Which British major defended Fort Detroit during Pontiac's War?

Henry Gladwin defended Fort Detroit during Pontiac’s War. A British Army major, Gladwin commanded the fort when Pontiac and his allies attempted to capture it in May 1763.

Pontiac’s plan depended on surprise. He entered the fort with roughly 300 followers, many carrying concealed weapons, intending to attack after a council with the British officers. Gladwin had apparently learned of the plan through an informer, so the garrison was already armed and prepared. Pontiac withdrew when the surprise failed and began a siege instead.

Fort Detroit held out through the summer and autumn despite repeated pressure from Ottawa, Potawatomi, Wyandot, Ojibwa, and other Indigenous warriors. A British force attempting to break the siege was defeated at the Battle of Bloody Run on July 31, 1763, but Pontiac ultimately lifted the siege on October 31. The conflict continued elsewhere before a 1766 treaty ended hostilities.

A common mix-up is Robert Rogers, who helped lead the British takeover of Detroit from France in 1760. Rogers was associated with the fort and later fought near it, but Gladwin was its commander during Pontiac’s attack.