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Major Robert Rogers, 1759

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The French and Indian war across the sea in the Americas rises in intensity.
The French have allied themselves with the Indians, and fight the British 

with guerilla style warfare.  The British need something to offset these 

dangerous enemies, and find it in a man named Robert Rogers.

 

Rogers puts a new type of soldier into British military service.
 These light infantry units are called Rangers.  Lightly 
equipped and rapidly deployed, they can fight in 
the guerrilla style of the Indians. These Rangers, 
made up mostly of Border landers (Frontiersmen),

will become the most valued soldiers of the war.

 

 

   

 

 

The dress of a ranger company will consist of a dark forest green wescott,
regimental coat or hunting shirt/frock and appropriate head covering (bonnet).
Breeches or loincloth and leggings with moccasins or shoes and a simple shirt
will complete the dress. Our arms will consist of a "Brown Bess" musket
(or appropriate firelock) with cartridge box and frog which will usually contain
a tomahawk and bayonet/dirk. Other equipment may include a powder horn,
 shooting bag, haversack, sheath knife and other items.

Robert Rogers 
b. Methuen, Mass., Nov. 7, 1731 
d. May 8, 1795 

 

 

1757

 

     Among the colonial recruits raised for the British army in the year 1755, after the devastating defeat of Gen. Braddock, was Capt. Robert Rogers.  It is thought that Rogers was raised on the frontiers of New England.  When the recruits assembled at Albany, New York, Gen. William Johnson, knowing Rogers by reputation, employed him from time to time on important scouts.  Roger's head-quarters were at Ft. William Henry, a new fort erected at the southern extremity of Lake George.

Taking a few men, Rogers would depart by night, float up the lake to a convenient place, hide the canoe, and push on overland through the forest, penetrating the the sentry lines of the enemy.  At Crown Point, one of the French forts, his men, under cover of night, concealed themselves in the willows only three hundred yards from the fort.  At dawn, Rogers, holding some brush as cover, crawled closer.  While making his reconnaissance, numbers of French soldiers and Indians came out of the fort and began exercises (drill). Rogers was now unable to rejoin his men for fear of discovery.  As Rogers lay hidden behind a log, a Frenchman walked directly toward him.  Rogers sprang at him pointing his musket and offering quarter! The stranger then pulled a knife, and lunged, Rogers fired, killing him.  The report of the musket instantly gave the alarm.  By the time the French arrived at the spot of the deed, Rogers and his men had made their excape.

Soon after their return, with information of the enemy gained on the scout, Rogers took thirty men and two small cannon in four bateaux, and, pushing down the lake, discovered the enemy in an open camp in the forest.  Runners were sent to Fort William Henry asking for re-enforcements.  The delay caused them to be discovered. The British moved forward to surprise the French, when they perceived a fleet of hostiles in canoes coming down the lake.  No doubt a similar force was advancing by land to catch the British between two fires. Rogers at once sent fifteen men into canoes to decoy the French within range of the two cannon.  He steered as if to excape.  The French at once headed diagonally toward the shore, to cut him off.  The stratagem worked. Two cannon shots sunk as many canoes, and the remainder fled.  Thus was Rogers career carried out. Always daring, operating beyond the expected, willing to sacrifice himself or his men.

In the dead of winter, Rogers with his Rangers would move up the lake on ice skates, switch to snow shoes, and move cross country, setting ambushes on the enemy. Carrying their supplies on sleds, with dogs to track the French and Indians, they would suddenly appear, and then be gone.

So valuable were the services of Rogers and his woodsmen, that, in the spring of 1756, he received a special commission from the commander-in-chief to raise an independent corps of experienced foresters, men whom he was to choose himself, of the most approved courage and fidelity, and of the greatest physical inurement to exposure.

The French made several attempts to capture Fort William Henry, but as long as the Rangers were there these efforts failed.  First Lieutenant John Stark was in command of the company on the 16th of March, 1757, due to Rogers being in Albany for surgical aid.  Seeing the men forming in groups, and waiting for their rations of rum, he gave orders that no one was to receive it without his written order.  This displeased the men greatly, when they saw the remainder of the troops filling their bumpers in honor of St. Patrick’s Day.  That night the French, knowing the Irish penchant for celebration, attacked the fort.  If not for the fact the Rangers were ready to hold off the first assault, until the drunken soldiers could ready themselves, Fort William Henry would have fallen.

The Rangers served at William Henry until May, when they were ordered to Halifax, to join in the expedition against Louisbourg.  This expedition was abandoned and the Rangers were ordered to Fort Edward.  This would be the home of Roger’s Rangers for the remainder of the war.  They would build their barracks on an island outside the walls of the fort.  This would be known as Roger’s Island.

On the 10th of March, 1758, Rogers received orders to march with one hundred and eighty Rangers to the neighborhood of Ticonderoga.  He protested that the force was too small, and asked to be allowed to take four hundred men, but his request was refused.  The march was made along the solid ice of the lake, moving by night, hiding during the day. Sense the fall of Fort William Henry the enemy had been exceedingly active.

During the march, the advance guard saw what they took to be a fire on shore, and sent word back to Rogers.  The column was halted, but when they scouted forward, no fire was found.  At this it was thought perhaps the advance had seen the moon glow on a patch of snow. In truth a fire had been seen, but the French had discovered the approach of the Rangers, put out the fire , and sent word to Ticonderoga.  By morning the Rangers had set off overland on snowshoes.  Toward night, word was brought that a band of ninety-six Indians was approaching.  On the left of the line of march was a rivulet, and on the right a mountain.  The Rangers extended their line, and at first fire, killed fifty Indians. Thinking this to be the main force, the Rangers pressed on in pursuit, when suddenly they were attacked by over six hundred Canadians and Indians.  The Rangers fell back to their original position.  Here they fought for an hour.  Then Rogers ordered his men to disperse, every man for himself. Rogers himself, with twenty men, rushed to a prespice, over a hundred feet high, sloping down to the lake.  From here they jumped to the relative safety of the lake. Thus these men excaped certain death, one of their number reaching Fort Edward, and sending a relief party with sleighs and blankets.  From this time on the Rangers operated in larger bodies and in more important movements.  All the companies were concentrated at Fort Edward. Rogers was then raised to the rank of Major.

When the British occupied Crown Point, they sent a messenger with a flag of truce and proposals of peace to the St Francis Indians, who lived midway between Montreal and Quebec, at a point three miles from the St Lawrence River.  They were solidly attached to the French.  Their ferocity had resulted in the death of over six hundred colonists during the years of the war.  On the 13th of September the commander of Crown Point learned that the messenger, bearing a flag of truce, had been coolly taken prisoner and subjected to insult and indignity.  Shortly after receipt of this news an orderly handed Major Rogers the following:

"You are this night to take a detachment of two hundred picked Rangers and proceed to attack the enemy at the settlements of the St. Francis Indians, on the south side of the St Lawrence River, in such manner as shall most effectively disgrace and injure the enemy and redound to the honor and success of His Majesty’s arms.  Remember the barbarities committed by the enemy’s Indian scoundrels on every occasion where they have had opportunities of showing their infamous cruelties toward his Majesty’s subjects. Take your revenge, but remember that although the villains have promiscuously murdered women and children of all ages, it is my order that no women or children should be killed or hurt.  When you have performed this service, you will again join the army, wherever it may be.

" Yours, etc
"Jeff. Amherst.
"Camp at Crown Point, Sept. 13, 1759 To Major Rogers"

This was the campaign Rogers had waited all his life for! Two hundred men ordered to make a journey of more than three hundred miles, through a country barren of provisions, and occupied by the whole French and Indian army of fifteen thousand men!  To attack and destroy a powerful tribe of fierce fighters, and to effect a retreat by the same tremendous journey, only to retreat through a hostile country alerted by the knowledge of their presence, using every means to destroy them.

That very night as the moon rose over the lake, the small band of Rangers sailed out to their fate.  Now even the trip up the lake was a dangerous one, the French guarding the way to Canada with schooners armed with cannon.  They would travel by night, resting in hiding during the light of day.

On the fifth day a keg of gun power exploded in their camp, injuring a number of men, who, together with some sick, were forced to return to Crown Point.  This amounted to a loss of forty four men, one fourth of the company.  After ten days of avoiding the enemy, the Rangers arrived at Missisqui Bay.  Here Rogers would hide the boats for the return trip. Two trusted Indians were left to guard the boats.

On the evening of the second day, as the Rangers were making camp, the two Indians left as guards, arrived, with the news that the French had discovered the boats, and were now in pursuit of the Rangers.

After a rushed discussion, the disision was made to push and complete their mission.  If they traveled at speed, they could out distance the enemy, complete the mission, and the survivors would make their way back by route of the Connecticut River.  Lieutenant McMullen was dispatched to Crown Point, to inform General Amhurst of the disaster, and have him send relief and provisions at the Ammonoosuck River, "that being the way should return, if we ever did return at all".

Nine days they marched through a spruce bog, where the land was low and swampy, the greater part being covered with water a foot deep.  At night it was necessary to go into the woods to cut boughs to make a form of hammock in order to sleep above the water.  The day before that reached their destination, the Rangers came upon the St Francis River, with it’s swift current.  Placing the tallest men up stream, and joining hands in a single file, the entire company passed the ford in safety.  The only loss was a few muskets which were recovered by diving to the bottom of the river.

Towards evening on the twenty-second day after departing from Crown Point, the scout upon climbing a tree, saw in the distance three miles away, the unconscious village of the St. Francis Indians.  Rogers went out to reconnoiter the village, and discovered the unsuspecting Indians in the midst of a celebration.  Dancing and revelry were the order of the day, with no thought of war.  He returned and had the Rangers rest as best they could, they would attack just before first light.

At last the dancing and run had its effects. By three o’clock the last of the braves had stumbled to his bed.  The Rangers made ready, and with a stealthy step, advanced to within a quarter mile of the village.  Rogers called an other halt, the men lay down and waited. By five o’clock, Rogers had made the finial reconnaissance.  The entire settlement was indeed asleep. Orders were given for the men to drop their packs, and the company was divided into three columns.  They would attack the village on three sides.

With the first faint blush of dawn reddening the east, the Rangers moved rapidly forward. Every man knew his work.  The nearest wigwams were interred first, every sleeping brave had his throat slit, leaving the children and women sleeping. In this way, the deadly Rangers massacred almost two-thirds of warriors before the alarm was given.  At last the groans of a dying brave, or the wail of a frightened woman gave the alarm.  But there was little time for the warriors to reach for weapons.  Their only safety lay in flight. Only one side was open, that of the river. But as the canoes of the disoriented warriors were pushed out into the current, a hail of musket balls, stilled their efforts with death.  Five English captives were found and rescued. The scalps of more that six hundred whites hung from wigwam poles.  Embers from the fires were scattered on the wigwams, and soon smoke and flames marked the death of the village.  By seven o’clock the Rangers had killed over two hundred warriors, with the loss of but one their own.  This was the count as reported by Rogers.

The oral history of the Abenaki of St. Francis, states that the village was forewarned by a man from Roger's detachment.  Probably an Indian guide.  Also that most of the warriors were away at the time, leaving only a few men to defend the village.  Their loss was said to be about twenty men.

The hardships of the retreat far exceeded those of the advance.  The way led over barren mountains and through endless swamps.  After eight days travel, supplies gave out, and the Rangers divided into small squads of eight or ten men each.  They would have get subsistence from roots and berries. O ne of these detachments falling behind the rest, was surprised by the enemy.  Seven of their men taken prisoner. Two other detachments, similarly attacked, were nearly all slain.  Some of the men being still in good condition, preferred to make their way directly to Crown Point.  The bulk of the company however, was to rendezvous at the mouth of the Ammonoosuck River, a hundred mile above Number Four (now Charleston, New Hampshire), where Rogers expected provisions and relief.

When the last of the wretched men reached the rendezvous, fires still smoldered, but all signs of food and supplies were not to be found. Lt. Stevens, in command of the supply mission had waited only two days before departing only two hours before the Rangers arrived.  The Rangers had used all their strength to reach this point.  They could go no farther. Relief must be had or the whole of the survivors would soon die. Rogers, Capt. Ogden and a captive Indian boy set out by raft for Number Four, with the promise to return in ten days with supplies.  After a dangerous journey, they arrived in time to send a conoe of provisions up river on the tenth day.  Relief parties were sent out in search of stragglers. Slowly the haggard men were gathered at Number Four.  It was two months before the Rangers had recovered sufficiently to return to Crown Point.

Roger’s Rangers would continue in service until the end of the war. After the war Rogers left for England, where he resided until the opening of the revolutionary war.  He then returned to America, and visited the American camp, but was refused admission by General Washington.

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