Rogers Rangers and the Raid on Fort Michilimackinac 1758: A Novel of the French and Indian War

By James Trump

After a stunning set of victories against the French forts on the lower Great Lakes, Major Robert Rogers sets his sights on the strategic fur trading post of Fort Michilimackinac. Hoping to capture this guardian of the Straits of Mackinac, he conceives a plan for a swift raid by his rangers, and a detachment of Royal Americans garrisoning Fort Detroit. Follow Rogers and his rangers as they make their way to the upper country by whaleboat, dodging the French and their Indian allies along the way. Can Rogers surprise the French and Indians and take Fort Michilimackinac for the English Crown? Join Major Robert Rogers on the raid to find out.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Dec 1, 2014
• ISBN: 9781499083293

James Trump

James Trump is a native of Hoagland, Indiana and has been interested in American military history all his life. He is a historical reenactor and hopes to spark interest again in our country’s proud history through short, historical novels. James is also the author of: Rogers Rangers and the Raid on Fort Michilimackinac 1758- A Tale of the French and Indian War, From The Valley to The Bluffs-Company A and the Battle of the Little Bighorn, “Their Three to Our One” 1775- A Tale of Bunker Hill, and an alternative novel of Benedict Arnold-Battle of West Point 1780.

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Copyright © 2014 by James Trump.

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without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the

product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance

to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

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Front Cover Art:

French Map Of The Great Lakes Area 1755

From the Author’s Collection

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Rev. date: 10/16/2014

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Contents

Foreword

Acknowledgements

Book One - The Raid

Book Two - The Siege

Journal Entries Regarding The Raid and Siege of Fort Michilimackinac 1758 By Major Robert Rogers

References

ALSO BY JAMES TRUMP

From The Valley To The Bluffs

Company A and The Battle Of The Little Big Horn

Their Three To Our One 1775

A tale of Bunker Hill

To My Family

Past Present and Future

And

To the Men and Women

Of The Armed Forces

Please give to the Wounded Warrior Project

www.woundedwarriorproject.org

FOREWORD

If you have picked up this book, we share the love of two things: The French and Indian War and the beauty and history of the Straights of Mackinac. Before we go any further, however, I must tell you that this book is a work of historical fiction. While some of the events described within its pages did indeed take place, others may not have happened at the time frame in which I applied them to the story, or may have never taken place at all–but very well could have!

With that out of the way, this story then, is the book I have always wanted to read while sitting under the shade of the birch and pine trees in Alexander Henry Park, which is located next to Colonial Michilimackinac in Mackinac City, Michigan. From there, you can hear the sound of a beating drum as it summons the summer visitors to the parade ground of the fort, followed by the rattle of musketry as it echoes over the faded stockade walls. If you were to look up and glance across the blue-green waters of the Straights of Mackinac, you would see the mystical formations of Bois Blanc, Mackinac, and Round Islands adding their nuances to this tale.

This book, however, is not intended, in any way to take away from the historical occurrences which took place in the Straights of Mackinac during this time period, which, by the way, played such a proud and prominent role in our country’s history, but to add just a bit of flavor to its proud legacy.

The layout of Fort Michilimackinac, which I have used in this story, is a blend of Lotbiniere’s 1749 drawing of the post, and the 1766 Magra sketch. Since there was on-going construction, both inside and outside of its walls that changed the design of Fort Michilimackinac from 1749 till the timeline of my story, it might be a little confusing if you just have the current layout of the reconstructed fort in mind as you read this novel.

When describing distances in the book, I have used the measurement of the day, which was a league. Since there are at least two conversions for a league that I have come across; I have kept it simple by using the one league equals three miles ratio, for those who wish to keep track of the Rangers progress along the way to Fort Michilimackinac.

The places and people used in the telling of this novel are from the time period of the French and Indian War–past and present. I have woven the historical figures that lived during the eighteenth century and are relative to this story, with the modern re-enactors who strive to keep them alive. They are members from: The Sixtieth of Foote or Royal Americans, Jaeger’s Battalion of Rogers Rangers, the Compagnie Franche de La Marine du Michilimackinac, and the Tribes of the Three Fires. I salute you all.

So, as the Rangers leap from their whaleboats and the French and Indians prepare to give them battle, I hope you will forgive this bending of history and simply enjoy the story.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

As always, I would like to acknowledge the men and women of our Armed Forces, past and present, for the service you have given to our country.

This book would not have been possible without the help and guidance from the team at Xlibris.

To my good friend, Doctor Todd Harburn, and all of my fellow re-enactors, who have helped me with their generous answers to the many questions, which I posed to them while I was writing this book.

Last, but certainly not least, my wife, Jennifer, my son, Joshua, and daughter, Jessica, for their love and encouragement. A special thanks to Jennifer and Jessica for the long hours spent listening to my manuscript and accompanying me on this Raid on Fort Michilimackinac. I would like to thank Joshua for his rendering of Rogers sketch of Fort Michilimackinac, which I have used in the book. Also, I would like to thank him for his service to our country in the United States Army. Without them, this book never would have been possible.

Finally, to my Mother and Father, for their encouragement and understanding of my love for American Military History and to introducing me to the Magic of Mackinac.

To all, I am indebted for this book. All errors are my own.

James Trump

Liberty Township, Ohio October 2014

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The Upper Country

BOOK ONE - THE RAID

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The lonely cry of a Common Loon rang out from the shadowy darkness of the moonless night. This eerie sound transmitted across the chilly waters of Lake Huron and resonated among the birch and pine trees rising above the desolate shoreline. This was not a call of distress or a lonesome plea for a mate, often heard from the wildlife inhabiting this northern wilderness, but a signal to the procession of canoes and whaleboats to come to a sudden halt. Had they been discovered? Even though the temperature was quite cold, sweat ran down the unshaven faces of the men and disappeared onto their soiled uniforms as they patiently and silently waited in their wooden craft. The muffled sounds of wooden oars propelling the boats over the lake, heard just brief moments before, were now replaced by a measured plop, plop, as large droplets ran down the long shafts of the suspended oars and dripped onto the surface of the water. The anxious oarsmen were making every effort to hold on tightly to the slippery, wooden handles, with their cold, numb fingers, as they slowly eased them back under the surface. Agonizing moments went by before another shrill cry of a Loon ordered them to proceed, this time, directing them towards the dark shoreline. The tired, cramped, forest-clad men of Major Robert Rogers’s Rangers welcomed this long awaited signal. One by one, the men holding the tillers steered their boats towards a tree-lined bay, barely visible through the misty fog ahead.

As the wooden hulls of the whaleboats ground against the sand and pebbles of the bay’s shoreline, the well-trained Rangers seated inside leapt out over the gunwales and landed on the wet, sandy-beach of an island. With only the use of hand signals, Rangers and their Indian scouts began to spread out in an arc to secure the perimeter, while others dragged the heavy boats to dry ground and began to conceal them from view by using what brush and branches could be found lying near the water’s edge. By this stage of their journey, they had the routine of concealing the whaleboats and securing a camp down to perfection. The Rangers completed these duties in a matter of minutes, and some of them had already began to unroll their bedrolls and stretch out for some much needed sleep, while others peered into their haversacks and fished out the last of their issued provisions.

As Rogers waited for his Ranger officers to finish safeguarding this new campsite and temporary basecamp and report back to him, he ordered four of his Stockbridge Indian scouts deep into the murky, damp forest. He wanted them to cross to the other side of the island and make certain it was uninhabited.

They were now concealed on the largest of the three islands located in the Straights of Mackinac and identified on the map as Bois Blanc. Rogers was now only four leagues from his intended goal: The capture of the French fur trading post of Fort Michilimackinac.

The Rangers had departed a fortnight earlier from the recently surrendered Fort Pontachartrain, located on the banks of the River Detroit. This French fortified town and profitable fur trading post stood guard over the northern passage to Lake Huron and the rich upper fur country. It also was the third fort in succession to fall to a combined force of British Regulars and Rogers’s Rangers. These lightening-like attacks on the French held lake forts were the combined conception of both Major Robert Rogers and General Jeffery Amherst, as the British searched for a way to revitalize their stalled campaign near Fort Edward, located in the colony of New York.

Rogers was often seen by his Rangers, as he crossed over the bateau-boat bridge from his island base camp situated in the middle of the Hudson River and directly across from Fort Edward, to confer with General Amherst. Their strategy was based on the lack of French reinforcements needed to repel the rapidly growing number of British forces being sent to Amherst at Fort Edward. General Amherst’s counterpart, General Louis-Joseph de Montcalm in Quebec, had been shifting his soldiers from the wilderness forts guarding the Ohio Country, to the battlefronts in the east, leaving these frontier outposts dangerously under-garrisoned. By attacking these weakened posts, it might compel the French to withdrawal substantial forces away from both of their strong holds of Montreal and Quebec to retain them. This, in turn, was hoped to create a domino effect by weakening the strategic forts of Carillon and Niagara, thus paving the way for a renewed English offensive. Rogers would utilize both the tactical water, and land routes, to rapidly assault these Great Lake outposts.

The seeds of their daring strategy, however, had produced far greater fruit for the British Crown than even General Amherst could have wished for. Fort Presque Isle, now under the command of Colonel Henry Bouquet of the 60th Regiment of Foot, and Fort LeBoeuf, under the command of Captain Donald Campbell, also of the 60th, had fallen so quickly in the early fall of 1757, that Rogers, on his own initiative, had pushed on to take the unsuspecting French garrison at Fort Pontachartrain.

Enclosed in an earlier dispatch to General Amherst, Rogers led him to believe that he was only going to scout the prized post, but in reality, he greatly desired to capture it if the opportunity presented itself. Rogers felt that his Rangers must accomplish this before the French reinforced the fort or the approaching winter weather prohibited any further advancement of the British forces. So, with the aid of two companies from the First Battalion of the 60th, commanded by Captain Nathaniel Harburn, one company of the 80th Regiment of Light Infantry, commanded by Captain Henry Balfour and a large detachment of Rangers, under the personal command of Major Robert Rogers, the British took the unsuspecting fort. The post and all of its possessions were claimed by Rogers for the English Crown, and was soon rechristened Fort Detroit by its exultant victors.

The fort fell with surprisingly little interference from the Potawatomi Indians living near the post, who were allied to the French. Rogers had correctly guessed that the absence of their support was due to his large force and word of the recent French reversals in the east. Fearing reprisals from the hated English, who now appeared to be winning this bloody war, they adopted a wait and see attitude before jeopardizing the safety of their villages and the much needed trade the fort provided.

Now, as the already small garrisons of French soldiers across the Great Lakes were reduced and transported eastward to help stem the tide of the advancing British Armies, Rogers saw a chance to strike yet another blow to the reeling French. His men for the most part had remained idle over the frigid months of 1757, restricted mostly to garrison duty and short scouting missions close to Fort Detroit. These were the orders of General Jeffery Amherst, now in overall command of the armies wintering near Albany, New York. But, as Rogers sat in his quarters and studied the latest maps of the upper country, he saw a grand opportunity to not only cripple the French militarily, but economically as well, by yet again disrupting the fur trade he knew was the lifeblood of the French in both Montreal and Quebec. He had argued, and then strategized, with both Captain Balfour and Captain Harburn, until finally a suitable plan was drawn up and submitted to General Amherst in Albany. This plan quickly won his approval, allowing Rogers to launch a raid to capture Fort Michilimackinac.

The French post of Fort Michilimackinac was located where the two Great Lakes of Huron and Michigan converged, forming the Straights of Mackinac. The French had built the fort at this location in 1715 to protect the fur trade, which was so vital to the region and their existence in the New World, in particular.

Roger’s plan was both sound and daring. He articulated that his Rangers could successfully carry out a surprise attack and capture the post, thus placing a new British threat on the flank and rear of the remaining French forces in Canada. To hold Fort Michilimackinac, however, he would require both companies of the First Battalion of the 60th of Foot; also known as the Royal Americans, now garrisoning Fort Detroit. This combined force of Rangers and Royal Americans should be able to hold the fort until General Amherst could provide substantial reinforcements. He had dispatched one of his most trusted captains, John Stark, along with Ensign Samuel Todish, back to Fort Edward to recruit an additional company of Rangers for just this purpose.

As senior captain, Balfour would remain as Commandant of Detroit and hold that post until reinforced by additional companies of the Sixtieth, or other regiments sent by General Amherst.

Rogers planned for his men to advance by whaleboat, following the well-established water route used by the French and Canadian voyageurs over the years to carry their merchandise to and from Fort Pontchartrain (Detroit), rather than marching up the peninsula on foot. This would allow him faster travel and avoid detection by the fierce warriors of the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi tribes who inhabited this Great Lakes region. These closely related tribes had formed an alliance, which they called the Council of the Three Fires, and would often meet and trade with the French at Fort Milichilmackinac, especially since the fall of Fort Pontchartrain to the British.

Rogers would also be able to gather information on the strength of the Indians tribes living along the shores north of Fort Detroit, a growing concern of both General Amherst and Captain Balfour. Captain Harburn, who had trained with the Rangers as a Cadet, would follow Rogers with his two companies of the 60th, sailing aboard two captured schooners, which had fallen into the hands of the British upon the surrender of Fort Pontchartrain. The schooners, Rogers pointed out, would then be utilized to transport reinforcements, fresh supplies, and gifts to help win over the neighboring Indian tribes allied with the French. Captain Harburn would sail with his Royal Americans ten days after Roger’s departure, allowing Rogers enough time to reach the outskirts of Fort Michilimackinac and adequately scout out the post. Captain Harburn’s companies aboard the schooners would then anchor behind Bois Blanc Island, just east of the French Fort and await word from Rogers on his strategy to capture the fort. If this combined force was not able to take Fort Michilimackinac by surprise, then the addition of the Royal Americans would provide Rogers with a second option; by granting him enough soldiers to lay siege to the fort, providing the number of warriors in the surrounding villages could be dealt with. Also, the cannon aboard the schooners were 18 pounders, and would be of great assistance to him, if a siege were required.

As the last days of April faded away and all the contingencies of the operation having been thoroughly discussed and agreed upon, Captain Balfour ordered the preparations for the departure of the men and the loading of provisions aboard the schooners to begin.

Rogers had hoped for twenty-two whaleboats to transport his Rangers and five Canot du nord, or North canoes, mainly for his Stockbridge scouts. The canoes were the same type that the voyageurs used to haul their furs and trade goods over the water highways of the Great Lakes, proving durable and easy to manage. They could carry eight men and up to 3,000 pounds of total weight. Rogers had incorporated this knowledge of these sturdy craft into his planning, and would depend heavily upon them more than he could know.

The number of whaleboats Rogers wanted, however, simply were not available at Fort Detroit. He would have to make do with the seventeen serviceable craft now on hand. These were the standard British whaleboats he and his men had often used on operations around Lakes George and Champlain and had carried his Rangers to the siege of Fort Pontchartrain the previous year. They could carry ten of his Rangers each, along with their muskets, assorted equipment, and supplies. Thus, Roger’s initial raiding force would consist of two hundred-ten Rangers and Indians, with Captain Harburn adding an additional eighty Royal Americans upon the arrival of the schooners. Unless the latest information gleaned from the Potawatomi Indians living around Fort Michilimackinac was incorrect, these numbers should be more than sufficient to carry and hold the fort.

Everything was ready on the last day of April 1758, and Rogers planned to depart the following evening after the sun had descended into the waters of Lake Huron. The Rangers spent their last day at Fort Detroit making their final preparations for the journey and resting as much as possible. They cleaned and checked their muskets and rifles, sharpened their bayonets and hatchets, mended their moccasins and uniforms, and wrapped their blanket rolls in freshly issued oilcloths, to protect them from the wet lake travel. The Stockbridge Indian scouts engaged in much the same preparations, with the added ritual of dabbing a new coat of war paint to their bronzed bodies.

Rogers calculated he could travel the one hundred-twenty plus leagues to Fort