A near-annihilation of Rogers' Rangers near Lake George demonstrated the dangers of frontier scouting in the French and Indian War.
Key Facts
- Date
- March 13, 1758
- British force size
- ~180 rangers and regulars
- British casualties
- More than 120
- Named for
- Snowshoes worn by British combatants
- Location
- Near Lake George, northern New York frontier
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
The French commander at Fort Carillon received intelligence that Robert Rogers was leading a scouting party of about 180 British rangers and regulars to reconnoiter French positions near Lake George. Anticipating the British movement, the French dispatched a force composed largely of Native American allies to intercept them.
On March 13, 1758, Rogers' force was ambushed by the French and their Indian allies in fierce fighting on snowshoes near Lake George. The British unit was nearly destroyed, suffering more than 120 casualties. Rogers himself was forced to flee, abandoning his regimental jacket bearing his commission papers, leading the French to believe he had been killed.
Rogers escaped the battle, giving rise to the legend that he slid 400 feet down a rockface to the frozen surface of Lake George — a formation now called Rogers Rock or Rogers Slide. The engagement highlighted the vulnerability of British scouting operations in frontier warfare during the French and Indian War.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Robert Rogers.
Side B
1 belligerent