Lord Londown was succeeded in the early part of 1758 by General Abercrombie and plans were matured for capturing the Lake forts, Louisburg and Fort Du Quesne.  By the close of November, the two last, with the addition of Fort Frontenac, were ours.  The movement against Crown Point and Ticonderoga did not succeed.  In the assault upon the latter Rogers and his Rangers fought in the van and in the retreat brought up the rear.

In the spring of this year (1758) Rogers went down Lake George at the head of about one hundred and eighty-men, and near the foot of it had a desperate battle with a superior body of French and Indians.  He reported on his return one hundred and fourteen of his party as killed or missing.  Why he was not annihilated is a wonder.  General Montcalm, in a letter dated less than a month after the encounter, says:  “Our Indians would give no quarter; they have brought back one hundred and forty-six scalps.”  For his intrepidity on this occasion he was presented by General Abercrombie with the commission of Major of Rangers, before alluded to.

The adroitness with which Rogers sometimes extricated himself from extreme peril is illustrated by his conduct on one occasion, when pursued by an overwhelming number of savages up the mountain, near the south end of Lake George, which now bears his name.  Upon reaching the summit he advanced to the very verge of the precipice, on the east side, which descends 550 feet to the lake.  Having here reversed his snow shoes he fled down the side opposite to that by which he had come up.  Arriving soon after the Indians, upon seeing the tracks of two men, apparently, instead of one, and Rogers far below upon the ice, hastening towards Fort Edward, concluded that he had slid down the precipice aided by the Great Spirit, and that farther pursuit was vain.

Mr. Pitt proposed in the campaign of 1759 the entire conquest of Canada.  Bold as was the undertaking it was substantially accomplished.  Ticonderoga and Crown Point were abandoned in July, Fort Niagara capitulated the same month, and Quebec was surrendered in September.

Their violation of a flag of truce in this last month now called attention to the St. Francis Indians, who had been for a century the terror of the New England frontiers, swooping down upon them when least expected, burning their buildings, destroying their cattle, mercilessly murdering their men, women, and children, or cruelly hurrying them away into captivity.  The time had now come for returning these bloody visits.  The proffering of this delicate attention was assigned by Major General Amherst to Rogers.  In his order, dated September 13, he says:  “You are this night to set out with the detachment, as ordered yesterday, viz., of 200 men, which you will take under your command and proceed to Misisquey Bay, from whence you will march and attack the enemy’s settlements on the south side of the river St. Lawrence in such a manner as you shall judge most effectual to disgrace the enemy, and for the success and honour of his majesty’s arms.