Ottawa Chief Pontiac

As with most Indians from this time can confirm whether the notorious Ottawa Chief Pontiac. He was probably born around the 1720th Some sources say he was born near Detroit, others say he was born near Defiance, Ontario (Stark). Some sources say he was the son of an Ojibwa woman and a man in Ottawa, some say his mother was Ottawa and his father was Ojibwa, while others say he was of another strain (possibly Catawba) and was captured and subsequently adopted by the Ottawa tribe, various sources refer to as Pontiac Algonquin or Miami.

Pontiac may have been born in Ottawa village, which at that time were located in the Detroit area. It is also possible that he was born in or near what is now Defiance, Ohio. Sources also differ on the date of Pontiac's birth - some say he was born as early as 1703, some say he was born as late as the 1725th 

Whatever his origin, he remains history's most notorious Ottawa. 

Pontiac's Conspiracy:

Pontiac would abolish the rule of the white man and restore his and his people's land. He planned to bring all the tribes in a 200,000 Square Mile area along with an army to defeat the British and take back tribal lands. He formulated a plan at a major meeting in April 1763rd The plan was being implemented maj 1763rd Pontiac and 60 other chiefs would lead to an attack while on Fort Detroit and fortresses in Green Bay, Mackinac, Sandusky, and St. Joseph. 

Attack on Detroit: 

Pontiac himself led the attack on Fort Detroit. He began to establish a camp on the farm of Baptiste Meloche near the place today, Riverfront Lofts at East Jefferson. On 8 May 1763, claimed he and his team of warriors and chiefs, and was admitted to the Council House, through the eastern entrance to the fort. The men all had blankets draped over her shoulders, hiding their sawed-off (given off) shotguns. Pontiac had a wampum belt that he was present to Major Gladwin, Commanding Fort Detroit, as a false gesture of friendship and goodwill. Actual transfer of selenium were communicating, whether the attack should go forward. If Pontiac offered the strap of a way they were men to attack if the belt over the other way no, they were attacked. 

Gladwin had been warned about the attack and was thus prepared. Prior to Pontiac and his men had a chance to expose their arms, Gladwin men showed their. Pontiac simulated attack because he believed that there is peace, but the damage to the plan was made. 

While the plan was foiled, the attack was far from over. Two days later, Pontiac tried to enter the fortress again. When he was refused access, he and his men began a brutal assault against the British, which lasted 153 days. One of the first initiatives taken by the Indians was the destruction of houses of Belle Isle and the murder of Belle Isle resident James Fisher and his family. Among other alleged murder victims was Sir Robert Davers and an investigation team, he meant that a widow and her two children, and former commandant, Donald Campbell, who had gone to try to negotiate a peace with Pontiac. 

Gladwin and villagers closed the fort and made plans for their defense. He sent men out to burn houses and other structures so that they would have a clear view of all the Indian advance, and to remove any coverage. The French population outside the Stockade was divided, with a little help Native Americans and other help to get supplies in the Stockade. 

Pontiac and his troops did their best to ensure that no supplies came into the fort, knowing that ultimately the Board would starve. That kept track of the fort and killed everyone without trying to obtain supplies. As a form of psychological warfare, bodies were Pontiac's victims often scalped and mutilated, then put on display. 

May 28 stopped Lieutenant Abraham Cuyler of the Queen's Rangers, at Point Pele to camp overnight. They were bound for Detroit with supplies from Niagara. Unaware of the attack on Detroit, the group was an easy target for a fraction of Pontiac's army. Nearly half of the 96 members of Cuyler party escaped in boats. Fifty men were captured. 

Two days later sailed the natives and their prisoners to their camp. When they were near Fort, 4 of the soldiers attacked their captors, and swam toward shore with some of the supplies. The remaining soldiers were taken to Pontiac's fortress, where they, along with other prisoners, who are already in camp, was murdered. Their mutilated was later floated on logs for the settlers to see. 

On 29 July made a supply convoy on safely up the river to Fort Detroit. The group included Captain Dalzell, 260 men from the 60th Foot Regiment, and Major Robert Rogers and his Rangers. 

Upon arrival that convinced Dalzell Major Gladwin let him take his men to mount an offensive against Pontiac and his men. Gladwin reluctantly agreed, and 30 July Dalzell and 250 soldiers and rangers also out of what is now East Jefferson Avenue to Pontiac's camp. 

The road to the camp was packed with Pontiac's lookouts, well, French sympathizers. Pontiac was made aware in advance long before the soldiers arrived. 

When the first of Dalzell men crossed a small foot bridge across Parent's Creek (about where the player's club is on East Jefferson in days), fighters from Pontiac's army attacked them. Dalzell was shot. The others turned back in confusion. Majors Rogers led some men to various buildings on the farm of Jacques sport. Thence rescue teams were sent to retrieve any survivors. Total survived only about 90 of the soldiers and Rangers. Legend has it that so much blood was shed in the parent river that ran red, and gain the name "Bloody Run". The incident is known as the Battle of Bloody Run. 

No extra trips were made from the fort. Residents were given ample supplies from two ships, Huron and Michigan. Pontiac tried to destroy the ships as they interfered with his plans to starve the villagers, but he failed. 

Pontiac does not let go of his willingness to take Fort Detroit until October 1763 when news of a peace treaty between the British and French had reached the village. Treaty meant that the French could no longer help the natives. As many of Pontiac's allies had gone back to their own territory, and usually by this time, his forces were exhausted, to the extent that there was no reason to continue. On 31 October 1763, Pontiac sent a message to Gladwin, ask for a peace agreement. Gladwin sent the message to General Amherst, explains that the Pontiac that he lacked the authority to make such a peace. Pontiac and his people back to their childhood home on the Maumee River. 

Detroit was the only fort west of Niagara, which was not destroyed by Pontiac's plans. All the others, Green Bay, Mackinac, Sandusky, and St. Joseph, was captured and destroyed.

Attack on Michilimackinac: 

While Pontiac led his team against Detroit, his countrymen went after Fort Michilimackinac. The Native Americans launched a ball outside the fort. Captain Etherington (who would later become commander in Detroit) and one Lieutenant Leslie stood by watching the game. The plan was to "accidentally" knock the ball into the fort, and thus get an entry to retrieve it. The plan was a success and all but thirteen of the men in the garrison were killed. Etherington and Leslie was taken prisoner and later delivered to Montreal. 

Pontiac's Life After the attacks, the British Post: 

In 1765, for reasons unknown to Pontiac gave a plot of riverfront land (800 m wide) with Dr. George Christian Anthon. Official record of the deed transfer found in the records of notary Philip Dejean, but Pontiac's less than cordial relationship with the settlers makes his motives suspect. Some speculate that the doctor may have just helped Pontiac somehow. 

On 23 July 1767, Pontiac signed a peace agreement. In 1769, deaths Kaskaskian a Pontiac by pushing him in the cranium with an ax.