Battle of Bloody Run | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Pontiac's confederacy | Great Britain | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Pontiac | Captain James Dalyell † Major Robert Rogers |
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Strength | |||||||
~300 | 250 | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
~7 killed ~12 wounded |
~20 killed ~34 wounded |
Coordinates: 42°20′31″N 83°00′51″W / 42.34203°N 83.0143°W
The Battle of Bloody Run was fought during Pontiac's Rebellion on July 31, 1763 on what now is the site of Elmwood Cemetery. In an attempt to break Pontiac's siege of Fort Detroit, about 250 British troops attempted to make a surprise attack on Pontiac's encampment.
Pontiac was ready and waiting, possibly alerted by French settlers, and defeated the British at Parent's Creek two miles (3 km) east of the fort. However, he did not accomplish the destruction of this British force which would have greatly demoralized the British and dissuaded more British efforts to break the Indian siege of Fort Detroit. The creek, or run, was said to have run red with the blood of the 20 dead and 34 wounded British soldiers and was henceforth known as Bloody Run. The attack's commander, Captain James Dalyell, was one of those killed. After learning of Dalyell's death, General Jeffrey Amherst offered a £200 bounty to anyone who would kill Pontiac.
The famous frontiersman Robert Rogers was one of the British commanders in the battle.