eight o'clock
Only Grant 's little company and Rogers ' handful of rangers stood firm , and by occupying house after house as they slowly fell back , protected somewhat the flight of the main body . The exhausted fugitives were still at a distance from the fort when they were met by an irregular company of traders and their employees , the sole force that Gladwyn dared spare from his slender garrison , under command of Paymaster Bullen . The little man in buckskin displayed such coolness and good judgment , and was so ably supported by his motley following , that from that moment the disastrous retreat was effectively covered . By eight o'clock , or after six hours of marching and fighting , the disorganized remnant of the little army , that had set forth to wipe Pontiac and his red followers from the face of the earth , found themselves , as by a miracle , once more behind the sheltering palisades of the fort , which for many months thereafter they had no desire to leave . About this time , the Ottawa chieftain who had won this signal victory , returned to his village with so moody a brow , that even his own followers durst not utter their rejoicings in his presence . He had been so confident of destroying Dalzell 's entire force and his plans had been so well laid , that to have them miscarry through treachery , aroused his utmost fury . Thus he now proposed to deal with the traitors in such a manner that there would be no chance of their example becoming contagious among the warriors who still acknowledged his authority .