Already an effort had been made to reach Fort Chartres.  In February 1764 Major Arthur Loftus had set out from New Orleans with four hundred men; but, when about two hundred and forty miles north of his starting-point, his two leading boats were fired upon by Indians.  Six men were killed and four wounded.  To advance would mean the destruction of his entire company.  Loftus returned to New Orleans, blaming the French officials for not supporting his enterprise, and indeed hinting that they were responsible for the attack.  Some weeks later Captain Philip Pittman arrived at New Orleans with the intention of ascending the river; but reports of the enmity of the Indians to the British made him abandon the undertaking.  So at the beginning of 1765 the French flag still flew over Fort Chartres; and Saint-Ange, who had succeeded Neyon de Villiers as commandant of the fort, was praying that the British might soon arrive to relieve him from a position where he was being daily importuned by Pontiac or his emissaries for aid against what they called the common foe.

But, if the route to Fort Chartres by way of New Orleans was too dangerous, Bouquet had cleared the Ohio of enemies, and the country which Gage sought to occupy was now accessible by way of that river.  As a preliminary step, George Croghan was sent in advance with presents for the Indians along the route.  In May 1765 Croghan left Fort Pitt accompanied by a few soldiers and a number of friendly Shawnee and Delaware chiefs.  Near the mouth of the Wabash a prowling band of Kickapoos attacked the party, killing several and making prisoners of the rest.  Croghan and his fellow-prisoners were taken to the French traders at Vincennes, where they were liberated.  They then went to Ouiatanon, where Croghan held a council, and induced many chiefs to swear fealty to the British.  After leaving Ouiatanon, Croghan had proceeded westward but a little way when he was met by Pontiac with a number of chiefs and warriors.  At last the arch-conspirator was ready to come to terms.  The French on the Mississippi would give him no assistance.  He realized now that his people were conquered, and before it was too late he must make peace with his conquerors.  Croghan had no further reason to continue his journey; so, accompanied by Pontiac, he went to Detroit.  Arriving there on August 17, he at once called a council of the tribes in the neighbourhood.  At this council sat Pontiac, among chiefs whom he had led during the months of the siege of Detroit.  But it was no longer the same Pontiac:  his haughty, domineering spirit was broken; his hopes of an Indian empire were at an end.  ‘Father,’ he said at this council, ’I declare to all nations that I had made my peace with you before I came here; and I now deliver my pipe to Sir William Johnson, that he may know that I have made peace, and taken the king of England to be my father in the presence of all the nations now assembled.’  He further agreed to visit Oswego in the spring to conclude a treaty