Burke's Rangers

This was seen as an inexpensive deterrent to continued hostilities with French colonists in New France and a way to bolster New England claims to contested border regions.

[citation needed] In November 1734, the following was presented to the General Court of Massachusetts:[3] A petition of Samuel Hunt, of Billerica, for himself and other survivors of the officers and soldiers that belonged to the company of Capt.

[5] In 1757, Massachusetts began to pursue a policy of raising and deploying its forces on an ongoing basis each year, without waiting for requests of defenseless towns and almost abandoned garrisons.

In addition to the colony's garrison troops,"one hundred men were employed on the eastern frontier, and forty-five under a captain and lieutenant, on the west side of the Connecticut River, to Range the woods north of Falltown.

"[citation needed] The latter company—known as Rangers—under the command of Captain John Burke, was stationed at Hinsdale's Fort, on the east bank of the Connecticut River.

[7] On April 11, 1755, Colonel Ephraim Williams of Deerfield sent a letter to John Burke offering him the position of captain-lieutenant in his regiment and requesting men for the expedition against Crown Point.

[citation needed] Marching north into French territory, in August 1755 the overall commander of the British forces, William Johnson, renamed Lac du Saint-Sacrement to Lake George in honor of his king.

He was wounded in the thick of battle while fighting by the side of his sons, and when he fell they sought to carry him away, but he commanded them to save themselves and leave him to die.

[citation needed] The battle brought an end to the expedition against Crown Point, and the soldiers built Fort William Henry at Lake George to strengthen the defenses there.

[citation needed] Burke was at the surrender of Fort William Henry in August 1757, his company formed part of Colonel Frye's provincial regiment.

In April 1758, Major Rogers commissioned a former corporal from Burke's company, Joseph Wait, after he had fought with distinction in the Battle on Snowshoes in March.

[citation needed] In the post war period, Burke continued to play an important role in the affairs of Bernardston.

The sign which used to swing in front of Burke's tavern is still preserved among the relics owned by the Pocomptuck Valley Association at Deerfield, Massachusetts.