In the spring of 1763, Indian grievances against the new British military administrators of former French fur trade posts in the Great Lakes region resulted in uprisings throughout the area. Inspired, but not fully controlled, by Pontiac, an Ottawa chief and religious leader who claimed to interpret the prophecies of the Great Spirit, the uprisings were an effort by the Indians to expel the British who they believed had neglected Indian interests. The uprisings were generally supported by the Ottawa and their allies. Before they ended, the British lost nine forts in the Great Lakes region and hundreds were killed. The illustration shows the attack on Michilimackinac, made famous in the account of Alexander Henry (the Elder), a trader who was present. Henry described the Indians' novel tactic of entering the fort to retrieve a lacrosse ball "accidently" tossed over the palisade during the excitement of a game being played outside the gates. The uprising gradually diminished when British expeditions were mounted to relieve Forts Detroit and Pitt (Pittsburgh). The British responded to Indian discontent by explicitly reserving Indian land from settlement and regulating the fur trade with a system of licenses.
Courtesy: Picture Division, Public Archives of Canada (C-24653)
