Prev | Current Page 41 | Next

Marquis, Thomas Guthrie, 1864-1936

"The War Chief of the Ottawas : A chronicle of the Pontiac war"

All three were straightway slain. A party
of Ottawas leapt into their canoes and paddled swiftly
to Ile au Cochon, where lived a former sergeant, James
Fisher. Fisher was seized, killed, and scalped, his young
wife brutally murdered, and their two little children
carried into captivity. On this same day news was brought
to the fort that Sir Robert Davers and Captain Robertson
had been murdered three days before on Lake St Clair by,
Chippewas who were on their way from Saginaw to join
Pontiac's forces. Thus began the Pontiac War in the
vicinity of Detroit. For several months the garrison was
to know little rest.
That night at the Ottawa village arose the hideous din
of the war-dance, and while the warriors worked themselves
into a frenzy the squaws were busy breaking camp. Before
daylight the village was moved to the opposite side of
the river, and the wigwams were pitched near the mouth
of Parent's Creek, about a mile and a half above the
fort. On the morning of the 10th the siege began in
earnest. Shortly after daybreak the yells of a horde of
savages could be heard north and south and west. But few
of the enemy could be seen, as they had excellent shelter
behind barns, outhouses, and fences. For six hours they
kept up a continuous fire on the garrison, but wounded
only five men.


Pages:
29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53