d in a few hours thirst began to make the soldiery
unmanageable. Realizing that the situation was desperate, Bouquet
resorted to a ruse by ordering his men to fall back as if in retreat.
The trick succeeded, and with yells of victory the Indians rushed from
cover to seize the coveted provisions--only to be met by a deadly
fire and put to utter rout. The news of the battle of Bushy Run spread
rapidly through the frontier regions and proved very effective in
discouraging further hostilities.

It was Bouquet's intention to press forward at once from Fort Pitt
into the disturbed Ohio country. His losses, however, compelled the
postponement of this part of the undertaking until the following year.
Before he started off again he built at Fort Pitt a blockhouse which
still stands, and which has been preserved for posterity by becoming,
in 1894, the property of the Pittsburgh chapter of the Daughters of
the American Revolution. In October, 1764, he set out for the Muskingum
valley with a force of fifteen hundred regulars, Pennsylvania and
Virginia volunteers, and friendly Indians. By this time the great
conspiracy was in collapse, and it was a matter of no great difficulty
for Bouquet to enter into friendly relations with the successive tribes,
to obtain treaties with them, and to procure the release of such English
captives as were still in their hands. By the close of November, 1764,
the work was complete, and Bouquet was back at Fort Pitt. Pennsylvania
and Virginia honored him with votes of thanks; the King formally
expressed his gratitude and tendered him the military governorship of
the newly acquired territory of Florida.

The general pacification of the Northwest was accomplished by treaties
with the natives in great councils held at Niagara, Presqu'isle (Erie),
and Detroit. Pontiac had fled to the Maumee country to the west of Lake
Erie, whence he still hurled his ineffectual threats at the "dogs in
red." His power, however, was broken. The most he could do was to gather
four hundred warriors on the Maumee and Illinois and present himself
at Fort Chartres with a demand for weapons and ammunition with which to
keep up the war. The French commander, who was now daily awaiting orders
to turn the fortress over to the English, refused; and a deputation
dispatched to New Orleans in quest of the desired equipment received
no reply save that New Orleans itself, with all the country west of the
river, had been ceded to Spain. T