Pontiac

Pontiac (1720-1769) Ottawa war leader: Pontiac is credited with having led Native Americans against the British in the French and Indian Wars. After the defeat of the French, Native Americans were dismayed by the scorn of the British. Tradition asserts that Pontiac was the man who organized Native American tribes to resist British expansion. The skillful use of guerilla warfare enabled the Native Americans to seize a number of frontier posts, but the garrison at Detroit resisted their attacks. Pontiac and other Native American leaders were partly inspired by Neolin, a Delaware prophet who declared that the "dogs clothed in red" needed to be driven away. The incidents called "Pontiac's Rebellion" were only part of a 40-year period of resistance to the British imposition on tribal autonomy. Pontiac eventually settled for peace. He was killed in 1769 by a Native American of the Peoria tribe.