Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 10.djvu/133

 John Stark.

��125

��stirring year of 1755 that Rogers's Company of Rangers received orders to march through the pathless forests to join their regiment at Fort Ed- ward, the head-quarters of Gen. Johnson's army, which place they reached early in August, a short time before the desperate attack made on Johnson by the French and Indians at the south end of Lake George, near Bloody pond, so named from the slaughter on this occasion. Ban- croft's History, in referring to this company of rangers, says, — "Among them was John Stark, then a lieuten- ant ; of a rugged nature, but of the coolest judgment; skilled at discov- ering the paths of the wilderness, and knowing the way to the hearts of the backwoodsmen." Whether Rogers's Company of Rangers was engaged in this fight at Bloody pond is a matter of some uncertainty. Rogers says in his journal that he was himself "on a scout about one of the French posts, up the Hudson river," at the date of this fight — September 8th. Probably a part or all of his company were with him. During the remainder of the season, and all through the win- ter, into March, 1756, although the regiment to which they were originally attached had been disbanded, the Rangers remained in the field, and were sent at frequent intervals to out- lie and watch the enemy's posts, and to obtain information, by capturing prisoners or otherwise.

Upon the decease of Gen. Brad- dock, Gov. Shirley succeeded to the chief command of the English forces in North America, and on the 15th of March, 1756, Rogers received or- ders from him to repair to Boston for a personal conference. He reached

��Boston on the 23d of the same month, and as the result of his interview with the governor was commissioned to recruit an independent corps of Rangers, to consist of sixty privates, an ensign, a lieutenant, and a cap- tain. The corps was to be raised immediately. None were to be en- listed but "such as were accustomed to travelling and hunting, and in whose courage and fidelity the most implicit confidence could be placed." They were, moreover, "to be subject to military discipline and the articles of war." The rendezvous was ap- pointed at Albany, " whence to pro- ceed with whale-boats to Lake George, and from time to time to use their best endeavors to distress the French and their allies by sacking, burning, and destroying their houses, barns, barracks, canoes, batteaux, &c., and by killing their cattle of every kind, and at all times to endeavor to way- lay, attack, and destroy their convoys of provision, by land and by water, where they could be found."

Within thirty days from the issu- ance of this commission the enlist- ment of the new corps of Rangers was complete, many of his old com- pany reenlistiug, and Rogers again selected John Stark for his ensign, or second lieutenant. Although no important military operations were attempted during this campaign, the Rangers were constantly on foot, watching the motions of the enemy at Crown Point and Ticonderoga, cutting off their convoys of supplies, and often making prisoners of senti- nels at their posts.

Bancroft's account of the campaign says, — " The Rangers at Fort William Henry defy the winter. The forests

�� �