Pontiac's War and Little Turtle's War: The History and Legacy of 18th Century America's Most Famous Native American Conflicts

When it comes to Pontiac, a few facts are certain. For one thing, he certainly led the first major attack of Pontiac’s War in May 1763, when he and 300 of his men attacked Fort Detroit in what is now the city by the same name. Unfortunately for his cause, Pontiac failed to gauge just how strong the British presence there was, and his attack was quickly repelled. On the other hand, he was not a man who gave up easily, so instead of retreating, he and his warriors would lay siege to the British stronghold. In the days that followed, word spread of his efforts, and in short order, nearly 1,000 men from various tribes in the area had joined him. They remained camped around the fort throughout the summer before finally giving up the siege. While Pontiac and his ever-growing band of men were laying siege to Fort Detroit, other tribes heard of his efforts to keep the fight going and began to attack other settlements and enclaves. Thus, even after he did give up on the fort, Pontiac continued