Gen. Sullivan suggested, "as he was once Governor of Michillimacinack, it is probable that he may have a commission to take that command, and stir up the Indians against us." From Cambridge Rogers proceeded to Albany where Gen. Schuyler sent for him anu examined him closely. In a letter to Washington, under date of January 5, 1776, Gen Schuyler says, "Since the receipt of your Excellency's of the 18th, Major Rogers has come into this town. I sent to him, and among a variety of papers he produced a late one from the Committee of New Hampshire, to pass unmolested to New York, for which place he starts to day." Gen. Schuyler placed no reliance upon the information given by Dr. Wheelock. Neither did Washington, for in January, he writes, "I am apt to believe the intelligence given to Dr. Wheelock respecting Major. Rogers, was not true." Yet he would have him strictly watched. In February, Rogers was in New York and made application to the Congress to be permitted to visit the "Duches of Gordon" the Governor's ship, then in the harbor, upon particular business connected with his own private matters. Leave was granted him. He continued in and about New York during the Spring and early part of the Summer, under suspicious circumstances. At length Gen. Washington ordered his arrest, and he wes taken at south Amboy. Washington says of his arrest;

"Upon information that Major Rogers was travelling through the country under suspicious circumstances, I thought it necessary to have him secured. I therefore sent after him. He was taken at South Amboy, and brought to New York. Upon examination he informed me that he came from New Hampshire, the country of his usual abode, where he had left his family; and pretended he was destined to Philadelphia on business with Congress.

"As by his own confession he had crossed Hudson's River at New Windsor, and was taken so far out of his proper and direct route to Philadelphia, this consideration, added to the length of time he had taken to perform his journey, his being found in so suspicious a place as Amboy, his unnecessary stay there on pretence of getting some baggage from New York, and an expectation of receiving money from a person here of bad character, and in no circumstances to furnish him out of his own stock, the Major's reputation, and his being a half-pay officer, have increased my jealousies about him. The business, which he informs me he has with Congress, is a secret offer of his services, to the end that, in case it should be reject

ed, he might have his way left open to an employment in the East Indies, to which he was assigned; and in that case he flatters himself he will obtain leave of Congress to go to Great Britain."

Washington sent him to the Congress at Philadelphia under the charge of an officer for their disposal, but Congress could not rid themselves of their suspicions, and they ordered him back to New Hampshire, to be at the disposal of the Provincial Congress. It is probable that he made an offer of his services to Congress, and that his offer was rejected on account of their want of confidence in the man. From this time Rogers, either despairing of obtaining employment in the patriot service, or finding it impossible to maintain his double character any longar, openly espoused the royal cause, and on arriving at New York broke his parole of honor, accepted the commission of a Colonel, raised the corps known as the Queen's Rangers, and was for a time the scourge of the country in the neighborhood of Long Island Sound. In October 1776, Rogers and a portion of his command made an attack upon one of the American outposts near Mamarroneck. and was badly beaten, and he himself came near being made prisoner. A Hartford paper, of October 28, 1776, gives the following particulars of the defeat. On Monday last, (October 21,) a party of tories (about 100 in number,) some of whom came from Long Island, under the command of the infamous Major Rogers, made an attack upon an advanced party of our men, when a smart engagement eusued, in which the enemy were totally routed, about 20 killed on the spot, and 36 taken prisoners, who were safely lodged in the goal at the White Plains; the gallant commander with his usual bravery, left his men in time of action and made his escape." Soon after this time Col. Rogers left his command and went to England, and the noted Col. Simcoe took command of the Queen's Rangers.

In 1778, he was proscribed and banished by the Legislature of New Hampshire. It is probable that he never intended to return to his native land when he left for England in 1777. His wife was divorced from him by an act of the legislature, and married Capt. John Roach of Concord. Nothing is known of Col. Rogers after he left America for the last time, and the time and manner of his death, whether in Algiers or the East Indies, by the bowstring or the sword, is equally unknown. His son Arthur, lived with his mother at Concord, and after her death inherited the property in Concord, now known as the

"Rogers Farm." He died in Portsmouth about 1841, leaving three children, two sons and a daughter, who occupied most respectable positions in life in the Republic of Hayti.

CHAPTER XXI.

Derryfield under various forms of government.-Choose an executive commit. tee.-Committee of Safety.-Committee of Congress.-Convention of Dec., 1775.-Meeting for choice of Delegates in Derryfield and Goffstown.-Form of Government.-Officers appointed.-Committee of Safety.—Plan for a State government.-Vote in Derryfield.-Convention propose a plan in 1779.-Its provisions.-Vote upon it in Derryfield.-Rejected.-Convention of 1771.Their plan.-Vote in Derryfield.-Plan rejected.-The Legislature propose to continue the government to June 1784.-Vote upon this proposition in Derryfield.-Convention adjourns.-Address of the Prseident.-Committee of Safety issue a Proclamation.-Plan objectionable to the people.-Convention meets.-Send out plan again with an Address.-Vote in Derryfield up. on plan.-Vote on 8th article of Confederation.-Constitution accepted.Provisions.--Meeting in Derryfield.--First President.--Insurrection of 1786.-Leaders in it.-Go to Exeter.-Surround the court house, then the meeting house.-Militia called upon.-Insurgents retire to North River.The ringleaders arrested.-Manner of their arrest.-General Booez.-Trials of offenders.-Convention to act upon the plan of government for the United States.-Finesse of Judge Walker.-Convention of 1791 for altering the state constitution.-Send out their plan and adjourn.-Vote in Derryfield upon it.-Is adopted.-Its provisions.

It will have been seen that the people of this town have been under various kinds of government. While a portion of its territory, from 1719 to 1740, was under the government of New Hampshire, a portion of it was subject to "squatter sover eignty" and nearly all of it was claimed and occupied by Massachusetts, from 1734 to 1740. In this last year, the claim of Massachusetts was disallowed by the King in Council, and this town soon settled down quietly under the government of New Hampshire, a part belonging to Chester, a part to Londonderry, and part being still unincorporated. This state of things continued until 1751. when as we have seen, the town