Strange Stories of Colonial Days

by Various

  XV

  ROGERS' RANGERS

  The Famous New Hampshire Scouts of the Old French War

  Rogers' Rangers were a famous partisan corps during the old French War.Besides the regular forces employed, there were irregular or partisanbodies, composed of Canadian French and their Indian allies on one side,and English frontiersmen on the other. They acted as scouts and rangersfor either army, guarding trains, procuring intelligence, andintercepting supplies destined for the enemy. Both were composed ofpicked men, skilled in woodcraft, and excellent marksmen. One of Rogers'companies was composed entirely of Indians in their native costume.

  The Rangers were a body of hardy and resolute young men, principallyfrom New Hampshire. They were accustomed to hunting and inured tohardships, and from frequent contact with the Indians they had becomefamiliar with their language and customs. Every one of these ruggedforesters was a dead shot, and could hit an object the size of a dollarat a hundred yards.

  There was no idleness in the Rangers' camp. They were obliged to beconstantly on the alert, and to keep a vigilant watch upon the enemy.They made long and fatiguing journeys into his country on snow-shoes inmidwinter in pursuit of his marauding parties, often camping in theforest without a fire, to avoid discovery, and without other food thanthe game they had killed on the march. On more than one occasion theymade prisoners of the French sentinels at the very gates of Crown Pointand Ticonderoga, their strongholds. They were the most formidable bodyof men ever employed in Indian warfare, and were especially dreaded bytheir French and Indian foes.

  It was in this school that Israel Putnam, John Stark, and others weretrained for future usefulness in the struggle for American Independence.Several British officers, attracted by this exciting and hazardous aswell as novel method of campaigning, joined as volunteers in some oftheir expeditions. Among them was the young Lord Howe, who during thistour of duty formed a strong friendship for Stark and Putnam, both ofwhom were with him when he fell at Ticonderoga shortly afterwards.

  Major Robert Rogers, who raised and commanded this celebrated corps, wasa native of Dunbarton, New Hampshire. Tall and well proportioned, butrough in feature, he was noted for strength and activity, and was theleader in athletic sports, not only in his own neighborhood, but formiles around.

  Rogers' lieutenant was John Stark, afterwards the hero of Bennington.When in his twenty-fourth year Stark, while out with a hunting-party,was captured by some St. Francis Indians and taken to their village.While here he had to run the gauntlet. For this cruel sport the youngwarriors of the tribe arranged themselves in two lines, each armed witha rod or club to strike the captive as he passed them, singing someprovoking words taught him for the occasion, intended to stimulate theirwrath against the unfortunate victim.

  Eastman, one of Stark's companions when he was taken, was the first torun the gauntlet and was terribly mauled. Stark's turn came next. Makinga sudden rush, he knocked down the nearest Indian, and wresting his clubfrom him, struck out right and left, dealing such vigorous blows as heran that he made it extremely lively for the Indians, without receivingmuch injury himself. This feat greatly pleased the old Indians who werelooking on, and they laughed heartily at the discomfiture of the youngmen.

  When the Indians directed him to hoe corn, Stark cut up the young cornand flung his hoe into the river, declaring that it was the business ofsquaws and not of warriors. Stark was at length ransomed by his friendson payment of L100 to his captors.

  During the Revolutionary war Stark's services were rendered at the mostcritical moments, and were of the highest value to his country. AtBunker Hill he commanded at the rail fence on the left of the redoubt,holding the post long enough to insure the safety of his overpowered andretreating countrymen. At the capture of the Hessians at Trenton he ledthe van of Sullivan's division, and at Bennington he struck the decisiveblow that paralyzed Burgoyne and made his surrender inevitable.

  Skilful and brave as were the Rangers, they were not always successful.The French partisans, under good leaders, with their wily and formidableIndian allies, well versed in forest strategy, on one occasion inflicteddire disaster upon them.

  Near Fort Ticonderoga, in the winter of 1757, Rogers with 180 menattacked and dispersed a party of Indians, inflicting upon them a severeloss. This, however, was but a small part of the force which, under Dela Durantaye and De Langry, French officers of reputation, were fullyprepared to meet the Rangers, of whose movements they had beenthoroughly informed beforehand. The party Rogers had dispersed wassimply a decoy.

  The Rangers had thrown down their packs, and were scattered in pursuitof the flying savages, when they suddenly found themselves confrontedwith the main body of the enemy, by whom they were largely outnumberedand of whose presence they were wholly unsuspicious. Nearly fifty of theRangers fell at the first onslaught; the remainder retreated to aposition in which they could make a stand. Here, under such cover as thetrees and rocks afforded, they fought with their accustomed valor, andmore than once drove back their numerous foes. Repeated attacks weremade upon them both in front and on either flank, the enemy rallyingafter each repulse, and manifesting a courage and determination equal tothose of the Rangers. So close was the conflict that the opposingparties were often intermingled, and in general were not more thantwenty yards asunder. The fight was a series of duels, each combatantsingling out a particular foe--a common practice in Indian fighting.

  This unequal contest had continued an hour and a half, and the Rangershad lost more than half their number. After doing all that brave mencould do, the remainder retreated in the best manner possible, each forhimself. Several who were wounded or fatigued were taken by the pursuingsavages. A singular circumstance about this battle was that it wasfought by both sides upon snow-shoes.

  Rogers, closely pursued, made his escape by outwitting the Indians whopressed upon him--such at least is the tradition. The precipitous cliffsnear the northern end of Lake George, since called Rogers' Rock, has onone side a sharp and steep descent hundreds of feet to the lake. Gainingthis point, Rogers threw his rifle and other equipments down the rocks.Then, unbuckling the straps of his snow-shoes, and turning round, hereplaced them, the toes still pointing towards the lake. This was thework of a moment. He then walked back in his tracks from the edge ofthe cliff into the woods and disappeared just as the Indians, sure oftheir prey, reached the spot. To their amazement, they saw two trackstowards the cliff, none from it, and concluded that two Englishmen hadthrown themselves down the precipice, preferring to be dashed to piecesrather than be captured. Soon a rapidly receding figure on the ice belowattracted their notice, and the baffled savages, seeing that theredoubtable Ranger had safely effected the perilous descent, gave up thechase, fully believing him to be under the protection of the GreatSpirit.

  By a wonderful exercise of his athletic powers, Rogers, availing himselfof the projecting branches of the trees which lined the rocky ravines inhis course, had succeeded in swinging himself from the top to the bottomof this precipitous cliff. It was a fortunate escape for him, for ifcaptured he would surely have been burned alive.

  In this unfortunate affair the Rangers had eight officers and onehundred men killed. Their losses, however, were soon repaired, and theycontinued to render efficient service until the close of the war.

  XVI

  THE PLOT OF PONTIAC

  How Detroit was Saved in 1763

  The long contest between England and France for the right to rule overNorth America, which lasted seventy years, and inflicted untold miseryupon the hapless settlers on the English frontier, was at last broughtto an end. England was victorious, and in 1763 a treaty was made bywhich France gave up Canada and all her Western posts.

  With the exception of the Six Nations, the Indian tribes had fought onthe side of the French, whose kind and generous course had won theiraffection. But the claims to the country which they and theirforefathers had always possessed were utterly disregarded by bothparties. Said an old chief on one occasion:


  "The French claim all the land on one side of the Ohio, and the Englishclaim all the land on the other side. Where, then, are the lands of theIndian?"

  The final overthrow of the French left the Indians to contend alone withthe English, who were steadily pushing them towards the setting sun.Seeing this, and wishing to rid his country of the hated pale-faces, whohad driven the red men from their homes, Pontiac, the great leader ofthe Ottawas, determined--to use his own words--"to drive the dogs in redclothing" (the English soldiers) "into the sea."

  This renowned warrior, who had led the Ottawas at the defeat of GeneralBraddock, was courageous, intelligent, and eloquent, and was unmatchedfor craftiness. Besides the kindred tribes of Ojibways, or Chippewas,and Pottawattomies, whose villages were with his own in the immediatevicinity of Detroit, a number of other warlike tribes agreed to join inthe plot to overthrow the English. Pontiac refused to believe that theFrench had given up the contest, and relied upon their assistance alsofor the success of his plan.

  All the English forts and garrisons beyond the Alleghanies were to bedestroyed on a given day, and the defenceless frontier settlements werealso to be swept away.

  The capture of Detroit was to be the task of Pontiac himself. Thisterrible plot came very near succeeding. Nine of the twelve militaryposts on the exposed frontier were taken, and most of their defendersslaughtered, and the outlying settlements of Pennsylvania and Virginiawere mercilessly destroyed.

  On the evening of May 6, 1763, Major Gladwin, the commander at Detroit,received secret information that an attempt would be made next day tocapture the fort by treachery. The garrison was weak, the defencesfeeble. Fearing an immediate attack, the sentinels were doubled, and ananxious watch was kept by Gladwin all that night.

  The next morning Pontiac entered the fort with sixty chosen warriors,each of whom had concealed beneath his blanket a gun, the barrel ofwhich had been cut short. His plan was to demand that a council be held,and after delivering his speech to offer a peace belt of wampum. Thisbelt was worked on one side with white and on the other side with greenbeads. The reversal of the belt from the white to the green side was tobe the signal of attack. The plot was well laid, and would probably havesucceeded had it not been revealed to Gladwin.

  The savage throng, plumed and feathered and besmeared with paint to makethemselves appear as hideous as possible, as their custom is in time ofwar, had no sooner passed the gateway than they saw that their plan hadfailed. Soldiers and employes were all armed and ready for action.Pontiac and his warriors, however, moved on, betraying no surprise, andentered the council-room, where Gladwin and his officers, all wellarmed, awaited them.

  "Why," asked Pontiac, "do I see so many of my father's young menstanding in the street with their guns?"

  "To keep the young men to their duty, and prevent idleness," was thereply.

  The business of the council then began. Pontiac's speech was bold andthreatening. As the critical moment approached, and just as he was onthe point of presenting the belt, and all was breathless expectation,Gladwin gave a signal. The drums at the door of the council suddenlyrolled the charge, the clash of arms was heard, and the officers presentdrew their swords from their scabbards. Pontiac was brave, but thisdecisive proof that his plot was discovered completely disconcerted him.He delivered the belt in the usual manner, and without giving theexpected signal.

  Stepping forward, Gladwin then drew the chief's blanket aside, anddisclosed the proof of his treachery. The council then broke up. Thegates of the fort were again thrown open, and the baffled savages werepermitted to depart.

  Stratagem having failed, an open attack soon followed, but with nobetter success. For months Pontiac tried every method in his power tocapture the fort, but as the hunting-season approached, the disheartenedIndians gradually went away, and he was compelled to give up theattempt.

  In the campaign that followed, two armies were marched from differentpoints into the heart of the Indian country. Colonel Bradstreet, on thenorth, passed up the lakes, and penetrated the region beyond Detroit,while on the south Colonel Bouquet advanced from Fort Pitt into theDelaware and Shawnee settlements of the Ohio Valley. The Indians werecompletely overawed. Bouquet compelled them to sue for peace, and torestore all the captives that had been taken from time to time duringtheir wars with the whites.

  The return of these captives, many of whom were supposed to be dead, andthe reunion of husbands and wives, parents and children, and brothersand sisters, presented a scene of thrilling interest. Some wereoverjoyed at regaining their lost ones; others were heartbroken onlearning the sad fate of those dear to them. What a pang pierced thatmother's breast who recognized her child only to find it clinging themore closely to its Indian mother, her own claims wholly forgotten!

  Some of the children had lost all recollection of their former home, andscreamed and resisted when handed over to their relatives. Some of theyoung women had married Indian husbands, and, with their children, wereunwilling to return to the settlements. Indeed, several of them hadbecome so strongly attached to their Indian homes and mode of life thatafter returning to their homes they made their escape and returned totheir husbands' wigwams.

  Even the Indians, who are educated to repress all outward signs ofemotion, could not wholly conceal their sorrow at parting with theiradopted relatives and friends. Cruel as the Indian is in his warfare, tohis captives who have been adopted into his tribe he is uniformly kind,making no distinction between them and those of his own race. To thosenow restored they offered furs and choice articles of food, and evenbegged leave to follow the army home, that they might hunt for thecaptives, and supply them with better food than that furnished to thesoldiers. Indian women filled the camp with their wailing andlamentation both night and day.

  One old woman sought her daughter, who had been carried off nine yearsbefore. She discovered her, but the girl, who had almost forgotten hernative tongue, did not recognize her, and the mother bitterly complainedthat the child she had so often sung to sleep had forgotten her in herold age. Bouquet, whose humane instincts had been deeply touched by thisscene, suggested an experiment. "Sing the song you used to sing to herwhen a child," said he. The mother sang. The girl's attention wasinstantly fixed. A flood of tears proclaimed the awakened memories, andthe long-lost child was restored to the mother's arms.

  THE END

  STRANGE STORIES FROM HISTORY

  Each Post 8vo, Illustrated, with Introduction, 60 cents.

  AMERICAN HISTORICAL FICTION FOR BOYS AND GIRLS

  These books tell thrilling stories of the personal life and heroic deedsof Americans in the great struggles of Colonial times, the Revolution,1812, and 1861, which have welded together and built up the Americannation. They are full of a close human interest and a dramatic qualitywhich cannot be imparted in compact histories, although these tales areusually founded upon actual historical events. They enlist and hold theattention of readers, and they also clear the historical perspective andconvey lessons in courage and patriotism. Mr. George Cary Eggleston'ssuccessful "Strange Stories from History" deals in part with heroes ofother nations, but these books, while similar to that in many respects,tell of those whose gallant deeds gave us the America of to-day.

  The following are the titles:

  STRANGE STORIES OF COLONIAL DAYS. By Francis Sterne Palmer, Hezekiah Butterworth, Francis S. Drake, G. T. Ferris, Rowan Stevens, and others.

  STRANGE STORIES OF THE REVOLUTION. By Molly Elliot Seawell, Howard Pyle, Winthrop Packard, Percival Ridsdale, and others.

  STRANGE STORIES OF 1812. By W. J. Henderson, James Barnes, S. G. W. Benjamin, Francis Sterne Palmer, and others.

  STRANGE STORIES OF THE CIVIL WAR. By Robert Shackleton, W. J. Henderson, Capt. Howard Patterson, U.S.N., L. E. Chittenden, Gen. G. A. Forsyth, U.S.A., and others.

  ----------------------------------------------------------------------

  Transcriber's Note:

  Minor punctuation errors (e.g. periods instea
d of commas) have beencorrected without note. Inconsistent hyphenation and capitalization havenot been corrected.

  Illustrations have been moved to directly after the correspondingparagraph. An advertisement has been removed from the beginning of thebook, as there is an identical one at the end, and a duplicate titlepage has been removed from between the introduction and the beginning ofChapter I.

  Decorative italics (e.g. on chapter subtitles) have not been representedin the plain-text versions of this book.

  The following corrections were made to the text:

  p. 32: extra hyphen removed (Tommy-Five-Canoes to Tommy Five-Canoes)

  p. 152: Jar to Jaar (_Nieuw Jaar_)

  p. 159: He to he (he seized a silver bowl)

  p. 165: thout to thou (canst thou not me trust)

  p. 166: missing close quote added ("There was no fun in calling on aparcel of old _vrouws_,")

  p. 174: extra close quote removed (lash of the slave-whip.)

  ----------------------------------------------------------------------