Journals of Major Robert Rogers

Robert Rogers was born in Londonderry, overbold Hampshire, (or Methuen Massachusetts), in 1727. His parents, crowd together and Mary McFatridge Rogers were Scotch-Irish, excessively had three other sons James, Richard, and John. 1 They lived in a sm wholly town in Massachusetts, which was a frontier town with lumber houses along the Merrimack valley. Robert was xiv or xv age of age when his father founded a settle handst in the wilderness on 2,190 acres of land, which he calld Munterloney. From his youth, he was inured to the hardships of the frontier, acquiring character traits of decisiveness, self-reliance and boldness, which identify him later in life. Rogers, acquired his scanty line of descent of book learning, as he termed from a log school house that was 16 feet long and twelve feet wide. 3 closely of his knowledge came from his fathers farm, where he lgain to hunt, trap, and fish which he earned a small living from. plot he was on hunting excursions he mingled w ith the Indians and learn rough of their language, hunting methods and their habits. 4 He was six feet in statute, hygienic proportioned, and one of the intimately athletic manpower of his time, well known in all the trials of strength and activity among the young manpower of his vicinity, and for several(prenominal) miles around. About six old age later on they move, Roberts father James was walking through the woods on his way to visit a friend, when he was shot by the far away(predicate) neighbor, thinking that he was a bear. He died later that night from his wound. Robert told some locals at a town tavern, that his mother was overly killed by some hunters that thought her tracks were a bear. Everyone in the tavern thought he was telling a huge finesse and tallest tale so they bought him a assimilate for the greatest lie. Robert was non lying he did lose both(prenominal) of his parents. Robert united the armament service when he was 20-eight.In 1746, when male monarch Georges War stony-broke out, Robert joined the new-fashioned Hampshire militia as a private in Captain Ladds Scouting Company and then over again later (1747) in Eastmans Company, to justification the New Hampshire frontier. 7 there were colossal details presumptuousness of his adventures most of them were given by himself in his journals. He wrote a book A Concise tale of North the States, which was a victory and attracted gallant attention. 8In 1754 Robert became knotted with a gang of ounterfeiters he was indicted, notwithstanding never brought to trial because the warfare broke out. 9 In 1755, France and Britain had declared war on each other, and conflict was airing to the colonies of Europe. They were fighting over the right of baring and occupation, each one wanting much of America. Since Rogers was an experienced frontiersman, the colonial government dropped the bullshit charges against him, mean plot of ground he was appointed as an tallyicial recru iter for Colonel John Winslow. 10 In 1756, Rogers started recruiting passs for his militia.Rogers had an unusual talent for training his men in the most dire circumstances. He trained them in live fire, they learned to handle the extreme cold, how to live off of very little food. 11 By the end of 1756, Rogers had raised four regimens of rangers. He himself commanded one of them, and they were known as Rogers Rangers. He wrote a guide for the Rangers to follow that had twenty eight rules for ranging. This guide later became famous, and was called Robert Rogers 28 Rules of Ranging. 12 Roberts chum salmons all served in a regimen of the Rangers.His pal Richard died in 1757 of small- pox at Fort Henry, his automobile trunk was dug up and found maimed and scalped by hostile natives. 13 His brother James stayed on with the Kings Rangers and assumed Roberts lieu after the American Revolutionary War ended. non much is known about brother John after the war was over. Rogers was in per son responsible for paying his soldiers, He went deep in debt, and had to take out loans when their payroll was raided while in transport. Rogers was never reimbursed for his expenses by the government or the British Army. 4 Over the conterminous three years the Rangers served under a series of undone British commanders. The Rangers slowly grew to twelve companies as well as several redundant contingents of natives who had pledged their allegiance to the British cause.The Rangers were kept separate from the British regulars. 15 In 1758 Rogers went to Lake George with about one hundred and cardinal men, and had a battle with the French and Indians, he lost one hundred and fourteen of his men. After that battle, General Abercrombie presented him with a bang of major of the Rangers. 6 In 1759 Major General Amherst sent Rogers with two hundred men to attack St. Francis, they had been terrorizing the New England frontiers for centuries. They had been killing their cattle, earne st their buildings, and killing the men and children and kidnapping the women. Rogers was to set down the village but not rail at any women and children. After it was over 200 Indians had been killed and they set the village on fire, because when mature morning came Rogers had seen over 600 scalps strung upon poles and doorways, which were mostly English. 7In 1760, Rogers and 600 Rangers and seventy Indians, in colossus boats left for Montreal. He met up with Pontiac, the next morning they talked and smoked the peace-pipe. Pontiac gave him and his men nourishment for his journey, and a few Indian braves for escort. 18 In 1764, he married Elizabeth Brown, daughter of Reverend Arthur Brown. 19 Between 1762 and 1765, he bought and sold land, some of it was very expensive. several(prenominal) of them he purchased and some of them he authoritative in consideration of military services. 0Major Rogers wasnt a good husband, after seventeen years Elizabeth split up him on the grou nds of desertion and infidelity. 21 In 1764, after many failed stemma ventures, trying to recoup money that he had spent trying to equip the Rangers, he could not pay his debtors. He suffered monetary ruin. His creditors had him put in a New York prison for his debts, but he escaped. 22 In 1765, his journals and A Concise sum up of North America were published this hit was a description of several British Colonies on that Continent, their population, their religion, boundaries, and their situations.It also included several accounts of Nations and Tribes of Indians residing in those parts it took into account their customs, manners, government, and the population. 23 Immediately after that publication, Rogers wrote a degree play that memorialized Pontiac and his rebellion. 24 He gained some success for his publications, and simultaneously attracted royal attention. His name and fame became familiar through the country and among both armies. 25 Rogers went to King George III to figure an expedition to find the Northwest Passage.In 1766, Rogers was bestowed an appointment as Commandant at Michilimickinac. After the conquest of Canada, this had become the most important military and trading post in the interior. 26 Rogers and his wife Elizabeth moved to Fort Michilimickinac where he began his duties as royal governor. This appointment was an office of great responsibility, a rare opportunity for Rogers, who took advantage of it. speckle the Governor, he was not supposed to detect expenses without authority Rogers did so, was arrested and taken to Montreal, but he managed to get himself acquitted of the charges. 7In 1769 Rogers returned to England where he reported to the King. Rogers remained there until 1775, while there, he served as a soldier for awhile for Algerine, which was a job he performed very well, even though Rogers was approach age fifty. 28 One sidereal daytime while Rogers was a passenger in a mail coach, a course robber stopped the coach , and stuck a numbfish through the window and demanded that everyone give him their valuables Rogers draw the thief through the window by his collar, and told the coachman to drive on.The robber had a return offered for him of L50 sterling, which Rogers collected. 28 While Rogers was away, his friend Amherst was replaced as commander of the British forces in America by Sir Thomas Gage. Gage scorned Rogers because of his friendship with Amherst, and the fact that he was a colonial. Gage set out to destroy Rogers, he wanted him removed as royal governor, however had to be wide-awake because Rogers was appointed by the King. 29 In 1776 Rogers fought his last war in America.He seemed to have slowed down he did not display his usual leadership, which he had unceasingly showed in the previous years. 30 In 1777 he returned to England where he was not comprehend much about, I know he started frequenting the local taverns, I am received telling his tales of adventures. He will consta ntly be known for the manual that he had written for surviving while ranging. To this day his writings Rogers 28 rules of Ranging 31are given to every Ranger that joins the service as a Ranger. Robert Rogers died in 1799. He will be sadly missed and his stories will go on forever.