The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1862-04-25

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to halt and refresh themselves, he dressed
himself in the Indian garb and took with him
two Indians, who understood the language
OF the st. Francis tribe, and went to recon-
noltre the town. He found the Indians en-
gagged IN grand dance, without the least ap-
prehension of danger. He returned to his
men at > o'clock in the morning and marched
them to distance of about five hundred
yards from the town. About o'clock the
Indians finished their dance and retired to
rest. Rogers waited till they were asleep,
and at break of day he posted his men in the
most favorable situation and commenced
general assault The Indians were complete
| " surprised and soon subdued. Some of
them were killed in their houses,and of those
who attempted to fly, many were shot or
knocked on the head by the rangers, who
were placed at the avenues. Amherst Or
dered Rogers and his men 'to take their re-
venge on the Indian scoundrels" for their
"barbarities and infamous crueItieS," but he
ordered also that "no women or children be
killed or hurt, though these Williams have
dastardly and promiscuously murdered the
women and children of all orders" But the
Indian method of slaughter and destruction
was adopted on this occasion; and wherever
Indians were found, their men, women, and
children were slain without distinction and
without mercy. As the morning light in
creased the fierce wrath of the rangers was
inhamed to the highest degree when they saw
the scalps of several hundreds of their coun-
trymen suspended on poles and waving in the
air. Under this new force and irritation of
their feelings and passions, they put forth
their utmost eXertlons to avenge the blood
Of their friends and relations by utterly de-
stroyng the village and all they could find Of
It's inhabitants. The village contained three
hundred Indians. Two hundred were killed
on the spot and twenty taken prisoners.
The town appeared to have been in flour
ishing state. The houses were well furnish
ed, and the church was handsomely adorned
with plate. The whole village had been en-
riched by the plunder and scalps taken from
the English. Two hundred guineas were
found in money and silver image weighing
ten pounds, besides a large quantity of wam-
pun and clothing, and some provisions. Col
lecting the provisions and such articles as
they could easily transport, they set fire to
the village and reduced it to ashes. At : o.
clock in the morning the affair was finished,
which broke the pride and power Of the St.
Francis tribe of Indians. Rogers then as
sembled his men and found that Que was
killed ard six slightly wounded. Having re-
treshed his men for one hour, he Immediately
set out on his return, with the addition OF
five English captives he had retaken. 10 a
void his pursucrs, he took different route
and marched up the St. Francis river, mean
ing to have his men collect and rendezvous
at Coos on the Connecticut river. Ga THEN
march they were harassed by the lndians,and
the enemy several times attacked them in the
; rear. In these rencounters they lost ven
of their men, till Rogers, favored by the dusk
of the evening, formed an ambuscade upon
,, his own track and fell upon tie enemy when
they least expected it; by this stroke he put
an end to farther pursuit and annoyance from
their foes. For about ten days the detach-
ment kept together till they had passed the
eastern side OF Lake Memphremagog. Then
sutierings now began to be severe not only
from the excessive fatigues they had endured
but from hunger. Their provisions were ex
pended and they were at distance from any
; place of relief.
l Here Rogers divided his detachment into
: small companies, and having ordered then
: all to assemble at the mouth of the uppel
Amonusuck river, where he expected to fine
food, sent them on their march. After
Journey of several days he and his part,
reached the appointed place of meeting, hav
5 ing come on the Passumpsic river,which the,
: descended.
: In the meantime, by order of Gen Am
herst, Samuel Stevens and three others pro
ceeded from Charlestown, n. H.,up Connect
J. cut river, with two canoes laden with provis
u IONS They landed on Round Island, at tn,
}, mouth Of the Passumpsic river, where the,
encamped for the night; but hearing the re
port of guns in the morning, and supposin
l. Indians were in the vicinity, they were S
j! terrified that they reloaded their provision
t and hastened back to Charlestown.
! Their fearful misapprehensions were 500
followed by fatal consequences. Rogers an
u his men encamped the same night few mile
II up the Passumpsic, the mouth of which rive
u they reached about noon the next day, an
IS discovered fire on Round Island. He made
NJ raft and passed over to it. but to his surpris
i. and disappointment discovered that no pre-
Visions ndu DeeT lell. Ills uleu were SO ul
II heartened by this discovery that considers
1t bic number Of them died before the ne,
day.
III In these dismal circumstances Rogers ga,
st up the command and told his men to tax
10 care of themselves. Some were lost in II
s. woods and others died of famine, but Roger
a aer and most of his party, after almost incredib
e' hardshps, arrived at Number -Four, {
u. Charlestown, \. ii.
VI Peter Lervey, of IIaverhill, n. H., VII
III came to Barnet to live short time befo
~. is his death, which was about the year ISL ,ar
10 whom the writer has seen,was one of Rogers
81 party and visited the scenes Of their sutfe
VI inss. He said that many of the rangers die
III Oh the Passumpsic river and on the meade
!e re below on the Connecticut river. On tn
IA meadow and along the Passumpsic for tv
Ne or three miles from its mouth human bon
hl'' have been found at different times and pl
1p iie ceS. Some OF these might have been Il
~ bones of Indians who had been buried in
81 sitting posture, but many others were four
IN in horizontal position; and in one pla
III the skeletons of two persons were discover
GU in the earth together. These probably we
eu the remains of some of Rogers's men WI
:l, 'l- persisted in Barnet.
in
,ck ~ There was an accident of most thri
ing nature at Gen McClellan's headquarte