He led his people to Upper Canada after the war, settling on land granted by the Crown at the Bay of Quinte in present-day Ontario.
When the American Revolution started, Deseronto was a chief of the Mohawk, living at Fort Hunter where he owned a handsome house and 82 acres (330,000 m2) of rich flat land.
On 14 July, they surprised and attacked Ensign John Spoor's work detail as it was outside the fort cutting sod.
A scouting party from the fort found Deseronto in St. Leger's tent and shot him with buck and ball in the left arm and breast.
On 4 September, he arrived at General John Burgoyne's camp with the Fort Hunter families and several prominent loyalists, totaling about 150 persons.
The Fort Hunter Mohawks settled at La Chine, near Montreal, and were supplied by the British in exchange for the war service.
[citation needed] Haldimand purchased and granted the Mohawks a tract 12 by 13 miles (21 km) on the Bay of Quinte.
Deseronto was personally granted a lump sum payment of about £800 for his losses, 3,000 acres (12 km2) of land, and an annual pension of £45.
The Canadian government acceded to Joseph Brant's desire and arranged for the Mohawk of the Upper Castle to settle at the Grand River, at what became known as the Six Nations Reserve.