The city of Detroit, Michigan, 1701-1922; / Clarence M. Burton, editor-in-chief, William Stocking, associate editor, Gordon K. Miller, associated editor. [Vol. 2]

CITY OF DETROIT

879'

was false that he asked time to consider. It was at this time that, partly in
derision and partly to inflame the Indians, the commandant erected a pole,
upon the top of which was the effigy of a crow pecking at a man's head, indicative of the manner in which he would treat the English if they continued to
advance.
Major Rogers then sent another messenger to the fort with a copy of the
terms of capitulation and Vaudreuil's letter of instructions to the commandant
at Detroit. In this letter the governor stated that the conditions of the capitulation were "particularly advantageous to Detroit; that all persons, even the
soldiers, were to retain their property, real and personal, including their peltries;
that the soldiers were to be allowed to delegate to some resident the care of their
property, or to sell it to either French or English, or they might take with them
their portable property. They were to lay down their arms and agree not to
serve again during the war."
After despatching the second messenger, Rogers pushed on toward the fort.
When within a half mile of the post, he received a message from Belestre surrendering the fort. At last the commandant was convinced that Canada had
become an English possession. He called his garrison together and, with illconcealed chagrin, gave notice that New France had been turned over to the
English. Rogers had sent forward Lieutenants Leslie and McCormick, with
thirty-six of the Royal Americans, to take possession. The French troops
marched out upon the little plain in front of the main entrance to the fort and
laid down their arms. The Canadian militia was disarmed and disbanded,
many of them taking the oath of allegiance. With military honors the French
flag, which had waved over the fort for fifty-nine years, was lowered, the British
troops marched in and hoisted the colors of Great Britain as the symbol of the
new ruling power. All this occurred on November 29, 1760, which day marks
the beginning of English domination in what is now the State of Michigan,
though the post at Michilimackinac was not turned over to the British until
some time later.
Some seven hundred Indians, who only the day before had been allies of
the French, were present when the troops laid down their arms. They cheered
the British flag when it was raised and sarcastically referred to Major Rogers
as the crow and Belestre as the victim. The French prisoners of war were
sent to Philadelphia and from there to France. The French inhabitants were
permitted to retain their farms and homes, on condition of their taking the oath
of allegiance, which most of them did, though three years later some of them
broke their oath and gave assistance to Pontiac in his uprising against the
English.
At the time of the surrender, the garrison consisted of three officers and
thirty-five privates. The condition of the fort and conditions generally were
thus described by Captain Campbell in a letter written to Col. Henry Boquet
three days after the English took possession:
"The inhabitants seem very happy at the change of government, but they
are in want of everything. The fort is much better than we expected. It is one
of the best stockades I have seen, but the commandant's house and what belongs
to the King are in bad repair."
Major Rogers remained at Detroit until December 23, 1760, when he turned
over the command to Captain Campbell and set out for Fort Pitt.