Fri Apr 10, 2009 1:46 am
For this History Buffs:
Quoting from 'The Seven Years War in Canada 1756-1763'
November 1759:
The Commanding Officers of cantonments received the General's orders (Amherst), in the winter, to practise their men at firing at marks, whenever the weather permitted; to form a company of men from each regiment, and those to be the most active, with proper Officers: These to be called the light infantry of the regiments they belonged to, and to be dressed agreeable to the pattern given by the General, and armed with a carbine and bayonet only. The army was employed likewise in making musket cartridges for the ensuing campaign. One grand scout went out from Fort Edward this winter (under the command of Major Rogers) with 60 Mohawk Indians, a detachment of regulars, with several volunteer Officers and one Engineer, to Fort Carillon; the Indians fell upon a party on the other side of the river, who were cutting wood, and took 11 prisoners. The regulars remained some miles from the fort, intended for an ambuscade; but the enemy did not pursue the Indians to the place, who made a very good retreat with their prisoners, but were obliged to scalp six of them. The Engineer having reconnoitered the lines, as much as he disred, the scout returned, and, through intenseness of the cold, many of them were frost-bitten, and lost their limbs, and these chiefly rangers.