History of Saginaw county, Michigan; together with ... portraits ... and biographies ... History of Michigan ...

HISTORY OF MICHIGAN.

39

Mr. Sargent says there were about 150 French families at Vincennes in 1790. The heads of all these families had been at one time
vested with certain titles to a portion of the soil; and while the
Secretary was busy in straightening out these claims, he received
a petition signed by 80 Americans, asking for the confirmation of
grants of land ceded by the Court organized by Col. John Todd
under the authority of Virginia. With reference to this cause,
Congress, March 3,1791, empowered the Territorial Governor, in
cases where land had been actually improved and cultivated under
a supposed grant for the same, to confirm to the persons who inade
such improvements the lands supposed to have been granted, not,
however, exceeding the quantity of 400 acres to any one person.
THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR.
Soon after the discovery of the mouth of the Mississippi in 1682,
tile government of France began to encourage the policy of establishing a line of trading posts and missionary stations extending
through the West from Canada and the great lakes to Louisiana;
and this policy was maintained, with partial success, for about 75
years. British power was the rival upon which the French continually kept their eye. Of course a collision of arms would result in a short time, and this commenced about 1755. In 1760
Canada, including the lake region, fell into the hands of the British.
During the war occurred Braddock's defeat, the battles of Niagara,
Crown Point and Lake George, and the death of brave Wolfe and
Montcalm. Sept. 12, this year, Major Robert Rogers, a native of
New Hampshire, a provincial officer and then at tie height of his
reputation, received orders from Sir Jeffrey Amherst to ascend the
lakes with a detachment of rangers, and take possession, in the
name of his Britannic Majesty, of Detroit, Michilimackinac, and
other Western posts included in the capitulation of Montreal. He left
tile latter place on the following day with 200 rangers in 15 whale
boats. Nov. 7 they reached the mouth of a river (" Chogage ") on
the southern coast of lake Erie, where they were met by Pontiac,
the Indian chief, who now appears for tile first time upon the pages
of Michigan history. He haughtily demanded of Rogers why he
should appear in his realm with his forces without his permission.
The Major informed him that the English had obtained permission
of Canada, and that he was on his way to Detroit to publish the
fact and to restore a general peace to white men and Indians alike.
The next day Pontiac signified his willingness to live at peace with
the English, allowing them to remain in his country, provided they
paid hin due respect. He knew that French power was on the
wane, and that it was to the interest of his tribes to establish an
early peace with the new power. The Indians, who had collected
at the mouth of Detroit, reported 400 strong, to resist the coming
of the British forces, were easily influenced by Pontiac to yield the
situation to Rogers. Even the French commandant at Detroit,