttural exclamation of surprise and dismay came unbidden from his broad and swarthy breast. Even his vaunted stoicism was at fault as he beheld in these groups of soldierly and armed engages of the fur-traders, the probable ruin of his crafty plot. Stifling all signs of alarm, however, he and his haughty followers swept on to the council house. Entering, they saw Gladwyn and his officers seated in readiness to receive them, nor did their wary eyes fail to note that each had both sword and pistols in belt. All this, added to the fact of a larger number of troops than usual being visible, caused the conspirators to exchange meaning and uneasy glances.
"Why," coolly and calmly demanded Pontiac, "do I see so many of my father's young men standing with their guns in the street?" Glad- wyn answered simply that it was for drill and exercise, with which answer Pontiac was fain to be content and straightway began his speech. Holding in his hand the fatal wampum belt, he professed the strongest attachment to the English and declared, with Indian figurativeness, that 9
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he had come to brighten the chain of friendship and smoke the pipe of peace. The officers watched him keenly, and when he raised the belt as if to give the preconcerted signal, at a motion from Gladwyn the clash of arms and peal of drum was heard from without.
Pontiac stood for a moment dazed and confounded! All his schem- ings dashed in an instant! The color mounted to his swarthy visage, and instead of giving the belt in the mode proposed, he handed it in the usual way and soon sat down alarmed and perplexed. The general version of this scene is, that Gladwyn rising from his seat, drew the chief's blanket aside, exposed the hidden gun and sternly rebuked him for his perfidy, but his own official letters do not confirm this, but state that he and his officers remained seated as before. It was manifestly his policy to prevent the fulfillment of the plot without bringing matters to an open rupture.
A silence which could be almost felt, ensued. At length Gladwyn arose, with calm eye and unruffled brow, and in a brief formal speech assured the assembled chiefs that he would extend friendship and pro- tection so long as it was deserved, but that the first act of aggression on their part would be followed by a signal vengeance. The council then broke up, Pontiac stating that they would return in a few days with their squaws and children that they might all shake hands with their fathers, the English. The baffled and discomfited savages soon after took their departure, their hearts, if possible, burning with a still more venomous rancor at the ignominious failure of their deep-laid plot. This account differs materially from those given in the popular border books, but besides comporting better with the probabilities of the case, it agrees with Gladwyn's official report to Amherst, which distinctly states: "And Pontiac made a speech which I answered calmly, without intimating my suspicions of their intentions, and after receiving some trifling presents, they went away to their camp."
The foiled and chagrined Pontiac, baffled in the crafty scheme which he himself had conceived, retired to his hut to brood over his revenge. The snake was only scotched, not killed. He resolved to visit Glad- wyn once more to convince him he had been deceived. The next day, bearing in his perfidious hand the sacred calumet of peace, he had the impudence to assert to the English that evil birds had sung lies in their ears; that they loved their English brothers, and to prove it, had come to smoke the pipe of peace. The same day he gathered the young men of all the tribes to a game of ball which took place with great noise and excitement. At nightfall the garrison was startled with loud discordant yells. The drums beat to arms and the troops were ordered to their posts. It proved, however, only the shouts of the victors, and all soon became silent as usual.
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HOSTILITIES COMMENCED.
The next day throngs of Indians commenced to gather about the fort and Pontiac, advancing singly from the multitude, approached the gate which he found barred against him. The baffled chief shouted to the sentinels and haughtily demanded why he was excluded. Gladwyn re- plied that he himself could enter if he wished, but his people must stay out. Thus openly rebuffed, the mask was now thrown off entirely. With a scowl of hate and an ejaculation of rage, Pontiac strode to- wards his followers who were lying in squads prone upon the ground, and at a signal all leaped up and ran like so many fiends towards the house of an Englishwoman who was at once made the first bloody vic- tim. Another gang, with frightful yells, hurried to the river, leaped into their canoes, paddled swiftly to the Isle au Cochon and murdered an Englishman named Fisher, who lived there.
HOSTILITIES COMMENCED __ OFFICERS CAPTURED-ANECDOTES OF PONTIAC.
Pontiac retired alone. He was terrible in his rage and none dare approach. Pushing a canoe from the shore, he drove it rapidly to the Ottawa town and imperiously ordered that it should be moved to the other shore. The enraged chief then, with tomahawk in hand, hideous in war paint and plumed for battle, leaped into the midst of his warriors, and brandishing his weapons, denounced vengeance on the cowardly English. The war dance over, a few hours found all the Ottawa community with huts pitched on the fort side of the river. A formidable band of ferocious Ojibwas from Saginaw river joined him. News came also to the fort of the murder of two English officers above Lake St. Clair.
The war had now commenced. Every Englishman in the fort was ordered under arms, and Gladwyn walked the ramparts all night. At the earliest streak of dawn the horrid war whoop was heard from all parts. The combined tribes environed the fort on every side but that on the river and a storm of leaden hail beat all day against the feeble barrier. With characteristic caution the savages scarcely ever revealed their forms. Within gunshot of the palisades was a cluster of out- buildings, behind which a swarm of the yelping reds found shelter, but at last, teased by their impudence, a cannon loaded with red-hot spikes was turned in their direction and the houses were soon in flames, upon which the disconcerted savages broke away in a body, and this was the first of a beleaguerment which endured for eight months and which was conducted with a skill, a system and a persistency that has no parallel in all Indian history. To give details of this long siege would
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fill a volume; we have only room for a mere mention of the more salient and interesting incidents which marked its course.
Gladwyn still believed that the whole outbreak was but a passing spasm of anger, and, being out of provisions, he concluded to open negotiations, under cover of which he could gather supplies. Accord- ingly La Butte, the interpreter, with two old Canadians, proceeded to the Indian camp and delivered their message. Pontiac was civil and courteous ; listened patiently, but his heart was unmoved. The Cana- dians were deceived and La Butte hurried back with the report that peace might readily be had by a few timely gifts. On hurrying back, however, he found little progress had been made, Pontiac, with char- acteristic dissimulation, evading every direct proposal, but pretending that he wished to hold council with his English fathers and was espe- cially desirous of seeing at his camp Major Campbell, the second in command, and a veteran officer who had gained their confidence by his justice and kindness. Gladwyn feared treachery, but the Major himself so pressed the mission that Campbell was at last permitted to depart to the Indian camp, accompanied by Lieutenant McDougal and several Canadians.
Meanwhile M. Gouin, in moving from lodge to lodge, soon saw and heard enough to convince him that the two officers were advancing into the lions' very jaws. He hastened to warn the advancing embassy. Too late ! They would not be diverted but were soon approaching the little bridge that led over Parent's Creek, just beyond which lay Pontiac's camp. No sooner were the red uniforms noted than the swarming multitude raised a horrible outcry. The women and children seized clubs and stones and rushed forward as if intent upon making a gauntlet for the twain to run. Pontiac's stern voice, however, allayed the tumult. He shook hands and made a way for them to the central lodge, and pointing to some skins on the ground, bade them be seated. The lodge was at once thronged with chiefs, while a fierce, eager, jostling crowd of commoners glared at them, with tigerish looks, from the out- side. Major Campbell answered Pontiac's curt speech, but was heard with an anxious silence. For a full hour the alarmed officers saw con- stantly before them the same dense throng of swarthy, inscrutable faces, bending on them a stony, unwavering glare. At length the anxious Major, desirous of testing his true position, arose to go to the fort. Pontiac made signs for him to resume his seat. " My father," he said in his deep, guttural tones, "will sleep to-night in the lodges of his red children."
The gray-haired veteran was a prisoner ! Many were burning to sacrifice the two officers on the spot, but Pontiac was too politic for that extreme measure. They were conducted to the house of M.
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OFFICERS CAPTURED.
Miloche and treated well. If two Indians had not happened at the time to be their prisoners at the fort, they would probably have had a short shrift. Next day Pontiac crossed to the Wyandot camp and succeeded in winning the whole tribe-which had hitherto been divided-to join in the war. They were the best fighters of all the tribes and soon after distinguished themselves.
Hostilities were now resumed, but with more system than before. At a meeting of officers, Gladwyn alone, it is said, favored holding out. Their condition was desperate. Provisions were scarce. The houses were of wood, thatched with straw, and could easily be inflamed, and a general onslaught-which could scarcely be resisted-was feared. This threat, however, was entirely contrary to Indian tactics. Their skill consists in winning without loss. A victory with them is considered dearly purchased by the death of a single warrior. Time passed on without any change or relief. For many weeks all slept in their clothes. Volunteer parties sallied out and cut down trees, or destroyed buildings until the dusky foe had no shelter. The two vessels in the river, sweep- ing the northern and southern curtains of the work with their fire, were of great aid in keeping off the swarming savages. Still, however, these wormed their way through the grass, or taking advantage of every shelter, would manage to crawl unobserved close to the palisades and let fly their arrows, tipped with burning tow. Water, however, was ever ready, and all such attempts proved abortive.
Pontiac neglected no art or wile that savage tactics could suggest. He even endeavored to draw from the French all they knew about the European methods of attacking a fortified place by regular approaches. He sent word, also, to Gladwyn, that if the place was given up, he might safely return with his whole force aboard his vessels, but that if he persisted, all would be burnt alive. Gladwyn answered, he cared nothing for empty threats ; yet still he was overwhelmed with anxiety, for he now learned that over a hundred fierce Ojibwas from Grand river had joined Fontiac, and all, English and Canadian, slept, with arms ready, upon the ramparts. Every effort was made to gather and hus- band every kind of provisions, but, notwithstanding all, the post must have been abandoned had not a few Canadians provided it, in the most secret method, with cattle, hogs and other supplies. For a long time the Indians were kept ignorant of what was going forward in this line, and they themselves commenced to suffer from hunger.
Pontiac at first visited all the Canadian houses on both sides of the river and squeezed them bare of supplies. To deputations complaining of these proceedings, he made earnest and artful speeches, asserting that he and his men were fighting the British on French account; that he
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had not called on them for aid, but that his warriors must be fed. Pon- tiac then organized a regular commissariat and issued bills of credit drawn upon birch bark, signed with the figure of an otter, and, what is a greater marvel, they were punctually redeemed. Pontiac was the brains of all. He was ever on the alert, endeavoring to learn all he could, and exceedingly curious as to the best modes of making war and of manufacturing cloth, knives, guns, and other articles needed. Gen- eral Gage himself stated, as a testimony to his keen and subtle genius, that he kept two secretaries, one to write and one to read messages, and managed to keep each of them ignorant of what was transacted by the other. Major Rogers, who was intimately acquainted with him, says : "He puts on an air of majesty and princely grandeur, and is greatly honored and revered by all his subjects. Although undeniably artful, treach- erous and revengeful, yet, according to Indian ideas of honor and vir- tue, he was bold, fierce and ambitious." Two anecdotes will serve to show his character:
Some time after Rogers came up with his troops, he sent Pontiac a bottle of brandy, as a present, by the hands of a friendly Indian. Those about the chief, always suspicious that the English wished to dispatch such a powerful enemy and get him out of the way, argued that the brandy was drugged, and that he should not touch it. Pontiac listened quietly, poured out a cup of the liquor, and immediately quaffed it off, saying that the man whose life he had once saved had no power to kill him. At another time, during the siege, he quietly entered the house of M. Baby, who was the Canadian known to be most friendly to the English, and the one who had secretly supplied them with provisions, &c. Seating himself by the fire he, for some time, looked steadily at the embers. At length he said that he had heard the English had offered Baby a bushel of silver for the scalp of his friend, Pontiac. Baby in- dignantly scouted the story. Pontiac keenly studied his face, and said, "My brother has spoken the truth, and I will show that I believe him." He then remained all evening, and composedly wrapping himself in his blanket, he slept in full confidence till morning. At another time Baby complained that some Wyandots came night after night and stole his hogs and cattle. Pontiac stealthily arrived at the house about midnight, and pacing to and fro among his friend's barns, he at length discerned the dark forms of the plunderers stealing through the gloom. He ap- peared before them like an apparition. "Go back to your village, you Wyandot dogs! If you tread again on this man's lands, you die !" They slunk back abashed. Over the Wyandots Pontiac could claim no legitimate authority, yet his powerful spirit forced respect and obe- dience from all who approached him.
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A LARGE CONVOY CAPTURED.
A LARGE CONVOY CAPTURED-A THRILLING BOAT SCENE.
While all this was going on, the British commandant at New York was ignorant of Gladwyn's danger. With the opening of Spring, how- ever, a supply of provisions and ammunition had been sent up the lakes for the use of Detroit and other posts above. The boats of this con- voy were now approaching, and Gladwyn's garrison awaited their coming with increasing anxiety. Gladwyn ordered one of his vessels to Niagara to hasten forward the convoy. The schooner set sail, but the very next day, as she lay becalmed at the entrance of Lake Erie, she was surrounded by a cloud of canoes, in the foremost of which was placed, as a protection from hostile shot, the veteran Major Campbell ; but the brave old man at once called out never to mind him, but to fire away. Happily at that moment a fresh breeze sprang up, and the schooner escaped. On May 30th all Detroit was thrown into a won- derful stir by the announcement of a look-out that the long-expected convoy was in sight : at some distance below could be seen a line of boats, England's flag over them, and their oars flashing in the sun. With one accord the excited garrison and populace broke into three hearty cheers, while a cannon from one of the bastions sent out its roar of welcome. But suddenly every cheek was blanched with horror ! Dark, naked figures were seen rising, with wild gesture, in the boats, while in lieu of the expected responsive salute could be faintly heard in the distance the triumphant whoop of the savage. Horrible thought ! The convoy was in the hands of the enemy ! Officers and men stood gazing with mournful silence, when a thrilling incident just then oc- curred which caused their hearts for a time to stand still.
In each of the approaching boats, of which there were eighteen, sev- eral of the captured soldiers were (guarded by many armed savages) compelled to act as rowers. In the first, as it happened somehow, were four soldiers but only three savages. As stated, one of the two vessels which lay along the water front of the fort had been sent to Niagara to hasten up this very convoy. The other lay anchored in the stream, and when the first of the advancing flotilla came opposite to it, the steersman conceived a daring plan of escape. He called to his com- rade to seize the Indian who sat in front and throw him overboard. The man answered that he was not strong enough, and so, as if fatigued with rowing, the two changed places. As the bold soldier stepped for- ward, he suddenly seized the powerful savage by his scalp lock and with the other hand gripping his girdle, he gave him a lift and tossed hitu into the river. The boat rocked till the water surged over the gunwale. The indomitable savage, thus so unceremoniously treated, would not
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let go, but clinging fast to the soldier's clothes and drawing himself up- wards, he stabbed the soldier again and again, and then dragged him over. Both went down the swift current, engaged in a death-grapple, and finally sank from sight, a few ripples and gurgles only serving to show the place of disappearance. The other two Indians leaped from the boat, while the two remaining soldiers shouted for aid and pulled for the vessel. The savages on shore opened a heavy fire, while the other boats darted forward in close pursuit. The poor soldiers strained every nerve to escape. One of them was soon wounded, and the light canoes rapidly gained on their boat. Escape seemed hopeless, when all at once flash ! boom ! and a ball from the anchored vessel came dancing along the water, marking its way by a line of foam and narrowly miss- ing the foremost canoe. The pursuers paused in dismay ; a second shot scatters the Indians on shore, and the prisoners reach the vessel in safety, and are soon surrounded with an eager, questioning throng.
The story they related was a sad one. Lieut. Cuyler had left Fort Ni- agara, May 13, with ninety-six men. They had made almost their whole journey without seeing a foe, when, on the 28th, the boats had landed not far from the mouth of Detroit river. A man and boy en- tered the woods to gather fire-wood, when a skulking savage leaped out and cleft his head with a single blow of his tomahawk. Cuyler imme- diately formed his band in a semicircle before the boats, when the en- emy opened fire from their ambush, and after a hot blaze of musketry for a while, the whole painted, yelping body of them broke from the woods with horrible yells, and rushed with the greatest impetuosity upon the very centre of the line, which was at once broken and put to flight, the men becoming panic stricken, flinging down their guns and rushing to their boats. Five of these were gotten into the water and pushed off crowded with the terrified troops. Cuyler found himself utterly de- serted, and was compelled to wade up to his neck and scramble into one of the boats. The yelling savages, crowding two more of the boats that were abandoned, gave immediate pursuit, capturing three of the five boats, their hapless crews making little or no resistance. The other two, in which was Cuyler, made their escape.
They rowed all night, landing in the morning on a small island. Be- tween thirty and forty men were crowded in these two; the rest were all carried captive. Cuyler now turned back and made for Fort San- dusky, which finding destroyed, he rowed on to Presq' Isle, and thence back to Niagara. The victors in this well-planned stroke were the Wy- andots or Hurons, who, for some days, had lain in ambush at the mouth of the Detroit. Seeing the confusion of the soldiers, they had forgot- ten their usual caution, and secured success by a prompt and vigorous
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