Joseph Rogers’ heart was pounding as he sat upright in his bed. He had dreamt that he would either kill or be killed by Indians the next day. Rogers was a scout at Campus Martius, the fortified community at Marietta, in 1791. His peers rated him as one of the best. He had served in the Revolutionary War with Morgan’s Riflemen. Then, nearing age 50, as Historian Samuel Hildreth explained, “Rogers came (to Marietta), with many other old soldiers of the revolution, to seek a home.” Many veterans seeking a fresh start moved here.

This was a tense time. Dozens of Indian attacks, killings, kidnappings, and thefts of livestock kept everyone on edge. Historian Louise Zimmer: “For (several) long years, the settlements of the Muskingum and Ohio valleys lived in the grip of fear with every cabin an armed camp, and each individual prepared to fight for life at a moment’s notice.”

Rogers was frightened by his dream. The officer of the day noticed his agitation and asked if he was sick. He shared the dream with him and others. They strongly urged him to say home that day. He refused, declaring stubbornly, “Joseph Rogers would never shrink from his duty for a paltry dream!” As he left the garrison, he shouted, “Well boys, today we take a scalp or lose one!” The day was Sunday, March 13, 1791.

Scouts, also referred to then as rangers or spies, played a crucial role in protecting the new settlements. Historian Samuel Hildreth in Pioneer History: “The safety of the property and the lives of the inhabitants depended so much on the vigilance and faithfulness of the rangers….” Scouts earned 5 shillings or 84 cents per day. They patrolled the area around each of the fortified settlements every day – at Marietta, Belpre, Fort Frye, often covering 20 or miles. They warned their community of threats. There were predetermined warning signals for residents. Cannon fire directed people to take shelter. Drum rolls alerted defenders to mobilize.

Rogers and his partner Edward Henderson made their usual patrol, starting up the Muskingum River. They diligently searched all day long, not seeing any sign of Indians. Birds sang and early wildflowers were visible as spring approached. At dusk, they were on their final leg towards home at Campus Martius. Rogers felt relief that there were no incidents, and he was hungry – he’d been too upset to eat breakfast. They both looked forward to filling their cups with some whiskey and branch water.

Scouts were considered larger-than-life heroes for their bravery and skills. But their work placed them in constant danger. Joseph Rogers had faced down danger many times before. He had narrowly escaped drowning in Big Beaver Creek in western Pennsylvania two years before. General Samuel Parsons and Rogers were piloting a canoe down the creek. Parsons, described as a “fearless man,” insisted on going through a dangerous rapid. The canoe upset; Parsons drowned, and Rogers barely survived.

Rogers’ sense of relief vanished as two Indians sprang up and opened fire. He was struck in the chest and told his companion Henderson, “I’m a dead man. You must save yourself!” Henderson fled; two more Indians appeared, firing at him. Musket balls grazed his scalp and passed through his hunting shirt. He managed to outmaneuver the Indians and made it to The Point. He somehow survived; Rogers did not.

Tragically, Joseph Rogers’ “paltry dream” had come true. Residents were saddened by his death. He was well liked, respected, and an expert in protecting the settlement. Hildreth: “Dreams are not always the idle vagaries of the imagination.”