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JOURNALS
O F
Major Robert Rogers.
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JOURNALS
O F
Maj?r Robert Rogers:
CONTAINING
An Account of the fcveral Excurfions he made under the Generals who commanded upon the Continent of North America, during the late War.
From which may by colleiled
The moft material Circumftances of every Cam- paign upon that Continent, from the Commence- ment to the Conclufion of the War.
*
LONDON:
Printed for the AUTHOR, And fold by J. Mill an, Bookfeller, near Whitehall*"
M DCC LXV,
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INTRODUCTION,
G5Jf^^®T would be offering an affront to the I • I public, fhould I pretend to have no ,ji(^ pri\^'ate vicwe in publifhing the fol- (5^t^© lowing Journals ; but they will cxcufe me if I leave them to conjedure what my particular views are, and claim the merit of impartially relating matters of fadl, without difguife or equivocation. Moft of thofe which relate to myfclf can at pre fen t be attefted by living witneffcs.
And {hould the troubles in America be re« newed, and the favages repeat thofe fcencs of barbarity they fo often have aded on the Bri- tiih fubjeds, which there is great reafon to be- lieve will happen, I flatter myfclf, that fuch as are immediately concerned may . :^p fome ad- vantage from thefe pages.
Should any one take offence at what they may here meet with, before they venture upon exhibiting a charge, they arc defired, in favour to themfelves, to confider, that I am in a fituation where they cannot attack me to their own advantage ; that it is the foldier, not the fcholar, that writes ; and that many things here were wrote, not with filence and leifure, but in defarts, on locks and mountains^ amidfl
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the hurrlc?, difordcrs, and noife of war, and under that depreflVjn of Ipirits, which is the na- tural confcqucnco olcxhaulling fatigue. This was my fituation when tlie following journals or accoants Were tranlinittcd to the generals and commanders I adjd under, which I am not now at hbuty U) corredt, except infomc very grofs anl palp;ib!o errors.
It would peri^aps gratify the curious to have a particular account of my life, preceding the the war ; but tho' I could ealily indulge them herein, without any diilionour to myfelf, yet I beg they will be content with my relating only fuch circumftances and occurrences as led me to a knowledge of many parts of the country, and tended in funic meafure to qualify me for the fervice I h.ive fmce been employed in. Such, in particular, was the fituation of the place in vvfiich ] received my early education, a frontier town in tlie province of New IlampOiire, where I could hardly avoid ob- taining fome kno v]c;d:;C of tbe manners, cuf- toms, and bnguaoc cf the Indians, as many of them relided i:i che ncii/'ibourhood, and daily conveifed and dea't \v;!h ti^e IifioliO],
Between the years 17.13 '^-^'^ ^755 niy man- ' ner of life was fuch qs led r/.e to a general ac- quaintance bo'lj vv'tli tlhj iviiiiih and French feitlcmcnts in Norih Amakz, and efpecially
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with the uncultlcatcd dcfart, the mountains, valleys, rivers, la!-cs, and levcrnl pafTc-c that lay between and coniiguous to the laid fettleinents. Nor did I content myfelf with the accounts I received from Indians, or the information of hunters, but travelled over large trads of the country myfelf, which tended not more to gra- tify my curiofity, than to inure me to hardfhips, and, without vanity I may fay, to qualify me for the very fervice I have fince been em- ployed in.
About this time the proceedings of the French in America were fuch as excited the jealoufy of the Englifli, cfpccially in New York and New England ; and as Crown Point was the place from which, for many years, the Indians in the French intereft: had been fitted out againft our fef tlements on the fron- tiers, a deilgn was formed in the beginning of 1755 to difpofTefs them of that poftj purfu- ant to which troops were levied in the feveral provinces of New England, New York, and New Jerfey. The general rendezvous was ap- pointed at Albany in the province of New York, and the troops put under the command of Major General (llnce SirWiUiam) Johnfon. I had the honour of commanding a company in the troops furniflied by the province of j^ew Hampfhire, with which I made feveral
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CJccurflons, purfuant to fpccial orders from the governor of that province, on the northern and weftcrn frontiers, with a view to deter the French and their Indians from making inroads upon us that way. In this manner I wis cm- ployed till the month of July, when 1 receivtd orders to repair to Albany, at which place I tarried till Auguft 26th, and was then ordered with 100 men to cfcort the provifion-waggonf from thence to the Carrying Place, then fo cal- led, fince Fort Edward. Here I waited upon the General, to whom I was recommended as a perfon well acquainted with the haunts and pafles of the enemy, and the Indian method of fighting, and was by him difpatched with fmall parties on feveral tours towards the French pofts, and was on one of thefc up Hudfon's River on the 8th of September, when Baron Dicflcau was made prifoner, and the French and Indians under his command defeated, at the fouth-end of Lake George.
The 24th of September I received orders from the General to proceed with four men to Crown Point, and, if pradicable, to bring a pri- foner from thence ; and with an account of the manner in which I executed thefc orders I (hall begin my Journals,
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Septeitjber 24, 1755.
ri&i"*! U R S U A N T to orders of this date ^ P y| frohi Major-General Johnfon, Com- k.?^Ji( mander in Chief of the Provincial Forces, raifed for the redudtion of Crown Point, i embarked with four men Upon Lake George^ to reconnoitre the ftrength of the enemy, ai)d proceeding down the lake twenty-five miles, I landed on the well -fide, leaving two men in charge of the boat, while I marclicd with the other two till the 29th, when I had a fair vicv/ of the fort at Crown Point, and difcovtred a large body of Indians round the fort, and, from their repeated irregular firing, fuppofed they
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were (hooting at marks, (a diverfion much in ufe among the favages). At night I crept through the enemy's guards into a fmall village lying fouth of the fort, and pafled their Gentries to an eminence fouth- weft of it, from whence I difcovered they were building a battery, and had already thrown up an entrenchment on that fide of the fort. The next day, from an eminence at a fmall diftance from the former, J difcovered an encampment, which extended frorh the fort fouth -eaft to a wiid-mill, at about thirty yards diftance j as near as I could judge, their number amounted to about 500 men : but finding no opportunity to procure a captive, and that our fmall party was difco- vered, I judged it proper to begin a retreat homeward the jft of Odober. I took my route within two miles of Ticonderoga, from whence I obferved a large fmoak to arife, and heard the explofion of a number of fmall arms ; but our proviiions being expended, we could not tarry to afcertain the number of the enemy there. On the 2d we arrived at the place where we left our boat in the charge of two men, but to our great mortification found they were gone, and no provifions left. This circumftance haftened us to the encampment with all poffible fpeed, where we arrived the
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4th, not a little fatigued and diftrefled with hunger and cold.
Odober 7, 1755. I received orders of this date from General Johnfon, to embark with five men under my command to reconnoitre the French troops at Ticonderoga. Accord- ingly I proceeded at night to a point of land on the weft-fide of the lake, where we landed, hid our canoe, and left two men in charge of it. The next day, with the other three, I marched to the point at Ticonderoga, where wc arrived about noon. I here obfcrved a body of men, which I judged to be aboui: 2000 in number, who had thrown up an cn:renchment, and prepared large quantities of hewn timber in the adjacent woods. We remained here the fecond night, and next morning faw them lay the foundation of a fort, on the point which commands the pafs from I^ake George to Lake Champlain, and the entrance of South Bay, or Wood Creek. Having made what difcoveries we could, we began our return, in which we found that the enemy had a large advanced guard at the north-end of Lake George, where the river ifTues out of it into Lake Champlain. While we v/ere viewing thefe, I obferved a bark-canoe, with nine Indians and a French- tnan in it, going up the lake. We kept fight
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of them till they pafled the point of land, where our canoe and men v/ere left, where, when w^ arrived, we had information from our people that the above Indians and Frenchman had landed on an ifland fix miles to the fouth of us, near the middle of the lake. In a (hort time after, we faw them put off from the ifland, and ileer diredly towards us ; upon which we put ourfelves in readincfs to receive them in the bed manner we could, and gave them a falute at about loo yards diftance, which reduced their number to four. We then took boat and purfued them down the lake, till they were relieved by two canoes, which obliged us to re- treat towards our encampment at Lake George, where we arrived the i oth of October.
October 15, 1755. Agreeable to orders of this date from General Johnfon, I embark- ed with forty men in five boats. Our defign was to difcover the ftrength of the enemy's ad- vanced guard, and, if poflible, to decoy the whole, or part of them, into an ambu(h; but tho' we were indefatigable in our endeavours for feveral days, yet all our attempts of this kind proved abortive ; and, as an account of our feveral movements during this fcout would little gratify the peader, I fliall omit giving a particular detail of them. We returned fafe
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to our encampment at Lake George on tht 19th.
Odlober 21, 1755. I bad orders from General Johnfon of this date, to embark for Crown Point, witb a party of four men, ia queft of a prifoner. At nigbt we landed on the weft-fide of Lake George, twenty-five miles from the Englilh camp. The remain- der of the way we marched by land, and thd 26th came in fight of the fort. In the event- ing we approached nearer, and next morning found ourfclves within about 30O yards of it. My men lay concealed in a thicket of willows, while I crept fomething nearer, to a large pine^ log, where I concealed myfelf by holding buihes in mv hand. Soon after fun-rife the foldiers ifTued out in fuch numbers, that my men and I could not poflibly join each other without a difcovery. About i o o'clock a Unglc man marched out dircdtly towards our ambufb. When I perceived him within ten yards of mc, I fprung over the log, and met hihi, and of- fered him quarters, which he refufed, an(J made a pafs at me with a dirk, which I avoid- ed, and prefented my fufee to bis breaft; but notwithftanding, he ftill puftied on with refo- lution, and obliged me to difpatch him. This gave an alarm to the enemy, and made it ne*
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ccflary for us to haften to the mountain. I arrived fafe at our camp the 30th, with all my party. ,
November 4, 1755. Agreeable to orders from General Johnfon this day, I embarked for the enemy's advanced guard btfore men- tionedi with a party of thirty men, in four battoes, mounted with two wall-pieces each. The next morning, a little before day-light, we arrived within half a mile of them, where we landed, and concealed our boats j I then fent out four men as fpies, who returned the next evening, and informed me, that the enemy had no works round them, but lay en- tirely open to an afliiult^ which advice I dif- patched immediately to the General, defiring a fufficient force to attack them, which, not- withftanding the General's earneftnefs and ac- tivity in the affair, did not arrive till we were obliged to retreat. On our return, however, we were met by a reinforcement, fent by the General, whereupon I returned again towards the enemy, and the next evening fent two men to fee if the enemy's centries were alert, who approached fo near as to be difcovered and fited at by ihem, and were fo clofely purfued in their retreat, that unhappily our whole par- ty was difcovered. The firft notice I had of
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this being the cafe, was from two canoes with thirty men in them, which I concluded came out with another party by land, in order to force us between two fires ; to prevent which, I, with Lieutenant M'^ Curdy, and fourteen men, embarked in two boats, leaving the remainder of the party on fliore, under the command of Caprain Putnam. — In order to decoy the ene- my within the reach of our wall-pieces, we fleered as if we intended to pafs by them, which lucikly rmfwered our expectations j for they boldly headed us till within about an hundred yards, when we difcharged the before men- tioned pieces, which killed feveral of them, and put the reH: to flight, in which we drove them fo near where our land-party lay, that they were again galled by them j feveral of the enemy were tumbled into the water, and their canoes rendered very leaky. At this time I difcovered their party by land, and gave our people notice of it, who thereupon embarked likewife, without receiving any confiderable injury from the enemy's fire, norwithftanding it was for fome time very briflc upon them. We warmly purfued the enemy, and again got an opportunity to difchargc our wall-pieces upon them, which confufed them much, and obliged them to difperfe.— We purfued them
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down the lake to their landing, where th^y were received and covered by loo men, upon whom we again difcharged our wall- pieces, and obliged them to retire 5 but find- ing their number vaftly fuperior to our'Sj wc judged it moft prudent to return to our en- campment at Lake George, where we fafely arrived on the 8th of November.
Nov. 10, ^75S' Pi^rfuant to orders I re- ceived this day from Gen.Johnfon, in order to difcover the enemy's ftrength and fituation at Ticonderoga, I proceeded on the fcout with a party of ten men, on the i2th inftant, and on the 14th arrived within view of the fort at that place, and found they had ereded three new barracks and four (lore-houfes iri the fort> between which and the water they had eighty battoes hauled upon the beach, and about fifty tents near the fortj they appeared to be very bufy at work. Having by thefc difcoveries anfwered the defign of our march, we returned, and arrived at our encampment the 1 9th of November.
December 19, 1755. Having had a month's repofe, I proceeded, agreeable to orders front General Johiifon, with two men, once more to reconnoitre the French at i'iconderoga. In our way wc difcovered a fire upon an ifland
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lacent to the route we took, which, as we fuppofedjhad been kindled by feme of theene-* my who were there. This obliged us to lie by and adt like fi(hermcn,the better to deceive them, till night cam6 on, \Vhen we proceeded and retired to the weft-fide of the lake, fifteen miles north of our fort. Here concealing our boat, the ^oth we purfucdour march by land, and on the 21ft, at noon, were in fight of the French fort, where we found their people ftill deeply engaged at work, and difcovered four pieces of tannon mounted on the fouth-eaft Daftioii, two at the north-weft towards the woods, and two on the fouth. By what I judged, the number of their troops were about 500. I made feveral attempts to take a pri- foner, by way-laying their paths ; bat they al- ways pafiTed in numbers vaftlyfuperior to mine, ^nd thereby difappointed me. We approach- ed very near their fort by night, and were driven by the cold (which now was very fe- vere) to take flielter in one of their evacuated huts ; before day, there was a fall of fnow, whiA obliged us with all pofljble fpeed to march homeward, left theenemy (hould per- ceive our tracks and purfue us.
We found our boat in fafety, and had ihe good fortune (after being almoft exhaufted
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with hunger, cold, and fatigue) to kill two deer, with whi9h being refreflied, on the^ 24th we returned to Fort William Henry (a fortrefs eredled in this year's canr^paign) at the fouth end of Lake George. About this time General Johnfon retired to Albany, to which place commiflioners were fent from the feveral governments whofe troops had been under his command (New Hampfhire only excepted). Thefe commiflioners were em- powered by their refpedive conftituents, with the aflent of a council of war, to garrifon Fort William Henry and Fort Edward, for that winter, with part of the troops that had ferved the preceding year. Accordingly a regiment was formed, to which Bofl:on government furniflied a Colonel — Connedicut a Lieute- nant-Colonel— and New York a JMajor : af- ter which it was adjudged, both by Gen. John- fon and thefe Commiflioners, that it would be of great ufe to leave one company of woodf- men or rangers under my command, to make excurfions towards the enemy's forts during the winter -, I accordingly remained, aad did duty the whole winter, until called upon by General Shirley.
(^January 14, iy^6. I this day marched with a party of feventeen men, to reconnoitre
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the French forts j we proceeded down the lake, on the ice, upon flv^aits, and hahed for refrefhment near the fall out of Lake George into Lake Champlain.-^At night we renewed our march, and, by day-break on the i6th, formed an ambu(h on a point of land on the eaft-fhore of Lake Champlain, within gun- fliot of the path in which the enemy palled from one fort to the other. About fun-rife,two fledges laden with frelh beef were preYcnted to our view, we intercepted the drivers, de- flroyed their loading, and afterwards re- turned to Fort William Henry, where I ar- rived with my prifoners and party in good health the 17th.
January 26, 1756. Purfuant to orders of this date, from Colonel Glafier, I marched from Lake George with a party of iifty men, with a deiiga to difcover the ilrength and works of the enemy at Crown Point.
On the 2d of February, we arrived within a mile of that fortrefs, where we climbed a very fteep mountain, from which we had a clear and full profpedl of the fort, and an op- portunity of taking a plan of the enemy's works there. In the evening we retired to a fmall village, half a mile from the fort, and
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formed an ambufcadc on each ficfc of the road leading from the fort to the village. Next morning a Frenchman fell into our hands; foon after we difcovered two more, but they unluckily got fight of us before they were in our power, and haftily retired to the fort. Finding ourfelves difcovered by the enemy by this accident, we employed ourfelves while we dared flay in fetting fire to the houfes and barns of the village, with which were con- fumed large quantities of wheat, and other grain ; we alfo killed about fifty cattle, and then retired, leaving the whole village in flames, and arrived fafe at our fort, with our prifoner, the 6th of February,
February 29, 1756. Agreeable to orders from Colonel Glafier, I this day marched with a party of fifty-fix men down the weft-fide of Lake George. We continued our route north- ward till the 5th of March, and then fleered eaft to Lake Champlain, about fix ttiiles north of Crown Point, where, by the in- telligence we had from the Indians, we ex- pcdted to find fome inhabited villag;es.— Wc then attempted to crofs the lake, but found the ice too weak. The 17th we returned and marched round the bay to the wefl of Crown Point, and at night got into the cleared
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land among their hctufes and barns ; here wa fornied an ambufh, c^pedting their labourer^ put to tend their cattle, and clean their grain, pf \yhiph there were feveral barns full j wp (Continued there that night, and next day till dark, when, difcovering none of the enemy, we fct fire to the houfes ajid barns, and marched off. In our return I took a frefli view qf Ticonderoga, and reconnoitered the ground between that fort and the advanced guard on Lake George, approaching fo near as to fee their Gentries on the ramparts, and ob- tained all the knowledge of their works, flrength, and fitqation, that 1 defired.
The 14th of March, we returned fafe to Fort William- Henry,
The next day, after my return from this fcout, I received a letter, dated February 24, ^75^i ffop^ Mr- William Alexander of New- York, who was fecretary to Mr. Shirley, Commander in chief of the troops at Ofwego the preceding year, and who now, upon the deccafc of General Braddock, fucceeded to the chief command of all his Majefty's forcps in North America, and was now at Bofton, preparing for the enfuing campaign, being prcyioufly recommended to this gentleman by
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General Johnfon. I was defircd by the above- mentioned letter to wait en him at Bofton; of which, I informed the commanding rfhccr at the fort, and, with his approbation, 1 let out on the 17th of March, leaving the command of my company to Mr. Noah Johnfon, i>y Enfign; my brother Richard Rogers, wIjo was my Lieutenant, being fcnt to Bofton by the commanding officer, on fume difpatchcs pre- vious to this.
On the 23d, I waited on the General, and met with a very friendly reception ; he foon intimated his defign of giving mc the command of an independent company of rangers, and the very next morning I received the commiflion, with a fct of inftrudtions.
According to the General's orders, my company was to confifl of fixty privates, at 3 s. New York currency ptr day, three ferjeants at 4s. an Enfign at 5s. a Lieutenant at 7 s. and my own pay was fixed at los. ^^rday. Ten Spanifli dollars were allowed to each man to- wards providing cloaths, arms, and'blankets. My orders were, to raife this company as quick as poffible, to inliil: none but fuch as were ufed to travelling and hunting, and in \vhofe courage and fidelity I could confide :
they
[ '5 ]
they were, ir oreover, to he fubjedt to milita- ry dircipline, and the articles of war.
Our rendezvous Wa§ appointed at Albany, from thenc" to prutccd in four whale-boats to Lake George, and, " Iroin time to time, *' to ufe my bed endeavours to diflrefs the •* French and their allies, by facking, burning, ** and deftroying their houfes, barns, barracks, ** canoes, battoes, &;c. and by killing their cattle ** of every kind j and at all times to endeavour ** to way-lay, attack, and deftroy their convoys ** of provilions by land and water, in any part " of the country, where I could find them."
With thcfe inftrudions, I received letters to the commanding officers, at Fort William- Henry and Fort Edward, directing them to forward the fcrvice, with which I was now particularly charged.
When my company was completed, a part marched under the command of Lieutenant Rogers to Albany 5 with the remainder, I was ordered to march through the woods to No. 4, then a frontier town greatly expoled to the enemy ; where,
April 28, 1756, I received orders to march from thence to Crown Point, in purfuance of which we travelled through defarts and mountains. The fecond day of our march, my
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fccond Lieutenant, Mr. John Stark, tvas takeh iick, and obliged to return, with whom I ferrt fix men to guard him to Fort Edward. • We continued our march till the 5th df May, when I arrived with nine men at Lake Champlain, four miles fouth of Crown Point. Here we concealed our packs, and marched up to a village on the eaft-lide, about two miles diftant from Crown Point, but found no inha- bitant there. We lay in wait the whole day following, oppofite to Crown Point, expeding feme party to crofs the lake ; but nothing ap- peared except about four or five hundred meh in canoes and battoes, coming up the lake from St. John's id Crown Point. We kept our flations till next day, ten o'clock A. M. to ob- ferVe the motions of the enemy, but finding ho opportunity to trapan any of them, we killed twferity three head of cattle, the tongues of which was a Very great refrefhment to us on oiir journey. We at this time difcovercd eleven ca- noes manned vvith a confiderable number of French and Indians crofling the lake diredly towards us, upon which we retired ; and the better to efcape our purfuers we difperfed, each man taking a different route. We afterwards affembled at the place where we concealed our packs, and on a raft crofTed ovfer to the weft- fide
[ 17 3
iide of the lake. In our way we had a view
of the French and Indi
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s, encamped ; old Indian carrying- place, near Ticondero^^ and the nth of May arrived fafe at Fort VVilliam-Henry. Mr. Stark, with his party, arrived at Fort Edward three days before. In iheir way they difcovered a fcouting party of three or four hundred Indians. Lieutenant Rogers with his party had arrived fome days before this, and was at this tiirie out upon ^ icout.
May 20, 1756. Agreeable to orders from the General, I fet out with a party of eleven men to reconnoitre the French advanced guards. The next day, from the top of a inountain, we had a vievv of them, and judged their number to be about 300 j they were ba- iy in fortifying themfelves with palifadoes. From the other fide of the mountain we had ja profped of Ticonderoga fort, and, from the ground their encampment took up, I ji^dged it toconfirt of about 1000 men. This right we lodged on the mountain, and next morning marched to the Indian carrying- path , that leads from Lake George to Lake Cham plain, and formed an ambufcade between the French guards and Ticonderoga fort. About (ix 6*clock 1 1 8 Frenchmen pafTed by without
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difcovcring us j in a few minutes after, twen- ty-two more came the fame road, upon whom we fired, killed fix, and took one a prifoner 5 but the large party returning, obliged us to retire in hafte, and we ar- rived fafe, with our prifoner, at Fort William Henry the 23d.
The prifoner we had taken reported, ** that a party of 220 French and Indians were pre- paring to invert the out-parties at Fort Ed- ward," which occafioned my marching the next morning with a party of 78 men, to join a detachment of Col. Bayley's regiment, to fcour the woods as far as South Bay, if poffi- ble to intercept the enemy ; but we could not difcover them.
June 13, 1756. Agreeable to orders this evening, I embarked with a paj-ty of 26 men in battoes upon Lake George, to revifit the French advanced guard ; exceffive thunder and lightening obliged us to land at about ten miles diftance from our fort, where we fpent the night. The next morning, about fun-rife, we heard the cxplofion cf upwards of twenty fmall arms, on the oppofite fide of the lake, which we fuppofed to be a party of French and Indians, cleaning their guns after the rain. In the evening we embarked again,
and
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and early in the morning of the i6th drew up our battoes about four miles diftant from the advanced guard, and afterwards lay in ambulli by a path leading from thence to a mountain, in order to furprize the enemy, who went there daily in parties, to take a view of the lake ; but finding they were not at that place, we marched to the fpot where the enemy had ported their advanced guard, but they had retired and demoliQied all their works there -, we then continued our march towards Ticonderoga, near which place we afcended an eminence, and had a clear view of their works. 1 judged that their garri- fon and encampment confifted of about 3000 men : We then fet out on our re- turn, and arrived at Fort William-Henry the 1 8th inftant, except one man, who flraye4 from us, and who did not get in till the 23d, then almoft famiihed for want of fudenance.
About this time the General augmented my company to fcventy men, and fent me fix light whale-boats from Albany, with orders to proceed immediately to Lake Champlain, to cut off, if poflible, the provifions and flying parties of the enemy. Accordingly,
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June 28, 1756, I embarkcc! with fifty men in five whale-boats, and procct'dcd to an if- land in Lake George. Tlie next day, at about five miles dillance from this illand, we landed our boats, and carried them about fix miles over a mountain, to South Bay, where wc arrived the 3d of July. The following evening we embarked again, and went down the bay to within fix miles of the French fort, where we concealed our boats till the evening. We then embarked again, and pafled by Ti- conderoga undifcovered, tho' we were fo near the enemy as to hear their Gentry's watch- word. We judged from the number of their fires, that they had a be dy of about 2000 men, and the lake in this place to be near 400 yards wide. About five miles further down, we a- <:ain concealed our boats, and lay by all day. We fiw Icveral battoes going and coming up- on the lake. At night we put c)fF again, with a defign to pafs by Crown Point, but afterwards judged it imprudent by reafon of the clearnefs of the night, fo lay concealed again the next day, when near a hundred boats palTed by us, {even of which came very near the point where we were, and would have landed there ; but the ofiicer infilled, in our hearing, upon going about 150 yards further, where they landed, an4
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[
21
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dined in our view. About nin»o clock at night we re-imbaiked, and paffed the fort at Crown Point, and again concealed our boats at about lo miles diftance from it. This day, being July 7th, 30 boats, and a fchooner of about 30 or 40 tons, pafled by us towards Canada. We fet oat again in the evening, and landed about fifteen miles further down, from which place I fent a party for further difcovery, who brought intelligence of a fchooner at anchor, about a mile from us ; we immediately light- ened our boats, and prepared to board her; but were prevented by two lighters coming up the lake, who, we found, intended to land where we were ported 5 thefe we fired upon, then hailed them, and offered thepi quarters, if they would come afliore ; but they haflily puflied towards the oppofite fhore, where we purfued and intercepted them : we found their number to be twelve, three of \yhich were killed by our fire, and two wounded, one of them in fuch a manner that he foon died. We funk and deftroyed their veflfels and car- goes, which confifted chiefly of wheat and Hour, wine and brandy ; fome few cafks of the latter we carefully concealed. The prifoners informed us, that they were a part of 500
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inen, the remainder of which were not far be- hind on their paffage, which induced us to haften our return to our garrifon, where, with our prifoners, we fafely arrived the 15th of July. Thefe prifoners, upon examination, re- ported, " That a great number of regular troops and militia were afTemb.ling at Chamblee, and deftined for Carillon, or Ticonderoga * : that great quantities of provilions were tranfporting there, and a new General -f- with two regi- ments lately arrived from France : that there was no talk of any defign upon our forts on this fide ; but that a party of 300 French, and 20 Indians, had already fet out to intercept our convoys of provifions between Albany and Lake George : that 60 liyres was th? reward for an Englifh fcalp, and that the prifoners were fold in Canada for 50 crown? each : that their profpedt of an harveft was very encou- raging, but that the fmall-pox made grpat ha- vock amongft the inhabitants.** About the time of my fctting out upon this fcout. Major General Shirley was fuperfeded in his com- mand
* The former is the French, the latter the Indian name, fignifying the meeting or confluence of three v>-it^<;.
t The Marquis de Montcalm, who commanded in the rcduaion of Ofwego this year, and of Fort William- Henry the year following.
[ 23 ]
mand by Major General Abercrombie, who arrived at the head-quarters in Albany on the 25th of June, and brought with him two regiments of regular troops from England. I therefore, upon my return, wrote to his Ex- cellency, defiring leave to lay before him the mi- nutes of my laft fcout, and to recommend to his confideration an augmentation of the rangers* The General permitted me, with my brother Richard Rogers, to wait upon him at Albany. In this interview we difcourfed on the fubjedb of my letter, in confcquence of which he im- mediately ordered a new company of rangers to be raifed, and gave the command of it to my brother *, appointed Noah Johnfon, my for- mer Enfign, his Firfl: Lieutenant, Nathaniel Abbot his Second Lieutenant, and Caleb Page his Enfign. John Stark, formerly my Second Lieutenant, was appointed my Firfl, John M'Curdy fucceeded to his place, and Jona- than Burbank was appointed my Enfign.
Auguft 2, 1756. Agreeable to orders re- ceived of General Abercrombie at Albany, the 23d of July, J embarked this day at Fort William-Henry, on board one of the lighters
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* He compleated his company in 28 days, and, by the General's orders, went up Mohawke river, to ierve as a fcouting party for the troops that way.
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built there this fummer, with twenty-five of my company, in order to reconnoitre the e- nemy at Ticonderoga and Crown Point, and fixty men under Capt. L:irnard of the provin- cials, who had General Window's * orders to proceed with his men to the French advanced guard; but he not being acquainted with th^ way thither, put himfelf under my command. We landed this morning about fifteen milts down Lake George, and proceeded with the party till the4^h in the evening, and encamped about a mile from the advanced guard. Thfe 5th in the morning muftered the whole part}% and got to the fummit of a hill, weft of the ad- vanced guard, where we difcovered two ad- vanced pofts, which I then imagined was the whole of the guard, one of them on the weft- fide, half a mile fouthward of Lake Cham- plain, the other on the ealt-lide of the Lake, oppolite the former, at the old Indian carrying- placfe. We judged there were about 409 men on the eaft, and 200 on the weft. After de- liberating with Capt.Larnard upon the ftrength
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* General Winflow commanded the provincial troops this year, by virtue of a commiffion from the feveral pro- vinces, who virere concerned in 1755, '" ^^^ fame expedi- tion, and u'as now with the greatefl part of the provincial troops at Lake George.
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[ 25 1
and difpofitlon of the enemy, and the report of our advanced party, we concluded ic unadvifc- able to continue there any longer. He return- ed towards Fort Willium-Henry, and I went on with my own party till we came within view of Ticonderoga Fort, where, from an eminence, I difcovered the (ituation, but could not afcertain the flrength of it to my fatisfac- tion.
Augufl: 6, I went down towards Crown Point, by the weft-lide of Lake Champlain, and difcovered feveral battoes pafling from that place to Ticonderoga with troops on board. We then proceeded to the place where we burnt the village, as mentioned before, and there encamped, and perceived a party fally- ing out, driving a number of horfes to feed.
The 7th wc lay in ambufh by the road, with a defign to intercept fuch as might come out to drive in the cattle 5 but no one appearing for that purpofe, we approached nearer, to within half a mile of the fort, where we were difcovered by two Frenchmen, before they were in our power. This accident obliged us to make a retreat, in which we killed upwards of forty cattle. We arrived at Fort William- Henry, Auguft 10.
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[ 26 ]
A company of Stockbridgc Indians was this year employed in his Majefly's fervice, commanded by Indian officers, properly com- miflioncd by General Shirley, before he was fuperfeded in his command. General Abcr- crombie was fomewhat at a lofs how to difpofc of this company, and applied to Sir William Johnfon, who advifed, that a part *, viz. thirty privates and a Lieutenant, fliould fcout and fcour the woods under my diredion, which party had arrived while I was out upon my lad fcout, and Lieutenant Stark hac* ftrength- ened their party with fome of our people, and fent them out with particular diredions what route to take, the day before I arrived.
About this time his Excellency the Earl of Loudoun arrived at AlbMiy, and had taken upon him the command of the army, to whom I applied as Ihad done before to Gen. Abercrom- bie, tranfmitting to him an account of the In- dian fcout above-mentioned (who returned the 13th with two French fcalps, agreeable to their barbarous cuftom) and defiring that with them I might attempt to penetrate into Canada,
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* The remainder of this Indian company, with their Captain, were fent to Saratoga, to be under the direflion of Colonel Burton.
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[ 27 1
and diftrefs the inhabitants, by burning thci harvefl (now nearly ripe) and deflroyingthei cattle.
Accordingly, Auguft 16, we embarked in whale-boats in two departments, the one commanded by Lieutenant Stark, the other by myfelf. — The next morning we joined each other, at which time alfo fell in with us a party of eight Mohocks, who had marched out from Fort William- Henry the day before. We then marched diredlly to the place where we left our whale-boats the 7th of July, pro- ceeding about twenty-five miles northward of Crown Point fort, on the weft-fide of Lake Champlain, where we all (excepting one man who ftrayed from us and returned) arrived fafe the 24th. We embarked again in our boats, and fteered down the lake towards St. John's. The 25th we proceeded twenty miles further, and about midnight difcovered ^ fchooner ftanding up the lake with a fair wind towards Crown Point ; they paJed us fo fwiftly that we could not poflibly board her, as we intended.
The 26th we landed, and the Mohock^ left us to join another party of theirs then out; on a fcout.
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The 27th we got on a point, with a dcCi^n to intercept the enemy's battocs that might pafs up and down the lake j but not difcover- ing any, and our proviiions growing fliort, wc returned up the lake, and landed eight miles north of the fort at Crown Point, on the caft- fide of the lake.
The 29th in the morning we marched to a village lying eafl: of the fort, and in our way took prifoners, a man, his wife, and daughter, (a girl about fourteen years of age) j with thcfe prifoners we returned, and arrived fife at Fort William-Henry, Sept. 22, 1756.
The man-prifoner, above-mentioned, upon examination, reported, ** That he was born ** at Vaifac, in the province of Guienne in ** France : that he had been in Canada ibout '* fifteen years, and in the colonies fevvice " about fix, and two years at Crown Point : " that there were only 300 men at Crown ** Point, and thofe chiefly inhabitants of the ** adjacent villages ; that there were 4000 men " at Ticonderoga or Carillon, 1 500 of which *' were regular troop.'^, who had a fufficiency of ** all kinds of proviiions : that he never was <* at Ticonderoga or at the advance guard, ** but heard there were only fifteen men at «« the latter : that the French had 600 Indi- ans
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** ans at Ticondcroga, and expcdlcd 600 more : '* that 1 200 were arrived at Quebec for Ca- " rillon, which laii: 1800 hundred were un- •* der the command of Monf. Scipio de la ** Mafure : that they had a great quantity of '* cannon, mortars, fliclls, &c. at Ticondero- ** ga, but he did not know the number oc *' quantity : that they cxpcdcd the above re- *' inforcemcnt in two or three days at Ticon- ** deroga, having fent boats to Montreal to *' fetch them : that they underAood by a let- ** tcr that Ofwego had fallen into their hands, ** but the news was not confirmed : that they ** had heard we intended to invert Carillon, ** but did not know what movements werq *' intended on their (ide (hould wt negle(5t it ; ** that they had 150 battoes on Lake Cham- ** plain, which were kept at Carillon, thirty- ** live of which conflanily plied between Mon- " treal and that fortrefs ; that Monf. Mont- ** calm commanded at Frontiniac with 5000 ** men, but did not know whether thefc ** troops were regulars or provincials : that a ** great number of veffels had arrived at Ca* " nada with provilions and military ftores ; *' that they heard we had feveral (hips in the *' river St. Lawrence : that Monf. de Contc l^ de Levi commanded at Carillon, and came
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** lafl: May from France ; and that, llnce th^ " two lad fliallops or lighters (beforc-menti- " oned) were taken, they had augmented the ** number of men on board the large fchooner " in Lake Champlain from twelve to thirty."
Upon my return to the fort, I received or- ders from my Lord Loudon to wait upon Col. Burton, of the 48th regiment, for inflruc- tions, he being then pofted at Saratoga. By him I was ordered to return to my company at Fort William-Henry, and march them to the South Bay, thence eaft to the Wood Creek, then to crofs it foutherly, oppo/ite to Saratoga, and return and make my report to him.
In this tour we apprehended four deferters from Otway's regiment, who were going to the enemy, and whom I fent back to Fort Ed- ward, with a part of my detachment, under the command of Lieutenant Stark, and pro- ceeded with the remainder to compleat my orders, after which I returned to Saratoga to make my report.
There I met my brother Capt. Richard Ro- gers with his company, he being ordered back from Mohock river, to join me with the remain- der of the Stockbridge Indians j and I marched both companies to Fort Edward, where I was prdered to form an encampment. A part of
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the Indian company were fent out on the eaft- fide of Lake Champlain to alarm the enemy at Ticonderoga, whilft J, with a detachment of my own, and Capt. Richard Rogers*s com- pany, was ordered on another party down Lake George, in whale-boats, and the re- mainder of the companies were employed in reconnoitering round the encampment, and alfo ferved as flankers to the parties that guarded provifions to Lake George. Capt. Ja- cob, WHO commanded the Indian party before- mentioned, returned two days before me with four French fcalps, which they tookop- pofite to Ticonderoga on the eaft-fide.
Sept. 7, 1756. Agreeable to orders, I this day embarked on Lake George, with a party of fourteen men in a whale-boat, which wc landed, and concealed the evening following, on the eaft-Haore, about four miles fouth of the French advance guard. Here I divided my party, taking feven men with me, leaving the remainder in charge of Mr. Chalmer (a volunteer fent me by Sir John Sinclair) with orders, upon his difcovering the enemy's boats going up the lake, &c. to make the beft of his way with the intelligence to Fort William- Henry.
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- I was the 9th current within half a tnWe of Ticonderoga fort, where I endeavoured to reconnoitre the enemy's works and flrength* They were engaged in raifing the walls of the fort, and had eredled a large block-houfc near the fouth-cafl: corner of the fort, with ports in it for cannon. Eaft from the block- houfe was a battery, which I imagined com- manded the lake. I difcovered five houfes fouth of the fort clofe to the water-fi^le, and 160 tents fouth-wefl of the fort, and twenty- feven battoes hauled upon the beach.
Next morning, with one private, I went to view the falls betwixt Lake Champlain and Lake George (where I had heard the explofion of feveral guns the evening before, and had at that time fent Serjeant Henry to difcover the reafon of it) leaving the remainder of my party in charge of Mr. Gibbs, another volun- teer, to wait our return. Serjeant Henry fol- lowed foon after me, and reported, ** that the ** French were building a fmall fort at the ** head of the falls on the eaft-fide of the lake; '* that he alfo difcovered their guard to the *' weftward, and imagined both conlilled of •* 500 men." I returned, after finding the French were engaged in building a faw-mill at the lower end of the falls, and found my
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boats with provifions left, as I fuppofe, by Mr. Chalmcr and his party, whom I waited for till feven o'clock next day j but he not returning, and I judging from their tracks that they were returned to Fort Willia'm-Henry, we likewife began our return, and arrived fafe the nth of September, where I found Mr. Chalmer and the party left with him, he having pundlu- ally obeyed the orders given him above. Upon my return, I communicated my obfervations upon the Lakes George and Champlain to my Lord Loudoun, giving him as juft a defcription as I could of their lituation.
September 24, General Abercrombie if- fued out orders, that three commiffioned offi- cers of the rangers, with 20 privates each^ fliould reconnoitre the Wood Creek, South Bay, and Ticonderoga ; and thefe were alter- nately fent out, fo that a continual fcout was kept up for a confiderable time.
Odlober 22, lys^* ■'^^^ greateft part of the army was now at Fort-Edward, under the command of General Abercrombie, and Lord Loudoun arriving about this time with the re- mainder, it was generally expected that the ar- my would crofs the lake, and endeavour to re- duce the French forts, notwithftanding the fea- fon was fo far advanced j but his Lord(hip
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taking into confideration the probability that thofe lakes would freeze (which they gene- rally do in the month of December) in which cafe no fuppHes could be had from, nor any communication kept up with Fort William- Henry ; he determined to defift from this defign, and contented himfelf with keeping the field till Monf. Montcalm retired to win- ter-quarters, and accordingly fought all op- portunities to learn his fituation and move- ments.
Agreeable to orders from his Lordfhip, I this day embarked in two whale-boats, with a party of twenty men, upon Lake George, with an intent to bring a prifoner from Ticonde- roga. We pafTed the Narrows twenty miles from our embarkation, when Capt. Shcphard (who was made a captive in Auguft laft, and carried to Canada) hailed our boat ; I knew his voice, and took him on board with three other men, one of whom was taken with him. He reported, that he left Canada fif- teen days before. I went on my courfe till the 27th, towards Carillon, and landed that night on the weft-fide of the lake, concealed our boats, and travelled by land to within a miU of the fort. I kept fpies out the day after to improve any opportunity that might
offer.
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offer, and the next day fent them ftill nearer, but to no good purpofe : I at length difco- vered two men, Gentries to the piquet guard of the French army, one of which was ported on the road that leads from the fort to the woods : I took five of my party, and marched directly down the road in the middle of the day, till we were challenged by the centry. I anfwered in French, fignifying that we were friends ; the centinel was thereby deceived, till I came clofe to him, when perceiving his miftake, in great furprize he called, Qa\ etes vous ? I anfwered, Rogers, and led him from his poft in great hafte, cutting his breeches and coat from him, that he might march with the greater eafe and expedition. With this prifoner we arrived at Fort William- Henry, 0(51:. 31, 1756. Upon examination, he reported, " That he belonged to the regi- ** ment of Languedoc : that he left Bred laft " April was a twelve-month, and had fcrved ** fince at Lake Champlain, Crown Point, and " Carillon, was lad year with General Diefkaw ** in the battle at Fort Wiiliam-Henry : that ** they loft in that engagement of regulars, ** Canadians, and Indians, a great number : *^ that at Carillon were at this time mounted ^^ thirty-fix pieces of cannon, viz. twelve
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** eighteen pounders, fifteen twelve pounders, "and nine eight pounders: that at Crown ** Point were eighteen pieces, the largcft of ** which were eighteen pounders: that Monf, " Montcalm's forces this year at Carillon were *' 3000 regulars, and 2000 Canadians and In- " dians : that Montcalm himfelF was drawn ** off with one battalion, and that the forces <* then in that neighbourhood confiO:ed of five " battalions and about 800 Canadians : that the Indians were all gone off, 20Q of whom talked of returning to fpend the winter at ** Carillon: that the advanced guard on the, weft-fide above the falls were all drawn in, and that that on the eaft confifted of 600 *' nien, who were to decamp the iflof Novem- ** her : that they had a camp of five battalions, *' and fixty Canadians, about half a league from *' Carillon, and that the reft of the army were ** under the fort : that they had barracks fuf- " ficient for 500 men, which he underftood " were to quarter there : that they had one «* fchooner and 200 battoes on Lake Cham- *^ plain, and but five or fix on Lake George : " that Monf. the Chevalier de Levi com- manded in Monf. Moncalm's abfence, and that the Canadians were commanded by * Mefiieurs le Corn and Coluaibie : that when
^* Mon-
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'* Monfieur Montcalm went off, he faid he =* had done enough for this year, and would " take Fort William-Henry early in the fpring:
*' that the French had taken four of Captain " Rogers's whale-boats in lake Champlain : ** that when he was taken prifoner, he ima~ ** gined himfelf to be about a gun-fliot and half *^ from the fort, and that the French camp ** was pretty healthy.*'
From this time we were conftantly cm- ployed in patrolling the woods about Fort Ed-^ ward till the the 19th of November 1756, when I had his Lordfhip's orders to take ano- ther cxcurfion down the Lake. Captain Abercrombic, Aid-de-camp and nephew to General Abercrombie, did me the honour to accompany me; but nothing material being in our power to effed:, except taking a view o£ the fort and works of the enemy at Ticondc- roga, we returned fafe to Fort Edward the 25th in the evening.
About this time his LordOiip drew off tho main body of the troops from Fort Edward to be quartered at Albany and New York.
Both armies being now retired to wintcr-p quarters, nothing material happened to the end of this year. The rangers were ftationed at the Forts William-Henry and Edward, to
which
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which alfo two new companies of rangers were fent this fall, commanded by Captain Spikeman and Captain Hobbs, in one of which my brother James Rogers was appointed an Enfign.
Thcfe two companies were ftationed at Fort William-Hcnry, mine and my brother Ri- chard's at Fort Edward.
Captain Richard Rogers had leave to go in- to New England for recruits to complete our two companies. He this winter waited upon the government of Bofton, to obtain pay for our fervices in the winter 1755 before-men- tioned, but could obtain none, notwithftanding Lord Loudoun, who was then at Bofton, ge- neroufly fupported and enforced our folicita- tions with his intereft.
January 15, 1757. Agreeable to orders from the commanding officer at Fort Edward, I this day marched with my own Lieutenant Mr. Stark, Enfign Page of Captain Richard Rogers's company, and fifty privates of faid companies, to Fort William-Henry, where wc were employed in providing provifions, fnow- fhoes, &c. till the 17th, when being joined by Captain Spikeman, Lieutenant Kennedy and Enfign Brewer of his company, and fourteen of their men, together with Enfign James Rogers^
an4
t 39 )
and fourteen men of Captain Hobbs's company, and Mr. Baker, a volu nteer of the 44th regiment of foot, we began our march on the ice down Lake George, and at night encamped on the caft-fide of the Firft Narrows. The next morning) finding that fome of the detachment had hurt themfelves in the march the day be- fore, as many were difmifTed to return to the fort, as reduced our party to feventy-four men, officers included.
The 1 8th we marched twelve miles down the lake, and encamped on the weft-fide of it. The 1 9th we marched three miles from our encampment further down the lake, and then took the land, and, upon fnow-(hoes, travelled north -weft about eight miles from our landing, and three from the lake, where we encamped. The 20th we marched north- by-eaft the whole day, and at night encamped on the weftern-fide, oppofite to and about three miles diftant from Lake Champlain.
The 2 1 ft' we marched eaft, till we came to the lake, about mid-way between Crown Point and Ticonderoga, and immediately dif- covcred a fled going from the latter to the for- mer. I ordered Lieutenant Stark, with twenty men, to head the fled, while I, with a party, marched the other way to prevent its retreat- ing
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ing back again, leaving Captain Spikeman In the center with the remainder. I foon difco- Vered eight or ten fleds more following down the lake, and endeavoured to give Mr. Stark intelligence of it before he fallied on the lake and difcovered himfclf to them, but could not* They all haflily returned towards Ticonderoga. We purfued them, and took feven prifoners^ three fleds, and fix horfesj the remainder made their efcape. We examined the captives feparately, who reported, *' That 20oCanadi- ** ans and 45 Indians were juit arrived at Ti- ** conderoga, and were to be reinforced that •' evening, or next morning, by fifty Indians ** more from Crown Point : that there were ** 600 regular troops at that fortrefs, and 3^0 at Ticonderoga, where they foon expeded a large number of troops, who in the fprinyj ** were to befiege our forts : that they had " large magazines of provilions in their forts, ** and that the above-mentioned party were ** well equipped, and in a condition to march ** upon any emergency at the leafl notice, and ** were defigned foon to way -lay and diftrefs ** our convoys between the forts."
From this account of things, and knowing that thofe who efcaped would give early notice of us at Ticonderega, I concluded it befl to re- turn ',
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turn j and ordered the party,with the utmoft ex- pedition, to march to the fires we had kindled the hight before, and prtpare for a battle, if it fhould be offered, by drying our guns, it being a rainy day, which we effedted ; and then marched in a fingle file, myfclf and Lieute- nant Kennedy in the front, Lieutenant Stark in the rear, and Captain Spikeman in the center. Enfigns Page and Rogers were between the firont and center, and Enfign Brewer between the center and rear, Serjeant Walker having the command of a rear-guard. In this manner we advanced half a mile, or thereabouts, over broken ground, when palling a valley of about fifteen rods breadth, the front having reached the fummit of a hill on the weft-fide of it; the enemy, who had here drawn up in the form of a half- moon, with a defign, as we fuppofed, to farround us, faluted us with a vol- ley of about 200 fhot, at the diftance of about five yards from the neareft, or front, and thirty from the rear of their party. This fire was a- bout two o'clock in the afternoon, and proved fatal to Lieutenant Kennedy, and Mr. Gardner, a volunteer in my company, and wounded me and feveral others; myfelf, however, but {light- ly in the head. We immediately returned their fire. I then ordered my men to the op- pofite hill, where I fuppofed Lieutenant Stark • ' C' and
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and Enfign Brewer had made a fland with forty men to cover us, in cafe we were obli<!;ed to retreat. We were clofely purfued, and Capt. Spikeman, with feveral of tiie party. were killed, and others made prifoners. My people, however, heat them back by a brifk fire from the liill, which gave us an opportunity to afccnd, and poil ourfelves to advantage. After which I ordered Lieutenant Stark and Mr. Baker in the center, with Enfign Rogers j Serjeants Walter and Phillips, with a party, be- ing a relerve, to prevent our being flanked, and watch the motions of the enemy. Soon after we had thus formed ourfelves for battle, the enemy attempted to flank us on the right, but the above refcrve bravely attacked them, and giving them the firfl fire very brifl^ly, it flopped feveral from retreating to the main body. The enemy then piiihed us clofely in the front} but having the advantageof the ground, and being flieltered by large trees, we maintained a con- tinual fire upon them, which killed feveral, and obliged the refl: to retire to their main body. They then attempted to flank us again, but were again met by our referved party, and re- pulfed. Mr. Baker about this time was killed. We maintained a pretty conftant fire on both fides, till the darknefs prevented our feeing each other, and about fun-fet I received a ball
thro'
t 43 ]
thro' my hand and wrifl, wlilch dlfablcd me
loadi
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found
f.vever means to keep my people from being intimi- dated by this accident; they gallantly kept their advantageous fituation, till the fire ceafcd on both fides. The enemy, during the action, ufed many arts and ftratagems to induce us to fubiiiit, fometimes threatening us with ieverity if we refufed, aiTuring us that they every mo- ment expedted a large reinforcement, which (hould cut us to pieces without mercy : at o- ther times flattering and caj oiling us, declaring it was a pity fo many brave men fliould be loft i that we ftiould, upon our furrender, be treated with the greateft companion and kind- ncfs ; calling me by name, they gave me the ftrongeft afturances of their efteem and friend- fliip that words could do ; but no one being difmayed by their menaces, or flattered by fair promifes, we told them our numbers were fuf- ficient, and that we were determined to keep our ground as long as there were two left to fland by each other.
After the adion, in which we had a great number fo feverely wounded that they could not traveil' without afllftance, and our ammuni- tion being nearly expended, and confidering that we were near to Ticonderoga, from whence the enemy might eafily make a defcent, and
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overpower us by numbers, I thought it expe- dient to take the advantage of the night to re- treat, and gave orders accordingly; and the next
irrived at Lake G(
about fix
mornings
miles fouth of the French advanced guard, from whence I difpatched Lieutenant Stark with two men to Fort William-Henry, to procure conveyances for our wounded men thither; and the next morning we were met by a party of fifteen men and a fled, under the command of Lieutenant Bucklev, of Hobbs's company of Rangers, at the iirft narrows at Lake George. Our whole party, which now confifted of only forty-eight efFedlive, and fix wounded men, arrived at Fort William-Hen- ry the fame evening, being the 23d of Janua- ry 1757.
The nearefi: computation we could make of the number which attacked us, was, that it confifted of about 250 French and Indians; and we afterwards had an account from the ene- my, that neir lofs in this adlion, of thofe killed, a'-d who afterwards died of their wounds amounted to n6 men.
Both the officers and foldiers I had the ho- nour to command, who furvived the firfl onfet, behaved with the mod undaunted bravery and refolution, and feemed to vie with each other in their refpcdtive ilations who fhould excel.
The
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The following is the Return which was made of fho Killed, Wounded, and Miffing, in the above adlion, viz.
c
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e
Capt. Robert Rogers ( ■ Mr. Baker, Volunteer} filled Mr. Gardner, ditto ditto
Thomas Henfon - ditto
Serjeant Martin Thomas Burnfide - Serjeant Henry William Morris - John Morrifon
°, , Jofeph Stepliens Benjamin Woodall David Kemble Enfign Caleb Page David Page
Si
o
10
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a n
B '5.
a.
Serjeant Jon. Howard Phincas Kemp John Edmonds Thomas Farmer - Emanuel Lapartaquer
Capt. Spikeman Lieut. Kennedy Robert Avery - Thomas Brown Samuel Fifk - Serjeant Moore John Cahall
Total
ditto
ditto
ditto ditto ditto ditto ditto
ditto ditto ditto
ditto
H
Miffing ditto ditto
ditto ditto
ditto
Wounded 1
ditto ditto
ditto
ditto ditto
N. B. Thofe returned as Miffing, we afterwards found, had been taken prifoners by the enemv.
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[ 46 ]
Having laid this return before Major Sparks, commanding officer at Fort Edward, he tranf- mitted the fame to the General *, and the 30th of January following, I wrote to Capt. James Abercrombie, then at Albany, recommend- ing fuch officers as I thought mofl: defer ving, to fill up the vacancies occafioned by our late adlion, among whom were Lieutenant Stark to be Captain of Spikeman's company, and Ser- jeant Jofhua Martin to be Enfign in Captain Richard Rogers's company ; and I alio men- tioned feveral things in favour of the Rangers. In confequence whereof I recf '^ed the follow- ing anfwer.
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Dear Sir,
Albany^ Feb. 6, 1757.
** The General received your letter that was fent by Major Sparks, iand returns you and your men thanks for their behaviour, and has recommended both you and them ftrongly to my Lord Loudoun, as alfo that they have payment for the prifoners they took. Upon receiving an account of your fkirmifh we fent an exprefs to Bofton, and, by the faid oppor- tunity, recommended, for Spikeman's com- pany,
ai
[ 47 ]
pany, your brother * for a Lieutenant. We exped: the exprels back in a day or two, by whom, I dare fay, we (liall have my Lord's approbation of the Rangers. Pleafe to fend me the names of the officers you would re- commend for your own company, and alfo to fill up the vacancies in the others j as I am certain you have the good of the fervice at heart, your recommendation will be paid great regard to. I yefterday received your's of the 30th of January. You cannot imagine how all ranks of people here are pleafed with your condu<ft, and your mens behaviour ; for my part, it is no more than I expeded : I was fo pleafed with their appearance when I was out with them, that I took it for granted they would behave well whenever they met the enemy. When I returned I reported them as fuch, and am glad they have anfwered my expedlation.
** 1 am heartily forry for Spikeman and Ken- nedy, who I imagined would have turned out well, as likevi^ife for the men you have loft 5 but it is impoflible to play at bowls without meeting with rubs. We muft try to revenge the lofs of them." There is few people that
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James Rogers.
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will believe it ; but, upon honour, I could te glad to have been with you, that I might have learned the manner of fighting in this coun- try. The chance of being (hot is all ftuff, and King William's opinion and' principle is much the beft for a foldier, viz. " that *' every bullet has its billet," and that ** it is " allotted how every man Ihall dicj" fo that I am certain that every one will agree, that it is better to die with the reputation of a brave man, fighting for his country in a good caufe, than either fliamefully running away to pre- ferve one's life, or lingering out an old age, and dying in one's bed, without having donC his country or his King ?.ny fervice.
" The hifliories ^Jf this country, particularly, are full of the unheard-of cruelties committed by the French, and the Indians, by their in- ftigation, which I think every brave man ought to do his utmoft 10 humble that haughty nation, or reduce their bounds of conquefl in this country to a narrow limit. As foon as General Abercrombie receives my Lord*s in- ftrudions in regard to the Rangers, 1 (hall fend you notice of itj in the interim, I hope you'll get the better of your wound. If I can be of any fervice to you or your men as long as they
continue
continue mand
[. 49 ]
to behave fo well, you may com-
V
Your nioft humble fervant.
To Capt. Robert Rogers,
James Ambercrombie, Aid de Camp."
My wound growing worfe, I was obliged to repair to Albany for better affiftance, and there received the following inftrudions from General Abercrombie, viz.
Inftrudions for Capt. Robert Rogers.
* * His Excellency the Earl of Loudoun having given authority to me to augment the company of Rangers under your command, to lOo men each, viz.
One Captain, -j
Two Lieutenants, I upon an Englifh pay j One Enfign, j
Four Serjeants at 4$. each. New York cur- rency ;
100 private men, at 2 s. and 6d. each ditto per day 5
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" And whereas there arc fome private rften of your company ferving at prcfent upon higher pay than the above cftablifhment, you are at liberty to difcharge them, in cafe they refufe to ferve at the faid cftablifhment, as foon as you have other men to replace them. If your men agree to remain with you and ferve upon the above eftabli/hment, you may allure them they will be taken notice of, and be firft pro- vided for ; each man to be allowed ten dollars bounty- money, and to find their own deaths, arms, and blankets, and to fign a paper fub- jeding themfelves to the rules and articles of war, and to ferve during the war. You are to inlift no vagrants, but fuch as you and your officers are acquainted with, and who are every way qualified for the duty of Rangers 3 and you and your officers are to ufe your befl: endea- vours to complete your companies as foon as poffible, and bring them to Fort Edward.
w
James Abercrombie, Major General."
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About this time I again wrote to his Lord- (hip, earneftly foliciting his friendly interpofi- tion and affiftance, to obtain from the govern- ment here, an order for payment of what
was
[ 51 ]
was due to me and
for our refp<
y men, tive fcrvices during the winter 1755; but it that could not be obtained, that he would be pleafed to dire(5l me what method to take for recovery thereof. Whereto his Lordfhip replied, that as thefe ferviccs were antecedent to his command here, it was not in his power to re- ward them. General Amherft, afterwards, on a like application, gave me much the fame anfwer.
Thefe applications not being attended with any fuccefs, and fuits of law being afterwards commenced againft me, by, and on the behajf of thofe who ferved under me in that cani- paign, and verdidls obtained in their favour, I was not only obliged to anfwer their feveral demands, to the amount of ^. 828 : 3 : 3 fter- ling, which I paid out of my private for- tune, but alfo a confiderable fum for law- charges, exclufive of what 1 ought to have re- ceived for my own fervices during that fcvere feafon. But for all which I have not at any time iince received one ihiUing confideration.
In the fame letter I likewife informed his Lordfhip of the death of Capt. Hobbs of the Rangers who died a few days before, and re- copmended Lieutenant Bulkley of the fame
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company, as a proper perfon to fucceed him in that command.
March 5, 1 was taken rl with the fmall-pox, and not able to leave my room till the i ^th of April following, during which time mv officers were recruiting, agreeable tohi^^ Lordlhip*s5 in- ftrudtions. Not long after I received the fol- lowing letter from. Capt. Abercrombie.
Sir,
New York, Jlpril 22, 1757.
'S'.i !•'
" As there is another ranging company fent up to Albany, with orders to proceed to the forts, you will acquaint Colonel Gage, that it is my Lord Loudoun's orders, that the two companies at Fort William-Henry, and your own from Fort Edward, come down immedi- ately to Albany, to be ready to embark for this place. Shew this letter to Colonel Gage, that he may acquaint Colonel Monro of his Lordihip*s orders, and that quarters may be pro- vided for your companies in the houfes about Albany. You will take particular care that the companies have provided themfelves with all neceflaries, and fee that they arc complete and good men. Since his Lordfhip has put it in your charge, I hope you will be very di- ligent in executing the truft, for, upon a re- view
t 'n
[ S3 ]
, if anv are
view or the men, it any are found Infufficicnt for the fervice, the blame will be laid upon you. If the officers of this ranging company that is gone up, are not acquainted with the woods about Fort William-Henry, your bro- ther mud fend fome officers and men of his company along with them, to let them know the different fcouts. I am. Sir,
To Capt. Robert Rogers^ at Albany*
Your moft humble fervant,
. James Abercrombie, Aid de Camp."
Capt. Richard Rogers, with his own, and the new company of Rangers before-menti- oned, which was raifed in the Jt-rfies, and commanded by Capt. Burgin, being Veil at Fort William- Henry, my own company from Fort Edward, and Capt. Stark's and Capt, Bulkley's from Fort William-Henry, agreeable to the above inllrudiv^ns, marched down to Albany, and from thence embarked for New York, where we were joined by another new- raifed company of Rangers, under the com- mand of Capt. Shcphard from New Hamp- fhirc, and after fome fmall flay there, re-em-
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barked on board a tranfport, and left Sandy Hook on the 20th of June, with a fleet of near an hundred fail, bound to Halifax, where we foon arrived, and, according to orders, I encamped on the Dartmouth- <jde of the har- bour, while the army lay encamped on the Halifax-fide. The Rangers were here em- ployed in various fervices. "^
On July 3d, by orders, I cprnmandcd a par- ty to Lawrence Town, and from thence to Schitzcook 5 fome were left there to cut and make up hay in the meadows, for the horfes intended to be ufed in an expcc^'tion to Louif* burg ; others covered the hay-makers, and o- thers were difpatched on fcouts, to make dif- coveries ; in one of which two deferters from the 45th regiment were feized and brought in. About the latter end of this month forty Rangers were fent acrofs the ifthmus of Nova Scotia, to the fettlements on the Bay of Fun- dy, and a party down to the north-wefl: arm, to fcour the woods for deferters, &c. and brought in feveral, both from the army and navy.
About this time Admiral Holbourn arrived with a fleet from England, with feveral regi- ments of regular troops on board, which were lan.4ed, and like wife encamped at Halifax,
upoi^
( J? )
upon which all fcouting parties were called in$ but certain intelligence being received that a French fleet of fupcrior force had adlually arrived at Louifburg, the intended expedi^ tion againfl that place was laid aflde, and thereupon the Rangers were remanded back to the weftern frontiers.
Great numbers of the Rangers having been carried off this fummer by the fmall-pox, I fent feveral of my officers, by his Lordfhip's com- mand, to recruit in New Hampfhire, and the Maflachufet's provinces, with orders to join me at Albany. I afterwards embarked with the Rangers under my command, on board the fleet which carried the regular troops to New York, and from thence proceeded in fmall vefl!cls up Hudfon's River to Albany, where I was foon after joined by the new-raifcd recruits.
I then proceeded to Fort Edward, which was the only remaining cover to the northern frontiers of New York, and the more eaftern provinces, Fort William-Henry * having been
taken
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* My brother Captain Richard Rogers died with the fmall-pox a few days before this fort was befieged j but fuch was the cruelty and rage of the enemy after their conquell, that they dug him up cut of his grave, and fcalped him. In
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taken by the French, under the command of Monfieur Montcalm, the Auguft bctorc. Ge- neral Webb was then commanding officer at Fort Edward, and by his orders we were con- tinually employed in patrolling the woods be- tween this fort and Ticondcroga. In one of thefe parties, my Lord How did us the honour to accompany us, being fond, as he expreiTed hlmfclf, to learn our method of marching, ambufhing, retreating, &c. and, upon our re- turn, cxprefled his good opinion of us very ge- neroufly.
About this time Lord Loudoun fcnt the fol- lowing volunteers in the regular troops, to be trained to the ranging, or wood-fervice, under my command and infpedtion ; with particular orders to me to inftrudl them to the utmofl: of my power in the ranging-difciplinc, our me- thods of marching, retreating, ambufhing, fighting, &c. that they might be the better qualified for any future ferviees againft the enemy we had to contend with, defiring me to take particular notice of each one's behaviour,
and
confequence of the articles of capitulation at the furrender of this fort, the two companies of Rangers there were difband- cd, and difmiffcd the fervice.
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( n )
and to recommend them accordinc; to their fc*
veral delcrts, viz,
Walter Croftbn Mr. Lyfliat Mr. Roberts
Y
the 4th regiment of foot.
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Charles Humbles ^ Richard Edlington Andrew Crawley f
Thomas Millet
\ of the ardditto.
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John Wilcox John Wrightfon Michael Kent Mr. Monfel Francis Creed
)■ 01 thv. 27th ditto.
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Alexander Robertfon
William Frazier
John Graham
Andrew Rofs
William Frazier jun. j. ^^ ,j^^ ^^ ^;^^_
Archibald Camobell
f
Arch. Camp'>c:il, jun. Auguf. Campbell Charles Menzies John Robertfon
I
Will
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Will. Ervin, or Irwin " Thomas Drought William Drought Francis Carruthcrs John Clarke
>■ of the 44th ditto.
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Walter Paterfon Mr. Nicholfon Richard Boyce Charles Perry
Mr. Chriflopher Mr. Still Mr. Hamilton Mr. Young
Allen Grant Jonathan M'Dougal Mr. Friiborough
Nicholas Ward James Hill
I
of the 48th ditto.
]
y of the 55th ditto.
J
1
i of the 3d ditto.
of the fecond batta- lion of Royal A- mcricans.
John
im
( 59 )
John Schlofer George Wardoman Francis Barnard Engelbertus Horfl Ericke Reinhault Andrew Wackerberg Luhainfans Dekefar Donald M*Bean Henry Ven Bebber John Boujour
y of the 4th ditto.
'V'
Edward Crafton James Pottinger Simon Stephens Archibald M'Donald Hugh Sterling Mr. Bridge
>- Rangers.
Thefe volunteers I formed into a company by thcmfelves, and took the more immediate command and management of them to my- felf ; and for their benefit and inftrudtion re- duced into writing the following rules or plan of difcipiine, which, on various occafions, I had found by experience to be neceffary and advantageous, viz.
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I. All Rangers are to be fubjed to the rules and articles of war ; to appear at roll-call
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every evening on tneir own parade, equipped, each with a fire-lock, fixty rounds of powder and ball, and a hatchet, at which time an of- ficer from each company is to infpedl the fame, to fee they are in order, fo as to be ready on any emergency to march at a mi- nute's warning ; and before they arc difmifi'ed the neceflary guards are to be draughted, and fcouts for the next day appointed.
II. Whenever you are ordered out to the enemies forts or frontiers for difcoveries, if vour number be fm;dl, march in a fingle file, keeping at fuch a diilance from each other as to prevent one ll:iot from killing two men, fending one man, or more, forv^'ard, and the like on each fide, at the diflance of twenty yards from tiie main body, if the ground you march over will admit of it, to give the fignul to the officer of the approach of an enemy, and of their n mber, &c.
III. If you march over marfhes or foft ground, change your pofition, and march a- breaft of each other, to prevent the enemy from tracking you, (as they would do if you
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[ 6i ]
marched in a fingle file) till you get over fuch ^i -lund, end then reibme your former order, and march till it is quite daik before you en- camp, which do, if poffible, on a piece of ground that may afford your Gentries the ad- vantage of feeing or hearing the enemy at fome confiderable didance, keeping one half of your whole parfy awake alternately through the night.
IV. Some time before vou come to the place you would reconnoitre, make a (land, and fend one or two men, in whom you can confide, to look out the befl ground for mak- ing your obfervations.
V. If you have the good fortune to take any prifoners, keep them feparate, till they are examined, and in vour return take a diffe- rent rout from that in which you went out, that you may the better difcover any party in your rear, and have an opportunity, if their flrength be fuperior to yours, to alter your courfe, or difperfe, as circumftances may re- quire.
VI. If you march in a large body of three or four hundred, with a delign to attack the
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enemy, divide your party into three columns, each headed by a proper officer, and let thefe columns march in fingle files, the columns to the right and left keeping at twenty yards diflance or more from that of the center, if the ground will admit, and let proper guards be kept in the front and rear, and fuitable flanking parties at a due diflance as before di- rcdted, with orders to halt on all eminences, to take a view of the furrounding ground, to prevent your being ambufcaded, and to notify the approach or retreat of the enemy, that proper difpofidons may be made for attacking, defending, &c. And if the enemy approach in your front on level ground, form a front of your three columns or main body with the advanced guard, keeping out your flanking par- ties, as if you were marching under the com- mand of trufly officers, to prevent the enemy from preffing hard on either oFyour wings; or furrounding you, which is the ufual method of the favages, if tlieir number Vv'ill admit of it, and be careful likewife to fupport and ftrengthen your rear-guard.
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body is equal to yours, extend yourfelvesocca- fionallvj but if fuperior, be careful to fupport and ftrengthen your flanking parties, to make them equal with theirs, that if poflible you may tepulfe them to their main body, in which cafe pufh upon them with the greateft refolution, with equal force in each flank and in the center, obferving to keep at a due difl:ance from each other, and advance from tree to tree, with one half of the party before the other ten or twelve yards. If the enemy pufh upon you, let your front fire and fall down, and then let your rear advance thro' them and do the like, by which time thofe who before were in front will be ready to difcharge again, and repeat the fame alternately, as occafion fliall require ; by this means you will keep up fuch a confl:ant fire, that the enemy will not be able eafily to break your order, or gain your ground.
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VIII. If you oblige the enemy to retreat, be careful, in your purfuit of them, to keep out your flanking parties, and prevent them from gaining eminences, or rifing grounds, in which cafe they would perhaps be able to rally and repulfe you in their turn.
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IX. If you are obliged to retreat, let fhe front of your whole pirty fire and fall back, till the rear hath done the fame, making for the befl ground you can ; by this means you will oblige tbe enemy to purfue you, if they do it at all, in the face of a conftant fire.
X. If the enemy Is fo fuperior that you are in danger of being furrounded by them, let the whole body difperfe, and every one take a difFcrent road to the place of rendezvous ap- pointed for that evening, which muft every morning be altered and fixed for the evening enfuing, in order to bring the whole party, or as many of them as pofTible, together,after any feparation that may happen in the day ; but if you (hould happen to be adlually furrounded, fori yourfelvcs into a fquare, or if in the woods, a circle is be/1, and, if poffible, make a {land till the darknefs of the night favours your efcape.
XL If your rear is attacked, the main body and flankers mufi: face about to the right or left, as cccafjon (hall require, and fjrm themfelves to oppofe the enemy, as before directed ; and the fame method muft be ohferved, if at- tacked in eiiher of ycur fxunks, by which
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means you will always make a rear of one of your flank-guards.
XII. If you determine to rally after a re- treat, in order to mukc a frefh ftand againft the enemy, by all means endeavour to do it on the mod riling ground you can come at, which will give you greatly the advantage in point of fituation, a«d enable you to repulfe fuperior numbers.
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XIII. In general, when pufhed upon by the enemy, referve your fire till they approach very near, which will then put them into the great- er furprize and conflernation, and give you an opportunity of rufiiing upon them with your hatchets and cutlafTes to the better advantage.
XIV. When you encamp at niglit, fix your Gentries in fuch a manner as not to be relieved from the main body till morning, profound fe- crecy and filence being often of the lafl: impor- tance in thefe cafes. Each centry, therefore, fliould confid of fix men, two of whom muft be conftantly alert, and when relieved by their fellows, it fliould be done without noife ; and in cafe thofe on duty fee or hear any thing, which alarms them, they are not to i^ ak, but
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one of them is filently to retreat, and acquaint the commanding officer thereof, that proper difpofitions may be made ; and all occafional Gentries ihould be fixed in like manner.
XV. At the firft dawn of day, awake your whole detachment ; that being the time when the favages chufe to fall upon their enemies, you fhould by all means be in leadinefs to re- ceive them.
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XVI.' If the enemy fliould be difcovered by your detachments in the morning, and their numbers arc fuperior to yours, and a vidory doubtful, you (hould not attack them till the evening, as then they will not know your numbers, and if you are repulfed, your retreat will be favoured by the darknefs of the night.
XVII. Before you leave your encampment, fend out fmall parties to fcout round it, to fee if there be any appearance or track of an ene- my that might have been near you during the night.
XVIII. When you flop for refrefhment, chufe fome fpring oi rivulet if you can, and dif- pofe your party fo ai; not to be furprifed, port- ing
[ 67 ]
ing proper guards and Gentries at a due dif- tance, and let a fmall party waylay the path you came in, left the enemy (hould be purfu- ing.
XIX. If, in your return, you have to crofs rivers, avoid the ufual fords as much as pof- fible, left the enemy fliould have difcovered, and be there expcdling you.
XX. If you have to pafs by lakes, keep at fomc diftance from the edge of the water, left, in cafe of an ambufcade, or an attack from the enemy, when in that fituation, your retreat fhould be cut ofF.
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XXI. If the enemy purfue your rear, take a circle till you come to your own tracks, and there form an ambufli to receive them, and give them the firft fire.
XXII. When you return from a fcout, and come near our forts, avoid the ufual roads, and avenues thereto, left the enemy ftiould have headed you, and lay in ambufti to receive you, when almoft exhaufted with fatigues.
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XXIII. When you purfuc any party that has been near our forts or encampments, fol- low not diredlly in their tracks, left you fliould be difcovered by their rear-guards, who, at fuch a time, would be moft alert j but endea- vour, by a different route, to head and meet them in fome narrow pafs, or lay in ambufh to receive them when and where they Icaft ex- ped it.
XXIV. If you are to embark in canoes, bat- toes, or other wife, by water, chufc the even- ing for the time of your embarkation, as you will then hjve the whole night before you, to pafs undifcovered by any parties of the enemy, on hills, or other places, which command * profped of the lake or river you are upon.
XXV. In padli ng or rowing, give orders that the boat or canoe next the fternmoft, wait for her, and the third for the fecond, and the fourth for the third, and fo on, to prevent fe- paration, and that you may be ready to adift each other on any emergency.
XXVI. Appoint one man in each boat to look out for fires, on the adjacent fhores, frona the numbers and fize of which you may form
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fome judgment of the number that kindled them, and whether you are able to attack th&m or not.
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XXVII. If you find the enemy encamped near the banks of a river, or lake, which you imagine they will attempt to crois for their fc- curity upon being attacked, leave a detach- ment of your party on the oppofite (liore to re- ceive them, while, with the remainder, you furprize them, having them between you and the lake or river.
XXVIII. If you cannot fatisfy yourfelf as to the enemy's nuii^ber and firength, from their fire, &c. conceal your boats at fome dif- flance, and afcertain their number by a recon- noitring party, when they embark, or march, in the morning, marking the courfe they (leer. Sec, when you may purfue, ambufh, and at- tack them, or let them pafs, as f rudence (hall dircdt you. In general, however, that you may not be difcovered by the enemy on the lakes and rivers at a great difl:ance,it is fafeft to lay by, with your boats and party concealed all day, without noife or (liew, and to purfue your intended route by night ; and whether you go by land or water, give out parole and counter-
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figns, in order to kiic o^*^ another in the dark, and likewifc appoint a lla^ion for every man to repair to, in cafe of any accident that may fcparate you."
Such in general are the rules to be obferved in the Ranging fervice ; there are, however, a thoufand occurrences and circumftances which which may happen, that will make it necef- fary, in fome meafure, to depart from them, and to put other arts and ftralagems in prac- tice •, in which cafes every man's reafon and judgment muft be his guide, according to the particular (ituation and nature of things j and that he may do this to advantage, he (hould keep in mind a maxim never to be departed from by a commander, viz. to preferve a firm- nefs and prcfence of mind on every occalion.
My Lord Loudoun about this time made a vifit to Fort Edward, and after giving direcfli- ons for quartering the army the approaching winter, left a ftrong garrifon there under the command of Colonel Haviland, and returned to Albany. The Rangers *, with the before- mentioned
* Several of them were difmifled with an allowance of thirteen days pay to carry them Jjome, being rendered un-
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[ 71 ]
mentioned volunteers, were encamped and quartered in huts on an adjacent illand in Hudfon's River, and were fent out on various fcouts, in which my ill ftate of health at this time would not permit me to accompany them, till December 17, 1757, when, purfuant *o orders from Lieutenant Colonel Haviland,com- manding officer at Fort Edward, I marched from thence with a party of i 50 men to re- connoitre Carillon, alias Ticonderoga, and if pofTible to take a prifoner. We marched fix miles and encamped, the fnow being then about three inches deep, and before morning it was fifteen : we however purfued our route.
On the 18th in the morning, eight of my party beinor tired, returned to the fort ; with the remainder I marched nine miles further, and encamped on the eaft-fide of Lake George, near the place where Monf. Montcalm landed his troops when he befieged and took Fort William-Henry, where I found fome cannon-ball and Ihells, which had been hid by the French, and made a mark by which I might find them again.
fit for immediate feivice by their part fatigues, and feveral officers were fent recruiting in order to have the companies complete by the opening of the fpring.
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The 19th we continued our march oil the weft-fide of the lake nine miles further, near the head of the north-wcft bay.
The 2 1 ft, fo many of my party tired and returned as reduced our number to 123, offi- cers included, with uhom I proceeded ten miles further, and encamped at night, order- ing each man to leave a day's provifions there till our return.
The next day we marched ten miles further, and encamped near the great brook that runs into Lake George, eight miles from the P'rench advanced guard.
The 23d we marched eight miles, and the 24th fix more, and then halted wiihln 600 yards of Carillon fort. Near the mills we difcovered five Indian's tracks, that had marched that way the day before, as we fi;ppc(ed, on a hunting party. On my march this day between the, advanced guard and the fort, I appointed three places of rendezvous to repair to, in cafe of being broke in an adion, and acquainted every officer and foldier that I fliould rally the party at the ncarcft poll: to the fort, and if broke there to ^treat to the fecond, and at the third to make a fraud till the darknefs of the night would give us an opportunity to get cff^. Soon after 1 halted, I formed an ambufli
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on a road leading from the fort to the woodsy with an advanced party of twenty men, and a rear-guard of fifteen. About eleven o'clock, a ferjeant of marines came from the fort up the road to my advanced party, who let him pafs to the main body, where 1 made him prifoncr. Upon examination, he reported, " that there were in the garrifon 350 regulars, ** about fifty workmen, and but five Indians : ** that they had plenty of provifions, &;c. and ** that twelve mafons were conftantly em- ** ployed in blowing up rocks in the en- *' trenchment, and a number of foldiers to ** afliil: them : that at Crown Point there ** were 150 foldiers and fourteen Indians: ** that Monf. Montcalm was at Montreal : ** that 500 Ottawawas Indians wintered in " Canada, and that 500 Rangers were lately ** raifed in Canada, each man having a double- ''^ barrelled fuzee, and put under an experi- " enced oflicer, well acquainted with the *' country : thai, he did not know whether the *' French intended to attack any of the Eng- *' \\{h forts this winter or not; but that they ** expedled a great number of Indians as foon ** as the ice would bear them, in order to go ** down to the Englilh forts j and that all the
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• «' bakers in Carillon were employed in baking " bifcuit for the fcouts above-mentioned.'*
About noon, a Frenchman, who had been hunting, came near my party in his return, when I ordered a party to purfue him to the edge of the cleared ground, and take him pri- soner, with this caution, to (hoot off a gun or two, and then retreat to the main *3ody, in order to intice the enemy from their fort ; which orders were pundually obeyed, but not one of them ventured out.
The laft prifoner, on examination, gave much the fame account as the other, but with this addition, *' that he had heard the Englifh " intended to attack Ticonderoga, as foon as ** the lake was froze fo as to bear them."
When I found the French would not come out of the fort, v/e went about killing their cattle, and deftroyed feventeen head, and fet fire to the wood, which they had coUedled for the ufe of the garrifon, and confumed five large piles ; the French fhot off fome cannon at the fires, but did us no harm. At eight o'clock at night I began my march home- wards, and arrived at Fort Edward with my prifoners the 27th. Inmy return, I found at the north. end of Lake George, where the French had hid the boats they had taken at
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Fort William tienry, with a great number of cannon-balls j but as the boats were under water we could not deftroy them. Upon my return to Fort Edward, I received a letter from Captain Abercrombie, informing me that the Earl of Loudoun, who was then at New York, had thoughts of augmenting the Rangers, and had defired General Abercrombie to com- mand me down to receive his diredlions. I accordingly prepared for my journey, and up- on my arrival was received by his Lordfhip in a very friendly manner ; and, after much con- verfation upon the fubjed, he was pleafcd to inform me of his intentions of levying ^vt. adr ditional companies of Rangers, defiring me to name the perfons whom I thought fit for of- ficers, and fuch as might be depended upon, to levy the men his Lordfliip defired j which I accordingly did, and then received from hini the following inftrudlions.
•* By his Excellency John Earl of Loudoun, Lord Machlinc and Tairenfecn &c. &c. &c. one of the fixteen peers of Scot- land, Governor and Captain General of Virginia, and Vice Admiral of the fame, Colonel of the 13th Regiment of foot, Colonel in chief of the Royal Ame-
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rican riglment, Major General and Gom- mander in Chief of all his Majefty's for- ces, raifed or to be raifed in North Ame- rica :
" Whereas I have this day thought proper to augment the Rangers with five additional com- panies, that is, four New England and one Indian company, to be forthwith raifed and employed in his Majefty's fervicc; and whereas I have an entire confidence in your fkill and knowledge, of the men mofl fit for that fervicci I do therefore, by thefe prcfents, ap- point you to raife fuch a number of non-com- mifiion officers and private men as will be necefi^ary to compleat the faid five companies, upon the following eftablilliment, viz. each company to confifl: of one Captain, two Lieu- tenants, one Enfign, four Serjeants, and 100 privates. The ofiicers to have Br'tifh pay, that is, the fame as an officer of the like rank in his Majefty's regular forces; the Serjeants 4s. New York currency per day, and the pri- vate men 2s. 6d. currency per day. And the better to fnnble you to make this levy of men, vou fhal! hive one month's oav for each of the faid five comp nies advanced to you; upon thefe conditions, that, out of the firfi warrants that
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[ 11 1
fhall hereafter be granted for the fubfiftcncc of thefe companies, fhall be deduded the faid month's, pay now advanced. Your men to find their own arms, which muft be fuch as upon examination, (hall be found fit, and be approved of. They are likewife to provide themfelves with good warm cloathing, which muft be uniform in every company, and like- wife with good warm blankets. And the company of Indians to be drelTed in all refpe<fls in the true Indian fafhion, and they arc all to be fubjedl to the rules and articles of war. You will forthwith acquaint the officers ap- pointed to thefe companies, that they are im- mediately to fet out on the recruiting fervice, and you will not fail to inftrudl them that they are not to inlift any man for a lefs term than one year, nor any but what are able-bodied, well acquainted with the woous, ufed to hunt- ing, and every way qualified for the Range- ing fervice. Yoi' ^re alfo to obferve that the number of men reqaifitc to compleat the faid five companies, are all to be at Fort Edward on or before the 1 5th day of March next cnfuin^, and ti)ofe that (hall come by the way of Albany are to be muftered there by the off'cer commanding, as (hall thofe who go flrait to Fort Edward by the officer com- manding
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manding Lhere. Given under my hand, at New York, the nth day of January 1758.
Loudoun.
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By his Excellency's command.
To Capt, J. Appy.
Robert Rogers,
In purfuancc o^ the above inftruftions, I immediately fent otFicers into the Newr Eng- land provinces, where, by the affiftance of my friends, the requefled augmentation of Rangers was qiiickly compleated, the whole five com- panies being ready for fervice by the 4th day of March.
Four of thefe companies were fent to Louif- burg to join General Amherft, and one joined the corps under my command ; and tho' I was at the whole expence of railing the five com- panies, I never got the leaft allowance for it, and one of the Captain's dying, to whom 1 had delivered a thoufand dollars as advance pay for hii company, which, agreeable to the inftruc- tions I received, I had a right to doj yet was I obliged to account with the government for this money, and entirely loft every penny of it.
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• It has already been mentioned, that the garrifon at Fort Edward was this winter under the command of Lieut. Coi. Haviland. This gentleman, about the 28th of February, order- ed} out a fcout under the direction of one Put- nam, Captain of a company of one of the Connedicut provincial regiments, with fome of my men, giving out publickly at the fame time, that, upon Putnam's return, I ihould be fent to the French forts with a ftrong party of 400 Rangers. This was known not only to all the officers, but foldiers alfo, at Fort Edward before Putnam's departure.
While this party was out, a fervant of Mr. Bed, a futler to the Rangers, was captivated by a flying party of the enemy from Ticonde- roga ; unfortunately too, one of Putnam's men had left him at Lake George, and deferted to the enemy. Upon Captain Putnam's return, wc were informed he had ventured within eight miles of the French fort at Ticonderoga, and that a party he had fent to make difcove- ries had reported to him, that there were near 600 Indians not far from the enemy's quarters. March 10, 1758. Soon after the faid Captain Putnam's return, in confequence of poiitivc orders from Col. Haviland, I this day began a march from Fort Edward for the neighbour- hood
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hood of Carillon, not with a party of 400 m«nj as at iirfl: given out, but of 180 men only, offi- cers included, one Captain, one Lieutenant, and one Enlign, and thiee volunteers, viz. Mcll. Creed, Kent and Wrighifon, one.feijeant, and one private, all volunteers of the 27th regi^ ment ; and a detachment from the four com- panies of Rangers, quartered on the ifland near Fort Edvi^ard, viz. Capt. Bulkley, Lieu^ tenants Philips, Moore, Crafton, Campbell, and Pottinger; EnfignsRofs, Wait, McDonald, and White, and 162 private men. 1 acknow- ledge I entered upon this fervice, and viewed this fmall detachment of brave men march out, with no little concern and uneafinefs of mind ; for as there was the greateil reafon to fufped, that the French were, by the prifoner and deferter above mentioned, fully informed of the defign offending me out upon Putman's return : what could I think! to fee my party, inflead of being flrengthened and augmented, reduced to lefs than one half of the number at firft propofed. I muft: confefs it appeared to me (ignorant and unfkilled as I then was in politicks and the arts of war) incomprehenfi- ble 5 hit my cominander doubtlefs bad his reafons^ and is able to njindicate his own co?idu^. We marched to the half-way brook, in the road
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leading to Lake George, and there encamped the fii{\. night.
The I ith we proceeded as far as the fi;fl: Narrows on Lake George, and encamped that evening on the eaft-fide ot the lakej and after dark, I lent a party three miles further down, to fee if the enemy might be coming towards our forts, but they returned without difcover- ing any. We were however on our g-iard, and kept parties walking on the lake all night, belides Gentries at all neceflary places on the land.
The 1 2th wc marched from our encamp- ment at fun-rife, and having diftanced it ?bout three miles, I faw a dog running acrofs the lake, whereupon I fent a detachment to re- connoitre the ifland, thinking the Indians might have laid in ambufh there for usj but no fuch could be difcovered ; upon which I thought it expedient to put to {bore, and lay by till night, to prevent any party from defcry- ing us on the lake, from hills, or otherwife. Wc halted at a place called Sabbath-day Point, on the weft-lide of the lak^e, and fent out par- ties to look down the lake with perfpcc^ivc glafles, which we had for that purpofe. As foon as it was dark we proceeded down the lake. I fent Lieutenant Philips with fifteen
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men, as an advanced guard, fomo of whom went before him on fcates, while Enfign Rofs flanked us on the left under the wefl-fhorc, near which wc kept the main body, marching as clofe as poHibk, to prevent feparation, it being a very dark night. In this nrranner we continued our march till within eight miles of the French advanced guards, when Lieutenant Philips fent a man on fcates back to me, to dcfire me to halt; upon which I ordered my men to fquat down upon the ice. Mr. Phi- lips foon came to me himfelf, leaving his par- ty to look out, and faid, he imagined he had difcovered a fire* on the eaft-fhore, but was not certain ; upon which I fcnt with him En- fign White, to make further difcovery. In about an hour they returned, fully perfuaded that a party of the enemy was encamped there. I then called in the advanced guard, and flanking party, and marched on to the weft- fhore, where, in a tlucket, we hid our fleys and packs, leaving a fmall guard with them, and with the remainder I marched to attack
* A fmall party of the French, as we have fince heard, had a fire here at this time j but, difcovcring my advanced party, extinguiflied their fire, and carried the aews of our approach to the French fort.
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the enemy's encampment, if there was any ; but when we came near the place, no fires were to be fcen, which made us conclude that we had miftakcn fome bleach patches of fnow, or pieces of rotten wood, for fire (which in the night, at a diftance, refembles it) where- upon we returned to our packs, and there lay the remainder of the night without fire.
The 13th, in the morning, I deliberated with the ^cers how to proceed, who were unanimouily of opinion, that it was bed to go by land in fnow-flioes, left the enemy fhould difcover us on the lake ; we accord- ingly continued our march on the weft-fide, keeping on the back of the mountains that overlooked the French advanced guards. At twelve of the clock we halted two miles weft of thofe guards, and there refreflied ourfelves till three, that the day-fcout from the fort might be returned home before we advanced 5 intending at night to ambufcade fome of their roads, in order to trepan them in the morn- ing. We then marched in two divifions, the one headed by Captain fiuikley, the other by myfelf : Enfigr White and Wait had the rear-guard, the other ofHcers were pofted pro- perly in each divifion, having a rivulet at a
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fmall diftance on our left, and a fteep moun- tain on our right. We kept clofe to the mouinain, that the advanced guard might better obiervc the rivulet, on the ice of which I imagined they would travel if out, as tlie fnow was fjur feet dcep^ and very bad tra- velling on Inow'-rtioes. Jn this manner we marched a mile and an half, when our ad- vanced guard informed me of the eneti»y be- ing in their view ; and foon after, tiiat they had afccrtained their number to be ninety- fix, chiefly Indians. We immediately laid down our packs, and prepared for battle, luppofing thefe to be the whole number or main body of the enemy, who were marching on our left up the rivulet, upon the ice. I oi dered Enfign M* Donald to the command of the advanced guard, which, as we faced to the left, made a flanking party to our right. We marched to within a few yards of the bank, which was higher than the ground we occupied; and ob- ferving the ground gradually to defcend from the bank of the rivulet to the foot of the mountain, we extended our party along the bank, far enough to command the whole of the enemy's at once ; we waited till their front was nearly oppofile to our left wing, when I
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fired a gun, as a fignal for a general difchargc upon them; whereupon we guve them the fir li file, which killed above torty Indians; the reft retreated, and were purfued by about ore half of our people. I now imagined the enemy total 'y dcleatcd, and ordered Enfign M Donald to head the fiying remains of them, that none might efcape ; but we foon found pur miftakc, and that the partv we had at- tacked were only their advanced guard, their main body coming up, confiding of 600 more, Canadians and Indians; upon which I ordered our people to rctrear to iheir own ground, which we gained at the expence of fifty men killed; the rcm.iindcr I rallied, and drew up in pretty g( od order, where they fought with fuch intrepidity and bravery as obliged the enemy (tho* feven to one in number) to retreat a fecond time ; but we not being in a condition to purfue thern, they rallied again, and recovered their ground, and warmly pufli- cd us in front and both wings, while the mountain defended our rear; but they were {0 warmly received, that their flanking parties foon retreated to their main body with confi- derable lofs. This threw the whole again in- to diforder, and they retreated a third time j
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but our number being now too far reduced to take advantage of their diforder, they rallied again, and made a freili attack upon us. About this time.wc difcovered 200 Indians going up the mountain on our right, as we fuppofed, to get pofTefHon of the rifing ground, and attack our rear; to prevent which I fent Lieutenant Philips, with eighteen men, to gain the firft pofleflion, and beat them back ; which he did: and being fufpicious that the enemy would go round on our left, and take poflefTion of the other part of the hill, I fent Lieutenant Graf- ton, with fifteen men, to prevent them there j and foon after defired two Gentlemen, who were volunteers in the party*, with a few men, to go and fipport him, which they did with great bravery.
• I had before this Hefired thefe Gentlemen to rtt'irCf offering them a Serjeant to conduft them ; thtt as they were not ufed to fnow-flioes, and were quite unacquainted with the woods, they would have no chance of efcaping the enemy, in cafe we (hould be broke and put to flight, ■which I very much fufpedled. They at firft Teemed to ac- cept the offer, and began to retire ; but feting us fo clolcly befct, they undauntedly returned to our afliftancc. What befel them after our flight, may be feen by a letter from one of the Gentlemen to the commanding oflicer, which I have inferted next to this account of our fcoui.
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[ 87 ]
Ifhc enemy pu(hcd us fo clofe in front, that the parties were not more than twenty yards a- funder in general, and fometimes intermixed with each other. The fire continued almoft condant for an hour and half from the begin- ning of the attack, in which time we loft eight officers, and more than i oo private men killed on the fpot. Wc were at laft obliged to breaks and I with about twenty men ran up the hill to Philips and Crafton, where we flopped and fired on the Indians, who were eagerly pu(hing us, with numbers that we could not withftand. Lieutenant Philips being furrounded by 300 Indians, was at this time capitulating for him- felf and parly, on the other part of the hill. He fp6ke to me, and faid if the enemy would give thcni good quarters, he thought it beft to fur- rchder, otherwife that he would fight while he had one man left to Rre a gun "f-.
I now thought it moft prudent to retreat, and bring off with me as many of my party as t pollibly could, which I immediately did; the Indians clofely purfuing us at the fame time, tock
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t This unfortunate officer, and his whole party, after they furrendered, upon the firongeft aflurances of good trcaitnent from the enemy, were inhumanly tied up to tree*, and hewn to places, in a jnolt barbarous and ihock* jng onanaer.
feveral
fevcral prifoncrs. We car..tf to Lake George in the evening, wlie;e we found fcveral wounded men, whom we took with us to the place v\hcre we had left our fleds, from whence I fent an exprefs to Fort Edward, defiring Mr. Haviland to fend a party to meet us, and afllfl: in bringing in the wounded ; with the remain- der I tarried there the whole night, without fire or blankets, and in the morning we pro- ceeded up the lake, and met with Captain Stark at Hoop Ifland, fix miles north from Fort William-Henry, and encamped there that night; the next day being the 15th, in the evening, we arrived at Fort Edward. -
The number of the enemy was about 700^ 600 of which were Indians. By the heft accounts we could get, v/e killed 150 of them, and wounded as many more. I will not pretend to determine what we Hiould have done had we been 400 or more flrong; but this T am obliged to fay of thofe brave men who attended me (moft of whom are now no ttiore) both officers and foldiers in their re- fpedivc flations behaved with uncommon re- folution and courage; nor do I know an in- ftance during the whole a<ftion in which I can juftly impeach the prudence or good con- dud of any one of them.
The
[ S9 ]
The folioiving is a L I S T of the Killed,
Mijjing^ &c.
TJie Captain and Lieutenant of his Majefty's regular troops, volunteers in this party, were taken prlfoners ; the Enfiirn, another volun- teer of the fame corps, was killed, as were two volunteers, and a Serjeant of the faid corps, and one private.
Of Capt. Rogers's Company,
Lieut. Moore Serjeant Parneli Thirty-fix privates
~ Killed.
— Ditto. Ditto.
Of Capt. Shepherd's Company,
Two Serjeants Sixteen privates
Of Capt. James Rogers's Company, Enfign McDonald — Killed.
Of Capt. John Starks's Company,
Two Serjeants -^ Killed.
Fourteen privates Ditto.
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Of Capt. Bulkley's Company,
Capt. Bulklcy —
Lieut. Pottinger — Enfign White — Forty-feven privates —
Killed.
Ditto.
Ditto.
K. and MifT.
Of Capt. William Starks's Company, Enfign Rofs — Killed,
Of Capt. Brewer's Company,
Lieut. Campbell Killed.
A Gentleman of the army, who was a vo- lunteer on this party, and who with another fell into the hands of the French, wrote the following letter, fome time after, to the officer commanding the regiment they belonged to at Fort Edward,
** Dear Sir,
Carillon^ March 28, 1758.
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to write the moment I am able, in order to have a letter ready, as no doubt you and our friends at Fort Edward are anxious to be informed
about Mr. and me, whom probably
you have reckoned amongft the flain in our unfortunate rencontre of the 13th concern- ing which at prefent I (hall not be particular ; only to do this juftice to thofe who loft their lives there, and to thofe who have efcaped, to aflure yon, Sir, that fuch difpofitions were formed by the enemy, (who difcoverfcd us long enough before) it was impcffible for a party fo weak as ours to hope for even a retreat. To- wards the conclufion of the affair, it was cried from a rifing ground on our right, to retire there; where, after fcrambling wlthdifiiculty, as I was unaccuftomed to fnow-(hoes, I found Capt. Rogers, and told him, that 1 faw to re- tire further was impoflible, therefore earneftly begged we might colled: all the men left, and
make a ftand there. Mr. — , who was
with him, was of my opinion, and Capt. Rogers alfo; who therefore defined me to maintain one fide of the hill, whilft he defend- ed the other. Our parties did not exceed above ten or twelve in each, and mine was (hifting towards the mountain, leaving me unable to defend my poft, or to labour with them up the
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hill. In the mean time, Capt. Rogers witli h\% paiiv CAtnt to me, and faid (as did all thofe With himj that a large body of Indians had afcended to our right; he likewifc added, what was true, that the combat was very unequal,
that I miiO retire, and he would give Mr.
and me a Serjeant to condudl us thro' the mountain. No doubt prudence required us to accept his offer; but, befidcs one of my fijow-fhoes being untied, 1 knew myfelf unable to inarch as faft as was requifite to avoid be- coming a laciifice to an enemy we could no longer oppole; I therefore begged of him to proceed, and then leaned againft a rock in the path, determined to (ubmit to a fate I thought
unavoidable. Unfortunately for Mr. his
fnow-fhoes were loofened likewife, which obliged him to determine with me, not to la- bour in a flight we were both unequal to. Every inftant we expcdted the favages^ but what in- duced them to quit this path, in which we adtually faw them, we are ignorant of, un- lefs they changed it for a fliorter, to intercept thofe who had juft left us. By their noife, and making a fire, we imagined they had got the rum m the Rangers packs. This thought, with the approach of night, gave us the firft hopes of retiring ; and when the moon arof(;,
wc
t 93 ]
we marched to the fouthvvard alont^ the moun-' tains about three hours, which brought ns to ice, and gave us realon to hope our ditllcultics were almoft part-, but we knew rot wc had enemies yet to combat with, more cruel than the (dv igcs we had efcapcd. We marched all night, and on the morning of the J4rh found ourfclves entirely unacquainted with tlie ice. Here we faw a man, who came towards us i he was the fervant of Capt. Rogers, with whom he had been oftentimes all over the country, and, without the Icall hefttationwhatfoever, he informed us we were upon South-Bay ; that Wood-Creek was jufl before us; that he knew the way to Fort Anne extremely well, and would take us to Fort Edward the next day. Notwithftanding we were difappoiiited in our hopes of being upon I r.ke George, wc thought ourfelves fortunate in meeting iuch a guide, to whom we gave entire confidence, and which be in fiid confirmed, by bringing us to a creek, where he fliewed the tracks of Indians, and the path he faid they had taken to Fort Anne. After ftruggling thro' thefnow fome hours, we were obliged to halt to m^ake fnow-flioes,
as Mr. and the guide had left theirs at
arriving upon the ice. Here we remained all night, without any blankets, no cpat, and but a
fingle
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[ 94 ]
finglc waiftcoat each, for I gave one of mine
to Mr. , who had laid afuie his green
jacket in the field, a^ I did ilkcwife my furred cap, which became a mark to the enemy, and probably was the caufc of a flight wound in my face; fo that I had but a filk handkerchief on my head, and our fire could not be large, as we had nothing to cut wood with. Before morning we contrivid, with forked Aicks and firings of leatlier, a fort of fnow-flioes, to pre- vent finking entirely ; andjonthe i 5th, follow- ed our guide weft all day, but he did not ful- fil his promife j hf wcver the next day it was impofiible to fail : but even then, the 1 6rh, he was r.iifucccfsful ; ytt ftill we wcie patient, becaufe he feemed well acquainted with the way, for he gave every mountain a name, and fhewcd us feveral places, where he f.iid his mafter had e'.iier killed deer or encamped. The ground, or rather the want of fun-fhinc, made us ifiCline to the fouthward, from ^^ hence byaccident we faw ice, at feveral miles diftancc, to the fouth-eaft. I was verycertain, that, after marching two days weft of South Bay, Lake George could not lie fouth-eaft from u?, and therefore concluded this to be the upper end of the bay we had left. For this reafon, toge- ther with the affurances of our guide, I advifed
continuing
t 95 ]
continuing our courfe to the weft, which muft: Ihorily (Irike Foit Anne, or Ibmc other place
that we knew. But Mr wKhed to be
upon ice at any rate; he was unable to continue in the fnow, for the difficulties of our march had overcome him. And really, Sir, was I to be minute in thofe we had experienced already and afterwards, they would almoft be as tirc- fome to you to read, as they were to us to fafFer.
Our fnow-flioes breaking, and finking to y our middle every fifty paces, the fcrambling up mountains, and acrofs fallen timber, our nights without llecp or covering, and but little fire, gathered with great fatigue, our fuftenance moftly water, and the bark and berries of trees; for all our provifions from the begin- ning was only a fmall Bologna faufage, and a little ginger, I happened to have, arwi which even now was very much decreafcd; fo that I
knew not how to oppofe Mr. 's intreaties;
but as our guide ftill perfifted Fort Anne was near, we concluded to fearch a little longer, and if we made no difcovery to proceed next day towards the ice; but we fought in vain, as did our guide the next morning, tho* he re- turned, confidently aflcrting he had difcovered frefh proofs, that the fort could not be far off. I confcfs I was ftill inclined to follow him, for
I was
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I was almoft certain the beft we could hop6 from dcfccnding upon this ice to our left, was to throw ourlelvds into the hands oF the French, and perhaps not be able to cdcO: even that; but, from the circumilances 1 have men- tioned, it was a point I mufi: yield to, which I did with great relucStancy. The whole day of the 17th we marched a dreadful road, be- tween the mountains, with but one good Inow- Hioe each, the other of our own making being almoft ufelefs. The 1 8th brought us to the ice, which tho' we longed to arrive at, yet I ftill dreaded the confequence, and with reafon, for the fi: ft fight informed us, it was the very place we had left five days before. Here I muft own my refolution almoft failed me; when fa- tigue, cold, hunger, and even the profpedt of perifhing in the woods attended us, I flill had hopes, and ftill gave encouragement, but now I wanted it myfelf ; we had no refource but to throw ourielves into the enemy's hands, or perifti. vVe had nothing to eat, our flender flock had been equally fliared amongft us three, and we were not fo fortunate as* ever to fee either bird or beaft to ihoot at. When our firft thoughts were a little calmed, we conceived hopes, that, if we appeared before the F'rcnch fort, with a white flag, the com- manding
[ 97 ]
mandlng officer would relieve and return us to Fcrt Edward. This ferved to palliate our neareft approach to dcfpair, and determined a refolution, where, in fadl, we had no choice. I knew Carillon had an extenfivc vic;v up South Bay, therclore we cuncludcd to halt during the evening, ai-.d mnrch in the night, that we miijht approach it in the morning, be- iides the wir.d pierced us like a fword ; but inftead of its abating it increafed, together with a freezing rain, that incrufted us cnrlrely with ice, and oblitJjcd us to remain until mornine, the 19th, when we fortunately got feme ju- niper berries, which revived, gave us fpirits, and I thought flrength. We were both {o firmly of that opinion, that we propofed taking the advantage of its being a dark fnowy day, to approach Carillon, to pafs it in the night, and get upon Lake George. With difficulty we perfuaded the guide to be of our opinion, wc promifed large rewards in vain, until I af- fured him of provifions hid upon the lake j but we little confidered how much nature was exhaufl^ed, and how unequal we were to the taflc : however, a few miles convinced us we were foon. midway up our legs in the new- fallen fnow } it drove full in our faces, and was as dark as the fogs upon the banks of
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Newfoundland. Our ftrcngth and our hopes funk together, nay, even thofe of reaching Carillon were doubtful, but we mufl: proceed or perifli. As it cleared up a little, we la- boured to fee the fort, which at every turn we cxpefted, until we came to where the ice was gone, and the water narrow. This did not a- gree with my idea of South Bay, but it was no time for refledlion ; w^e quitted the ice to the left, and after marching two miles, our guide allured us we ought to be on the other fide of the water. This was a very diftrefling circum- ftance, yet we returned to the ice and pafTed to the right, where, after ftru^^gling through the fnovv, about four miles, and breaking in every fecond (lep, as we had no fnow-fhoes, we were flopped by a 1-rge water-fall. Here I was again aftcniihed with appearances, but nothing now was to be thought of only reach- ing the fort before night -, vet to pafs this place feemed impradlicable : however, I at- tempted to ford it a little higher, and had al- moft gained the oppofite {horc, where the depth of the water, which was up to my bread", and the rapidity of the flream, hurried me off the llippery rocks, and plunged me entirely in the waters. 1 was obliged to quit my fuzee, and with great difficulty efcaped
being
[ 99 ]
being carried down the fall. Mr. — — , who followed me, and the guide, though they held by one another, fuffcred the fame fate ; but the hopes of foon reaching a fire made us think lightly of this : as night approached, we laboured exceflively through the fnovv ; we were certain the fort was not far from us, hut our, guide confeiTcd, for the fiift time, that he was at a lofs. Here we plainly obferved that his brain was afFecfted : he faw Indians all a- rouiid him, and though we have fince learned we had every thing to fear from ihem, yet it was a danger we did not now attend to -, nay, we fhouted aloud feveral times to give infor- mation we were there ; but we could neither hear nor fee any body to lead us right, or more likely to deflroy us, and if we halted a minute wc became pillars of ice; fo that we refolved, as it fr.;ze fo hard, to make a fire, although the danger was apparent. Ac- cidentally we had one dry cartridge and in trying with my piflol if it weald flalli a little of xhe powder, Mr. ^-- — u;.f( rtunaiclv held the cartridge too near, by which it tO(-k fire, blew up in our faces, almoft blinded him, and gave exceffive pain. This indeed { ro- miled to be the lalt ftroke of fortune^ as our hopes of a fire were nownoiiicrej but aU
lopes
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thouzh we were not anxious about life, we knew it was more bocominr^- to oppofe than yield to this lad mlsforluuc. We made a path round a tree, and th jrc cx^iciTed all the night, though fcarcely able :o il:ind, or pre- vent each other from flceping. Oar guide, r.otwithdanding repeated caucicna, ftraggled from lis, where he fat down and ditd imme- diately. On tlie morning of the 20th, \vc fivv the fort, which we approached with a white i:\y^ : the officer; run violently towards us, and fwcd us from a danger v/e did not then apprehend ; fjr v.-e are informed, that if the In:lians, who were ciofe afrer them, had fcizcd U5 firll, it would not have been in the power of the French to have prevented our being hurried to their camp, and perhaps to Montreal the next day, or killed for not be- ing able to march. Monf. Debecourt and all his oiticers treat us with humanity nnd polite- nefs, and are folicitous in our recovery, which returns flowly, as you may imagine, from all thefe difficulties ; and though I have omitted many, yet I am afraid you will think me too prolix 3 but we wiffi, Sir, to perfuade you of a truth, that nothing but the fituation I have faithfully defcribed could determine us in a
refolu-
[
101
]
refolutlon which appeared only one degree preferable to perifbing in the woods.
" I fliall make no comments upon thefc dif- trefles j the malicious perhaps will fliy, which is very true, we brougljt them upon ourfelvcs; but let them not wantonly add, we deferved them becaufe we were unfuccefsful. They muft allow we could not be led abroad, at fuch a feafon of fnow and ice, for amufement, or by an idle cnriofity. I gave you, Sir, my reafons for aflcing leave, which you were pleafed to approve, and I hope will defend them ; and the fame would make me again, as a volunteer, experience the chance of war to-morrow, had I an opportunity. Thefe are
Mr. 's fentiments as well as mine; and
we both know you, Sir, too well, to harbour. the leaft doubt of receiving juflice with regard to our condud: in this affair, or our promo- tion in the regiment; the profpedt of not joinin.:; tr.at [o foon as we ilattered ourfelves
las vicore
iHcd
to the lowefl degree, u we earnedly beg you will be folicitous wiih the General to have us reftored as foon
fo
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as unfiiblc, or at lead to orevent our b{
■>ng
fent to France, and feparited from you, per- haps, during the war.
I have
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J have bat one thing more to add, which we learned here, and which perhaps you have aheady ublerved from what I have faid, tliat we were upon no other ice than that of L^ke George; but by the day overtaking us, the morning of the 14th, in the very place we had, in coming, marched during the night, we were entirely unacquainted with it, and obliged to put a cor.fidence in tliis guide, whofe head mud have been afliay from the beginning, or he could not fo giuf^ly have Uiiilaken a place where he had (0 often been. This info'mation but audcd to our diftrefs, until we refledled that our uut being entirely loft was the more wondciful. That we had p^irted from South Bay on the 14th, was a point with us beyond a^l ;1o'ibt, and about wh.ch we never once hefiiatcd, fo that we ac^cd entirely contrary to what we hnd eftabliflied as a u uth ; for if, according to that, we had continued our courfe to the well, we muft inevitably have peri died ; but -the hand of Providence led us back contrary to our judgment ; and though even then, and often afterv^'ards, we thought it fevere, yet in the end it favcd us, and obliged us to red fatisficd that we con- ftrued many things unfortunate, which tended to our prefervation. I am, 5cc."
Upon
^■^s
[ 103 ]
Upon my return from the late unfortunate fcout, I was ordered to Albany to recruit my companies, where I met with a very friendly reception from my Lord How, who advanced me cadi to recruit the Rangers, and gave me leave to wait upon General Abercrombie at New York, who had now fucceeded my Lord Loudoun in the chief command, my Lord being at this time about to embark for Eng- land. I here received a commiflion from the General, of which the following is a copy.
" By his Excellency James Abercromby, Elq; Colonel of his. Majcfty's 44th Regi- mcntof Foot, Colonelin Chief of the 60th. or Royal American Regiment, Major Ge- neral and Commander in Chief of all his Majeflv's Forces raifed or to be raifed in North America, &c.
" Whereas it may be of great ufe to his Majefly's fervice in the opt lations now carry- ing on for recovering his rights in America, to have a number of men employed in obtain- ing intelligence cf the llrength, fituation, and motions of the enemy, as weH as other fer- vices, for which Rangers, or men acquainted with the woods, only are fit : Having the
greateft
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[ 104 ]
greatcft confidence in your loyalty, courage
id fkill in this kind of fc
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of the power and authority to me given by his Majefly, hereby conflitutc and appoint you to be Major of the Rangers in his Majeily's fervice, and likewife Captain of a company of faid Rangers. You arc therefore to take the faid Rangers as M;ijor, and the faid Company as Captain, into your care and charge, and duly exercife and inftrud, as well the officers as the foldlers thereof, in arms, and to ufe your bed endcavo;^.rs to keep them in good order and difcipline ; and I do hereby command them to obey you as their Major and Captain refpedively, and you are to follow and ob- fervc fucb orders and diredions from time to time as you Ihall receive from his Majefly, myfclf, or any other fuperior officer, according to the rules and difcipline of war.
Given at New York, this 6th Day of April 1758, in the thirty-firft Year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord George the Second, by the Grace of God, King of Great Britain, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, 6cc.
James AiiERCROMBy. By his Excellency's command,
J. Appv."
I left
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[ 105 ]
I left New York April 8, and according to orders attended Lord How at Albany, for his diredions, on the 12th, with whom I had a mod agreeable interview, and a long converfation concerning the methods of dif- trefling the enemy, and profecuting the war with vigour the enfuing campaign. I parted with him, having the ftrongeft afTuranccs of his friendftiip and influence in my behalf, to wait upon Colonel Grant, commanding officer at Fort Edward, to affifl him in conducing the Rangers, and fcouting parties, in fuch a manner as might bed fcrve the common caufe, having a letter from my Lord to him. Capt. Stark was immediately difpatched to Ticondcroga on the weft-fide of Lake George. Capt. Jacob, whofe Indian name was Naw nawapeteoonkSy on the eaft-fide, and C^t» Shepherd betwixt the lakes, with directions to take if pofTible fome prifoners near Carillon. About the fame time I marched myfelf with eighteen men for Crown Point. Capt. Bur-? bank was like wife difpatched in queft of pri-t* foners. Thcfe fcouts, being often relieved, were kept out pretty conftantly, in order tg difcover any parties of the enemy that might fally out towards our forts or frontiers, and to
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rcconnoittc their fituatiop and motions from time to time. The fuccefs of my own fcout was as follows.
April 29, 1758, I marched from Fort Ed- ward with a party of eighteen men, up the road that leads to Fort William Henry four miles, then north four miles, and encamped at Schoon Creek, it having been a very rainy
day.
On the 30th we marched north-and-by-caft
all day, and encamped near South-Bay.
The I ft of May we continued the fame courfe, and at night encamped near the nar- rows, north of South Bay.
The 2d, in the morning, made a raft, and crofTed the bay over to the eaft-lide, and hav- ing diftanced the lake about four miles we encamped.
The 3d we fleered our courfe north, and lay at night about three miles from Carillon.
The 4th we marched north-by-eaft all day, and encamped at night three miles from Crown Point Fort.
The 5th we killed one Frenchman, and took three prifoners.
The 6lh, in the morning, began our return homeward, and arrived with our prifoners at Fort Edward the 9th.
One
[ 107 ]
One of the prlfoners, who appeared to be the moll intelligible, reported, " that he was born " at Lorrain in France j that he had been in ** Canada eight years, viz. two at Quebec, one ** at Montreal, and five at Crown Point j that " at the latter were but 200 foldiers, of which ** Monf. le Janong was commander in cliief; ** that at Ticonderoga there vere 400 of the '* Qiieen's regiment, 150 marines, 20Q Cana- ** dians, and about 700 Indians j and that they •* daily expeded 300 Indians morej that they *' did not intend to attack our forts this fum- *"* mer, but were preparing to receive us at " Ticonderogaj that they had heard that I, *' with mod of my party, was killed in the ** confli(S laft: March ; but afterwards, by fomc ** prrifoncrs which a fmall party of their Indi- ** ans had taken from Dutch Hoofyk,thcy were ** informed that Rogers was yet alive, and was ** going to attack them again, being fully re- ** folved to revenge the inhumanity and bar- *' barlty with which they h'^d ufcd his men, " in particular Lieut. Philips and his party, ** who were butchered by them, after they had ** promifed them quarters; that this was talked ** of among the Indians, who greatly blamed ^« the French for encouraging them fo to do."
P 2 . Captain^
Il
[ 108 ]
Captains Stark and J^cob returned the day before me j the former brought in with him fix prifoners, four of which he took near liconderoga ; they having c'fcapcd from New York and Albany, were in their flight to the Frpnch forts. The latter, who had but one white man with him, and eighteen Indians, jtook ten prifoneib, and feven fcalps, out of a party of fifty French. An account of ihefc icouts, and the intelligence thereby gained, was tranfmitted to my Lorjd How, and by him to the General.
About the middle of May, a flag of truce was fcnt to Ticonderoga, on Col. Schyler'g account, which put a flop to all pffenfivc jfcouts, till its return.
May z5, 1758, I received pofitive orders fronj the General, to order all officers and meq, belonging tp the Rangers, and the two Indian Companies, who were on furlow, or recruiting parties, to join their refpedive companies as foon as pofljble, and that every man of the corps under niy comnqiand (hould be at his poft at or before the loth of next month. Thefe orders w«re obeyed, and parties kept out on various fcouts till the 8th of June, when my Lord How arrived at Fort Edward with one half of the army.
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His Lordfhip immediately ordered me out with fifty men in whale-boats, which v/trt tarried over in waggons to I akc George, and diredled me at ail events to take a plan of tht landing-place at the north- end with all pof- fible accuracy, and alfi of the ground from thd landing-place to the French fort at Carillon, and of Lake Champlain for three miles beyond it, and to difcovcr the enemy's number in that quarter. Agreeable to thefc orders, on thfc 12th in the morning, I marched with a part^ of fifty men, and encamped in the evening at the place where Fort William- Henry ftoofl.
On the 30th we proceeded down the lak^ in hve whale-boats to the firft narrows, and f6 on to the wefl-cnd of the lake, where I took the plan his Lordfhip defired. Part of my party then proceeded to reconnoitre Ticonde- roga, anddifcovercd a large encampment there, and a great number of Indians. While I was, with two or three others, taking a plan of thfc fort, encampment, &c. 1 left the remainder of my party at fome confiderable diftancc j when I was returning to them, at the diftance of about 300 yards, they were fallen upon by a fuperior number of the enemy who had got between me and them. Capt. Jacobs, with the Mohegon Indians, run off at thefirft onfet,
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calling to our people to run likcwlfe; but they flood their ground, and difcharged their pieces feveral times, at lad broke through the enemy, by whom they were furrounded on all fides except their rear, where a river covered them : they killed three of the enemy, but lofl eight of their own party in this /kirmifh. My party rallied at the boats, where I joined them, and having colledled all but the flain together, we returned homewards. On the 20th, at Half Way brook, we met my Lord How, advanced wiih three thoufand men, to whom I gave an account of my fcout, together with a plan of the landing-place, the fort at Carillon, and the fituation of the lakes.
I obtained leave of my Lord to go to Fort ' Edward, where his Excellency Majpr General Abercrombie was then ported, who ordered mc to join my Lord How the next day with all the Rangers, being 600, in order to pro- ceed with his Lordlhip to the lake.
On the 22d his Lordfliip encamped at the lake where formerly flood Fort William-Hen- ry, and ordered the Rangers to advance 400 yards on the weft-fide, and encamp there; from which place, by his Lordfliip's orders, I fept off next morning three fmall parties of Rangers, viz. one to the narrows of South
[ MI ]
Bay, another to the weft-fide of Lake George, and a third to Ticonderoga Fort, all three par- ties by land. Another party, confifting of two Lieutenants and feventecn men, proceeded down the lake for difcoveries, and were all made prifoners by about ;^oo French and Indi- ans. This party embarked in whale-boats.
About the 28th of June his Excellency Major General Abercrombie arrived at the lake with the remainder of the army, where he tarried till the morning of the 5th of July, and then the whole army, confifting of near 16,000, embarked in battoes for Ticondero^ra.
The order of march was a moft agreeable fight; the regular troops in the center, pro- vincials on each wing, the light infantry on the right of the advanced guard, the Rangers on the left, with Colonel Broadftreet's battoe- men in the center. In this manner we pro- ceeded, till dufk, down Lake George, to Sab* bath Day Point, where the army halted and refreflied. About ten o'clock the army moved again, when my Lord How went in the front with his whale-boat, Lieutenant Col. Broad- ftreet's and mine, with Lieutenant Holmes, in another, whom he fent forward to go near the landing- place, and obferve if any enemy was pofted there,
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Holmes returned about day- break, met tbe army near the Blue Mountains within four mile§ of the landing-place, and reported that there was a party of the enemy at the landing- place, which he difcovered by their fires.
As foon as it was light his Lordlhip, with Col. Broadftreet and myfelf, went down to obferve the landing-place before the army, and when within about a quarter of a mile, plainly difcerned that it was but a fmall de- tachment of the enemy that was there; whereupon his Lordfbip faid he would return to the General, that the army might land an4 march to Ticonderoga. About twelve o'clock the whole army landed, the Rangers on the left wing. I immediately fent an gfficer to wait upon the General for his order?, and re* ceived diredtions from Cafft. Abercrombie, one of his Aids de Camp, to gain the top of ^ mountain that bore north about a mile from the landing-place, and from thence to fteer caft to the river that runs into the falls be- twixt the landing and the faw-naill, to take poffcffion of fome rifing ground on the ene- my's fide, and there to wait the army*s corning. 1 immediately marched, afccndcd the top of the hill, and fronii thence marched to the place I was ordered, where I arrived in about
an
[ "3 ]
an hour, and ported my party to as good ad- vantage as I could, being within one quarter of a mile of where Monf. Montcalm was poft- ed with 1 5©o men, whom I had difcovered by fome fmali reconnoitring parties fent out for that purpofe. About twelve o'clock Colonels Lyman and .Fitch of the Provincials came to my rear, whom I informed of the enemy*s being fo very near, and inquiring concerning the army, they told me they were coming along. While this converfation pafled, a fharp fire began in the rear of Col. Lyman's regiment, on which he faid he would make his front immediately, and defircd mc to fall on their left flank, which I accordingly did, having firft ordered Capt. Burbanks with 150 men to remain at the place where I was pofled, to obferve the motions of the French at the faw-mills, and went with the remainder of the Rangers on the left flank of the enemy, the river being on their right, and killed feve- ral. By this time my Lord Howe, with a de- tachment from his front, had broke the ene- my, and hemmed them in on every fide j but advancing himfelf with great eagernefs and intrepidity upon them, was unfortunately fhot
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and died immediately *. There were taken prifonersof the enemy in this adlion, five officers, two volunteers, and one hundred and lixty men, who were fent to the landing place. Nothing more material was done this day. The next morning, at fix o'clock, I was ordered to march to the river that runs into the falls, the place where I was the day before, and there to halt on the weft-fide till further orders, with four hundred Rangers, while Captain Stark, with the remainder of the Rangers, marched with Capt. Abercombie and Mr. Clerk the Engineer to obferve the pofition of the enemy at the fort, from whence they re- turned again that evening. The whole army lay the enfuing night under arms. By fun- rife next morning, Sir William Johnfon joined the army with four hundred and forty Indians. At fevejn o'clock I received orders to march with my Rangers. A Lieutenant of Captain Stark's led the advance guard. I was within about three hundicd yards of the breaft-work, when my advance guard was ambuflied and
*
This noble and brave officer being univerfally be- loved by both officers and foldiers of the army, his fall was not only moft fincerely lamented, but Teemed to pro- duce an almoft general confternation and languor through the whole.
fired
t "5 ]
fired upon by about 200 Frenchmen. I Im- mediately formed a front, and marched up to the advanced guard, who maintained their ground, and the enemy immediately retreated; foon after the battoe-men formed on my left and light infantry on my right. This fire of the enemy did not kill a fingle man. Soon after three regiments of Provincials came up and formed in my rear, at tu'o hundred yards diftancc. While the army was thus forming, a fcattering fire was kept up between our flving parties and thofe of the enemy without the breaft-work. About half an hour pad ten, the grcateft part of the army being drawn up, a fmart fire began on the left wing, where Col. De Lancey's, (tbeNew Yorkers,) end the battoe-men were ported, upon which I was ordered forward to endeavour to beat the ene- my within the bread-work, and then to fall down, that the pickets and grenadiers might march through. The enemy foon retired within their works , Major Proby marched through with his pickets within a few yards of the bread-work, where he unhappily fell, and the enemy keeping up a heavy fire, the foldiers hadened to the right about, when Col. Haldiman came up with the granadiers to fupport them, being followed by the battali-
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ons in brigadcB for their fupport. Col. Hal- diman advanced very near the bread- work, which was at lead eight feet high ; fomc of the provincials with the Mohocks came up alfo *.
We toiled with repeated attacks for four hours, being greatly cmbarrafledby trees that were felled by the enemy without their bread- work, when the General thought proper to order a retreat, directing me to bring up the rear, which I did in the dullc of the evening. On the ninth in the evening, we arrived at our encampment at the fouth-end of Lake George, where the army received the thanks of the General for their good behaviour, and were ordered to entrench themfelves ; the wounded were fent to Fort Edward and Al- bany. Our lofs both in the regular and pro- vincial troops, was fomcwhat confiderable. The enemy's lofs was about five hundred, bc- fides thofc who were taken prifoners.
July 8, 1758. By order of the General, I this day began a fcout to South Bay, from
1
* This attack was begun before the General intended it fhould be, and as it were by accident, from the fire of the New Yorkers in the left wing ; upon which «Jo]. Ha- viland being in or near the center, ordered the troops to advance.
which
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[ J'7 ]
•
which I returned the i6th, having effedcd nothing confiderablc, except difcovering a large party of the enemy, fuppofed to be near a thoufand, on the eaft-fide of the lake. This party the next day, viz. the 17th, fell up- on a detachment of Col. Nicholls's Regiment at the half-way brook, killed three Captains, and upwards of twenty private men.
The 27th another party of the enemy fell upon a convoy of waggoners between Fort Edward and Half- Way Brook, and killed 1 16 men, fixtcen of which were Rangers. In per- fuit of this party, with a deiign to intercept their retreat, I was ordered to embark the 18th with 700 men; the enemy however ef- caped me, and in my return home on the 31ft, I was met by an exprefs from the General, with orders to march with 700 men to South and Eaft Bay, and return by way of Fort Ed- ward, in the profecution of which orders nothing very material happened till the 8th of Auguft; in our return, early in the morning of which day, we decamped from the place where Fort Anne flood, and began our march. Major Putnam with a party of Pro- vincials marcl
'g
my
the rear, Capt. Dalyell with the regulars in the center, the other officers fuitably difpofcd a-
among
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[ n8 ]
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the men, being in number 530, cxclufive of officers (a number having by leave returned home the day before.) Af- ter marching about three-quarters of a mile, a fire begun with five hundred of the enemy in the fronts I brought my people into as good order as pofliblc, Capt. Dalyell in the center, and the Rangers on the right, with Col. Par- tridge's light infantry; on the left was Capt. Gidding's of the Boflon troops with his people, and Major Putnam being in the front of his men when the fire began, the enemy rufliing in, took him, one Lieutenant, and two others, prifoners, and confiderably difordered others of the party, who afterwards rallied and did good fervice, particularly Lieutenant Durkee, who notwithftandingtwo wounds, one in his thigh, the other in his wrift, kept in the adion the whole time, encouraging his men with great earneftnefs and refolution. Capt. Dalyell with Gage's light infantry, and Lieut. Eyers of the 44th regiment, behaved with great bravery, they being in the center, where was at firfl the hotted fire, which afterwards fell to the right M'herc the Rangers were, and where the ene- my made four different attacks ; in (liort, of- ficers and foldiers throughout the detachment behaved with fu(
vigour
one
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[ "9 ]
©ne hour's time broke the enemy, and obllg^ them to retreat, which they did with 'uch caution in fmall fcattering parties, as gave us no great opportunity to diftrefs them by a pur- fult; we kept the field and buried our dead. When the adion was over, we had miffing fifty-four men, twenty-one of which after- wards came in, being feparated from us while the action continued. The enemy's lofs was 199 killed on the fpot, feveral of which were Indians *. We arrived at Fort Edward on the 9th, being met at fome diftance from it by Col. Provof}, with a party of 300, and re- frefhments for the wounded, which I had de- fired by an exprefs fent before.
I remained at Fort Edward till the nth of the month, when I received orders from CoL Provofl:, who now ranked as Brigadier, and commanded at Fort Edward, to march and purlbe the tracks of a large party of Indians, of which he had received intelligence, down the eaft-fide of Hudfon's River, in order to fecure our convoys from them, and intercept their retreat ; but this report which the Colonel had heard being groundlefs, my fcout was ineffec- tual. I returned to Fort Edward on the 14th,
* By a detachment that went out afterwards, fifty more of the enemy were found dead near the place of action.
and
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[ ^20 ]
and went with my detachment dircdlly to ihc encampment at Lake George.
Aug. 20, 1758. By orders from the Gene- ral I embarked with five men in a whale-boat, to vifit and reconnoitre Ticonderoga, in which cxcurfion I obtained feveral articles of inteUi- gcncc concerning the enemy, their fituation and numbers at different pods, and returned the 24th to the encampment at Lake George.
I was employed in various other excuriions towards the enemy's forts and frontiers, and in perfuit of their flying parties, till the campaign for this year ended, and our army retired to winter-quarters.
Notwithftanding little was effeded by our late campaign to Ticonderoga j yet the Bri- tifli arms in America were not every where unfuccefsful : for Col. Broadflreet, with a de- tachment of 2000 men, reduced the French fort at Cataraqua, called Fort Frontenac *, and
• This fort was fquare faced, had four baflions built with ftone, and was near three-quarters of a mile in circumfe- rance. Its fituation 'iVas very beautiful, the banks of the river prefenting on every fide an agreeable landfcape, with a fine profpecSl of the Lake Ontario, which was diftant a- bout a league, interfperfed with many iflands that were well wooded, and feemingly fruitful. The French had formerly a great trade at this fort with the Indians, it being erefled on purpofe to prevent their trading with the Eng- lifhj but it is now totally deftroyed.
Ge-
V
^
[ •2> ]
General Amherft, who commanded the Brllidi troops at Cape Breton, had fuccccded in the rc- dudion of that important fortrefs, and now returned from his conqueft, with a part of the troops that had been employed there, and was appointed commander in chief of his M;ijefly's forces in North America (General Abercrom- bie embarking for England). The head quar- ters were now fixed at New York, and 1 had now new commanders to obey, new compa- nions to converfe with, and, as it were, a new apprenticcfhip to ferve. From Albany, where I was fettling fome accounts with the Paymafter, I began my acquaintance by the following letter to Col. Townfend, Deputy Adjutant General to his Excellency.
'' Sir,
Albany^ Jan, 28, 1759.
" Inclofed I fend you the prefent ftate of his Majefty*s companies of Rangers at Port Ed- ward, together with a lift of the officers, now recruiting in the different parts of New Eng- land, who have lately advifed me, that they have already inlifted near 400 men, which re- cruits are m'lch wanted at Fort Edward, as it
R may
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[ 122 ]
may be cxpcdtcd that the enemy will foon fend their Indians, to endeavour to intercept our convoys between here and Fort Edward.
'* To be feafonably ftrong to prevent their playing their old pranks, I would humbly pro- pofc, were it confident with the fervice and a- grccable to General Amherft, my fetting out for New England, in order to difpatch fuch Rangers as are there with all poflible fpeed to Fort Edward, or otherwifc, as his Excellency ihall direct. If it (hould be agreeable to the General that I fliould go to New Engl.md, I fhould be glad it might be by way of New York, that I might have an opportunity to wait upon the General myfelf, and reprefent to him the necefiity of an augmentation of the Rangers now at Fort Edward, and the dcfirc of the Stockbridge Indians to re-enter the fervice.
" The armsof the Rangers are in the hands of Mr. Cunningham at New York, which will be foon wanted at Fort Edward -, I (hould therefore be glad they might be forwarded as foon as may be. I have wrote to Mr. Cun- ningham, to make application to you for con- venient carriages for the fame, which I fhould
be
n
[ >23 ]
I>c glad you would furnifli him with. And till the lime I have an opportunity of paying you my refpcdls in pcrfon, 1 beg leave to i'ub- fcribc myfclf. Sir,
Your moft obedient humble fervant,
Robert Rogers,'*
*' P. S. General Stanwix informs me, that a fubaltern ofRcer, and about twenty Rangers, are to be Rationed at No. 4 -, the officer I would recommend for that poft, is Lieut. Stephans, who is well acquainted with the country there- about. He is now recruiting."
To CgI. Townfend.
Soon after this I returned to Fort Edward, where I received the Colonel's anfwer, as follows.
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Sir,
Feb. 5, 1759.
** I received your letter, with the inclofed return. The General commands me to in- form you, he can by no means approve of
your leaving Fort Edward.
R 2 *' Your
it
(^ i!
[ >24 ]
*' Your recruiting officers are all ordered to fend up their recruits to Fort Edward. They are not only wrote to, but an advertifement is put in all the papers, which was the only me- thod the General had of conveying his inten- tions to them, as you had not fent me any re- turn of the officers names, and places where they were to recruit at. In obedience to that order, the recruits will be up fooner than if they waited your coming down. I have like- wife repeated the order to every officer, accor- ding to your return, by this poft, and if you are complete by the returns they make, I fhall order up every individual officer to their
pofts.
** Any propofals for the augmentation of the Rangers, or propofals from the Stockbridge Indians, you would chufe to offer to the Ge- neral, he defires may be immediately fent down to him.
*« The arms for the Rangers, which you mention are in the hands of Mr. Cunningham, Ihall be fent up to you immediately.
** Lhave wrote to Lieut. Samuel Stephans, to acquaint him with the General's intentions of leaving him at No. 4.
^' If
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[ 125 1
** If the enem}^ fend out any fcouting par- ties this year to pick up intelligence, or attack our convoys, tie leafon of the year is now coming on that we may exped thcrn ; you therefore mud iee the necefliiy of your ic- maiiiing ;u Fort Edward. Your officers and men ffiould join you as faft as poflihle. The General would at another time comply with your requelf.
Your obedient humble fervant,
R, Townjhend, D. A. G." Feb, 15, 1759.
^0 Major Rogers.
I wrote to the Colonel, propofing an addition of two new companies of Rangers, upon the fame footing as thofe already in the fervice, and the raifing of three companies of Indians to ferve the enfuing campaign -, and left the Indians fhould be gone out on their hunting parties, and fo be prevented from joining us, I wrote to three of their Sachems, or chiefs ; one of which to King Uncus, head Sachem of the Mohcgan Indians (which in fubftance is like
the
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[ 126 ]
the others) I will here infert, as a fpecimen of the method in which we are obliged to ad- drefs thefe favagcs.
" Brother Uncus,
" As it is for the advantage of his Majefty King George, to have a large body of Rangers em- ployed in his fervice the enfuing campaign, and as I am well convinced of the fincere attach- ment you have to him, I therefore carefully obey General Amherfl's orders to me, to en- gage your afl;flance here early in the fpring.
" 1 hope you'll continue to (hew that ardent zeal you have all along expreflcd for the Eng- lish, ever fince you have been allied to them, by raifmg a company of your men with the utmoft expedition.
*' Should you chufe to come out a Captain, General Amherft will readily give you the commiffion for it ; if not, I (hall expedt Do- quipe and Nunnipad. I leave to you the choice of an Enfign and two ferjeantsj but I hope you'll engage the fitteft men for their Aations. I would have the company confift of fifty private men, or more, if you can get them ', and if thofe men that defertcd from
Capt.
r '27 ]
Capt. Brewer will join you, the General will pardon them. You may cnoploy a Clerk for the company, to whom General Amherfl will allow the ufual pay.
" I heartily wifli you fuccefs in railing your mcn,and (hall beexceedingglad that you join me with all the expedition you poflibly can. I am.
Brother Uncus,
Your mojft obedient humble fcrvant,
jT^ King Uncus.
'^m
Robert Rogers/*
.iO
■ ■ •■?''i
Mi
With this letter, or any other wrote to them, in order to give it any credit or influence, muft go a belt of wampum, fuitable to the matter and occafion of it, and upon which the bearer, after having read the letter, interprets it, and then delivers both to the Sachem, or perfon they are diredted to.
The latter end of February, about fifty Mohocks, commanded by Captain Lotridge, came from Sir William Johnfon to join me, and proceed to Ticonderoga on a fcout.
March 3, 1759, I received the following or- ders from Col. Haidiman : " An officer being
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i '28 ]
to make obfcrvationS fituation, and the flren^th
chofen by the General upon the enemy' of their forts upon Lake Chan}plain, you are ordered to march with your Rangers, and the Mohock Indians, under the command of Capt. Lotridgc, and take all the meafures and precautions poffible, that he may execute his intentions, and perform the fervice, which the General has much at heart j and to effecft this with more fccurity, a body of regulars is likewile ordered to join with you, and you are to. have the command of the whole. Lieut. Brhecm is to communicate his orders to you; and the fervice being performed, you will en«- deavour to take a prifoner, or prifoners, or flrike fuch a ftroke on the enemy, and try to bring us intelligence.
'* He recommends it in the ftrongeft man- ner, thatif fome of the enemy fhould fall into your hands, to prevent the Indians from exer- ciHng their cruelty upon them, as he delires prifoners may be treated with humanity.
Fort Edwardy March 3, 1759-
Fred. HaJdiman, Commander at Fo7^t Edward,'*
Purfuant
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[ 129 ]
Purfaant to the above orders, I marched the i'ame day with a party of 358 men, offi- cers Includcdj and encamped the firft night at Half Way Brook. One Indian j being hurt by accident, returned to Fort Edward. The 4th, marched to within one mile and a half of Lake George, and halted till evening, that we might the better pafs undifcovercd by the ene- my, if any were on the hill reconnoitcring. We continued our march till two o'clock in the morning, and halted at the firft narrows. It being exccffive cold, and feveralof our par- ty being froft-bitten, I fent back twenty-three, under the charge of a careful ferjeant, to Fort Edward. We continued here till the evening of the 5th, then marched to Sabbath-day Point, where we arrived about eleven o'clock, almofl Overcome with the cold. At two o'clock we Continued our march, and reached the landing- place about eight. I fent out a fmall party to obferve if any of the enemy's parties went out. They returned and reported, that none were to be feen on the wefl-fidc of the lake, but on the eaft Vvere two working parties. It now ap- peared to be a fuitable time for the engineer to make his obfervations. I left Capt. Williams to remain at this Mare with the Regulars, and thirty Rangers, while I, with the engineer,
S , forty
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[ 130 ]
forty-nine Rangers, and C^^t. Lotrldge, with forty-five Indians, went to the ifthmus that overlooks the fort, where he made his obfcrva- tions. We returned to our party, leaving five Indians and one Ranger to obfe'rve what num- bers crofied the hke in the evening from the eaft-fide to the fort, that I might know the better how to attack them next morning. At dark the engineer went again, with Lieut. Tutc, and a guard often men, to the entrenchments, and returned at midnight without oppofition, having done his bulinefs to his fatisfadtion. On which I ordered Capt. Williams with the Regu- lars back to Sabbath-day Point ; the party be- ing extremely diftrefled with the cold, it ap- peared to me imprudent to march his men any further, efpecially as they had no fnow- fhoes. I fcnt with him Lieut. Tute and thirty Rangers, with diredlions to kindle fires on the aforefaid point. At three o'clock I marched with three Lieutenants and forty Rangers, one Re- gular, and Capt.Lotridge with forty-fix Indians, in order to be ready to attack the enemy's work- ing parties on the eaft-fide of the lake early in the morning. We crofiied South-Bay about eight miles fouth of the fort *j from thence, it
* Here we found that a party of Indians had gone up the bay towards our forts.
being
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[ 131 ]
being about fix o'clock, bore down right oppo- fite the fort, and within half a mile of where the French parties, agreeable to our exp^dla-^ tions, were cutting of wood. Here I halted, and fent two Indians and two Rangers to ob- fcrve their fituation. They returned in a few minutes, and brought intelligence, that the working parties were clofe to the banks of the lake, and oppofitc the fort, and were about for- ty in number; upon which we ilrippcd off our blankets, and ran down upon them, took feve- ral prifoners, and deftroyed mod of the party as ihcy were retreating to the fort, from whence being difcovered, about eighty Cana- dians and Indians purfued us clofely, being backed by about 150 French regulars, and in a mile's march they began a fire in our rear; and as we marched in a line abreaft, our front was eafily made ; I halted on a rifing ground, rcfolving to make a (land againft the enemy, who appeared at iirft very rcfolute : but we re • pulfed them before their reinforccmtnt came up, and began our march again in a line abread; having advanced about half a mile further, they came in fight again. As foon as we could obtain an advantageous poil, which was a long ridge, we again made a fland on the iide oppofitc the enemy. The Canadians and
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Indians came very clofe, but were foon (lopped by a warm fire from the Rangers and Mo- hocks. They broke immediately, and the Mo- hocks with fome Rangers purfued, and entirely routed them before their Regulars could come up. After this we marched without any op- pofition. In thtfe feveral fkirmifhes we had two Rangers and one Regular killed, and one Indian wounded, and killed about thirty of the enemy. We continued our march till twelve o'clock at night, and came to Capt. Williams, at Sabbath-day Point (fifty miles diftant from the place we fet out from in the morning.) The Captain received us with good fires, than which fcarce any thing could be more accept- able to my party, feveral of which had their feet froze, it being exceflivc cold, and the fnow four feet deep. Next morning marched the whole detachment as far as Long Ifland in Lake George, and there encamped that night. On our march from Sabbath-day Point to this ifland, I gave leave to fome of the Ran- gers and Indians to hunt near the fide of the lake, who brought us in great plenty of yeni- fon for our refrefhment.
I fent Lieut. Tute, with the following let- ter, to Col. Haldiman, fearing Icfl a party of Indians we had fome notice of might have
gone
[ 133 ]
gone up South Bay, and get an opportunity of doing mifthief before I could reach Fort Ed- ward wiih the whole detach mant.
y let- ty of have gone
Camp at Sabbath-day Point, Friday^
eight o'clock in the morning.
<(
Sir,
" I ftnd this to let you know that (ixty In- dians, in two parties, are gone towards Fort Edward and Saratoga, and I fear will ftrikc fome blow before this reaches you. Mr. Brheem is fatisfied he has done his bufinefs agreeable to his orders; fince which I have taken fomc prifoners from Ticonderoga, and deftroyed others of the enemy, of the particu- lars of which the bearer will inform you. . *' The Mohocks behaved with great bra- very ; fome have been within piflol-fhot of the French fort.
** Two-thirds of my detachment have froae their feet (the weather being fo fevere, that it is fllmoft impoflible to defcribe it) fome of which we arc obliged to carry. I am, &c.
R. Rogers:'
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J
Fort Edward ^ March 10, 1759. " Dear Sir, "
" I congratulate you heartily on your good fucccfs, and fend you twenty- two fleys to tranfport your fick. You will, by this oppor- tunity, take as many boards as you can conve- niently *, My bed: compliments to Capt. Williams, and to all the gentlemen. I am, Sir,
Your mod humble fcrvant,
Fred, Ha/dimand,
*' P. S. T ha] the fignal-guns fired to give notice to the different pods. Nothing has appeared as yet 'f.*'
We were met by the llcys, and a detach- ment of J 00 men at Lake George, and all ar- rived {ifc at Fort Edward, where I received the following letters upon my arrival.
* Boards left at the place where Fort Wjlliam-Henry fiood, and now wanted at Fort Edward.
t The explofion of thefe fignal-guns (as we afterwards heaid) was heard by the party of ihe enemy, then near Fort Millar, eight miles below Fort Edward, who thereupon fHppofingthemfclvesdifcovered, retreated with precipitation;
C(
Sir,
.if'i
[ 135 ]
*' Sir,
** I yefterday received your letter by Mr* Stark. The General approves of raifing the Indi- an companies J but as he has not heard the Ran- gers are complete, he cannot agree to the rai- fing more companies, till the prefent ones are complete at Fort Edward. Mr. Stark fets out to-morrow for New England. I have order- ed him to hurry up the recruits of your corps, and repeat my orders to the officers, to join their companies if they are complete. \our arms have been tried and proved by the artillery; they anfwer very well, and are ordered to be fcnt to you as faft as poffible: the General has fent to you by Capt. Jacobs. We have chofe out one hundred men from each regiment, and pitched upon the officers to adt this year as light infantry; thoy are cloathed and accoutred as light as poffible, and, in my opinion, are a kind of troops that has been much wanted in this country. They have what ammunition they want, fo that I don't doubt but they will be excellent markfmen. You may depend upon General Amherft's intentions to have you; 1 heard Brigadier Gage mention you to him. From what knowledge I have of the General, I can only fay that merit is fure to be
rewarded ;
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rewarded ; nor docs he favour any recommend- ation, without the perion recommended really dcfcrvcs his promotion. You will return your companies to me as foon as complete.
Your obedient humble fervant.
New Tork^ Feb, 26, 1759.
jHj Major Rogers.
R, I'ownjhend"
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** Sir, New Tork, Feb. 13, 1759;
** This will be delivered to you by Capt. Ja- cob Nawnawampeteoonk, who laft campaign commanded a company of Stockbridge Indians* and who, upon hearing that you hud wrote to me concerning him, came to offer me his fer- vice for the enfuing campaign: But as you have not mentioned to me the terms and conditions on which he was to engage, I have referred him to you to give in his propofals, th^t you may report to me thereupon, and inform me if you think his fervice adequate to them ; after which I (hall give you my anfwer. I am, Sirj
Your very humble fervant,
Jef, Amherjir fv Major Rogers*; ;
Be*
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[ ni ]
Before I received this letter from his Excel- lency, I had wrote to him, recommending fc- veral officers to the vacancies in the ranging companies, and inclofcd a journal of my late fcoutj foon after my return from which I went to Albany, to fettle my accompts with the government, where I waited upon his Ex- cellency the General, by whom I was very kindly received, and afTurcd that I fliould have the rank of Major in th? army from the date of my commiffion under General Aber- crombie.
I returned to Fort Edward the fifteenth of May, where 1 received the melancholy news, thit Capt. Burbank, with a party of thirty men, had in my abfence been fent out on a fcout, and were all cut off. This gave me great uneafi- nefs, as Mr. Burbank was a gentleman I very highly efleemfed, and one of the beft officers among the Rangers, and more efpecially as I judged the fcout he was fent out upon by the commanding officer at the fort was needlefs, and unadvifedly undertaken.
Preparations for the campaign were haftcned by his Excellency the General in every quarter^ the levies from the feveral provinces forward- ed, the companies of Rangers compleated, and difciplined in the bcft manner I was capable
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of, and of which the General was plcafed greatly to approve.
In the month of June, part of the army matched with General Gage for the lake. I was ordered to fend three companies there with Capt. Stark, and to remain with the General myfclf with the other three companies, till fuch time as he marched thither. In this in- terval, purfuant to his Excellency's orders, I fent out feveral parties to the French forts, who from time to time difcovered the fituation of the enemy, and brought fatisfacftory in- telligence.
About the 20th of June, the General with the remainder of the army marched to the lake, the Rangers being in the advanced guard ; and here his Excellency was pleafcd to fulfil his promife to me, by declaring in public orders, my rank of Major in the army, from the date of my commiffion, as Major of the Rangers. We continued here collcding our ftrength to- gether, and making necelTary preparations, and getting what intelligence we could of the Urcngth and fituation of the enemy, till July 2r, 1759, when the army embarked for Ti- conderoga. I was in the front with the Ran- gers on the right wing, and was the firft body that landed on July 22, at the north-end of
Lake
,akc
[ ^39 ]
Lake George, followed by the grenadiers and light infantry, which Col. Haviland com- manded.
I marched, agreeable to orders from the Ge- neral, acrofs the mountains in the ifthmus; from thence, in a by-way, athwart the woods to the bridge at the Saw-mills ; where finding the bridge (landing, I immediately crolicd it with my Rangers, and took poflcrtlon of the rifing ground on the other fide, and bea^ from thence a party of the enemy, and took feveral prifoners, killed others, and put the remainder to flight, before Col. Haviland with his grena- diers and light infantry got over. The army took polTeflion that night of the heights near the Saw-mills, where they lay ali this evening.
The enemy kept out a fcouting-party, with a body of Canadians and Indians, which kil- led feveral of our men, and galled us prcdi- gioufly.
July 23, the General, early in the morning, put the army in motion ; at the fame time or- dered me in the front, with dircdlions to pro- ceed acrofs the Chcfnut Plain, the nigheft and beft way I could, to Lake Champlain, and do my endeavour to ftrike it near the edge of the cleared ground, between that and the brcaft- work, where I was to halt till I received further
T 3 orders.
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[ 140 ]
orders. Having purfued my orders, and halted at the lake, I informed the General of my fituation, and that nothing extraordinary had happened in our march.
The General by this time had appointed and formed a detachment to attack their main breaft-work on the hill, and had got polTefnon of it. I was ordered to fend two hundred men to take polTeffion of a fmall entrenchment next to Lake Champlain j and Captain Brewer, whom I had fent to take poffeflion of this poft, happily fuccecded.
From the time the army came in l-^ht the enemy kept up a conflant fire of cannon from their walls and batteries at our people. The General at this lime had left feveral Provincial regiments to bring the cannon and ammunition acrofs the Carrying Place, together with provi-- fions, which they did with great expedition *.
July 24. All this day the engineers were employed in raifing batteries, as was like wife a great part of the army in that work, and in making and fetching fafcincs, till the 26th. at night; all which time I had parties out to Crown Point to watch the motions of the
* About this time fome of the Provincial regiments were fent to Qfwego, t* aflift in building a fort there.
enemy
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enemy there ; by which means the General had not only daily, but hourly intelligence from thofc poils.
I this day received orders from the General to attempt to cut away a boom which the French had thrown acrofs the lake oppolite the fort, which prevented our boats from paffing^ by, and cutting off their retreat. For the com* plction of this order I had fixty Rangers in one Englifli flat-bottomed boat, and two whale- boats *", in which, after night came on, I em- barked, 'and pafTed over to the other fide of Lake Champlain, oppofite to the Rangers encampment, and from that intended to ftccr ^y courfe along the eaft- (hore, and privately faw off their boom, for which end I had taken faws with me, the boom being made with logs of timber.
About nine o'clock, when I had got about halfway from the place where I had embarked, the enemy, who had undermined their fort, fprung their mines, which blew up with a loud cxplofion, the enemy being all ready to embark on board their boats, and make a
* Thcfe boats were carried acrofs the land from Lake George to Lake Champlain, on which day the brave and worthy Col. Townlhend was killed by a cannon ball front the enemy, whofe fall was much lamented by the General.
retreat.
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[ ^42 ]
retreat. This gave me an opportunity to attack them with fuch fuccefs as to drive fcveral of them alhorc ; fo that next morning we took from the eaft-fhore ten boats, with a confider- able quantity of baggage, and upwards of fifty barrels of powder, and large quantities of ball. About ten o'clock I returned, and made my report to the General.
The 27th I was ordered with my party to the Saw-mills (to wait the flying parties of the enemy which were expeded that way) where I lay till the nth of Auguft *, on which day I received the following orders from General Amherft ,
a
Sir,
** You are this night to fend a Captain, with a proper proportion of fubalterns, and two hundred men, to Crown Point, where the officer is to pofl himfelf in fuch a manner as not to be furprifed, and to feize on the heft ground for defending himfelf; and if he fhould be attacked by the enemy, he is not to retreat
4--
* About this time a party cf my people difcovered that the enemy's Fort at CroWii Point was like wife bicwn up, and the enemy fled.
with
' .,1
;ain, and lerc nner beft ould :rcat
with
[ '43 1
with his party, but keep his ground till he i» reinforced from the army. I am, Sir,
Your moft obedient,
To Major Rogers. Jef, Amherjl.'\
I
Capt. Brewer went with a party, and the General followed the 12th with the whole army, and the fame day arrived at Crowa Point, where it was found that Capt. Brewer had executed his orders extremely well.
This evening I had orders for encamping, and the ground for each corps being laid our^ my camp was fixed in the front of the army. Immediately after the General had got the difpofition of his camp fettled, he began to clear ground, and prepare a place for ereding a new fort, in which fervicc great part of the army was employed. I had orders to fend Capt. Stark, with two hundred Rangers, to cut a road to No. 4. which party was immedi- ately fent.
During thefe tranfadions I fent out (by the General's approbation) feveral fcouiing parties againft the enemy *, v/hich brought in pri-
* Capt. Tute, and Lieutenant Fletcher, in two diffeient ftouting parties, were taken and carried to Canada.
foners
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Ti
[ M4 ]
foners from St. John's Fort, and others pc* nctrated into the back country, the better to learn the nature and fituation of it*
Thus were we employed till the 12th of September, when the General, exafperated at the treatment which Capt. Kennedy had met with, who had been fent with a party as a flag of truce to the St. Francis Indians, with propofals of peace to them, and was by them made a prifoner with his whole party j this ungenerous inhumane treatement determined the General to chaftizc thefe favages with fome feverity, and, in order to it, I received from him the following orders, viz.
* *• You are this night to fet out with the detachment as ordered ycftcrday, tIz. of 200 men, which you will take under your com- mand, and proceed to Mififquey Bay, from whence you will march and attack the enemy's fettlements on the fouth- fide of the river St. Lawrence, in fuch a manner as you ftiall judge moft efFedual to difgrace the enemy, and for
* That this expedition might be carried on with the utmoft fecrefy after the plan of it was conctrted the day before my march, it was put into public orders, that I Was to march a different way, at the fame time I had private inftrudUons to proceed diredly to St. Francis.
the
[ H5 1
the fuccefs and honour bf his Majefty's arms.
*' Remember the barbarities that have been committed by the enemy's Indian fcoundrels on every oecafion, where they had an oppor- tunity of fhewing their infamous cruelties on the King's fubjedts, which they have done without mercy. Take your revenge, but don't forget that tho' thofe villains have daftardly and promifcuoufly murdered the women and children of all ages, it is my orders that no ivomen or children arc killed or hurt.
" When you have executed your intended fervice, you will return with your detachment to camp, or to join me wherever the army may be.
Your*s, &c.
Camp at Crotvn Feint, Sept. 13, 1759.
To Major Rogers.
Jef. Amherjiy
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In purfua'nce of the above ordersj I fet out the fame evening with a detachment j and as ko the particulars of my proceedings, and the great difficulties we met with in effeding our defign, the reader is referred to the letter I
U wrote
v.SJ.
[ 146 ]
wrote to General Amherft upon my return, and the remarks following it. - •
Copy of my Letter to the General upon my return from St. Francis.
((
Sir,
" The twenty-fccond day after my depar- ture from Crown Point, I came in fight of the Indian town St. Francis in the c'^ening, which I difcovercd from a tree that I climbed, at about three miles diflance. Here I halted my par- ty, which now confifted of 142 men, officers included, being reduced to that number by the unhappy accident which befe! Capt. Williams*, and feveral fince tiring, whom I was obliged to fend back. At eight o'clock this evening I left the detachment, and took with me Lieut. Turner and Enfign Avery, and went to reconnoitre the town, which I did to my facis- fadion, and found the Indians in a high frolic or dance. I returned to my party at two
* Capt. Williams of the Royal Regiment was, the fifth day of our march, accidentally burnt with gun-powder, and feveral men hurt, which, together with lome fick, returned back to Crown Point, to the number of forty, under the care of Capt. Williams, who returned with great reluc- tance.
o'clock,
r
H7 ]
o'clock, and at three marched it to within five hundred yards of the town, where I lightened the men of their packs, and formed them for the attack.
** At half an hour before fun-rife I furprifed the town when they were all faft allecp, on the right, left, and center, which was done with fo much alacrity by both the officers and men, that the enemy had not time to re- cover themfelves, or lake arms for their own defence, till they were chiefly deflroyed, ex- cept fomc few of them who took to the water. About forty of my pebple purfued*themi who deflroyed fuch as attempted to make their ef- cape that way, and funk both them and their boats. A little after fun-rile I fet fire to all their houfes, except thre^, in which there was •corn, t^at I referved for the ufe cf the party.
*' The fire confumed many of ihe Indians who had concealed themfelves in the cellars and lofts of their houfes. About feven o'clock in the morning the affair was completely over, in which time we had killid at lead two hun- dred Indians, and taken twenty of their wom.en and children prifoners, fifteen of whom I let go their own way, and five 1 1 rought with me, viz. two Indian boys, and three Indian girls.
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1 likcwifc retoolc five Rnglifli captives, which I alfo took under mv care.
** When I had paraded my detachment, I found I had Capt. Ogden bidly wounded in his body, but not fo as to hinder him from doing his duty. I had alfo fix men flightly wounded, and one Stockbridge Indian killed.
** J ordered my people to take corn out of the referved houfcs for their fubfiftence home, there being no otlier provifion there; and whilfl: they were loading themfelvcs I examined the prifoners and captives, who gave the following intelligence : ** That a party of 300 French, and fome Indians, were about four miles down the river below us; and that pur boats were way-laid, which I had reafon to believe was true, as they told the cxadt number, and the place v/here I left them at : that a party of 200 French and fifteen Indians had, three days be- fore I attacked the town, gone up the river Wigwam Martinic, fuppofing that was the place I intended to attack;" whereupon I called the officers together, to confult the fafety of our return, who were of opinion there was no other way for us to return with fafety, but by No. 4. on Con nedlicut River. I marched the detachment eight days in a body that way ;
is grew fcarce, near Ampa-
proviJ
^
[ H9 1
ra Magog Lake, I divided the detachment inr to fmall companies, putting proper guides to each, who were to alTemble at the mouth of Amonfook River*, as I cxpcdled provifions would be brought there for our relief -I*, not knowing which way I (liould return.
*• Two days after we parted, Enfign Ave- ry, of Fitche's, fell in on my track, and fol- lowed in my rear ; and a party of the enenay came upon them, and took feven of his party prifoners, two of whom that night made their efcape, and came in to me next morn- ing. Avery, with the remainder of his party, joined mine, and came with me to the Cohafe Intervales, where I left them with Lieut. Grant, from which place I, with Capt. Ogden, and one man more, put down the river en a fmall raft to this place, where I arrived yefterday ; and in half an hour after my arrival dif- patched provifions up the river to Lieut. Grant in a canoe, which I am pretty certain
' Ji.
ra
* Amonfook River falls intoConne6lut River about fixty piiles above No. 4.
- t Ano{Hcer,upon fome intelligence that I had when go- ing out, was fent back to Crown Point from Mififquey Bay, 10 defire tV»at provifions might be conveyed to this place, as I had reafon to believe we fhould be deprived of pur boats, and confcquently be obliged to return this way.
will
1:
[ '50 ]
«
will reach him this night, and next morn- ing fcnt two other canoes up the river for the rehef of the other parties, loaded with pro- vifions, to the mouth of Amonfook River.
" I fliall fet off to go up the river myfelf to-morrow, to feek and bring in as many of our men as I can find, and cxped to be back in about eight days, when I (hall, with all expe- dition, return to Crown Point. As to other particulars relative to this fcout, which your Excellency may think proper to inquire after, I refer you to Capt. Ogdcn who bears this, and has accompanied me all the time I have been out, behaving very well. I am, Sir, with the greatcll refped, «
Your Excellency's moft obedient fervant.
No. 4. Nov. 5, 1759.
K Rogers:'
To General Amheril.
I cannot forbear here making feme remarks on the difficulties and diftrelTes which attend- ed us, in effeding this enterprizc upon St. Frducis, which is fituated within three miles of the river St. Lawrence, in the middle of Cana-
E!-!iifV,(
[
I CI
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da, about half way between Montreal and Quebec. It hath already been mentioned, how our party was reduced by the accident which befell Capt. Williams, the fifth day after our departure, and (lill fluther by numbers tiring and falling fick afterwards. It was extremely difficult while we kept the water (and which retarded our progrefs very much) to pr^fs un- difcovered by the enemy, who were tficn cruizing in great numbcis upon die lake; and had prepared certain veflels, on puroofe to de- coy any party of ours, that might come iiat way, armed with all nianner of machir Cb and implements for their deflrudion; bu we hap- pily efcaped their fnares of this kind, and landed (as hath been mentioned) the tenth day at Mififqucy Bay. Here, that iViight with more certainty know whether my boats (with which I left provilion fufficient to carry us back to Crown Point) were difcovcr- ed by the enemy, I left two trufty Indians to lie at a diftance in fig It .)f the boats, an ('l^ there to flay till I came back, except the ene- my found them ; in w'iich latter cafe they were
I to follow
ipv
my
and give m^? intelligence. It happened the fecond day after I left them, that thefe two In- dians came up to me in the evening, and in- formed
iii
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t 152 ]
formed me that about 400 French had difco- vercd and taken my boats, and that about one half of them were hotly purfuing on my track. This unlucky circumflance (it may well be fuppofed) put us into fome confternation. Should the enemy overtake us, and we get the better of them in an encounter; yet being fo far advanced into their country, where no reinforcement could poflibly relieve us, and where they could be fupporied by any num- bers they pleafed, afforded us little hopes of efcaping their hands. Our boats being taken^ cut off all hope of a retreat by themj befides, the lofs of our provifions left with them, of which we knew we fhould have great need at any rate, in cafe we furvived, was a melancholy coniideration. It was, however, refolved to profecute our delign at all adventures, and^ when we had accomplifhed it, to attempt a retreat (the only poflible way we could think of) by way of No. 4 ; and that we might not be deftroyed by famine in our return, I dif- Jjatched Lieut. M*IVfullen by land to Crown Point, to defire of the General to relieve me with provifion at Amonfook River, at the end of Cohafe Intervales on Connedlicut River, that being the way I fhould return, if at all, and the place appointed being about iixty miles
from
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from No. A, then the mofl: northerly Encliih fettlement. This being done, we determined if poffible to outmarch our purfuers, and ef- fedl our defign upon St. Francis before they could overtake us. We marched nine days through wet funken ground j the water mod of the way near a foot deep, it being a fprace bog. V/hcn we encamped at night, we had iio way to fecurc ourfclvcs from the water, but by cutting the bows of trees, and with them ereding a kind of hammocks. We commonly began our march a little before day, and con- tinued it till after dark at night.
The tenth day after leaving Mififquey Bay, \vc came to a river about fifteen miles above the town of St. Francis to the fouth of it ; and the town being on the oppofite or eaft fide of it, we were obliged to ford it, which was at- tended with no imall difficulty, the water be- ing five feet deep, and the current fwift. I put the talleft men up ftream, and then holding by each other, we got over with the lofs of feveral of our guns, fome of which we recovered by diving to the bottom for them. We had now good dry ground to mjirch upon, and dif- covered and dcftroyed the town as before re- lated, which in all probability would have been effeded with the lofs of no man but the Indian
X who
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who was killed in the action, had not my boats been difcovered, and our retreat that way cut off.
This nation of Indians was notorloufly at- tached to the Ficiich, and had for near a century paft harraffed the frontiers of New England, killing people of all ages and fexes in a mofl barbarous manner, at a time when they did not in the lead fufped them i and to my Own knowledge, in fix years time, carried in- to captivity, and killed, on the before mentioned frontiers, 400 perfons. We found in the town hanging on poles over their doors, 6ic. about 600 fcalps, mcftly Engllfh.
The circumftances of our return are chiefly related in the preceding letter j however, it is hardly pofi'ible to defcribe the grief and con- ftcrnation of ihofe of us who came to Cohafe Intervales. Upon our arrival there (after fo many days tedious march over flccp rocky mountains, or thro' wet dirty fwamps, with the terrible attendants of fatigue and hunger) to find that here wa no relief for us, where we had ^^ncouraged ourfelves that we rtiould find it, and have our diftrefles alleviated ; for notwithflanding the officer I difpatched to the General difchargcd his trufl with great expedition, and in nine days arrived at Crown
Point,
I ^55 1
Point, which was an hundred miles thro* the woods, nnd the General, without delay, fent Lieut, c'vcrphans to No. 4. with orders to take provifions up the river to the place 1 had ap- pointed, and there wait as long as there was any hopes of my returning j yet the officer that was fent being an indolent fellow, tarried at the place but two days, when he returned, taking all the provifions back with him, about two hours before our arrival. Finding a frefli fire burning in his camp, I fired guns to bring him back, which guns he heard, but would not return, fuppofing wc were an enemy *.
Our difirefs upon this occafion was truly inexpreffible ; our fpirits, greatly deprc^Tcd by the hunger and fatigues wchad already fufter- ed, now almoft entirely funk within us, feeing no refource left, nor any reafonable ground to hope that we fliould efcapc a moft miferable death by famine. At length I came to a refo- lution to pulli as faft as poffible towards No. 4. leaving the remains of my party, now unable
* This Gentleman, for this piece of contlu£l, was broke by a general court-martial, and rendered incapable of fuflain- ing any office in his Majefty's fervice for the future : a poor reward, however, for the diftrefies and anguifn thereby oc- cafioned to fo many brave men, to fome of which it proved fatal, they aflually dying with hunger.
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to march further, to get facli wretched fub- iiftence as the barren vvilderncfs could afford *, till I could get relief to them, which I engaged to do within ten days. 1, with Capt. Ogdcn, one Ranger, and a captive Indian boy, em- barked upon a raft we had made of dry pine- trees. The current carried us down the ftream in the middle of the river, where we endeavoured to keep our wretched vclTel by fjch paddles as we had m^de out of fmall trees, or fpires fplit and hew^ed. The fecond day v/e reached White River Falls, and very iiarrowly efcaped being carried over them by the current. Our lilde remains of flrength however enabled us to land, and to march by them. At the bottom of thefe falls, while Capt. Ogden and the Ranger hunted for red fquirrels for a refrefhment, who had the good fortune fikewife to kill a partridge, I attempted the forming a new raft for oar further con- veyance. Being not able to cut down trees, I burnt them down, and then burnt them off at proper lengths. This was our third day's work after leaving our companions. The next
* This wa*: gfound-nuti and lilly roots, which being dcaned and boiled will ferve to preferve life, and the ufe and method of preparing which 1 taught to Lieut. Grant, Gommander of the party,
[ 157 ]
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day we got our materials together, and complcated our raft, and floated with the ftream again till we came to Wattockquitchey Falls, which are about fifty yards in length : here we landed, and by a weath made of ha- zel buflies, Capt. Ogdcn held the raft, till I went to the bottom, prepared to fwim in and board it when it came down, and if pofliblc paddle it afliore, this being our only refource for life, as we were not able to make a third raft in cafe we had loft this. 1 had the good fortune to fLicceed, and the next morning wc embarked, and floated down the ftream to v/ithin a fnnall diftance of No. 4. where wc found lome men cutting of timber, who gave us the firft relief, and allilled us to the fort, from whence I difpatched a canoe with provifions, which reached the men at Cohafe four days after, which (agreeable to my engagement) was the tenth after I left them.
Two days after my arrival at No. 4. 1 went with other canoes, loaded with provifions, up the river myfelf, for the relief of others of my party that might be coming in that way *,
having
* I met fcveral .liHercnt parties ; as Lieut. Curgill, Lieut. Campbell, Lieut. Farrington, and Serjeant Evans, with their rerpti5live divifions, and feijt canoes further up for the relief
of
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[ '58 ]
having hired fome of the inhabitants to afTift me in this affair. I like wife fent cxprefTes to Suncook and Pennccook upon Merrimack River, that any who fliould chance to ftraggic that way might be afiiftcd; and provifions were fent up fald rivers accordingly. i
On my return to No. 4. I waited a few days to refrefh fuch of my party as I had been able to colled: together, and during my (lay there received the following letter from General Amherll, in anfwer to mine of Nov. 5.
et
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Sir,
Crown Point, Nov, 8, 1759.
** Captain Ogden delivered mc your letter of the 5th inftant, for which I am not only to thank you, but to affure you of the fatisfadion I had on reading it ; as every ftcp you inform me vou have taken, has been very well judged, and deferves my full approbation. I am forry Lieut. Srephnns judged fo ill in coming away with the provifions from the place where I fent him to wait for you.
of fuch as might be ftill behind, and coming this way. Some I met who efcaped from Dunbar's and Turner's party, who wee nver'^aken (being upwards of twenty in number) and were moftly killed or taken by the enemy.
[ ^59 ]
*' An Indian is come in laft night, and faid he had left fome of yoar party at Otter Iliver. I fent for them ; they are come in. This af- ternoon four Indians, two Rangers, a German Vv'oman, and three other prifoncrs j they quit- ted four of your party fome days fince, and thought they had arrived here *. I am in hopes all the reft will get in very fafe. I think there is no danger but they will, as you quit- ted them not till having marched eight days in a body ; the only riflv after that will be meeting hunting parties. I am, Sir,
Your humble fervant.
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To Major Rogers.
Jef. Amherft."
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As foon as my party were refreflied, fuch as were able I marched to Crown Point, where I arrived Dec. i, 1759, and upon examinai^ion found, that, fince our leaving the ruins of St. Francis, I had loft three officers, viz. Lieut. Dunbar of Gage's Light Infantrv, Lieut. Tur- ner of the Rangers, and Lieut. Jenkins of the Provincials, and forty-fix ferjeantb and privates.
* Upon our reparation, fome oF the divifions were or- dered to make for Crown Point, that being the befl route L huntiiig.
The
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The Rangers at that place were all dlfiriiiled before my return, excepting two companies, commanded by Captains Johnfon and Tute *, with whom I found orders left by the Gene- ral for me to continue at; that garrifon during the winter, but had leave, however, to go down the country, and to wait upon his Ex- cellency at New York.
After giving in my return to the General, and what intelligence I could of the enemy's iituation, he defired me, when I had leifurc, to draw a plan of my march to St. Francis ; and then, by his order, I returned by the way of Al- bany; which place I left the 6th of February 1760, with thirteen recruits I had inlifted -, and the 13th, oh my way between Ticonderoga and Crown Point, my party was attacked by about fixty Indians, who killed five, and took four prifoners. I, with the remainder, made my efcape to Crown Point, from whence I would have purfued thtm immediately; but Col. Haviland, the commanding officer there, judged it not prudent, by reafon the garrifon at
1
* Capt.Tute, who had been taken prifoner, was returned liy a flag of truce, while I was gone to St. Francis. ,
that
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that time was very fickly *. I continued at Crown Point the remainder of the winter.
On the 31(1 of March, Capt. James Tute, with two regular officers and fix men, went cut a fcouting, and were all made prifoners ; the enemy was not purfued, on account of the ficknefs of the garrifon.
The fame day I received from General Am- herft the following letter.
** SiRf New York, March i, 1760.
" The command I have received from his Majefty, to purfue the war in this country, has determined me, if poffible, to complete the companies of Rangers that were on foot laft tampaignj and as Capt. Wait called upon me yefterday, and reprefented that he could ealily complete the one he commands in the colony of Connedicut and the Province of the MalTa- chufet's Bay, 1 have furnifhed him witn beating orders for that purpofe, as alfo with a warrant for 8go dollars on account oi that fervice.
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* My own fley was taken with 1196I. York currency in cafh, befides ftores and other necefi'aries ; 800 1. of this money belonged to the crown, which was aficrwards al- lowed me, the ren:iaining 396 1. was my own, which I en- tirely loft.
Y " This
[ l62 ]
" This day I have wrote to Capt. John Stark in New Hampfhire, and Capt. David Brewer in the MafTachufet's Bay, inclofing to each of them a beating order for the relpcdive provin- ces; and I herewith fend you a copy of the inftrudlions that accompany the fame, by which you will fee they are ordered, as faft as they get any number of men, to fend them to Albany. I am, Sir,
it:(
7o Major Rogers.
Your humble fervant,
yef Amherjir
My anfwer to the above.
Wr-
"Sir, Crown Pointy March i^^ 1760.
" I received your Excellency's letter, dated the I ft inf^ant, toi^ether with a copy of your inftrudions to Capt. John Stark and Capt. David Brewer, whereby T learn that they are to be at Albany by the jft of May next with their companies. Since I received intelligence from your Excellency that the Rangers arc to be raifed again, I have wrote to feveral of my friends in New England, who will aflift them in compleating their companies; and as many
of
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t '63 ]
of the men belonging to the two companies here were froft-bitten in the winter, and others fick, many of whom I judged would not be fit for fervice the enfuing campaign, I employed Lieut. M*Cormack, of Capt. William Stark's company (that was with Major Scott) Lieut. John Fletcher, and one Holmes, and fent them recruiting the 20th of February for my own and Captain Juhnfun's company, and advanced them 1 100 dollars. Thefe three recruiters I do not doubt will bring good men enough to complete us here; fo that thofe v»^ho are froft- bitten may be fent to hofpitals, and thofe un- fit for duty difcharged.or other wife aifpofedof, as your Excellency fhall dire(fl.
There being fo few Rangers fit for duty here, and thofe that are much wanted at this place, has prevented me from propofing any tour to the French and Indian fettlements in purfuit of a prifoner, which may, I believe, be cafily got at any time, if fent for. I am. Si :,
Your Excellcncy*s
moft obedient humble fervaht,
'To General kvcihtx^c.
Y 2
R, Rogers:*
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A letter from General Amh^at:,
" Sir, New Tork, 9th March 1760.
" As I have not heard that either of the Jacobufes, who each comniandeil a company of Stockbridge Indians the laft campaign, arc returned from their captivity, I would have you write (if you think Lieut. Solomon capable of and fit for luch a command) to him, to know if he chufes to accept of the fame; but it niLift be upon condition of bringing to the field none but good men, that are well inclined, and that aie hale and (Irong. Whatever num- ber he or any of his friends can raife that will anfwer this delcription, I will readily employ this fummer, and they fliall meet with all the cncouragment their fervices (hall merit. All others that are too old or too young, I (hall re- jed:, nor (hall I make them any allowance of payment, akho' they (liould join the army; fo that, in order to prevent his having any diiFe- rence with thefe people, it will behove him to engage none but what (hall be cfteemed fit for the fervice; he mud alfo obfcrve to be afTembled with them at Albany by the i ft of May at furtheft, from which day he and they (hall be; entitled to their pay, that is, for fo many as^fhall
,
[ i65 ]
be muftcred there, and for no more; he muft likewife take care that every man comes pro- vided with a good firelock, and that they be always ready to march at a moment's warning, wherever they are ordered to, in default ot which they (liall forfeit their pay that (hall be due to them at that time. All this you will explain to him particularly, and fo foon as you receive his anfvver, inform me thereof. As an encouragement to enter the fcrvice upon the foregoing conditions, you may afTure him alfo, that if he conforms to them in every refpedt, and that he and his men prove ufeful, they fliall be better rewarded than they have yet been.
'* Capt. Ogden having folicited me for a company of Rangers, aflured mc that he could raifd and complete a very good one in the Jcrfics; I have given him a beating order for that purpofe, and inftrudtions fimilar to thofe I fent you a copy of in my laft for Captains Stark and Brewer, and have alfo granted h'm a war- rant for five hundred dollars, on account of the bounty-money, to be as ufual (lopped out of the firfl warrant for the fubfiftence of that company. I am. Sir,
Your humble fervant,
fg Major Rogers. Jeff, Amherftr
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[ i66 ]
My Letter to the General,
Crown Point, 2oth March 1760,
<(
Sir,
** I obferve the contents of your Excellent cy's letter of the 19th, and (hall take particu- lar care to let Lieut. Solomon know every circumftance relative to his being employed the next fummer, and to advifc your Excel- lency as foon as I hear from him. He has al- ready informed me he would be ^lad to engage with fome Indians.
*' Mr. Stuart, the Adjutant of the Rangers, who is at Albany, I have defired to go to Stockbridgc, to deliver Solomon his orders, and to explain them properly to him.
*' I am heartily glad that your Excellency hath been plcafed to give to Capt. Ogden a company of the Rangers, who, from the good charader he bears, I doubt not will anfwer your expedlations.
** Inclofed is a fketch of my travels lo and from St. Francis. I am, Sir,
Your Excellency's mod humble fervant.
Hq General Amhcrft.
R, Rogers. The
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The GeneraVs Letter to me.
«
Sir, New York, 6th April 1760.
" I am to own the receipt of your letters of the 15th and 20th ultimo, and to approve what you therein mention to have done for completing your and Capt. Johnfon's company ; as alfo your having fent Adjutant Stuart to Stockbridge, to deliver Solomon his orders, and to explain them properly to him. This will avoid all miftakes, and enable you the fooner to inform me of Solomon's intentions, which I fhall be glad to know as foon as pofTible.
*' I thank you for your fketch of your tra- vels to and from St. Francis, and am. Sir,
Your very humble fervant.
T(? Major Rogers.
yff. Amherjir
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Soon after this I had the pleafure of inform* ing the General that the Stockbridge Indians determined to enter the fervice this yearj hut as many of them were out a hunting, that they could not be coUedled at Albany before the icth of May; and that the recruits of the
ranging
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i'anging companies began to afTemble at Crovvri Point. '
May 4, 1760. This day Serjeant Beverly, who had been takeri prifoner, and made hio cfcapc, came in feven days from Montreal to Crown Point. He had lived at the Governor's (Monfieur de Vaudreuil) houfe, and brought the following intelligence, which I immediately tranfmitted to the General, viz.
" That about the loth of April, the ene- my withdrew all their troops from Nut Ifland, excepting 300, which they left there to garri- foR the place, unier the command of Monfieur Bonville : that the enemy aUb brougiu from the ifland one half of the ammunition they had there, and half of the cannon : that the enemy had two frigates, one of 36 guns, the other of 20 guns, that lay all winter in the river St. Lawrence, and fome other fmall veflels, fuch as row-galleys, &;c. that all the troops bf France in Canada went down to Jecorty the 20th of April, except thofe left to garrifon their fort, which was very flenderly done, to- gether with all the militia that could be fpared out of the country, leaving only one man to two females to fow their grain, where they were aflembled by Monfieur Levy, their Ge- neral,
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7
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neral, with an Intent to retake Quebec * : that ninety fix men of the enemy were drowned going down to Jecorty : that he faw a man who was taken prifoner the 15th of April, be- longing to our troops at Quebec : that this man told him our garrifon there was healthy; and that Brigadier General Murray had 4000 men fit for duty in the city, befides a pofl of 300 men at Point Levy, which the enemy at- tempted to take pofTeffion of in the month of February laft, with a confiderable body of troops, and began to fortify a church at or near the Point, but that General Murray fent over a detachment of about 1000 men, which drove the enemy from their pofl, and took a Captain^ with about thirty French foldiers, pri- foners, and fortif ed the church for his own conveniency : that the General has another poft on the north-fide of the river at Laurar, a little diftance from the town, in which he keeps 300 men : that there is a line of block- houfes well fortified all round the land-fide of the town, under cover of the cannon : that a bread-work of fraziers is extended from one
* This place, the capital of all Canada, had ben ta- ken by the En^lifli troops Jaft year, under the command of General VVoIf«.
z
block-
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[ 170 ]
block-boufc to another, as far as thofe houfcs extend : that they heard at Quebec of the ene- my's coming, but were not in the leaft con- cerned : that a detachment from Quebec fur- prifed two of the enemy's guards, at a place called Point de Treamble, each guard confining of fitty men, and killed or took the moft part of them. One of thofe guards were all gra- nadiers."
He moreover reports, *' That two more of our frigates had got up the river, and that two more men of war were near the Ifiand of Or- leans r. that the French told him that there was a fleet of ten fail of men of war feen at Gafpee Bay, with feme tranfports, but put back to fea again on account of the kc j but as they had up different colours, they could not tell whether they were French or Engli{h : that the begin- ning of May the enemy was to draw off 2000 of their men to Nut Ifland, and as many more to Ofwagotchy : he heard that they did not intend to attack Qijebcc, except the French fleet gets up the river before ours: that 100 Indians were to come this way, and fet out about the fifth of May ; the remainder of the Indians were at prcfent gone to Jccorty : that Gen. Levy, the Attawawas, and Cold Country Indians, will all be in Canada by the begin- ning
ning
[ 171 ]
ning of June, ten Sachems being fent by the French laft fall, to call thofe nations to their affiftance : that a great nuniber had dcferted to the French from the battalion of Royal Americans at Quebec, which the French have engaged in their fervice ; but that they were to be lent off, under the care of Monfieur Boar- bier, up to Attawawas River, to the French colony betwixt the lakes and the Miffiflipi River : that the moft part of the enemy's In- dians arc intent on going there ; and that a great number of French, efpccially thoie who have money, think to fave it by carrying it to New Orleans : that he faw at Montreal two Rangers, Reynolds and Hall, that were re- turned by Col.'Haviland deferted laft fall: that they were taken prifoners near River-head Block-houfe, when after cattle : that two more Ringers are to be here in ten d?.ytj with frefh intelligence from Montreal, if they can poflibly make their efcape : that Monfieur Longee, the famous partifanj wa's drowned in the river St. Laurence, a few days after he re- turned with the party that look Capt. Tute : that the Indians have a great eye to the No. 4, roads, as they fay they can get (hcep and oxen coming here from, that place : that he heard Gen. IVIurray had hanged feveral Canadians lately,
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that were carrying ammunition out of Quebec to the enemy : that the two Captains Jacobs are ftill in Canada ; the one taken with Capt. Kennedy is on board a vefTel in irons, the other ran away lad: fall, but returned, having froze his feet, and is at Montreal."
A few days after this, I went down the Lake Champlain, to reconnoitre Nut Ifland, and the garrifon there, the landing places, &c. On my return from that fervice to Crown Point, I had an order from Gen. Amherfl to repair to Al- bany, the head-quarters, as faft as pofiible.
I fet out, in obedience to this order, the j 8th of May, and waited upon the General at Al- bany the 23d, and gave him all the informa- tion I could, in regard to the jiafTage into Ca- nada by the Ifland de Noix, or Nut Ifland, and likewife that by Ofwego and La Galette,
The General being acquainted by an exprefs, that Quebec was then bcfieged by the French, informed me of his intentions of fending me with a party into Canada, and if the liege of Quebec was continued, to deftroy their country as far as pofT.b^c, and by fonftantly marching from one place to another, try to drpw off the enemy's troops, and prolong the fiegc till our veflels got op the river. He ftrongly recom- mended, and ordered me to govern myfelf ac-
cor-
[ ^73 ]
cording to the motions of the French armyj to retreat if they had raifed the fiege ; and m cafe, by prifoners or otherwife, I fhould find the fiege ftill going on, to harrafs the country, tho* it were at the expence of my party. I had pt the fame time the following inftrud:ions from him in wriiing:
** Major Rogers, you are to take imderyour command a party of 300 men, compofed of 275 Rangers, with th;,^ir proper officers, and a fubaltern, two (etjeant?, and twenty-five men of the Light Inf^intry regimentj; ; with which detach mcnc yoa will proceed down the lake, under convoy ot tne bri;^, where you will fix upon the fafeft and bed place for laving up your bo:ris, wh;cli I imagine one of »:he ifiands will belt anfwcr, while you are exr^cuting the foliowinij fcrvices.
*' You will With 250 men land on the weft« fide, in fuch manner that you may get to St- John's (without the enemy at ^he Ifle au Noix having any intelligence of it) where you will try to furprize the fort, and delboy the vefTds, boats, provifions, or whatever elfe may be there for the ufe of the troops at the Ifle au Noix. You will then march to Fort Cham- ble, where you vv'ill do the fame, and you will
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dcftroy every magazine you can find in that part, (o as to diftrefs the enemy as much as you can. This will foon be known at the Ifle au Noix, and you mull take care not to be cut off in your retreat; for which rcafon, when you have done all you think practicable on the weftcrn-fide, I judge your beft and fafeft re- treat will be, to crofs the river and march back the eaft-fide of Ifle au Noix. When you land on the weft-fiie, you will fend fuch officer with the fifty Rangers, as you think will beft anfwer their intended fervice, which is, to march for Wigwam Martinique, to deftroy what he may find there and on the eaft fide of the river, and afterwards to join you, or to retreat in luch manner as you will diredl him. You will take fuch provifions as you judge ncccffary with you, and fix with Cjpt. Grant (who Ihall have or- ders to wait for your return) the places where he may look out for you when you come back. " You will take your men as light with you as poffible, and give them all the neceilnry caution for the conduct, and their obedience to their officers; no firing without order, no un-? neccfifary alarms, no retreating without an or- der ; they arc to ftick by one another and no- thing can hurt them ; let every man whofe fire- lock will carry it have a bayonet; you arc not
to
[ 175 1 " ^
to fuffer the Indians to dcftroy women or chil- dren, no plunder to be taken to load your men, who fhall be rewarded at their return as they defcrve.
May 25, 1760.
Jeff. Amber/ir
With' the above inftrudions the General de- livered me a letter diredled to General Murray at Quebec, defiring me to convey it to him in fuch manner as I thought would be quicked and fafeft.
Having received thefe inftrudions I returned to Crown Point as faft as ooflible, and about the beginning of June fet out from thence with a party of two hundred and fifty men * down LakeChampbln, having four veflels, on board of which this detachment embarked, putting our boats and provifions into ihem, that the enemy might have lefs opportunity of difcovcr- ing our defigns.
The 3d, I landed Lieut. Holmes with ^hy men in Mififquey Bay, and gave him proper
* The Stockbrldge Indians who had been muflered at, and now marched from Albany, and who were to be a part of the detachment of 300, agreeable to the General's or- ders, had not arrived at Crown Point at the time of my •mbarkation, but were ordered to follow after and join me*
dire<^ions
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dircdlions agreeable to my orders from the General, informing him that one of the Hoops fhould cruile for him till his return, which up- on fignals that were given him wou'd take him on board, upon which he was to join me or wait on board till my return, aS the fituatiori ©f affairs might dirtdl him. Here likewife I fent the letter I had received from the General to Brigadier Murray, thro' the woods, and gave the following inftrudtions to the officer 1 in- trufled with it, viz.
Inftrudions for Serjeant Beverly of his Ma-
jefty's Raniijers.
" You are hereby diredted to take under your command, thcfe three men, viz. Ji>hn Shute, Luxfoid Goodwin, and Jofeph Ealtman, and
march them from M-fifquev B^v, tc which place you will be convoyed by Lieut. Holmes with a party I have lent there for a particular purpofe; you are to land in tl e night-time, as otherwife you may be difcovered by a party from the Ifle au Noix ; you will ileer your courfe about north-eaft, and make all the dif- patch you poflibiy can with the letter in yonr charge to Quebec, or to the Englidi army at or near that place, and deliver it to Brigadier
Murray,
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or to the officer commanding his Majefly*s forces in or uoon the river St. Lawrence. A iketch of the country will be delivered you with thefc orders, that you may the better know the confiderablc rivers you have to crofs, betwixt Mififquey Bay and Quebec. The dif- tances arc marked in the draught, as is the road I travelled in laft fall, from Mififquey Bay to St. Francis, which road you will crofs feveral time:», if you keep t' .ourfe I before direded. The rivers are fo plainly defcribcd in the plan, that you will know them when you come to them. The river St. Francis is about half-way of your journey, and is very flill water, and may be eafily rafted where you crofs it ^ but lower down it is fo fwift and rapid that you mufl not attempt it. Shcdoir River you will likewife be obliged to pafs on a raft j it is fwift water for fome miles from its mouth ; you had better examine it well before you attempt to crofs it. As foon as you pafs this river, fleer your courfe about caft, leaving Point Levy on your left hand, and fall in with the river St. Lawrence, near the lower id of the ifland of Orleans, as it may be poff: jle that Gen. Mur- ray may have encamped the army either at the ifle of Orleans or the ifle of Quodoa ; therefore you arc not to depend on finding at once the
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[ 178 1
cxad place of his encampment, but are pofi- tivcly ordered to look out for the Englifti fleet, and the firfl: line of battle fhip you fee, you are to venture on board, as I think it not pofii- ble the enemy fhould have any large fliips there, and whatever EngUfh fhip you get on board of, will convoy you diredly to General Murray, when you will deliver him the verbal mcfTage I told you. You may apply to the General for fifty pounds, who will pay it to you, and alfo give you proper directions to join me as foon as you have rcfted yourfelf from your march. I wifli you a good journey, and am,
Ycur's, &c.
To Serjeant Beverley.
"Robert Rogers,'^
# !
f As foon as I had difpatched the two parties before-mentioned, I, with the remainder, crofTed Lake Champlain to the weil-fide, and the 4th in the morning got into my boats, and landed with about 200 men, about twelve miles fouth of the ifland Noix, with an intent to put in execution the General's orders to me of May 5th with all fpeed. Capt. Grant fent the two floops to attend, which I ordered
to
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to cruize farther down the lake than where I landed, and nearer to their fort, to command the attention of the enemy till I could get into their country. I lay Hill all the 5th, there be- ing a heavy rain, and the bufhes (0 wet that' both we and our provifions would have been gready expofed by a march.
In the afternoon of this day, feveral French boats appeared on the Lake, which were dif- covered by the two floops, as well as by my party on the (hore. Thefe boats continued as near as they could to our vcfTels without en- dangering themfelves, till after dark. Con- cluding their boats would cruize the whofe night to, watch the motions of our floops, I imagined it would be a prudent flep to fend the floops back to Capt. Grant, the com- mander of thefe veflels, who lay near Molt Iflands I accordingly went to the floops in a boat afcer dark, and ordered them to return. The enemy, who kept all night in their boats, having, by a ftridl look-out, difcovered where I landed, fent a detachment from the ifland next morning to cut off my party, I difco- vered their intentions by my reconnoitering parties, who counted them as they crofled from the fort in the morning in their boats, to the wefl:-l'hore, and informed me that they were
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350 in number. I had intelligence again when they were about a mile from us. Half after eleven they attacked me very brilkiy on my left, having on my right a bog, which they did not venture over, thro' which, how- ever, by the edge of the lake, 1 fent fevcnty of my party to get round and attack thetn in the rear. This party was commanded by Lieut. Farrington. As foon as he began his attack, I puflied them in front, which broke them immediately. I purfucd them with the gieat- eft part ot i:iy people about a mile, where they retired to a thick cedar fwamp, and divided into fmall parties. By this lime it rained again very hard. 1 called my party immediately to- gether at the boats, where I found that Enfign Wood of the 17th regiment was kilhd, Capt. Johnfon wounded through the body, a fe- cond (liot thro* his left arm, and a third in his head. I had two men of the Light Infantry, and eight Rangers, wounded, and fixteen Ran- gers killed. We killed forty of the enemy, and recovered about fifty firelocks. Their commanding ofiicer, • Monfieur la Force, was mortally hurt, and fevcral of the party were Jikewife wounded. After the adion I got the killed and maimed of my detachment together in battocs, returned with them to the
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Ifle a Mot, near which the brig lay. I difpatchcd erne of the veffels to Crown Point, on board of which was put the corpfc of Mr. Wood, but Capt. Johnfon died on his paflagfc thither) ; this vcfTcl I ordered to bring more provifions. I buried the reft of the dead on an ifland, and then began to prepare for a fccond landing ; being joined about this time by the Stockbridge Indian Company, I was dctemin- ed at all adventures to purfue my orders, fet-^ tied the plan of landing, and left the following inflrudlions with Capt. Grant, viz.
" You will be fo good as to fall down the lake with your vefTels as foon as pofTible, as fat as the Wind Mill Point, or near where yo\i lay at anchor the laft time I was with you, and cruize near it for ivvo or three days^ which will be the only method I can think of that has any appearance of attradling the attention of the enemy till I get into their country; as foon as I obferve or think you pretty near the Wind Mill Point, I Ihall land with my party on the weft-fide oppofitc to the north-end of the Ifle a Mot, in the river that runs into the bay which forms itfeU there, and from thence proc* cd ro execute the General's orders. If they do not attack m? in my march till I compleat my dcfign, you may be certain
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I fliall come back on the ca^-fide, and endea- vour to join you near (he Wind Mill Point, or betwixt that and the Ille a Mot. When I ar- rive, the fignal that I will make for your dif- covering me, will be a frnoak and three guns, at a minute's interval each from the other, and repeated a fecond time, in half an hour after the fiift ; but if the enemy fhould attack me on my march before I get to the place I am ordered, which I believe they will do, in cafe I am worfted I (hall be obliged to come back on the weft- fide, and fliall make the before mentioned fignals betwixt the Ifle a Mot and the place where I had the battle with the ene- my the 6th inftant. It is uncertain when I fhall be at either fhpre ; fo that I would recom- mend it to you not to come back fouth of the Ifle -d Mot till my return,, as a contrary wind might prevent your getting in with your vcfiels to relieve me. I fend you Serjeant Hacket and ten Rangers, to be with you in my abfence, as we this day agreed. If Lieutenant Darcy comes down in feafon to go with me, I (hall leave Enfign Wilfon with you j but if Darcy fhould not come till after I land, you'll be pleiifed to take him under your diredtion, as well as all thofe that may come with him to join me j tho' 1 would recommend it not
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to fend any party to the ifland, to take a pri- foner, till the fifth day after my landing, as the lofs of a man from us may be of very bad confequence. Lieutenant Holmes has appoint- ed between the eleventh and fixteenth day af- ter his landing for his return to Mififquey Bay, and from the eleventh to the fixteenth, as be- fore mentioned ; I (hould be glad the floop might cruize for him at the place he appoint- ed to meet her. 1 am. Sir,
Your humble fcrvant,
i
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R. Rogers:'
I cannot but obferve with pleafure, that Mr. Grant, like an able officer, very diligently did all that could be expedted of him for the good of the fervice, carefully attending with his vef- fels till my return from this fecond excurfion, on which I embarked with two hundred and twenty men, officers included, and landed the 9th of June, about midnight, on the wefl-fhore oppofite the Ifle a Mot, from thence marched as faft as pofiible to St. John's, and came to the road that leads from it to Montreal, about two miles from the fort, the evening of the ijtb. At eleven o'clock this night, 1 marched with
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an intent to furprife the fort, to within four hundred yards of it, where I halted to re- connoitre; which I did, and found they had more men than I expedted. The number of the Gentries within the fort were feventecn, and fo well fixed, that I thought it was impof- Shle for me to take the place by furprife, efpe- cially as they had fcen me, and fired feveral guns accordingly. 1 left it at two o'clock, and marched down the river to St. d'E- trefej at break of day I reconnoitred this place, and found that the enemy had in it a flockaded fort, defenfible againft fmall arms. J obfervcd two large ftorc-houfes in the infide, and that the enemy were carting hay into the fort. I waited for an opportunity when the cart had jufl: entered the gate-way, run forward, and got into the fort before they could clear the way for fliutting the gate. I had at this time fent different parties to the fe- veral houfcs, about fifteen in number, which were near the fort, and were all furprifed at the fame inftant of time, and without firing a iingle gun. We took in the fort twenty- four ibldiers, and in the houfes feventy-eight pri- foners, women and children included ; fome young men made their efcape to Chamblee. I examined the prifoners, and found I could not
pro-
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proceed to Chamblee with any profped of fuc- cefs J therefore concluded my beft: way was to burn the fort and village, which I did, together with a confidCi able magazine of hay, and fome provilions, with every bartoe and canoe, except eight battoes which I kept to crofs the river, and thefe we afterwards cut to pieces : we alfo killed their cattle, horfes, &c. deftroyed their waggons, and every other thing which we thought could ever be 'of fervice to the enemy. When this was done, I fent back the women and children, and gave them a pafs to go to Montreal, direded to the feveral officers of the different det-achments under my command. I continued my march on the eaft-fide of Lake Champlain, and when paffing by Mififquey Bay, oppofite the Ifle Noix, my advance- party, and the advance-party of about 800 French, that were out after mc from their fort, engaged witii each other; but the body of the enemy, beingabout a mile behind their advance- party, retreated, to my great fatisfadiun. I purfued my march with all poffibic fpeed : and the fame day, being the 20th day of June, ar- rived at the lake oppofite where the veiTels lay; and as I had fent a few men forward to repeat the fignals, the boats met us at the (hore. We dire€lly put on board, the enemy foon after ap-
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peared on the (liore where we embarked. I had not at this time any account from Lieutenant Holmes, either by prifoncrs or otherways.
Upon examination the pri loners reported, (foinc of them had been at the fiege of Que- bec) '* tliat the French lofl five hundred men there j and tliat they retreated ai'tcr twelve days bombarding and cannonading, ar.d came to Jack's quarters, where General Levy left five hundred men, being c mpofeJ ot a pic- quet of each battalion of the arrny, and that there were four hundred Canadians who ftaid voluntarily with them ; that the reil of the ar- my was quartered by two's and three's on the inhabitants, from there to St. John's. In Mont- real there are about a hundred and ilfi.y troops, and the inhabitants do duty. I'hat in Chamblee Fort are about one hundred and fif- ty men, including workmen ; and the remnant of the Queen's regiment are in the village. That there are twelve cannon at St. John's, and about three hundred men, including workmen, who are obliged to take arms on any alarm. That at the I lie au Noix are about eight hundred ilationcu, Icfidcs the fcouts between that and Montreal. That there arc about an hundred pieces of cannon there/* This is the fubilunce of their report,
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in which they all agree, and which, with an account of my proceedings, 1 tranfmiticd to the General.
On the siH: I put the twcnty-fix prifoners
on board cnc of the vcflels, with fifty men of
my detachment, and ordered her to proceed to
Crown Point, and tarried with the other vertcls
to cover Mr. Holmes's retreat, who jcjincd us
the fame evening, without having fuccecded in
his cnterprife, mifllng his way by following
down a river that falls into Sorrel, inflead of
that called Wigwam Martinic, which emp'ics
itfelf into St. Lawrence at Lake St. Francis.
I arrived at Crown Point the 23d of June, and
encamped my Rangers on the eaft-fliore, op-
pofite the fort.
The following letter I received from Gene- ral Amhenl, dated at Canijoharry, June 26, 1760.
*' Sir,
** Colonel Havlland fent me your letter of June 21, which I received lafl: night, and faw with pleafurc you was returned without the lofs of a man of your party, and that you had done every thing that was prudent for you to attempt with the number of men you had un-
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[ i88 1
der your command. From the fitiiation the enemy is now in, by being torced back to their former quarters, on Govrrnor Murray's having obliged them to abandon their cannon, and raife the fiege of Qoebcc, I hope Lieutenant Holmes will return with equal Tuccefs as you have done. I am. Sir,
Your humble fcrvant,
To Major Rogers.
y^f. Ambcrji:-
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I remained at Crown Point with my people, without efFeding anything confiderable, more than in fmall parties reconnoitring the country about the fort, while every thing was got in readinefs for embarking the army the i6th of Augoft J which was done accordingly, having one brig, three floops, and four rideaus, which latter were occupied by the royal train of artil- lery, commanded by Lieut. Colonel Ord. Our order of march was as follows, viz.
Six hundred Rangers and feventy Indians in whale-boats in the front, commanded by Ma- jor Rogers, as an advance-guard for the whole army, all in a line a-breaft, about half a piile a- head of the main body, followed by the light infantry and grenadiers in two columns,
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two boats a-brcafl In each column, commanded by Col. Darby. The rigbt wing was com- pofed of Provincials, commanded by Brigadier Kugglcs, who was fccond in cf^mmand of the whole army. The left was made up ot New Hampniire and liofton trccps, commanded by Col. Thomas. The fevcntcciirh and twenty- fevcnth regiments, with fonie few of the Roy- als, that formed the center column, were com- manded by M.ijor Campbell o^ the 17th regi- ment. Col. H.iviland was in cheiront of thcfe divifions, between that and the light infan- tery, and grenadiers. The royal artillery fol- lowed the columns, and was commanded by Colonel Ord, who had, f(M- his elcort, one Rhode Ifland regiment of Provincials. The futlers, &c. followed the artillery. In this manner we rowed down the lake forty miles the fijft day, putting afhore where there was good landing on the wefl-fide, and there en- camped.
The day following we lay by. The 18th, the wind blowing frclh at fouth, orders were given for embarking, and the fame day reached a place on the weft-fhorc, within ten miles of the Iflc a Mot, where the army encamped. It having blown a frefli gale moft part of the day, fome of my boats fplit open by the violence of ' ' the
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the waves, and ten of my Rangers were there- by drowned.
The 19th we fct fiiil again early in the morning, and that night encamped on the north-end of the Ifle a Mot.
The 2oth, before day, the army was under way, with intention to land; having but twen- ty miles to go, and having the advantage of a fair wind, we foon came in fight of the French fort, and about ten in the morning Col. Darby, With the Qrenadie.s and Light Infantry, and myfelf with he Rangers, landed on the eall:- fhore, and marched and took poflcffion of the ground oppofite the fort on that fide, without the leaftoppofition. Having done this, an of- ficer was fent to acquaint Col. Haviland (who, with the remainder of the army, was at the place where we landed) tliat there was not the lead danger lo apprehend from the enemy. The next day we b.^gan to raife batteries, and foon after to throw fome fliells into the garrifon. About the 241 h a propcfal was made for taking the enemy's vcffcls, three of which were at an- chor a little below the fort, and fome of their ridcaus likcwife. It was introduced by CoL Darby, who was ordered to take the command of the party appointed for this fcrvice, which confifted of two companies of Regulars, and
four
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four companies of my Rangers, with the Indi- ans. We carried with us two light hobitzers and one lix-pounder, and filently conveying them along thro* the tices, brought them op- pofite the vefTcls, and began a brifk fire upon them, before they were in the leall: apprifed of our delign, and, by good fortune, the firftfhot from the fix-pcunder cut the cable of the great rideau, and the wind being at weft, blew heir to the eait-fhore, where we were, and the o- ther vefTcils weighed anchor and made for St. John's, but got al! a-ground, in turning a point about two miles below the fort. I was, by Col. Darby, ordered down the eaft- lliore with my Rangers, and crolTcd a river of about thirty yards wide, which falls into Lake Champlain from the eaft. I foon got oppofite the vcfTels, and, by firing from the fhore, gave an oppor- tunity to fome of my party to fwim on board with their tomahawks, and took one of the veflcls; in the mean time Col. Dai by had got on board the rideau, and had her m.anned, and took the other two; of which fuccefs he immediately acquaint- ed Col. Havihnd, who fcnt down a fufficient number of men to take charge of and man the vefTels; and ordered the remainder of the Ran- gers, Light Infantry and Grenadiers, to join the army that night, which was accordingly done;
and
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and about midnight the night following the French troops left the ifland, and landed i'dfc on the main; {o that next morning: nothing: of them was to be (cen but a few fick, and Col. Haviland took polTcffion of the fort.
The fecond day after tl:e departure of Mon- fieur Bonville and his troops from the ifland, Mr. Haviland fcnt me with my Rangers to purfue him as far as St. John's Fort, which was about twenty miles further down the lake, and at that place I was to wait the coming of the army, but by no means to follow further than that fort, nor run any rifl^ of advancing further towards Montreal. I went in boats, and about day -light got to St. John's, and found it jufb fet on fire. I purfued, and took two prifoners, who reported, " That Monfieur Bonville was to encamp that night about half- way on the road to Montreal ; and that he went from St. John's about nine o'clock the night before; but that many of their men were fick, and that they thought fome of the troops would not reach the place appointed till the middle of the afternoon." It being now about fcven in the morning, I fet all hands to work, except proper guards, to for- tify the loghoufes that ftood near the lake-fide, in order that part of my people might cover
the
[ ^93 ]
the battoes, while I, with the remainder, fol- lowed Monficur Bonville, and about eight o'clock I got (o well fortified, that I ventured our boats and baggage under the care of 200 Rangers, and took with me 400, together with the tvTO companies of Indians, and followed after the French army, which confifted of about 1500 men, and about 100 Indians they had to guard them. I was rcfolved to make his dance a litde the merrier, and purfued with fuch hafle, that I overtook his rear-guard about two miles before they got to their encamping ground. I immediately attacked them, who, not being above 200, fuddenly broke, and then ftood for the main body, which I very eagerly purfued, but in good order, cxpcdting Monfieur Bonville would have made a ftand, which however he did not chufc, but puflied for- ward to get to the river, where they were to encamp, and having crofTed it, pulled up the bridge, which put a ftop to my march, not judging it prudent to crofs at a difadvantage, in- afmuch as the enemy had a good brcaft-work on the other fide, of which they took pofTef- fion ; in this purfuit, however, we confidcrably IcfTened their number, and returned in fafety.
In the evening Mr. Haviland came in fight, and landed at St. John's. As foon as he came
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on fhore, I waited upon him, and acquainted him with what I had done, &c. and that I had two prifoncrs for himj he faid it was very well, and ordered his troops to encamp there that night, and next day went down the river Sorriel, as far p^ St. d*Etrefe, where he en* camped, and made a ftrong breaft-work, to defend his people from being furprifed. I was fcnt down the river Sorriel, to bring the inha- bitants under fubjedtion to his BiitannicMa- jefty, and Went into their fettled country in the night, took all their priefts and militia officers, and fent feme of them for the inhabitants. The firft day I caufed all the inhabitants near Chamblee to take the oaths of allegiance, &c. who appeared glad to have it in their power to take the oaths and keep their pofleffions, and were all extremely fubmiffive. Having obliged them to bring-in their arms, and fulfilled my inftrud;ions in the beft manner I could, I joined Col. Darby at Chamblee, who came there to take the fort, and had brought with him fome light cannon. It foon furrendered, as the gar- rifon confided only of about fifty men. This happened on the firft of September. >
On the 2d, our army having nothing to do, and having good intelligence both from Gen. Amherft and Gen. Murray, Mr. Haviland fent
me
[ '95 ]
mc to join the latter, while he marched with tnc reft of the army for La Pierre. The 5 th in the morning I got to Longville, about four miles below Montreal, oppolite to where Bri- gadier Murray lay, and gave him notice of my arrival, but not till the morning of the 6th, by reafon of my arriving fo late.
By the time I came to Longville, the army, under the command of Gen. Amherft, had landed about two miles from the town, where they encamped ; and early this morning Mon- fieur deVaudreuil,the governor and commander in chief of all Canada, fent out to capitulate with our General, which put a ftop to all our movements till the 8lh of September, when the articles of capitulation were agreed to, and figned, and our troops took poffcffion of the town-gates that night. Next morning the Light Infantry, and Granadiers of the whole army, under the command of Col. Haidiman, with a company of the royal artillery, with two pieces of cannon, and fome hobitzers, entered the town, retaking the Engliih colours belong- ing to Pepperel's and Shirley's regiments, which had been taken by the French at Ofwtgo.
Thus, at length, at the end of the fifth cam- paign, Montreal and the whole country of Ca- nada was given up, and became fubjcd to the
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King of Great Britain ; a conqucil: perhaps of the grcateft importance that is to be met with in the Britifh annals, whether we confider the prodigious extent of country we are hereby madc^mafters of, the vafl: addition it mud make to trade and navigation, or the fecurity it mufi: afford to the northern provinces of A- merica, particularly thofe ilourifl^.ing ones of New England and New York, the irretrie- vable lofs France fuftains hereby, and the im- portance it muil: give the Britifti crown among the fevcral ftates of Europe; all this, I fay, du- ly confidered, will, perhaps, in its confequcnces render the year 1760 more glorious than any preceding.
And to this acquifition, had we, during the late war, either by conqueft or treaty, added the fertile and extenfive country of Louiiiana, we (hould have been pofTcfTed of perhaps the moft valuable territory upon the face of the globe, attended with more real advantages than the fo-much-boaftcd mines of Mexico and Pe- ru, and would have for ever deprived the French, thofe treacherous rivals of Britain's glory, of an opportunity of adling hereafter the fame perfidious parts they have already fo often repeated.
On
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[ >97
On the 5>th Gen. Amherfl informed me of his intention offending me to Detroit, and on the 1 2th in the morning, when I waited upon him again, I received the following orders:
By his Excellency JefFery Ainherft, Efq; Ma- jor General and Commander in Chief of all his Majefty's forces in North America, &c. &c. &:c.
To Major Rogers, commanding his Majefty's independant companies of Rangers.
" You will, upon receipt hereof, wirhCapt. Waite's and Capt. Hazen's companies of Ran- gers under your command, proceed in whale- boats from hence to Fort William-Auguftus, taking along with you one Jofeph Poupao, alias La Fleur, an inhabitant of Detroit, and Lieut, Brehme, Afiiftant Engineer.
** FromFortWilliam-Auguftus you will con- tinue your voyage by the north-fhoretoNiagara, where you will land your whale-boats, and tranf- port them acrofs the Carrying-place into Lake Erie, applying to Major Walters, or the officer commanding at Niagara, for any affiftancc you may want on that or any other occafion, rc- quefting of him at the fame time to deliver up
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to you Monficur Gamclin, who was made pri- foner at the redudion of faid fort, and has con- tinued there ever fince, in order to condudt him, with the above-mentioned Poupao, to their habitations at Detroit, where, upon tak- ing the oath of allegiance to his moft facred Majefty, whofe fubjedts they arc become by the capitulation of the 8th inftant; they (hall be protedled in the peacabie and quiet pofTeffion of their properties, and, (o long as they behave as becometh good and faithful fubjeds, (hall partake of all the other privileges and immuni- ties granted unto them by the faid capitula- tion.
" With thefe, and the detachment under your command, you will proceed in your whale-boats acrofs Lake Erie to Prefque Ifle, where, upon your arrival, you will make known the orders I have given to the officer commanding that poft -, and you will leave faid whale-boats and party, taking only a fmall detachment of your party, and marching by land, to join Brigadier Qeneral Monkton, wherever he may be.
" Upon your arrival with him, you will de- liver into his hands the difpatches you (hall herewith receive for him, and follow and obey fuch orders as l>c (hall give you for the relief
of
t^f
r 199
J
of the garrifons of the French pofts at Detroit, Michlimakana, or any others in that diftrift, for gathering in the arms of the inhabitants thereof, and for adminiftering to them the oath of allegiance already mentioned ; when you will likewifeadminifler, or fee adminifter- cd, the fame to the before -mentioned Garaelin and Poupaoj and when this is done, and that you have reconnoitcred and explored the coun- try as much as you can, without lofing^time unnecefTarily, you are to bring away the French troops and arms, to fuch place as you fhall be direded by Gen. Monkton.
•* And when the whole of this fervice is compleated, you will march back your detach- ment to Prefquelfle, or Niagara, according to the orders you receive from Brigadier Monkton, where you will embark the whole, and in like manner, as before, tranfport your whale-boats acrofs the Carrying- place, into Lake Ontario, where you will deliver over your whale-boats into the care of the commanding officer, marching your detachment by land to Albany, or wherever I may be, to receive what fur- ther orders I may have to give you.
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" Given under my hand, at the head qnarters in the camp of Montreal, I2lh Sept. 1760.
Jef A?nherjtr
By his Excellency's command,
J. Appyr
An additional order v/as given, which was to be fhevvn only to the commanding officers of the different pofts I might touch at, the ex- pedition being intended to be kept a profound fecret, for fear the march fhould be impeded by the enemy Indians, through whofe country I was obliged to march.
This order was as follows, viz.
" Major Walters, or the officer commanding
at Niagara, will judge whether or not there is
provifion fufficient at Prefquc Ille ; and Major
Rogers will accordingly take provifions from
Niagara. Eight days provifion will take him
from Montreal to Fort William-Auguftus ;
there he will apply to the commanding officer
for a fufficient quantity to proceed to Niagara.
Major Rogers knows where he is going, and
the provifions he will want j fome ftiould be
in
» i» mm* iwrijiwuH m
[ 201 ]
in (lore likcwifc at Prefquc Iflc, for the party Brigadier General Monkton will fend.
-Jeff, Amherjl.
Montreal, i2tliScpt. 1760.
In purfuancc of thcfe orders I embarked at Montreal the 13th Sept. 1760 (with Captain Brewer, Captain Wait, Lieutenant Brhemc, Adiftant Engineer, Lieut. Davis of the royal train of artillery, and two hundred Rangers) about noon, in fifteen whale-boats; and that night we encamped at la Chine i next morn- ing we reached Ifle de Praires, and took a view of the two Indian fettlements atCoyha- vagu and Conefadagu.
On the 1 6th we got up to an ifland in the Lake of St. Francis, and the next night en- camped on the wcftern fliore, at the lower end of the upper rifts. Wc afccnded thefe rifts the day following, and continued all night on the north-(hore, oppofite a number of if- lands.
In the evening of the 19th we came to the Ifle de Gallettcs, and fpent the 20th in repair- ing our whale-boats, which had received feme damage in afcending the rifts.
D d This
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This morning I fcnt oflf ten (ick Rangers to Albany, by ilicway of Olvvcgo, recommending them to the care of Col. Fitch, comniaiuling at Ofwc^o, who was to give them fiiitable di- retflions.
Wc left Iflc de Gallcttes on the 2 1 (I ; about twelve o'clock, the wind being unfavourable, wc palTt:d Ofwegachi, and encamped but three miles abijve it on the northern fliore.
On the 22d we continued our courfe up the river, the wind blowing ircih at fouth, and halted in the evening at the narrow paflcs near the illiinds ; but, upon the wind's abating at midnight, we embarked and rowed the rc- maiudcr of that night, and the whole day fol- lowing, till we came to the place where for- merly flood ihc old Fort of Frontiniac, where vc found fomc Indian hunters from Ofwega- chi. We were detained here all the next day by the lempeftucufnefs of the weather, which was very windy, attended with fnow and rain; we, however, improved the time in taking a plan of the old fort, fituated at the bottom of a fine fafe harbour.
There were about five hundred acres of cleared ground about it, which, tho' covered with clover, feemed bad and rocky, and in- terfperfed with fome pine-trees. The Indians
here
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[ 203 ]
here fccmcd to be well plcafcd with tlic news wr brought them of the furrcnder of ;ill Ca- nada, and fuppiied iis with great plenty of venifon and wild fowl.
Wc left tiiis place the 25th, about ten la il^.c morning, (leering a fouth-courfc two miles, then weft fix miles, which brouiht us to the mouth of a river thirty feet wide j then fouili four miles, where we halted to reficlh the party.
About four in the afternoon wc f 'A'cd for a mountain bearing fouth-weft, whi; h wc did not come up to till fome time in the ni >!^.r, and found it to be a ftcep rock, ab MJt one hundred feet high. It now grew foggy, and miftaking our way about fix miles, wc rowed all night, and till 8 o'clock next morning, be- fore we put afliore ; which we tl^en did on a point, where we brcakfafted, and then pro- ceeded on our voyage, rowing till 8 o'clock at night (being about one hundred miles, as we imagined, from Froniiniac) we landed. This evening we paflcd two fmall iflands at the end of a point extending far into the hike ; the darknefs and fog prevented u's from taking fuch a furvcy of them as to be able to give a particular dcfcription of them.
D d 2 The
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[ 204 ]
The 27th of September, being very windy, we fpent the time in deer-liunting, there be- ing great plenty of them there, tho' the land is rocky, the timber bad, chiefly hemlock and pine; and I believe it is generally fo on the north-fide of Lake Ontario.
We embarked very early on the aBth, fleer- ing fouth-wen:, leaving a large bay on the right, about twenty miies wide ; the weftera fide of which terminates in a point, and a fmall ifland : having pafled both, about fifteen miles on a courfe well by fouth, we entered the chops of a river, called by the Indians the Grace of Man -, there we encamped, and found about 50 MillilTagua Indians fiihing for falmon. At our firft appearance they ran down, both men and boys, to the edge of the lake, and continued firing their pieces, to exprefs their joy at the fight of the Englifli colours, till fuch time as wc had landed.
They prcfented me with a deer jufl killed and fplit in halves, with the fkin on, but the bowels taken out, which, with them, is a mofl: elegant and polite prcfent, and fignificant of the greatefi: refped. I told them of the fuc- cefs of their Englifli brethren, againft their fa- thers the French ; at which they either were, or pretended to be, very well plcafed.
Some
[ 205 ]
Some of usfilLed with them in the evening, being invited by them, and filled a bark-canoe with falmon in about half an hour. Their method of catching the fifh is very extraordi- nary. One pcrfon holds a lighted pine-torch, while a fccond (Irikes the fiHi with a fpear. This is the feafon in which the falmon fpawn in thefe parts, contrary to what they do in any other place I ever knew them before.
I found the foil near this river very good and level. The timber is chiefly oak and maple, or the fugar-tree.
At feven o'clock the next morning we took our departure from this river, the wind being a-head. About fifteen miles further, on a well- fouth- weft courfe, we put into another river, called the Life of Man. The MeffilTa- guas, who were hunting here, about thirty in number, paid us the fame compliments with thofe we juft before received from their coun- trymen, andjinftead of a deer, fplit up a young bear, and prefented me with it. Plenty of fi{h was catched here alfo. The land ccnti^ nued good and level, the foil of a blackifh co^ lour, and the banks of the lake were low.
The wind being fair the 30th, we embark, cd at the firff dawn of day, and with the af- fiflance of fails and oars, made great way on a
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fouth-wefl: courfc, and in the evening reached the river Toronto, having run feventy miles. Many points extending far into the lake, ccca- iioned a frequent alteration ofourcourfe. V/c paffcd a bank of twenty miles in length, but the land behind it feemed to fee level, well-tim- bered with large oaks, hickaries, maples, and fomc poplars. No mountains appeared in fight. There was a track of about 300 acres of cleared ground, round th^ place where for- merly the French had a fort, that was called Fort Toronto. The foil here is principally clay. The deer are extremely plenty in this country. Some Indians were hunting at the mouth of the river, who run into the woods at our approach, very much frightened. They came in, however, in the morning, and teflificd their joy at the news of our fucccfs a- gainft the French. They told us " that we could eafily accomplifli our journry from thence to Detroit in eight days : that when the French traded at that place, the Indians ufcd to come with their poultry from Michlima- kana, down the river Toronto : that the par- tage was but twenty miles from that to a river falling into Lake Huron, which had fome falls, but none very confiderable : they added, that there was a Carrying-place of Mieen miles
from^
ii
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from fome weftcrly part cf Lake Erie, to ft river running without any falls, thro' fcveral Indian towns into Lake St. Clair.
I think Toronto a moll convenient place for a factory, and that fram thence we may very eafily fettle the north-fide of Lake Erie.
We left Toronto the i ft of Odober, fteering fouth, right acrofs the weft-end of Lake Onta- rio. At dark we arrived at the fouth- fliore, five miles weft of Fort Niagara, fome of ouk boats being now become exceeding leaky and dangerous.
This morning, before we fet out, I diredled the following order of march :
** The boats in a line. If the wind rofe high, the red flag hoifted, and the boats to crowd nearer, that they might be ready to give mutual affiftancc in cafe of a leak or other ac- cidentj" by which means we faved the crew and arms of the boat commanded by Lieut, M'Cormack, which fprung a leak and funk, lofmg nothing except their packs.
We halted all the next day at Niagara, and provided ourfclves with blankets, coats, fhirts, ftioes, magaflins, &c.
I received from the commanding officer eighty barrels of provifions, and changed two
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whale-boats for ts many battoes, which proved leaky.
In the evening fome of my party proceeded with the provifions to the falls, and in the morning marched the reft there, and began the portage of the provifions and boats. MefT. Brheme and Davis took a furvey of the great cataradl of Niagara.
As the winter- fcafon was now advancing very faft in this country, and I had orders to join Brig. Monkton from Prefque Ifle, wherever he might be, to receive his diredlions, I fet out this evening, the 5th of 0<flober, in a bark-ca- noe, with Lieutenants Brheme and Holmes, and eight Rangers, leaving the command of my party to Capt. Brewer, with inftrudions to follow to Prefque Ifle, and encamped eight miles up the ftream ifluing out of Lake Erie. The land appeared to be good on both fides the river.
Next morning embarked early, and fleered a fouth-weft courfe. About noon opened Lake Erie, and leaving a bay to the left, wc arrived by fun-fet at the fouthern ihore of the lake J we then ftcered weft till eight o*clock at night, and drew up our boats on a fandy beach, forty miles diftant from where we em^ barked in the morning.
The
[
20
9 ]
The wind was very frcdi next day, which prevented our fetting out till ii o'clock ; fo that we made no further piogrefs than about twenty-eight miles on a weft-fouth-weft cour/e. A little after noon, on the 8th of Oc- tober, we arrived atPrefque Ifle, having kept a fouthcrly courfe all the morning j I tarried there till 3 o'clock, when, having fent back my party to nfilft Capt. Brewer, Mr. Brheme, Lieutenant Holmes, and myfelf, took leave of Colonel Bouquet, who commanded at Prefque Ifle, and with three other men, in a bark-ca- noe, proceeded to French Creek, and at night encamped on the road, half way to Fort da Eouf. We got to this fort about 10 o'clock next day, and after three hours reft launched our canoe into the river, and paddled down about ten miles below the fort.
On the lOch we encaa'pcd at the fecond croffings of the river, the land on both fides appeared to be good all the way. The nth we reached the Mingo Cabbins, and the night of the 12th we lodged at Venango j from thence went down the River Ohio ; and on the morning of the 17th I waited upon Brigadier Monkton at Pittiburgh, and delivered hiai General Amherfl's difpatches, and my own in- flrudions.
E e I left
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•
I left Pittfburgh the 20th, at the requeftof General Monkton, who promifed to fend his orders after me to Prefque Ille, by Mr. Crog- han, and to forward Capt. Campbell immedi- ately w^ith a company of the Royal Americans; I got back to Prefque Ifle the 30th of Odtober, Captain Campbell arrived the day after 5 Cap- tain Brewer was got there before us, with the Rangers from Niagara, having loft fome of the boats, and part of the provifions.
We immediately began to repair the da- maged boats ; and, as there was an account that a vefTel, expeded with provifions from Niagara, was loft, I difpatched Capt. Brewer by land to Detroit, with a drove of forty oxen, fup- plied by Col. Bouquet. Capt. Wait was about the fame time fent back to Niagara for more provifions, and ordered to cruife along the north-coaft of Lake Erie, and halt about twenty miles to the eaft of the ftreight be- tween the Lakes Huron and Erie, till further orders. Brewer had a battoe to ferry his party over the Creeks, two horfes, and Capt. Monter with twenty Indians, compofed of the Six Nations, Delawares and Shawanefe, to protedt him from die infuhs of the enemy In- dians.
My
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[ 2" ]
My order of march over from Picfque Ifle was as follows :
" The boats to row two deep ; firft, Major Rogers's boat, abreafl: of him Capt. Croghan ; Capt. Campbell follows with his company, the Rangers next 3 and laftly, Lieutenant Holmts, who commands the rear-guard, with his own boat, and that of Enfign Wait's, fo as to be ready to aflifl: any boat that may be in dif- trefs. Boats in diftrefs are to fire a gun, when Mr. Holmes with the other boats under his command arc immediately to go to their re- lief, take them to the (hore, or give fuch other affiftance as he thinks may be bed. When the wind blows hard, fo that the boats cannot keep their order, a red flag will be hoifted in the Major's boat j then the boats are not to mind their order, but put after the flag as fafl as poflible to the place of landing, to which the flag-boat will always be a guide,
*' It is recommended to the foldiers as well as officers, not to mind the waves of the lake ; but when the furf is high to flick to their oars, and the men at helm to keep the boat quar- tering on the waves, and briikly follow, then no mifchief will happen by any florm what- ever. Ten of the befl: fl:eerfmen amongfl: the Rangers are to attend Captain Campbell and
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[ 212 1
pany in his boats. It is likcvvife recommended to the officers commanding in diofe boats, to hearken to the lleciimen in a llorm or bad weather, in mana^^ing their boats. At even- ing, (if it is thought neccllary to row in the night time) a blue flag will be hoiftcd in the Major's boat, which is the fignal for the boats to drefs, and then proceed in the following manner: the boats next the hindcrmofl, are to wait for the two in the rear, the two third boats for the fecond two j and fo on to the boats leading a-head, to prevent feparation, which in the night would be hazardous,
*' Mr. Brheme is not to mind the order of march, but to lleer as is mod convenient for him to make his obfervationsj he is however defined never to go more than a league a-head of the detachment, and is to join them at landing or encamping.
** On landing, the Regulars are to encamp in the center, and Lieutenant Holmes's divifion on the right wing with Mr. Croghan*^ people. Lieutenant M* Curmick on the left wing with his divifion ; Mr. Jequipe to be always ready with his Mohegan Indians, which are the pic- quet of th.' detachment, part of which are al- ways to encamp in the front of the party; Capt. Campbell will mount a guard confiiling
of
[ 213 ]
of one Subaltern, one Serjeant, and thirty pji- vates, imnfiedia 'y on landing, for the fecu- rity of his own encampment and battocs j Lieutenant Holmes's divifion to keep a guard of one Serjeant and ten Rangers on the righc, and Lieutenant M'Cormick the like number on the left, and likewile to adl as Adjutant to the detachment, and the orderly drum to at- tend him, to be at the Seijeant's call. The general to beat when ordered by the Major, at which time the whole party is to prepare for embarking, the troops half an hour after, when all the guards are to be called in, and the party embark immediately atr.er.
** There is to be no firin^r o^ euns in this detachment without permiliion from the commanding officer, except when in diftrefs on the lake. No man to go without the Gen- tries, when in camp, unlcfs he has orders fo to do ; great care to be taken of the arms, and the officers to review them daily. Captain Campbell will order a drum to beat, for the regulation of his company when landed, at any time he thinks proper for parading his men, or reviewing their arms, Sec,
" It is not doubted but due attention will be paid to all orders given.
" Mr.
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** Mr. Croghan will, at landing, always attend the Major for orders, and to give fuch intelli- gence as he may have had from the Indians throughout the day."
We left Prefque Iflc the 4th of November, kept a wcftern courfe, and by night had ad- vanced twenty miles.
The badnefs of the weather obliged us to lie by all the next day ; and as the wind con- tinued very high, we did not advance more than ten or twelve miles the 6th, on a courfe weft -fen th weft.
Wc fet out very early on the 7th, and came to the mouth of Chogage River; here we met with a party of Attawawa Indians, juft arrived from Dcuoit. Wc informed them of our fuccefs in the total redudion of Canada, and that wc were going to bring oft'the French gar- rifon at Detroit, who were included in the ca- pitulation. I held out a belt, and told them I would take my brothers by the hand, and car- ry them to Detroit, to fee the truth of what I had faid. They retired, and held a council, and promifed an anfwer next morning. That evening we fmoaked the calameC, or pipe of peace, all the cfficers and Indians fmoaking by turns out of the fame pipe. The peace thus
con-
1^
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concluded, we went to reP but k ^ good guards, a little diftrufling tin r lincet ty.
The Indians gave their aiifwcr early in the morning, and faid their young warriors fhould go with me, while the old ones flaid to hunt for their wives and children.
I gave them ammunition at their requefl, and a firing of wampum in tcftimony of my approbation, and charged them to fend fome of their fachems, or chiefs, with the party who drove the oxen along fliore ; and they promi- fed to fpread the news, and prevent any annoy- ance from their hunters.
We were detained here by unfavourable weather till the 12th, during which time the Indians held a plentiful market in our camp of venifon and turkies.
From this place we fleered one mile wcfl, then a mile fouth, then four miles wefl, thea fouth-wefl ten miles, then five miles wefl:-and- by-louth, then lbu:h~wefl eight miles, then weft-and-by- fouth lewcn miles, then four miles weft, and then fouth- weft fix miles, which brought us to Elk River, as the Indians call it, where we halted two days on account of bad weather and contrary winds.
On the 1 5th we embarked, and kept the
follov^ring courfes) wefl -fouth-wefl two miles,
wefl-
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ft
[ 2'6 1
wefl-north-wefl: three miles, wcft-by-north one mile, weft two miles ; here we paflcd the mouth of a river, and then (leered weft one mile, weft-by-lbutii two miles, weft- hy- north four miles, north-weft three miles, weft- north- weft two miles, weft-hy-north ten miles, where we encamped at the mouth of a river twenty- five yards wide.
The weather did not permit us to depart till the 1 8th, v/hen our courfo was wcft-by-louth fix miles, weft-by-north four miles, weft two miles J here we fu'ind a river about fifteen yards over, then proceeded weft half a mile, weft-fouth-weft fix miles and a half, weft two miles and an half, nc^th-weft two miles, where we encamped, and dlfcovered a river fixteen yards broad at the entrance.
We left this place the next day, fteering north- weft four miles, north-north- weft fix miles, which brought us to Sandufky Lake j we continued the fame courfe two miles, then north-north-eaft half a mile, north-weft a quarter of a mile, north 'he fame diftance, north-weft half a mile, north by-eaft one fur- long, nor*h-wtft-by-north one quarter of a mile, north-weft- by-weft one mile, weft-north- wcit one mile, then weft half a mile, where we encamped near a fmall river, on the eaft-fide.
From
[ 217 ]
Fl-om this place I detached Mr. Eihemc with 11 letter to Monfirur Deleter, the French connnandaat at Detroit, in thefe words:
To Capt, Deleter, or the Officer ccmmandlng at
Detroit.
«(
Sir,
'* That you miy not be alarmed at the ap- proach of the Englifli troops under my com- mand, when they come to Detroit, I fend forward this by Lieut. Brheme, to acquaint you, that I have Gtv^, Amhcr/l's orders to take poiTeffion of Detr( it, and fuch other ports as are in that diflrict-, which, by capitulation, agreed to and figned by the Marquis dc Vau- dreuil, and his Excellency Major Gen. Am- herft, the 8th of September lart, now belong to the King oi Great Britain.
" I have with me the Marquis de Vaudrcu- il's letters to you direded, for your guidance on this occafion, which letters I (liall deliver you when I arrive at or near your port:, and fhall encamp the troops I have with me at fome diflancc from the fort, till you have rea- fonable time to be made acquainted with the Marquis dc Vaudrcuil's inllrudlions, and the
F f capi-
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capitulation, a copy of which I have with mc likewife. I am.
Sir,
Your humble fervant.
Robert Rogers.''
'A
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The land on the fouth-fide of Lake Erie, from Prefque Ifle, puts on a very fine appear- ance ; the country level, the timber tall, and of the bcft fort, fuch as oak, hickcrie and lo- cuft i and for game, both for plenty and va- riety, perhaps exceeded by no part of the w^orld.
I followed Mr. Brhcme on the 20th, and took a courfc north-wcfl four miles and an half, fouth-weft two, and weft three, to the mouth of a river in breadth 300 feet.
Here we found fcveral Huron fachcms, who told me, •« that a body of 400 Indian warriors was colledted at the entrance into the great ftreight, in order to obftrud our paflagc 5 and that Monficur Belcter had excited them to defend their country : that they were mcf- fcngcrs to know my bufmefs, and whether the
perfon
(9
[ 219 1
perfon I had lent forward had reported the truth, that Canada was reduced." I confirmed this account, and that the fort at Detroit was given up by the French Governor. I prefented them a large belt, and fpoke to this effea::
(C
Brothers,
((
With this belt I take you by the hand. You are to go dirediy to your brothers af- fcmblcd at the mouth of the river, and tell them to go to their towns till I arrive at the fort. I iliall call you there as Toon as Monfieur Bclcter is fent away, which fhall be in two days after my arrival. We will then fettle all matters. You live happily in your own coun- try. Your brothers have long delired to bring this about. Tell your warriors to mind their fathers (the French) no more, for they are all prifoners to your brothers (the Englifh), who pitied them, and left them their houles and goods, on their fwearing by the Great One who made the world, to become as Engiilh- men forever. They are now your brothers ; if you abufe them, you affront me, unlefs they behave 111. Tell this to your brothers the In- dians. What I fay is truth. When we meet at Detroit I will convince you it is all true."
F f z Thefe
it
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Thefe fachcms fet out in good temper the next morning, being the 2 ifl: j but as the wind was very high, wc did not move from this place.
On the 22d we encamped on a beach, after having fleered that day north-weft fix miles, north-north-weft four, to a river of the breadth of twenty yards, then north-weft-by-wcft two miles, weft-north- weft one, weft four, tndwcft north-weft five ; it was with great difficulty we couid procure any ficl here, the wcft-lidc of the Lake Erie abounding with fwamps.
We rowed tco miles the next day, on a courfe norlh-wcft and by weft, to Point Ce- dar, and then formed a camp ; here we met fome of the Indian meflengers, to whom we had fpoken two days before : they told us, their warriors were gone up to Monlieur Bcle- ter, who, theyfaid, is a ftrong man, and in- tends to fight you 3 a fachem of Attawawas was amongft them. All their Indians fet out with us. The 24th we went north-weft and by north ten miles, and fourteen miles north- caft, to a long point ; this night fixty of the Indian party came to our camp, who congra- tulated us on our arrival in their country, and cff(:ttd themfelves as an efcort to Detroit, from whence they canie the day before. 1 hey in- formed
It I
[ 221 3
formed me, that Mr. Bhreme and his party were confined ; and that Monfieur Beleter had fet up an high flag-flaff, with a wooden effigy of a man's head on the top, and upon that a crow J that the crow was to repreient himfelf, the man's head mine, and the meaning of the whole, that he would fcratch out my brains. This artifice, however, had no efFedl j for the Indians told him (as they faid) that the re- verfe would be the true explanation of the fign.
Afier we had proceeded fix miles north-eaft, we halted at the requefl of the Indians, who defired me to call in the chief Captains of the party at the Streight's mouth, I did fo, and fpent the 2 6ih at the fame place, in concilating their favage minds to peace and fricndrhip.
The morning of the 27th, Monfieur Bele- ter fent me the following letter by Monfieur Babec.
ik
'I
I
*«. MONSIEUR;
f' J'ai re9u la lettre que vous m'avez ecrite par un de vos Ufficitrs; c mme jc n'ai pint d'in- tcrprete, je ne puis faiie la rcponfe amplement.
L'Officier qui m'a remife la votre, me fait
fayoir qu'il ptoit detache afin de m'anoncer
votre
[
222 ]
voire arrive, pour prendre pofleiTion de cette garifon, felon la capitulation fait en Canada, que vous avez conjointen}cnt avec up lettre de Monfieur de Vaudreuil a mon addiefle. Je vous prie, Monfieur, d'arretcr vos troupes a Tentrance de la riviere, jufques a cc que vous m'envoyes la capitulation & la lettre dc Mon- feigncur le Marquis de Vaudreuil, afin de pouvoir y conformcr.
Je fuis bien lurpris qu*on ne ma pas cn- voye un Officier Francois avec vous, felon la coutume.
J'ai rhonneur d'etre, &c. &c.
m
Be Bekterr
A Monfieur Monfieur Rozers^ M^or, <Sc commandant Ic detachment Anglois."
In Englifli thus.
" Sir,
" I received the letter you wrote me by one of your Officers; but, as I have no interpreter, cannot fully anfwer it.
The Officer that delivered me yours, gives me to underfland, that he was fent to give me
notice
[ 223 ]
notice of yolir arrival to take pofTefljon of this garrifon, according to the capitulation made in Canada; that you have likevi^ire a letter from Moni. Vaudreuil directed to me. I beg, Sir, you'll halt your troops at the entrance of the river, till you fend me the capitulation and the Marquis de Vaudreuil's letter, that I may adt in conformity thereto.
I am furprifed there is no French Officer fent to me along with you, as is the cuftom on fuch occafions. 1 have the honour to be, 6cc. &c.
; De BeleierJ* To Mr. Rogers, Major and Com mander of th c E n ?- lilh detachment."
Shortly after a French party, under Cap- tain Burrager, beat a parley on the weft- fhore; I fent Mr.M'Cormick to know his bu- finefs, who returned with the Officer and the following letter :
Detroit, Ic 25me Novembre, 1760. " Monsieur,
*' Je vous al deja marque par Monfieur Burrager les raifons pourquoi je nepuis repon-
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dre en derail a la lettre qui m'a e[e rcmlfe le 22me du courant, par rOilicier que vous m'a- vcz detache.
J'ionore les raifons pourquoi il n'a pas vou- lu retourner auprcs de vous. J'ai envoye nioa intcrprete Huron cliez cctte nation, que Ton mc dii c.ic attroupe lur le themin de les con- tcnir, ne fncbant pofitivemcnt fi c'efl a vous ou ci nous quils cti veuUlent, &: pour Icur dire de mapait, qu'iis ayent a fe tcnir tranquile- ment ; que je favois ce que je devois a mon General, 8c que de lorfque Tade de la capitula- tion fero.it regie, j'etois oblige d'obeir. Le dit interprete a ordre de vous attendre, Sc de vous remettre la prefent. Ne foyez point furpris, Monfieur, n fur le long de la cote vous trouve- rez nos habitans fur leur garde-, on leur a an- nonce qu'il y avoit beaucoupdc nations a votre fdite, a qui on avois promis le pillage, 6c que lefdites nations etoi^ht mcme determinees a vous le demandcr ; je leur ai p-'rmis de regar- der, c*eft pour votre confervation & furete ainfi que pour la notre, en cas que les dites nations devenoient a faire les infolents, vous feul ne fe- rie^ peut-etre pas dans les circonftances pre- fentes en etat de les reduire. Je me flatte, Mon- fieur, que fi tot que la prefent vour lera par- venue, vous voudriez bicn m'envoyer par quel-
qu'un
[ 225 ]
qu*un dc vos Meflieurs, & la capitulation & la lettre dc Monlicur Vaudreuil. J'ai I'honneur d'etre,
Monsieur, Votre tres-humble & obeifTant ferviteur,
Pign, de Beletere,'*
A Monfieur Monfieur Rogers^ Major, commandant le de- tachment Anglois au has de la riviere.
I I
i
In Englifh thus :
=' Sir,
Detroit, 25th Nov. 1760.
** I have already by Mr. Barrager acquaint- ed you with the rcafons why I could not an- fwer particularly the letter which was deliver- ed mc the 22d inftant by the Officer you fcnt to me.
** I am entirely unacquainted with the rca- fons of his not returning to you. I fent my Huron interpreter to that nation, and told him to flop them, (hould they be on the road, not knowing pofitively whether they were inclined
Gg to
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[ 226 ]
to favour you or us, and to tell them from mc they fliould behave peaceably; that I knew what I owed to my General, and that when the capitulation (liould be fettled I was obliged to obey. The laid interpreter has orders to wait on you, and deliver you this.
** Be not furprifcd, Sir, if along the coafl: you find the inhabitants upon their guard; it was told them you had feveral Indian nations with you, to whom you had promifed permif- fion to plunder, nay, that they were even re- folved to force you to it. I have therefore allowed the faid inhabitants to take to their arms, as it is for your fafety and prefervation as well as ours j for fhould thefe Indians become infolent, you may not perhaps, in your prefent fituation, be able to fubdue them alone.
*' 1 flatter myfelf, Sir, that, as foon as that {hall come to hand, you will fend me by fome of the Gentlemen you have with you, both the capitulation and Monfieiir Vaudreuil's letter. I have the honour to be.
Sir.
Your very humble and ©be- dient fervant.
^fo Majcr Rogers,
Pi^n, Beletere.
if
We
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jen
led to
»
We encamped, the next day five miles up the river, having rowed againft the wind; and on the 29th I difpatchcd Captain Campbell, with Medieurs Barrager and Babce, and their parties, with this letter.
cc
Sir,
, ''I acknowledge the receipt of your two letters, both of which were delivered to me yefterday. Mr. Brheme has not yet returned^ The inclofed letter from the Marquis de Vau- dreuil will inform you of the furrender of all Canada to the King of Great Britain, and of the great indulgence granted to the inhabi- tants} as alfo of the terms granted to the troops of his Moft Chriftian Mdjelly. Captain Campbell, whom J have fent forward wiih this letter, will fhew you the capitulation. I defire you will not detain him, as I am deter- mined, agreeable to my inftrudions irom Ge- neral Amherft, fpeedily to relieve your pod. I (liall ftop the troops I have with me at the hi- ther end of the town till four o'clock, by wiiich time I expedl your anfwer; your inhabitants tinder arms will not furprife me, as yet J have
)fition, t
F
favag(
ing for my orders. J can aflure you, Sir, the
I' I
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Mrfl
l|l
G
m-
[ 228 ]
inhabitants of Detroit (hall not be molefted, they and you complying with the capitulation, but be protedled in the quiet and peaceable poflefllon of their eftates j Dcither (liall they be pillaged by my Indians, nor by your's that have joined me.
I am> 5cc.
7i Capt. Bcletere, commanding at Detroit,
R, Rogers:*
i \ '■
M
1 landed at half a mile (hort of the fort, and fronting it, where I dew up my detachment on a field of grafs. Here Capr- Campbell joined me, and with him came a French offi- cer, to inform me that he bore Monfieur Be- letere's compliments, fignifying he was under my command. From hence 1 lent Lieutenants Leflie and M*Cormack, with thirty-fix Royal Americans, to ta-e pofleffion of the fort. The French garrifon laid down their arms, Eng- lifli colours were hoiftcd, and the French taken down, at which about 700 Indians gave a fhout, merrily exulting in their prediction be- ing verified, that (he crow reprefented the Englifh.
They
;>l
f>
[ 229 ]
They fccmed amazed at the fubmiffive fa- lutations ot the inhabitants, exprcllcd their fa- tisfadion at our gcnerofity in not putting them to death, and faid they would always for the future fight for a nation thus favoured by Him that made the world.
I went into the fort, received a plan of it, with a lift of the ftores, from the commanding officer, and by noon of the ift of December we had coUcded the militia, difarmed them, and to them alfo adminiilered the oaths of al- legiance.
The interval from this time to the 9th was fpent in preparing to execute fome meafures that appeared to be neccffary to the fervice we were upon. I put Monficur Beletere and the other prifoners under the care of Lieut. Holmes and thirty Ranger?:, to be carried to Philadel- phia j and ordered Capt. Campbell and his company to keep poflclfion of the fort. LisJut. Butler and Enfign Wait were fent \a ith a de- tached party of twenty men, to bring the French troops from the forts Minmie and Ga- tanois. I ordered, that, if poffible, a party fhould fubfift at the former this winter, and give the earlieft notice at Detroit of the ene- my*s motions in the country of the Illinois. I fent Mr. M'Gce, with a French officer, for
the
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[ 230 ]
ttie French troops at the Shawancfc town ori the Ohio. And as provifions were fcarce, di- redcd Capt. Brewer to repair with the great- eft part of the Rangers to Niagara, detaining Lieut. M'Cormack with thirty-levcn more, to go with me to Midilimakana.
I made a treaty with the fcveral tribes of Indians living in the neighbouring country ; and having direc5led Capt. Wait, juft arrived from Niagara, to return again thither imme- diately, I fct out for Lake Huron, and on the night of the loth encamped at the north- end of the little Lake St. Clair, and the next even- on the weft- fide of the ftreight, at the en- trance of a confiderable river, where many In- dians were hunting. We opened Lake Hu- fon the day following, and law many Indian hunters on both fides of the mouth of the ftreights. We coafted along the weft (hore of the Lake, about twenty miles north-and-by- weft, the next day being the J3th forty, and the 15th thirty-eight miles, palling the cakes of ice with much difficulty. W^e could not advance all the i6th, a heavy north-wind fct- ting the cakes of ice on the fouth-fhore in fuch quantities, that we could find no pafliagc be- tween them. I confulted the Indians auout a journey to Michlimakana acrofs by land s but
they
r 231 ]
they declared it impracticable at this fcafoa without fnow-lhoes, and to our great mortifi* cation we were obliged to return to Detroit ; the ice obftrudting us fo much, that, with the greateft diligence and fatigue, wc did not ar- rive there till the 2ifh
I delivered the ammunition toCapt. Camp- bell, and on the 23d fet out for Pittfburg, marching along the weft- end of Lake Erie, till the 2d of January 1761, when we arrived at Lake Sandufky.
I havv^ a very good opinion of the foil from Detroit to this place ; it is timbered principal- ly with white and black oaks, hickerie, lof cufls, and maple. VVc found wild apples a- long the wefl-end of Lake Eric, iome rich fa- vannahs of levtral miles extent, without a tree, but cloathed with jointed grafs near fix feet high, which, rotting there every year, adds to the fertility of the foil. The length of San- dufky is about fifteen miles from eaft to weft, and about fix miles acrofs it. We came to a town of the Windot Indians, where wc halted
to refreih.
On January 3d, fouth-eaft-by-eaft three miles, eaft-by-fouth one mile and a half, fouth eaft a mile through a meadow, croiTecJ a fmall creek about fix yards wide, running
caft.
'I
m m
J« -I 'Jl •
l!!^|''k:l
[ 232 ]
caft, travelled fouth-caft-by-cafl: one mile, paf- fcd thro' Indian houfcSjfouih-eaft three quarters of a mile, and came to a fmall Indian town of about ten houfes. There is a remarkable fine fpring at this place, rifing out of the fide of a fmall hill with fuch force, that it boils above the ground in a column three feet high. I imagine it difcharges ten hogfheads of water in a minute. From this town our courfe was fouth-fouth-eaft three miles, fouth two miles, croflrd a brook about five yards wide, running caft'fouth-eaft, travelled fouth one mile, crof- fed a brook about four yards wide, running caft-fouth-eaft, travelled fouth-fouth-caft two miles, crofTcd a brook about eight yards wide. This day we killed plenty of deer and turkies on our march, and encamped.
On the 4th we travelled fouth-fouth-eaft one mile, and came to a river about twenty -five yards wide, crofi^ed the river, where are two Indian houfes, from thence fouth-by-eaft one mile, fouth-fouth-eaft one mile and a half, fouth-eaft two miles, fouth-fouth-eaft one mile, and came to an Indian houfe, where there was a family of Windots hunting, from thence fouth by caft a quarter of a mile, fouth five miles, came to the river we crofled this morn- ing ', the courfe of the river here is weft- north-
[ 233 ]
north -wed. This day killed fevtral deer and other game, end cncam{3ed.
On the 5th travelled Ibuth-fouth-weft hilfa mile, fouth one mile, i^auth-louth-wcft three quarters of a mile, fouth half a miiejCioffcd two fiiiall brooks running caft, went a fouth -fouth- wed courfc half a mile, fouth half a mile, louih- eaft half a mile, fouth two miles, fouth-cait one mile, fouth half a mile, croiTed a brook run- ning eaft-by-north, travelled fouth- by-eafl half a mile, fouth fouth cafl two miles, fouth eail three quarters of a mile, foutli- fouth- eafl one mile, and came to Mafkongom Creek, about eight yards wide, crofled the creek, and en- camped about thirty yards from it. This day killed deer and turkies in our march.
On the 6th wc travelled about fourteen or fifteen miles, our general courfe being about eaft-fouth-eaft, killed plenty, of game, and en- camped by a very fiae-ipring.
The 7th our general courie about fouth-caft, travelled about lix miles, and croffcd Mafkon- gom Creek, running foudi, about twenty yards wide. There is an Indian town about twenty yards from the creek, on the eaft-fide, which is called the Mingo Cabbins. There were but two or three Indians in the place, the reft were
H h hunting.
I\
,IS'
i^!
[ 234 ]
hunting. Tbcfc Indians have plenty of cows, horfes, hogs, &c.
The 8th, halted at this town to nrend our mogafons, and kill deer, the provifions I brought from Detroit being entirely expended. I went a-hunting with ten of the Rangers, and by ten o'clock got more venifon than we had occafion for.
On the 9th travelled about twelve miles, our general courfc being about fouth-eaft, and en- camped by the fide of a long meadow, where there were a number of Indians hunting.
The loth, abor^ the fame courfe, we travel- led eleven miles, and encamped, having £•' i in our march this day three bears and • v elks.
The nth, continuing near the fame courfe, we travelled thirteen miles and encamped, where were d number of Wiandots and Six Nation Indians hunting.
The 1 2th, travelled fix sniles, bearing rather more to the eaft, and encamped. This even- ing we killed feveral beaver.
The 13th, travelled about north eaft fix miles, and came to the Delaware's town, cal- led Beaver Town. This Indian town ftands on good land, on the weft-fide of the Maf-
kongom
[ 235 1
kcngom River ] and oppofite to the town, on the eaft-fide, is a fine river, which difchargcs itfclf into it. The latter is about thirty yards wide, and the Mafkongom about forty -, fo that when they both join, they make a very fine ftream, with a fwift current, running to the fouth-wcll. There are about 3000 acres of cleared ground round this place. The number of warriors in this town is about 180. All the way from the Lake Sandufky I found level land, snd a good country. No pine-trees of any fort ; the tim- ber is white, black, and yellow oak, black and white walnut, Cyprus, chefnut, and locufl trees. At this town I ilaid till the i6th in the morning to refrcfla my party, and procured fome corn of the Indians to boil with our venifon.
On the ]6th we marched nearly an eafl courfe about nine miles, and encamped by the fide of a fmall river.
On. the 17th kept much the fame courfe, crofTing feveral rivulets and creeks. We tra« veiled about twenty miles, and encamped by the fide of a fmall river.
On the 1 8th w^. travelled about lixteen miles an eafterly courfe, and encamped by a brook.
The 19th, about the fame general courfe, \yc croiTed two confiderable ftreams of water,
H h 2 and
m
f.., 1;
[ 236 ]
anfi fome large hills timbered vvltli chcfnut and oak, and having travelled about twenty miles, we encamped by the fide of a fmall river, at which place were a number of Delawares hunting.
Oil the 20th, keeping flill an eaderly courfe, and having much the fame travelling as the day bciore, we advanced on our journey about nineteen miles, which brought us to Beaver Creek, where are two or three Indian houfcs, on the weft fide of the creek, and in fight of the Ohio.
Bad weather prevented our journeying on the 21ft, but the next day wc profecutcd our march. Having croiTed the creek, we travel- led twenty miles, nearly fouth-eaft, and en- camped with a party of Indian hunters.
On the 23d we came again to the Ohio, oppoiite to Fort Pitt, from whence I ordered Lieut. M'Cormack to march the party acrofs the country to Albany, and, after tarrying there till the 26th, I came the common road to Philadelphia, from thence to New York, where, after this long, fatiguing tour, I ar- rived February 14, 1 76 1.
FINIS.
mi and
miles,
iver, at
lawares
courfe, the day about Beaver houfcs, fight of
'Ing on
itcd our
travel-
nd en-
■s 3i
c Ohio,
ordered y acrofs tarrying m road V York, r, I ar-
ADVERTISEMENT.
IT is propofed to continue this Journal, in a fecond volume, containing an account of my travels into the country of the Cherokees, and the fouthern Indians; of my (econd tour into the interior country, upon the great lakes; and of the Indian vicars in America fince the year 1760 ; together with corred: plans of all the Britifli forts upon the continent. To be publidied by fubfcription.
Subfcriptions arc taken in by John Mil- LAN, Bookfcller, near Whitehall, andbyfuch others as he {hall appoint, he being im- powered by me for that purpofe, and will give 'proper receipts to deliver the faid volume, or return the fubfcription-money, within a li- mited time.
The price to fubfcribers will be one Englifh Guinea j one half to be paid at fubfcribing, and the other on the dehvery of the book.
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BOOKS Printed far J. MiLLAN, nearWhkehalL
'• "D Egimental and Recruiting Book 3, with proper Heads, Av engraved.
2. Peiiiver's Syftem of Natural Hiftory, with feveral Thousand Figures on 300 large Folio Copper Plates, 100 of which never before publifhed, 61. 63.
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8. Hill's Hiftory of the Royal Society, los. 6d.
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10. Dr.Sharpe'BDcfenceofChriftianity, js. Oligarchy, is.
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12. Langley's Gothic Architefture, 15s. ij. .■ Treafury of Dcfigns, 153.
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The following compiled by J. Millan.
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5, Ancient
1765. 65, 15s.
s, the only anack. k:c. Ranks, Neatly co-