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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