The New Hampshire Gazette

Number IV. November 1, 1759.

The following Particulars relating to the Destruction of the Indian Town St. Francois, by a Party of Rangers under the Command of Major Rogers, may be depended on for Truth, as it was taken from those who were present in the Action:

On the 13th of September Major Rogers marched from Crown Point with about 200 Men, and upon the 3d of October they came within Sight of St. Francois, which the Major discovered from a Tree, at about 3 Miles distance, where he halted his detachment, consisting of 142 Men, Officers included, being reduced to that Number by Reason of some who tired, whom he had sent back: -- At Eight in the Evening he, with two Officers, went forward to reconnoitre the Town; where he found the Indians in a high Frolick or Dance; he went through the Town, and was spoke to several Times by the Indians, but was not discovered, as he was dressed like one of them: Having taken a satisfactory View of the Place and it's Situation, he returned to his Party at 2 o'Clock; and at half after 3 he marched his Men to within 500 Yards of the Town, where he lightened them of their Packs, and formed them for the Attack: and at Half an Hour before Sunrise he surprised the Place, while they were asleep; which was done with Such Expedition by our Men, that the Enemy had not Time to recover themselves, or to take up Arms in their own Defence; for Rogers having divided his Men into Parties, and divided each their Station, they all fell on as one, broke open their Houses, shot some as they lay in Bed, while others attempted to flee by back Ways, were tomahawked, or run thro' with Bayonets, by our Men who stood without; so that they were almost wholly destroyed, except some few who ran to the Water, thinking to make their Escape that Way, but were pursued by about forty of our Men, who dispatched them likewise, by sinking both them and their Boats: -- A little after Sunrise the Parties set Fire to all the Houses, except three, which the Major kept as a Reserve, because in them there was Plenty of Corn; but the rest were entirely consumed, and many of the Enemy who had concealed themselves therein; which our Men learnt from the Crying and Shrieking of those miserable Wretches, when they perceived their Houses on Fire and themselves like to be made the Fuel: The Sword without, which prevented all Escape, and the Fire within, rendered their Situation most unhappy, most miserable: -- About seven in the Morning the Affair was over, in which they had killed, some say 300, and some more, but by the lowest Computation, there could not be fewer than 200 who were slain by the Sword, by the Fire and Water: The Party took about 20 Prisoners, and retook 5 English Captives that were among them; the Prisoners, who were mostly superannuated, they let go, except five; whom they brought off: -- When Rogers paraded his Men, he found that he had Capt. Ogden badly wounded, being shot thro' the Body, and about 6 Men more slightly wounded, and one Stockbridge Indian killed. -- Thus hath Major Rogers, with little Loss on his own Side, almost wholly cut off one Tribe, and destroyed Abundance of Riches, it being extremely rich for a Place of that Bigness, having in it English Goods, and vast Quantities of Wampum, and likewise considerable of Silver and Gold, one Ranger is said to bring off 170 Guineas, and another a Silver Image of ten Pound Weight; but the Hurry in which they set Fire to their Houses, could not give many an Opportunity of bringing off much. -- The Severe Treatment which these Indians met with from Rogers and his Party, if upon any Occasion such Usage can be justified, surely it might be here; for these St. Francois Indians, both in this and former Wars, have been the severest Scourges to the Frontier Settlements of the Massachusetts and New Hampshire, than any other whatsoever; they have been guilty of more Inhumanities, Bloodshed and Murders, than perhaps any Tribe on the Continent: For Proof of this, when our Men entered the Town, they saw 600 or 700 English Scalps waving in the Wind, upon the Tops of Poles, which were stuck up on their Houses and such like eminent Places: -- Wherefore it seems they have now been punished for their Cruelty, and that a just Providence never designed that these blood thirsty Heathens should go down to the Grave in Peace: -- But to return: -- As soon as the Major had got his Men together, he ordered them to load themselves with Corn, out of those reserved Stores; and while they were performing this he examined the Prisoners and Captives; who gave the following Intelligence, That a Party of 300 French and some Indians, were about 4 Miles below them, down the River; and that his Boats were way laid; and that three Days before he attacked the Town, a Party had gone up to way-lay him at Wigwam Martinique, expecting that he would fall upon that Place: -- Having received this Intelligence, Rogers determined to return by Number Four, as being in the Opinion of all the best and safest Way: They marched in a Body for about ten Days, when Provisions becoming scarce they were forced to Separate near Memphremagog-Lake: And having divided his Men into Small Bodies they determined to assemble at Ammonoosuck River, a little above Coos: -- Two Days after they parted, a Body of the Enemy came upon one of our Parties commanded by Ensign Avery and took 7 of his Men Prisoners, two of whom made their Escape that Night, and came to Rogers next Morning: wherefore Avery with the Remainder of his Party joined the Major, and came with him as far as Coos, where he left his Men, and he with Capt. Ogden came down upon a Small Raft to this Place: There came with them one Soldier and an Indian Captive: Provisions have been dispatched up to their Relief, which if it arrive seasonably 'tis hoped they will all get in.