128
��John Stark.
��All through the afternoon of this 21st of January, 1757, this woods fight raged. The Ranger measured carefully his charge of powder, ram- med home the ball in a greased patch, and woe to the enemy who exposed his body or limbs to these expert marksmen. Two hundred and fifty of the enemy went into that day's fight, and only one hundred and thirty-four came out of it alive, one hundred and sixteen having been killed on the spot or died of wounds. The Rangers lost fourteen killed, six wounded, and six taken prisoners.
As darkness came on, the surviving French and Indian force, although still outnumbering the English, re- tired to the cover of Ticouderoga. Capt. Rogers having been disabled by two wounds, and Capt. Spikeman killed, early in the action the com- mand devolved upon Lieut. Stark, who, as soon as the enemy ceased to press him, carefully looked after the wounded, secured the prisoners, and, taking both wounded and prisoners with him, commenced the tedious march homeward. Encumbered by the care of the wounded, and fatigued with the exertions of the day, their movements were necessarily slow, and the entire night was consumed in reaching the shore of Lake George, near where they left it on the 19th. The wounded, who during the night march had kept up their spirits, were by eight o'clock in the morning so overcome with cold, fatigue, and loss of blood that they could march no further. The nearest English post was forty miles away, and the enemy was less than ten miles in their rear, and might again attack them at' any time. In this emergency Lieut. Stark
��volunteered, with two Rangers, to make a forced march to Fort William Henr}' for succor, while the command, under the junior officers, undertook to defend and care for the wounded until help arrived. Without waiting for rest or refreshment after their all-day fight and all-night retreat, these three hardy volunteers con- tinued on their march, and reached the fort the same evening. Hand- sleighs were immediately sent out, with a fresh party, to bring in the wounded, and reached them next morning. No greater feat of hardi- hood and endurance was ever per- formed ; a day of desperate fighting, followed by an all-night retreat, en- cumbered with the wounded, and then, without rest, these three volun- teers making a forced snow-shoe march of forty miles more before night. Truly this school of war was a fitting preparation for the subsequent strug- gle of the Revolution. The decision, prudence, and courage of Stark ad- mittedly saved the detachment from complete destruction, and he was immediately promoted to be a captain, filling the vacancy caused by the death of Capt. Spikeman.
Capt. Stark continued with the army during the succeeding campaigns of 1758 and 1759, his corps being constantly employed in their accus- tomed service, and winning credit and commendation from the generals in command.
In 1758 Capt. Stark obtained a short furlough for the purpose of vis- iting his home, and while there was united in marriage (August 21, 1758) to P^lizabeth, daughter of Capt. Caleb Page, one of the original proprietors of Duubarton, N. H.
�� �
