Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1885-07-02
An Historical Relic No-more.

Another ancient landmark of Detroit,
of Michigan, indeed of American history, has
reached the end of its course. The Pontiac
tree is dead. For some years its virility has
been waning, and 1t has been known that this
interesting relic of the forest primeval and
survivor of the Bloody Run massacre was
dying. Last year it was noticed that the end
was approaching, and the saps Of his life have
just run out altogether. The Pontiac tree was
one of the hist orc trees of America. Its an
tiquity was demonstrated by its size. Its in
terest, however, came from the fact that 1t was
a surviving witness Of one of the most mclan-
choly events of the history of Michigan. 1t
was an old whitewood, and in its prime a fine
looking monarch of the forest. The following
account of the event that gave the old tree its
celebrity appeared in Harper's Magazine in
May, 1862, in an illustrated sketch of the leading
American historical trees:
'In July, 1853, Pontiac was encamped behind
a swamp mile and half north of the fort at
Detroit. Capt. Dalzell, who had arranged with
Putnam in Northern New York, arrived with
achievements at the close of the month and
obtained permission to attack Pontiac immedi-
ately. A perfidlous Canadian informed Pom
tiac and he made ready for the attack.
"At little past midnight Dalzell marched TO
Parents creek. The darkness was intense. A
thousand eager ears were listening for their ap-
proach. Five hundred dusky warriors were
lurking near the rude log bridge In the wild
rayine through which Parents creek flowed
Dalzells advance was just crossing the bridge
when terrific yells In front and a blaze of mus
kerry on the left flank revealed the presence of
the willy foe. Half Of the advance par.
ty were slain and the remainder shrank back
appalled,. The main body, advancing, also re-
cofled. There came another volley, when the
voice of Dalzell In the van inspired his men.
With his followers he pushed across the bridge
and charged up the hill but in the blackness
the skullSing enemy could not be seen and his
presence was known only by the fash of his
guns. Word now reached Dalzell that the
Indians In large numbers had gone to cut of
his communication with the fort. He sounded
a retreat and in good order pressed toward De-
troit, exposed to most perious enfading
fire. Day dawned with thick fog; and now for
the first time the enemy was seen. They came
darting through the mist on flank and rear, and
as suddenly disappeared after firing deadly
shots upon the English. One of these slew
Capt. Dalzell while he was attempting TO bear
off . wounded sergeant. The detachment
finally reached the fort, having lost sixty-one
OF their number In killed and wounded. Most
of the slain fell at the bridge; and Parents
Creek las ever since been called, from that cir
cumstance, Bloody Run. The bridge was much
nearer the river than jefferson avenue, and the
huge tree, sixteen feet In circumference, and
SCARED by the bullets of that battle, stood In a
thicket in ravine between the assaiants and
the assailed'
There are no surviving landmarks that are to
be compared with the old tree In historical in
terest, except the old Ste. Anne's Church, De
troit, which is itself soon to follow, full OF
years and crowded with tender memories.