White Devil: A True Story of War, Savagery, and Vengeance in Colonial America
"A fast-moving tale of courage, cruelty, hardship, and savagery."--Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Stephen Brumwell's White Devil chronicles one of the most notorious episodes of the French and Indian War—North America's first major colonial conflict. This historical account focuses on Major Robert Rogers and his Rangers' brutal 1759 raid on the Abenaki village of St. Francis, an act of vengeance that would define frontier warfare and cement Rogers' legacy as both hero and villain.
The Massacre at Fort William Henry
The French and Indian War saw France and England, each allied with Native American tribes, locked in a series of bloody battles across colonial territory. The massacre of the British garrison at Fort William Henry—famously depicted in James Fenimore Cooper's The Last of the Mohicans—became a rallying cry for British retaliation. The atrocity demanded a response, and Major Robert Rogers received orders to lead his Rangers deep into enemy territory.
The Raid on St. Francis
On October 4, 1759, Rogers and his men launched a surprise attack on the Abenaki village of St. Francis, killing its inhabitants without mercy. What followed was a harrowing retreat through hostile wilderness. When the surviving Rangers finally reached safety, colonial settlements celebrated them as heroes. Rogers became immortalized as "the brave Major Rogers," but the Abenaki people knew him by another name: Wobomagonda—"White Devil."
Expert Historical Analysis
Author Stephen Brumwell, a recognized authority on the British army in eighteenth-century America and author of Redcoats, brings meticulous research to this narrative. His account examines the brutal realities of colonial warfare, the complex alliances between European powers and Native American tribes, and the moral ambiguities that defined frontier conflicts during the 18th century.
This paperback edition from Da Capo Press presents a balanced perspective on Rogers' raid, exploring both the colonial celebration of the Rangers' actions and the Abenaki experience of the attack. White Devil provides essential reading for those interested in French and Indian War history, British colonial military operations, and Indigenous peoples' experiences during America's colonial period.
