en
under New France.

The task of raising the British flag over these forts
was entrusted to Major Robert Rogers of New England, who
commanded Rogers's Rangers, a famous body of
Indian-fighters. On September 13, 1760, with two hundred
Rangers in fifteen whale-boats, Rogers set out from
Montreal. On November 7 the contingent without mishap
reached a river named by Rogers the Chogage, evidently
the Cuyahoga, on the south shore of Lake Erie. Here the
troops landed, probably on the site of the present city
of Cleveland; and Rogers was visited by a party of Ottawa
Indians, whom he told of the conquest of Canada and of
the retirement of the French armies from the country. He
added that his force had been sent by the commander-in-chief
to take over for their father, the king of England, the
western posts still held by French soldiers. He then
offered them a peace-belt, which they accepted, and
requested them to go with him to Detroit to take part in
the capitulation and 'see the truth' of what he had said.
They promised to give him an answer next morning. The
calumet was smoked by the Indians and the officers in
turn; but a careful guard was kept, as Rogers was suspicious
of the Indians. In the morning, however, they returned
with a favourable reply, and the younger warriors of the
band agreed to accompany their new friends. Owing to
stormy weather nearly a week passed--the Indians keeping
the camp supplied with venison and turkey, for which
Rogers paid them liberally--before the party, on November
12, moved forward towards Detroit.

Detroit was at this time under the command of the Sieur
de Beletre, or Bellestre. This officer had been in charge
of the post since 1758 and had heard nothing of the
surrender of Montreal. Rogers, to pave the way; sent one
of his men in advance with a letter to Beletre notifying
him that the western posts now belonged to King George
and informing him that he was approaching with a letter
from the Marquis de Vaudreuil and a copy of the
capitulation. Beletre was irritated; the French armies
had been defeated and he was about to lose his post. He
at first refused to believe the tidings; and it appears
that he endeavoured to rouse the inhabitants and Indians
about Detroit to resist the approaching British, for on
November 20 several Wyandot sachems met the advancing
party and told Rogers that four hundred warriors were in
ambush at the entrance to the Detroit river to obstruct
his advance.