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MICHIGAN CHAPTER 15 Michigan Under British Rule
The Indian tribes represented were Ottawas, Chippewas from Saginaw, Hurons from Sandusky, Mohawks and Senecas from New York, Delawares, Pottawatomies from St. Joseph, Chippewas from Washtenaw, six hundred and eighty-three Indians of both sexes. * The council lasted through the remainder of the month, with daily sessions in which presents were liberally distributed to the savages and Hamilton sought by his talk to inflame the Indians to take up the war hatchet against the American colonists. He very adroitly led them to believe that the invasion of Ohio and Illinois was fatal to their interests and that the British were their only true friends. He urged them to take the war path and return laden with scalps. To all this talk the savages gave hearty assent. The fall of Kaskaskia
and Vincennes created a profound sensation at Detroit. Hamilton at once set about organizing a campaign to re-capture these posts. De Peyster at Michilimackinac sent out an emissary influential with the savages to arouse the tribes west of Lake Michigan to active cooperation with the British forces. Hamilton personally took charge of the expedition which left Detroit early in October. The forces consisted of one hundred and fourteen whites and sixty Indians, the whites regulars and volunteers recruited at Detroit. They went by boats to the Maumee, which stream they followed for some distance to a portage, whence they crossed to the headwaters of the Wabash and proceeded down that stream. They reached Vincennes in December and were greatly surprised to find that the garrison consisted only of Captain Helm and one soldier who immediately surrendered \with all the honors of war.
MICHIGAN
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