Roger's Raid
Additional Notes
This section is from the research of Burt Garfield Loescher as published in his latest work "The History of Rogers' Rangers, Volumn 4, The St. Francis Raid"
Odanak Village 1759
- There were over sixty well-built, framed and windowed houses covered with bark, boards and/or stone
- At least twelve of the houses "were built after the French style"
- Their houses were so well built that they had lofts and cellars
- The buildings were formed in an orderly square
- The Jesuit mission church was in the center
- Nearby [to the church] was the Council House, which was built for defense with notched musket holes
- Many villages hid in the "The Sibosek Pines", named after the brook, which flows in the ravine just east of the village
- Sibosek Brook flows from north to south through the high bank of the St. Francis River, making a natural pinecovered ravine about forty feet wide at the river and tapering up some 300 yards, where it became narrow enough to step across.
- About 600 scalps, mostly English, hung from various poles
- All but three buildings were destroyed by fire during the raid
Abenaki Captives Taken During the Raid
- Chief Gill's wife, Marie-Jeanne - "Ye (Chief's) wife was a hellon (hellion) an wors (and worse) when parted from her boys at Magog River."
- Chief Gill's youngest son, Xavier - he was kept alive during the retreat by the Abenaki girl prisoners and later returned to his people
- Chief Gill's son, Sabatis (Antoine Gill) - he was in Rogers' own return party. He was returned to St. Francis after receiving some English schooling.
- three teen-age Abenaki girls - two died of smallpox at Albany within months of the raid and were said to be relatives of the Deerfield captive, Eunice Williams
The Fate of Marie-Jeanne Gill
"Probably the grimmest tragedy of the St. Francis Expedition occurred when they reached the main Missisquoi River. Marie-Jeanne had become incredibly docile and offered to lead them to Lake Champlain, but what portion of the lake she would guide them to was her own secret. When it became obvious that she was directing the Stockbridge guides in the general direction of the French at Isle aux Noix, the Stockbridges were enraged at Marie's deception; to be duped, after they were finally convinced that her mollified manner signified honest cooperation, was more than their hunger-weakened minds could bear. Marie's mate, Chief Gill, was correct in his speculation of her fate. It was as horrible as he had imagined. The pretty Marie-Jeanne may have been the "Nanamaghemet" (twice beautiful mate) to Chief Gill, but the Stockbridge Ranger "Wolves" had eyes primarily for her life-sustaining flesh. The Stockbridges slit her throat before Jenkins could intervene, dismembered portions of her body and roasted the flesh. A grisly ending for Marie-Jeanne, who was "royalty" in her own savage nation. She was the daughter of a principal chief and the wife of another renowned chief. Her flesh sustained the main party, although all but the Stockbridges were reluctant to partake of human flesh. Lieutenant Jenkins being one, he died of starvation on the banks of the Missisquoi."
White Captives Rescued From St. Francis
- German woman - from Dutch Flats
- George Barnes of Durham NH - taken near Lake George in 1756
- Jane Chandler - a white captive who was now more Indian than white. Jane was taken captive when she was about 5 and adopted by a chief. She was named "Wemeghil" - referring to a rising full moon. Her Abenaki spouse was killed in the raid. She made trouble for the Rangers on the return trip - "I fear Jane has led my party astraye in ye ponds marshes. Ye Stockbridges almost slit her throat. She let us have her ground corn then while ye men were fighting over her bit of corn she wisely left ... ". It appears she returned to St. Francis.
- Three men who were Rangers that had been captured previous to the raid
Indians Identified as Members of Rogers' Company in 1759
Not all of the following men where with Rogers on the raid, but they were members of his Rangers. Several named here where part of an earlier mission to St. Francis.
- 2nd Lt. William Hendrick Phillips - Dutch-French-Indian origins
- the elder Captain Jacob, Cheeksaunkaun
- Captian Jacob the younger
- Sergeant Abraham Wnaumpos
- Sergent Philip
- Ranger John Maunaummaug
- Ranger Jacob Miscoukukk
- Ranger Jeremiah Maukhquampoo
- Ranger John Jacob
- Ranger Wonk Napkin
- Ranger Andrew Wansant
- Ranger Daniel Nepash - "stay'd with us as he knows ye safe roots to eat"
- Ranger Samadagwis - who was wounded during the attack and died the next day
There were a total of 24 Indians that were with Rogers' on this raid. Mr. Loescher refers to them all as Stockbridge Mohegan. There is an unnamed man that he labels Scaticook Mohegan. This Mohegan was previously married to a St. Francis squaw, whom he had abandoned. Prior to the St. Francis raid this Scaticook was captured by the St. Francis Abenaki. He refused to return to his wife so he was killed.
Rogers' Menu