ady ' s ▁company ▁and ▁over to ok ▁it ▁at ▁the ▁sand y ▁d unes ▁South ▁of ▁Lake ▁Michigan . ▁ ▁A ▁race ▁en su ed ▁for ▁miles ▁through ▁the ▁d unes , ▁until ▁the ▁ra iders ▁took ▁up ▁def ensive ▁positions ▁at ▁Pet it ▁Fort . ▁ ▁Major ▁De Pe yst er ▁reported ▁the ▁action ▁ 8 ▁January ▁ 1 7 8 1 ▁in ▁a ▁letter ▁to ▁General ▁Henry ▁Watson ▁Pow ell : ▁A ▁Det achment ▁from ▁the ▁C ah ok ias , ▁consisting ▁of ▁six teen ▁men ▁only , ▁commanded ▁by ▁a ▁half ▁Indian ▁named ▁Jean ▁Bapt iste ▁Hamm el ain , ▁tim ed ▁it ▁so ▁as ▁to ▁arrive ▁at ▁St . ▁Joseph ' s ▁with ▁Pack ▁H ors es , ▁when ▁the ▁Indians ▁were ▁out ▁on ▁their ▁first ▁H unt , ▁an ▁old ▁Chief ▁and ▁his ▁family ▁except ed . ▁ ▁They ▁took ▁the ▁Trad ers ▁Pr ison ers , ▁and ▁carried ▁off ▁all ▁the ▁goods , ▁consisting ▁of ▁at ▁least ▁Fif ty ▁B ales , ▁and ▁took ▁the ▁Route ▁of ▁Ch ic ag ou . ▁ ▁Lie ut . ▁D ag re aux ▁Du ▁Qu indre , ▁who ▁I ▁had ▁station ed ▁near ▁St . ▁Joseph s , ▁upon ▁being ▁informed ▁of ▁it , ▁immediately ▁assemble d ▁the ▁Indians , ▁and ▁purs ued ▁them ▁as ▁far ▁as ▁the ▁petite ▁Fort , ▁a ▁days ▁J our ney ▁beyond ▁the ▁R ivi ere ▁Du ▁Chem in ▁where ▁on ▁the ▁ 5 th ▁December , ▁he ▁sum mon ed ▁them ▁to ▁surrender