Following the surrender of Detroid to the English under Maj. Robert Rogers (29 Nov. 1760), the Native Americans demanded that the British authorities lower prices on trade goods and furnish them with ammunition. When these demands were not met at a conference at Detroit (9 Sept 1761) the Native Americans grew increasively restive, stirred up by the Delaware prophet, a visionary living in the upper Ohio, and by his disciple, Pontiac (c.1720-69), chief of the Ottawa. After his plan to take Detroit by a surprise attack was betrayed (May), Pontiac took to open warfare. Within a few weeks every British post west of Niagra was destroyed (Sandusky, 16 May; Ft. St. Joseph, 25 May; Ft. Miami, 27 May; Ft. Quiatenon, 1 June; Ft. Venango, c.16 June; Ft. Le Boeuf, 18 June; Ft. Presque Isle, 20 June), save for Detroit, which, under Maj. Henry Gladwin, resisted a 5-month siege, and Ft. Pitt, under Capt. Simeon Ecuyer. In retaliation Amherst proposed to Bouquet that "Small Pox"be sent among the disaffected tribes, and the latter replied that he would try to distribute germ-laden blankets among them, but because of the danger of exposure to British troops, preferred hunting Native Americans "with English dogs" (13 July). As a result of reinforcements which reached Detroit (29 July), Gladwin made a sortie against Pontiac and was repulsed at Bloody Ridge (31 July). Marching to the relief of Ft. Pitt, Bouquet defeated (with heavy British losses) and routed the Native Americans at Bushy Run, east of present Pittsburgh (2-6 Aug.), and relieved the fort (10 Aug.). In Nov. Pontiac raised his siege of Detroit. A number of tribes had already signed treaties with Col. John Bradstreet at Presque Isle (12 Aug. 1764). Pontiac finally submitted, concluding a peace treaty with Sir William Johnson at Oswego (24 July 1766). Subsequently he remained loyal to the British, but was murdered (1769) in Cahokia (Ill.), according to Parkman's version, by a Kaskakia Indian bribed by an English trader.

Pontiac's Rebellian, named for the Ottawa Indian chief who led the uprising, began when Pontiac led an attack on the fort at Detroit. The raid failed and the Indians began a siege. News of the attack sparked similar raids throughout the region until all but three forts -- Detroit, Pitt, and Niagra -- had fallen. British forces rushed to their relief. With no French aid materializing, Pontiac in October secured a truce and withdrew to the west. A final peace agreement in 1766 marked the end of the rebellion.