Campau’s house Rogers covered the retreat of Grant’s company, but was himself in turn besieged.  By this time the armed bateaux, which had borne the dead and wounded to the fort, had returned, and, opening fire with their swivels on the Indians attacking Rogers, drove them off; the Rangers joined Grant’s company, and all retreated for the fort.  The shattered remnant of Dalyell’s confident forces arrived at Fort Detroit at eight in the morning, after six hours of marching and desperate battle, exhausted and crestfallen.  Dalyell had been slain—­an irreparable loss.  The casualty list was twenty killed and forty-two wounded.  The Indians had suffered but slightly.  However, they gained but little permanent advantage from the victory, as the fort had still about three hundred effective men, with ample provisions and ammunition, and could defy assault and withstand a protracted siege.

In this fight Chippewas and Ottawas took the leading part.  The Wyandots had, however, at the sound of firing crossed the river, and the Potawatomis also had joined in the combat, in spite of the truce so recently made with Gladwyn.  At the battle of Bloody Run at least eight hundred warriors were engaged in the endeavour to cut off Dalyell’s men.  There was rejoicing in the Indian villages, and more British scalps adorned the warriors’ wigwams.  Runners were sent out to the surrounding nations with news of the victory, and many recruits were added to Pontiac’s forces.

CHAPTER V

THE FALL OF THE LESSER FORTS

While Fort Detroit was withstanding Pontiac’s hordes, the smaller forts and block-houses scattered throughout the hinterland were faring badly.  On the southern shore of Lake Erie, almost directly south of the Detroit river, stood Fort Sandusky—­a rude blockhouse surrounded by a stockade.  Here were about a dozen men, commanded by Ensign Christopher Paully.  The blockhouse could easily have been taken by assault; but such was not the method of the band of Wyandots in the neighbourhood.  They preferred treachery, and, under the guise of friendship, determined to destroy the garrison with no risk to themselves.

On the morning of May 16 Paully was informed that seven Indians wished to confer with him.  Four of these were members of the Wyandot tribe, and three belonged to Pontiac’s band of Ottawas.  The Wyandots were known to Paully, and as he had no news of the situation at Detroit, and no suspicion of danger to himself, he readily admitted them to his quarters.  The Indians produced a calumet and handed it to Paully in token of friendship.  As the pipe passed from lip to lip a warrior appeared at the door of the room and raised his arm.  It was the signal for attack.  Immediately Paully was seized by the Indians, two of whom had placed themselves on either side of him.  At the same moment a war-whoop rang out and firing began; and as Paully was rushed across the parade-ground he saw the bodies of several of his men, who had been treacherously slain.  The sentry had been tomahawked as he stood at arms at the gate; and the sergeant of the little company was killed while working in the garden of the garrison outside the stockade.