A week or two later a messenger arrived at Fort Detroit
bearing news of the disaster. The scarcity of provisions
at Detroit was such that Gladwyn decided to reduce his
garrison. Keeping about two hundred men in the fort, he
sent the rest to Niagara. Then the force remaining at
Detroit braced themselves to endure a hard, lonely winter.
Theirs was not a pleasant lot. Never was garrison duty
enjoyable during winter in the northern parts of North
America, but in previous winters at Detroit the friendly
intercourse between the soldiers and the settlers had made
the season not unbearable. Now, so many of the French had
been sympathizers with the besieging Indians, and, indeed,
active in aiding them, that the old relations could not be
resumed. So, during this winter of 1763-64, the garrison
for the most part held aloof from the French settlers, and
performed their weary round of military duties, longing
for spring and the sight of a relieving force.
CHAPTER VIII
WINDING UP THE INDIAN WAR
Amherst was weary of America. Early in the summer of 1763
he had asked to be relieved of his command; but it was
not until October that General Thomas Gage, then in charge
of the government of Montreal, was appointed to succeed
him, and not until November 17, the day after Gage arrived
in New York, that Amherst sailed for England.
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