New Direction

With the New Year, we are starting a new topic...going back to my roots in the Midwest, historically known as the The Old Northwest.  Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois and Kentucky.  Feel free to offer your comments, but remember that comments are moderated for spam and must be on topic.  So let's get started! Ed. Note

In 1760 the vast country lying south of the Great Lakes, between the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers was open for settlement after the English defeated the French.  The area became known as The Old Northwest.  With that said, four regions still remained under French control.

The French still controlled the east bank of the Mississippi River below St.Louis with a cluster of forts, missions, and trading posts that extended from Canada to Louisiana.  Secondly, the French held the Illinois Territory around St. Louis, near modern day Ottawa, Illinois which LaSalle had founded on the summit of "Starved Rock" in 1682.  Thirdly, was the valley of the Wabash where Vincennes had become the seat of the colony in the 18th century.  Lastly, the French controlled the western end of Lake Erie where Detroit, founded by Cadillac in 1701 had stood against the British for the last 50 years.

Troops, under Major Robert Rogers were dispatched to take possession of the lands remaining in French hands.  Rogers was a hero of the northern frontier and lead his band of "rangers" in 15 whaleboats down the St. Lawrence to Detroit.  At the mouth of the Cuyahoga River near present day Cleveland, he met a band of Indian chiefs under their chief Pontiac.

After satisfying the chiefs of the journey's intentions, they were allowed to continue to Detroit.  They arrived in the little town of Detroit where they found the French commander, Beletre.  At the moment, Beletre was interested in making trouble with the Wyandots, and Potawatomi Indians and wasn't concerned with Rogers and his rangers. Beletre's attempt failed, he laid down his arms, left the city in disgrace, and was taken as prisoner down the river.  The French fleur-de-lis was taken down and the English flag was raised. After 50 years, Detroit was in British hands.

The story continues next time...
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Today in Pioneer History: "On January 8, 1877, outnumbered, low on ammunition, and forced to use outdated weapons to defend themselves, Crazy Horse and his warriors fight their final losing battle against the U.S. Cavalry in Montana.

Major Robert Rogers and His Rangers

In New York's Mohawk Valley, Sir William Johnson was forging an alliance between Britain and the League of Iroquois.  Johnson was one of the few colonels who genuinely liked the Indians. In 1756 Johnson became superintendent of the Northeast Indian Affairs. 

The Iroquois controlled the primary route to the south and west, making it possible to block French protection of inland ports.  Armed with British weapons, the Iroquois were more powerful than the French allies, the Algonquin.

Along with the Iroquois, the British had another weapon - Major Robert Rogers and his Rogers Rangers...Frontiersman, Indian fighter and author, Major Rogers became a hero, despite his legendary character deficiencies. (During the Revolutionary War, Rogers fought on the side of the British.)

He was a natural forest fighter and a man of great strength.  He and his Rangers wiped out the village of St. Francis Indians near the St Lawrence River in 1754.  The removal of this village put an end to the source of bloody Indian raids on New England settlers.

Major Robert Rogers commanded a force of irregulars and struck terror into the hearts of Frenchmen and their Indian allies.  Swift, punishing raids were his stock-in-trade and the ambush was his successful tactic. 

The climax of the French and Indian War came on the Plains of Abraham beside the French New World capital of Quebec.  On September 13, 1759  General James Wolfe overwhelmed the French in a bitterly fought battle in which both Wolfe and the French commander, Louis Joseph de Montcalm were killed.

French ambitions in America lessened and in 1760 Montreal was taken.  Official peace took two more years, but the west over the Appalachians now belonged to the British.

Next time...Dennis the Menace

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Today in Pioneer History: On September 14, 1901,  42-year-old Theodore Roosevelt is suddenly elevated to the White House when President McKinley dies from an assassin’s bullet. 17 years earlier two other deaths had sent the young Roosevelt fleeing to the far West where his political ambitions were almost forgotten - his beloved mother and wife within 12 hours of each other.