262 PONTIAC IN THE WEST. [1764. 



were nevertheless on their way, and that the bayo- 

 nets of the white-coated warriors would soon glitter 

 among the forests of the Mississippi. Forged let- 

 ters were sent to Pontiac, signed by the King of 

 France, exhorting him to stand his ground but a 

 few weeks longer, and all would then be well. . To 

 give the better coloring to their falsehoods, some of 

 these incendiaries assumed the uniform of French 

 officers, and palmed themselves off upon their 

 credulous auditors as ambassadors from the king. 

 Many of the principal traders distributed among 

 the warriors supplies of arms and ammunition, in 

 some instances given gratuitously, and in others 

 sold on credit, with the understanding that pay- 

 ment should be made from the plunder of the 

 English.^ 



1 MS. Gage Papers. MS. Johnson Papers. Croghan, Journal. Hil- 

 dreth, Pioneer History, 68. Examination of Gershom Hicks, see Penn. Gaz. 

 No. 1846. 



Johnson's letters to the Board of Trade, in the early part of 1765, con- 

 tain constant references to the sinister conduct of the Illinois French. 

 The commander-in-chief is still more bitter in liis invectives, and seems to 

 think that French officers of the crown were concerned in these practices, 

 as well as the traders. If we may judge, however, from the correspond- 

 ence of St. Ange and his subordinates, they may be acquitted of the 

 charge of any active interference in the matter. 



" Sept. 14. I had a private meeting with the Grand Santeur, when 

 he told me he was well disposed for peace last fall, but was then sent for 

 to the Illinois, where he met with Pondiac ; and that then their fathers, 

 the French, told them, if they would be strong, and keep the English out 

 of tlie possession of that country but this summer, that the Kmg of France 

 would send over an army next spring, to assist his children, the Indians." 

 — Croghan, Journal, 1765. 



The Diary of the Siege of Detroit, under date May 17, 1765, says tliat 

 Pontiac's nephew came that day from the Illinois, with news that Pontiac 

 had caused six Englishmen and several disaffected Indians to be burned ; 

 and that he had seven large war-belts to raise the western tribes for 

 another attack on Detroit, to be made in June of that year, without 

 French assistance. 



