10 Things You May Not Know About Rogers' Rangers

1. Rogers' father was shot and killed by his father's friend, he was mistaken for a bear.

2. Rangers took scalps and like all soldiers of that time, looted the enemy when there was an opportunity.

3. Rangers sometimes knocked prisoners on the head with a hatchet (killing them) when attacked by an enemy force.

4. Smallpox killed Rogers' brother, and many other Rangers too.

5. More Rangers used rifles than previously thought.

6. One detachment of Rangers ate the remains of other Rangers found in a stream, another detachment of Ranger Stockbridge Indians killed a squaw and ate her, plus it's rumored that Rogers killed a squaw and fed her to the men in the detachment he was leading – all 3 incidents when they were starving on the return from St. Francis.

7. Several Rangers had dogs (particularly the officers) who accompanied them on their scouts and in their battles. A Wolf Dog named Sergeant Beaubier was present in several of the Rangers' Indian battles, and it is said, assisted in the destruction of more of them than any individual of the Corps.

8. Sometimes a patch of snow or some rotten wood, which in the night has a phosphorescent glow – could be mistaken for a fire when seen from a distance.

9. Unlike what's shown in the 1940 Northwest Passage Movie, Rangers didn't leave their wounded behind if there was any way possible to carry them out.

10. Rangers and some British units did regularly practice shooting their Brown Bess muskets and could shoot them fairly accurately – and did aim to kill. Don't believe various TV channel historians that say British soldiers shot wildly not caring what they hit.

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Why British Major Robert Rogers Does Not Deserve a Statue Nor a Days Ceremony nor a Park in His Namesake.

CLICK HERE FOR LINK to an article by Raymond Pibunki Awasos LeMay, a Koasek Abenaki.  Raymond claims Major Rogers was known as a Butcher of the Abenaki and a Traitor to our Nation. Also Raymond says it's an insult to present day Native Americans in honoring his accomplishments. Why doesn't he deserve a statue, Raymond hopes to answer that or at the least educate the public as to why.

So Raymond obviously doesn't like Rogers' Rangers, but we want to present fair and balanced news in our blog for your enjoyment, so please read his article and see his website.  It's always good to get both sides of the story, even if you may have other opinions.

As Raymond pointed out, the Abenaki are still there at St. Francis and are doing well, but I wonder why I read elsewhere where it said: "Rogers’ Raid was one attack, on just one Abenaki village, but it has had a lingering impact on Abenaki history ever since. The Abenaki community at Odanak is recognized as a First Nation by the Canadian government, but the Abenaki community at Missisquoi, which has also persisted to the present, has yet to be federally-recognized by the United States government.  Enclaves of Abenaki families persisted in other places, around Lake George, Pennacook territory, and elsewhere, but the connections throughout Ndakinna are still poorly understood by many historians today, in part because of the emotional impact of Rogers’ Raid, and the mistaken illusion that Odanak was the only homeplace of Abenaki people. During the 1950s, and 1960s, many Abenaki elders tried to protect their children from prejudice by not teaching them their Native language, and not talking to them about their history. Some, especially those who lived in New England lived in fear that one day, the descendants of Rogers’ Rangers would come to finish them off."

So the Illinois Ranger wonders why if Rogers' raid was so unsuccessful and killed only about 30 women and children, then why were the Abenaki during the 1950s & 1960's in New England living in fear that one day, the descendants of Rogers’ Rangers would come and finish them off?

Plus the Illinois Ranger also has never seen an Abenaki website that explained why in the St. Francis raid, Rangers found the Abenaki had hanging on poles over their doors, etc. about 600 scalps, mostly English.  And there were scalps of women and children too!

If you disagree with anything said above, then please make a comment.

Native American Ice Cannibals of Myth and Legend

CLICK HERE FOR LINK to Native American Ice Cannibals of Myth and Legend.

Now that I have your attention, please also CLICK HERE FOR LINK to the parent website where the link above was found:  Native Languages of the Americas: Preserving and promoting American Indian languages.  This great website contains a wealth of information, and they are a small non-profit organization dedicated to the survival of Native American languages, particularly through the use of Internet technology.  This site has inner beauty, for it is, or will be, a compendium of online materials about more than 800 indigenous languages of the Western Hemisphere and the people that speak them.

Ray Mears' Extreme Survival - Roger's Rangers

CLICK HERE FOR LINK to a great YouTube video Ray Mears' Extreme Survival S03E02 - Rogers' Rangers.  Follow in the footsteps of Major Robert Rogers as Ray tells of their epic withdrawal through New England where Rogers' Rangers fought off both the pursuing enemy and starvation as the seasons changed rapidly from Autumn 

Calender of 2015 Events

Here is a list of events that Capt. Lt. Harvey Anglum and other Illinois Rangers will try to attend:

April 10,11,12 Ft De Chartres Trade Faire
April 17,18,19 Mascouten Bay Rendezvous
May TBA Clayville Historic Site Pleasant Plains IL
June 6,7 Ft De Chartres Summer Rendezvous
July 18,19 Forces of Montcalm & Wolf Muster at Forest Glen Westville IL
Sept 19,20 Forces of M&W Ko Ko Mah KoKomo IN
Oct 10,11 Ft De Chartres 250th Surrender to British Forces end of French & Indian War
Nov 7,8 Ft De Chartres Winter Rendezvous

Pictures of the Illinois Ranger firing his Brown Bess.

Here's some pictures of the Illinois Ranger firing his Brown Bess.

In the picture below, the hammer with flint had just slammed against the frizzen​, to throw sparks into the flashpan.

In this second picture, the powder in the flashpan exploded, driving flames into the touch-hole to ignite the powder and ball inside the barrel.

In this third picture, flames and smoke on both ends, and the ball has already left the barrel.

Reading Abenaki Traditions And European Records Of Rogers

CLINK HERE FOR LINK to an informative .PDF article about Rogers' Rangers attack on St. Francis on October 4, 1759.  The Abenaki and French claimed 32 were killed by Rogers' Rangers, most of them women and children.  However Major Rogers claimed fires consumed many of the Indians who had concealed themselves in the cellars and lofts of their houses, and claimed the Rangers had killed at least two hundred Indians.  Which do you believe?  The St. Francis Abenakis dispersed after the raid and were effectively taken out of the war.

10 Things You May Not Know About the French and Indian War

CLICK HERE FOR LINK to History.com - 10 Things You May Not Know About the French and Indian War

Northwest Passage Video Clips

Most video clips of the 1940 Northwest Passage Movie have been removed from YouTube because of copyright restrictions.  But Click Here for Link to 4 video clips by TCM.  And Click Here for Link for a Youtube video Northwest Passage (Original Theatrical Trailer).  Plus,  Click Here for Link for a Northwest Passage (Preview Clip) by Warner Archive.