Wacousta: A Novel of the Pontiac Uprising & the Siege of Detroit-3 Volumes Within One Special Edition - Softcover

Richardson D Phil, Professor Of Musicology John

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0857061011 ISBN 13: 9780857061010

Publisher: Leonaur Ltd, 2010

Synopsis

A war of musket and tomahawk in colonial America

In the minds of many the close of the French and Indian War-the Seven Years War as it was fought in the New World-meant an end to the aspirations of France for imperial possessions in the west and a close of hostilities between the British, their colonies and Indian allies and the French and theirs. The Revolution and the War of American Independence was but a decade and a half into the future and all the turmoil that led to the first exchange of fire was already boiling in the pot of colonial discontent. But this is merely an effect of the condensation of history. In 1760 there were yet Frenchmen, French colonists and those white men and red on the continent of North America who espoused the cause of the Oriflame and who thought that cause was yet far from lost. Pontiac, the mighty warrior chieftain of the Ottawa's and a mighty figure of influence over other tribes, nursed grievance and hatred against the King's redcoats and the farmers who had come to settle a wilderness under protection of their muskets and bayonets. The frontier was still sparsely garrisoned in timber forts and blockhouses and that which could not be achieved or taken by direct assault could be won by stealth and treachery. Such is the factual background to this essential, substantial and exciting historical novel by John Richardson, originally published in 3 separate volumes, all of which are brought to Leonaur readers in one special volume available in soft cover and hard cover for collectors. For those who love fiction of spirit, such as 'The Last of the Mohicans' or 'Drums Along the Mohawk,' this will be a welcome addition to their libraries.

About this title

About the Author

John Richardson was the first Canadian-born novelist, a Metis whose grandmother was an Ottawa. Richardson served in the British army and was a great admirer of Tecumseh, whom he met during the War of 1812. Heather Kirk is a writer and teacher living in Barrie, Ontario. She has published many articles on Canadian writers, including Mazo de la Roche, Grey Owl, Emily Carr, and Stephen Leacock. Her books include a biography of Mazo de la Roche and two young adult novels - Warsaw Spring and its sequel, A Drop of Rain.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Two

It was during the midnight watch, late in September, 1763, that the English garrison of Détroit, in North America, was thrown into the utmost consternation by the sudden and mysterious introduction of a stranger within its walls. The circumstance at this moment was particularly remarkable; for the period was so fearful and pregnant with events of danger, the fort being assailed on every side by a powerful and vindictive foe, that a caution and vigilance of no common kind were unceasingly exercised by the prudent governor for the safety of those committed to his charge. A long series of hostilities had been pursued by the North-American Indians against the subjects of England, within the few years that had succeeded to the final subjection of the Canadas to her victorious arms; and many and sanguinary were the conflicts in which the devoted soldiery were made to succumb to the cunning and numbers of their savage enemies. In those lone regions, both officers and men, in their respective ranks, were, by a communionship of suffering, isolation, and peculiarity of duty, drawn towards each other with feelings of almost fraternal affection; and the fates of those who fell were lamented with sincerity of soul, and avenged, when opportunity offered, with a determination prompted equally by indignation and despair. This sentiment of union, existing even between men and officers of different corps, was, with occasional exceptions, of course doubly strengthened among those who fought under the same colours, and acknowledged the same head; and, as it often happened in Canada, during this interesting period, that a single regiment was distributed into two or three fortresses, each so far removed from the other that communication could with the utmost facility be cut off, the anxiety and uncertainty of these detachments became proportioned to the danger with which they knew themselves to be more immediately beset. The garrison of Détroit, at the date above named, consisted of a third of the ____ regiment, the remainder of which occupied the forts of Michillimackinac and Niagara, and to each division of this regiment was attached an officer’s command of artillery. It is true that no immediate overt act of hostility had for some time been perpetrated by the Indians, who were assembled in force around the former garrison; but the experienced officer to whom the command had been intrusted was too sensible of the craftiness of the surrounding hordes to be deceived, by any outward semblance of amity, into neglect of those measures of precaution which were so indispensable to the surety of his trust.

In this he pursued a line of policy happily adapted to the delicate nature of his position. Unwilling to excite the anger or wound the pride of the chiefs, by any outward manifestation of distrust, he affected to confide in the sincerity of their professions, and, by inducing his officers to mix occasionally in their councils, and his men in the amusements of the inferior warriors, contrived to impress the conviction that he reposed altogether on their faith. But, although these acts were in some degree coerced by the necessity of the times, and a perfect knowledge of all the misery that must accrue to them in the event of their provoking the Indians into acts of open hostility, the prudent governor took such precautions as were deemed efficient to defeat any treacherous attempt at violation of the tacit treaty on the part of the natives. The officers never ventured out, unless escorted by a portion of their men, who, although appearing to be dispersed among the warriors, still kept sufficiently together to be enabled, in a moment of emergency, to afford succour not only to each other but to their superiors. On these occasions, as a further security against surprise, the troops left within were instructed to be in readiness, at a moment’s warning, to render assistance, if necessary, to their companions, who seldom, on any occasion, ventured out of reach of the cannon of the fort, the gate of which was hermetically closed, while numerous supernumerary sentinels were posted along the ramparts, with a view to give the alarm if any thing extraordinary was observed to occur without.

Painful and harassing as were the precautions it was found necessary to adopt on these occasions, and little desirous as were the garrison to mingle with the natives on such terms, still the plan was pursued by the Governor from the policy already named: nay, it was absolutely essential to the future interests of England that the Indians should be won over by acts of confidence and kindness; and so little disposition had hitherto been manifested by the English to conciliate, that every thing was to be apprehended from the untameable rancour with which these people were but too well disposed to repay a neglect at once galling to their pride and injurious to their interests.

Edition details

• Publisher: Leonaur Ltd
• Publication date: 2010
• ISBN 10: 0857061011
• ISBN 13: 9780857061010
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 440