or, and sold by J. Millan, bookseller, near
Whitehall. MDCCLXV." 8vo., Introduction and Advertisement, pp. viii;
Concise Account, pp. 264.]

It is less reliable than the former, but is a readable book, and, when
the author keeps within the bounds of his personal knowledge, is
doubtless authentic. Both works are a credit to Major Rogers. To the
charge that he was an illiterate person and that these works were
written by another's hand, it may be urged, as to the "journals," that
the correspondence of their matter to the written reports of his
expeditions made to his superior officers and now preserved in the New
York State Library, convincingly show that this work is undoubtedly his.
If revised before publication by a should not deprive him of the credit
of their authorship.

Rogers laid no claims to fine writing, but his own manuscript reports,
written mostly in camp and hastily, attest his possession of a fair
chirography, a pretty good knowledge of grammar and spelling, together
with a style of expression both lucid and simple; in short, these are
such compositions as come naturally from a man, who, favored in youth
with but a limited common school education, has in mature life mingled
much with superiors and been often called upon to draft such writings as
fall to the lot of a soldier or man of business. Mr. Parkman also
attributes to Rogers a part authorship of a tragedy long forgotten,
entitled "Ponteach, or the Savages in America," published in London in
1766. It is a work of little merit and very few copies of it have been
preserved.[A]

[Footnote A: The full title of this book is "Ponteach; or the Savages of
America. A Tragedy. London. Printed for the Author, and sold by J.
Millan, opposite the Admiralty, Whitehall, MDCCLXVI."]

On the tenth of June, 1766, at the King's command, General Gage
appointed Major Rogers Captain Commandant of the garrison of
Michilimackinac.[A] Sir William Johnson, then Superintendent of Indian
Affairs, when apprized of it was filled with astonishment and disgust.
He regarded Rogers as a vain man, spoiled by flattery, and inordinately
ambitious, dishonest, untruthful, and incompetent to discharge properly
the duties of this office.[B] But as the appointment had been made and
could not be revoked, it was determined to accept the inevitable and
restrict his power, thereby rendering him as little capable of
mismanagement as possible. He was ordered by General Gage to act in all
matte