The work before us is very properly called concise. The historical part of it, we apprehend, is extracted chiefly from former publications. The descriptive part is valuable, because it exhibits a view of the country and its savages, at the time that Mr. Rogers had occasion to be well acquainted with it. The credibility of his accounts, however, rests upon the moral character of the author, of whose person we know nothing; tho’ we are rather pre-possessed in his favour, by the air of openness with which he writes, unmixed with the marvellous. We own the perusal of his book has given us pleasure, and till one better authenticated appears, we shall hold it in esteem. The picture which Mr. Rogers has exhibited of the emperor Ponteack, is new and curious, and his character would appear to vast advantage in the hands of a great dramatic genius.
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The Monthly Review, or Literary Journal
January 1766
A Concise Account of North America. … By Major Robert Rogers. 8vo. 5s bound. Millan.
Few of our Readers, we apprehend, are unacquainted with the name, or ignorant of the exploits, of Major Rogers; who, with so much reputation, headed the provincial troops called Rangers, during the whole course of our late successful wars in America. To this brave, active, judicious officer, it is, that the public are obliged for the most satisfactory account we have ever yet been favoured with, of the interior parts of that immense continent which victory hath so lately added to the British empire. – For, as to what Charlevoix, and other French writers, have related, experience hath shewn with what artful fallacy their accounts have been drawn up: – with the obvious design of concealing, from other nations, the true situation, and real circumstances of that country, of which we were, in many respects, totally ignorant, till the British lion, in revenge of repeated insults, tore away the veil, and opened to our view, the wide, extended, glorious prospect!
The present publication, however, as may be supposed, from the quantity and price above specified, contains but a part of the Major’s intended work; the remainder being proposed to be printed by subscription; and to be illustrated with maps of the several colonies, and of the interior country of North America. These we are assured, in the Author’s advertisement, will be ‘more correct, and easier to be understood, than any yet published.’
Our Author was, happily for his country, the better qualified not only for the task he hath new enjoined his pen, but also for the atchievements in which his sword hath been employed, by the circumstances of his having received his ‘early education in a frontier town in the province of New Hampshire, where he could hardly avoid obtaining some knowledge of the manners, customs, and language of the Indians, as many of them resided in the neighbourhood, and daily conversed with the English. – Between the years 1743 and 1755, his manner of life was such, as led him to a general acquaintance both with the British and French settlements in North America, and especially with the uncultivated desart, the mountains, valleys, rivers, lakes, and several passes that lay between and contiguous to the said settlements. Nor did he content himself with the accounts he received from the Indians, or the information of hunters, but travelled over large tracts of the country himself; which tended not more to gratify curiosity, than to inure him to hardships.’ – And hardships enough he was destined to endure!
[Eight pages of excerpts from Concise Account]
Here we cannot help observing what a noble and consistent spirit of liberty prevails among these Indians, with respect to the method used by their chiefs of inviting, not impressing, the people to accompany them to the wars. What a striking contrast does this afford, to our tyrannical practice of seizing our fellow-subjects by brutal force, imprisoning and transporting them like felons and Newgate convicts; and after such base treatment, compelling them to go forth with our fleets and armies, to fight in defence of the RIGHTS and LIBERTIES of their country!
In short, says our Author, the great and fundamental principles ‘of their policy are, that every man is natually free and independant; that no one or more on earth has any right to deprive him of his freedom and independancy, and that nothing can be a compensation for the loss of it.’
[Rogers’ seven paragraphs on Pontiac from Concise Account (pages 180–2 this volume)]
As our Readers are, perhaps, by this time, fully satisfied with regard to these free-born sons of the vast American wilderness, we shall conclude the present article, with a remark or two, borrowed from Mr. Colden, in respect to the Five nations. ‘They are called, says he, a barbarous people, bred under the darkest ignorance; and yet a bright and noble genius shines through these black clouds. None of the Roman heroes have discovered a greater love to their country, or a greater contempt of death, than these people called barbarians have done, when liberty came in competition. Indeed I think,’ continues that learned and sensible historian, ‘our Indians have out-done the Romans in this particular. Some of the greatest of those have murdered themselves to avoid shame or torments; but the Indians have refused to die meanly, or with but little pain, when they thought their country’s honour would be at stake by it; but have given their bodies, willingly, to the most cruel torments of their enemies, to shew, as they said, that the Five Nations consisted of men whose courage and resolution could not be shaken. – They greatly sully, however, these noble virtues, by that cruel passion, revenge; this, they think, is not only lawful, but honourable; and for this only it is that they can deserve the name of barbarians. – But what, alas! have we Christians done, to make them better? We have, indeed, reason to be ashamed that these infidels, by our conversation and neighbourhood, are become worse than they were before they knew us. Instead of virtues, we have only taught them vices, which they were entirely free from before that time.’ In another place he observes, on the same subject, that this cruelty of revenge, is not peculiar to the Five Nations, but is common to all the other Indians. To blunt, however, the keenness of that censure we might be apt to cast on them, upon this account, he hath the following just reflection: ‘It is wonderful, how custom and education are able to soften the most horrid actions, even among a polite and learned people. Witness the Carthaginians and Phaenicians burning their own children alive in sacrifice; and several passages in the Jewish history; – and witness, in later times, the Christians burning one another for God’s sake!’
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REVIEW OF THE JOURNALS OF MAJOR ROBERT ROGERS
The Critical Review
November 1765
12. Journals of Major Robert Rogers: containing an Account of the several Excursions he made under the Generals who commanded upon the Continent of North-America, during the late War. 8vo. Pr. 5s. Millan.
Though these Journals, as we have observed in our last article, must, as to their credibility, depend greatly on the author’s moral character, yet we perceive he has strengthened his relations by the military authorities to which he was subjected, and the communications which he sent to his superiors. The fatigues he underwent in the course of his duty, according to his own account, would be almost incredible, were they not confirmed by the unquestionable relations of persons in the like circumstances. If the author has obtained a government in the country he was so instrumental in reducing, we very heartily wish him joy.
APPENDIX D: CONTEMPORARY REPORTS ON THE LIFE OF ROBERT ROGERS
The social life and various military struggles of the colonies in America were topics of curiosity for English audiences, and Rogers was known to Londoners for his strategic prowess long before he published his own versions of events. The account reprinted here is fairly typical of the genre of the battle narrative, and suggests how Rogers’ literary audience was created.
THE GENTLEMAN’S MAGAZINE
MAY 1759
Particulars of Major Robert Rogers’s last Expedition against the Enemy
On the 3rd of March he marched from Fort Edward for Ticonderoga, with Capt. Lotteridge and 52 Indians, and the following detachments, viz. of the Royal Regiment, Lieuts. West and Cook, 4 serjeants, 1 corporal, and 4
0 privates, Royal Americans, light infantry, Capt. Wylliamos, Lieut. McKey, Ensigns Brown and Moony, 4 serjeants, 4 corporals, and 110 privates. Volunteers, Lieut. Trumbal, 3 sergeants, 4 corporals, and 41 privates; and Lt Brime, engineer: And of the Rangers, Lieut. Tute, Holmes, Brewer, and Stark; 7 serjeants, and 79 privates; the whole, officers included, being 358: – They encamped the first night at half way brook, on the road to Fort William Henry: One Indian having hurt himself on the road, returned back, with another to take care of him: On the 4th, at ten o’clock they began their march towards Lake George, and within a mile of it, halted till the close of the evening, when they continued their march till two o’clock in the morning, at which time they halted again at the first narrows. In the morning, several being frost bitten, 23 of them were sent back to Fort Edward. On the evening of the 5th they began their march, and reached Sabbath Day Point about 1 o’clock, and encamped till the morning of the 7th; at which time they marched again, and arrived at the landing place about 8 o’clock in the morning, and halted on a point of land on the east side, where they intended to form an ambuscade, and endeavour to draw out a party from the fort, by a few skulking persons, who were to return again to the main body. – At nine o’clock they sent out 2 Rangers and 2 Indians to reconnoiter, that the major might better effect his designs: – They returned again about 11, and reported that there was no party out on the west side, but on the east there were 2 parties cutting wood: – It then appearing a good time for the engineer to make his observations, &c. Capt. Wylliamos was ordered to remain with the regulars, and 30 Rangers, whilst the major, with the engineer and 49 Rangers; and Capt. Lotteridge, with 45 Indians, should go up to the hill on the Isthmus that overlooks the fort; where Major Rogers left Lieut. Tute, and 10 Rangers as a guard, with an intent to cross the lake with the remainder to the east side, and cut off the working party that night. – When he came near the lake, he found he could not get over undiscovered, in the day-time, therefore returned to the engineer, who was left to make observations on the fort, &c. – and with him, and the whole party, marched back to the point where Capt. Wylliamos was, first leaving five Indians and one ranger to observe what numbers crossed the lake in the evening, from the east side, to the fort. That about dark, the Indians and Rangers returned with an account of their numbers, at which time the engineer set out again with Lieut. Tute, and ten rangers, and went to the entrenchment, from whence he returned about midnight, without any molestation, and said, he had accomplished his business to his satisfaction. Upon this, the major ordered Capt. Wylliamos, with the regulars, back to Sabbath-Day Point; as the weather was excessive cold, and the party much fatigued, it did no appear prudent to march them any further, therefore sent with them Lieut. Tute, and 30 rangers, as occasional pilots, or flanking parties. At 3 o’clock the major marched, with Capt. Lotteridge and 46 of his Indians, with Lieutenants Holmes, Stark, and Brewer, and 40 of his rangers, and one regular, in order to attack the working party on the east side early in the morning, and crossed South Bay eight miles south of the fort, from thence bore down the same, till they were opposite the fort on the east side, where they halted, within half a mile of the lake, from whence they sent out two Indians to reconnoitre, who returned in a few minutes, and brought intelligence that the working party was close to the bank of the lake, opposite the fort; upon which they stripped off their blankets, and ran down upon them, took 7 prisoners, 4 scalps, and killed several others as they were retreating to the fort. Whereupon 80 Indians and Canadians rushed out of the fort, and pursued our men closely, being backed by about 150 French regulars. In about one mile’s march the Indians and Canadians overtook them, and began to play upon their rear. As they marched in a line abreast, their front was easily made, so they halted on a rising ground, and engaged the enemy, who at first behaved with great bravery, but soon found they could not stand before our marksmen; so scattered and ran. After this the major began his march again in a line abreast, when, in about half a mile, the enemy appeared again, but he did not chuse to engage them there, so went a little further, and halted on a long ridge on that side, opposite to the enemy, when the Canadians1 and Indians came up very close; but their pursuit was soon stopped by a volley from the Mohawks and Rangers, which broke them immediately, when part of Roger’s detachment pursued them till they were in sight of the French regulars, where the French made a stand. Afterwards the major marched off without any opposition, the enemy not daring to pursue them any farther. In these several skirmishes 2 Rangers and 1 regular were killed, & 1 Indian badly wounded; and the major judges there were killed of the enemy about thirty.
We can further assure the public that Major Rogers’s party in general, both officers and men, behaved well; especially Capt. Lotteridge and Lieut. Holmes, who strove to exceed each other, both of whom behaved with great bravery and coolness during the whole affair. That he continued his retreat till 12 o’clock at night; and at the end of 50 miles march from where he set out in the morning, joined Capt. Wylliamos, at Sabbath-day point, who had kindled fires for his reception, which were, no doubt, very acceptable to the party. And that next morning he marched as far as Long-Island, on the lake, with the whole detachment where he encamped; from which place he sent an express to Col. Handiman at Fort Edward, and was met at Lake George, by Capt. M’Bein, with a detachment, who brought some sleighs to carry the disabled men to Fort Edward, where they all arrived the evening of the tenth past.
We hear the Mohawks carried 4 of the French prisoners home with them.
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