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War on the Run: The Epic Story of Robert Rogers and the Conquest of America's First Frontier
Hailed as the father of today’s elite special forces, Robert Rogers was not only a wilderness warrior but North America’s first noteworthy playwright and authentic celebrity. In a riveting biography, John F. Ross reconstructs the extraordinary achievements of this fearless and inspiring leader whose exploits in the early New England wilderness read like those of an action hero and whose innovative principles of unconventional warfare are still used today.
They were a group of handpicked soldiers chosen for their backwoods savvy, courage, and endurance. Led by a young captain whose daring made him a hero on two continents, Rogers’s Rangers earned a deadly fame among their most formidable French and Indian enemies for their ability to appear anywhere at any time, burst out of the forest with overwhelming force, and vanish just as quickly. This swift, elusive, intelligence-gathering strike force was the brainchild of Robert Rogers, a uniquely American kind of war maker capable of motivating a new breed of warrior.
The child of marginalized Scots-Irish immigrants, Robert Rogers learned to survive in New England’s dark and deadly forests, grasping, as did few others, that a new world required new forms of warfare. Marrying European technology to the stealth and adaptability he observed in native warriors, Rogers trained and led an unorthodox unit of green provincials, raw woodsmen, farmers, and Indian scouts on “impossible” missions that are still the stuff of soldiers’ legend. Covering heartbreaking distances behind enemy lines, they traversed the wilderness in whaleboats and snowshoes, slept without fire or sufficient food in below-freezing temperatures, and endured hardships that would destroy ordinary men.
With their novel tactics and fierce esprit de corps, the Rangers laid the groundwork for the colonial strategy later used in the War of Independence. Never have the stakes of a continent hung in the hands of so few men. Rogers would eventually write two seminal books whose vision of a unified continent would influence Thomas Jefferson and inspire the Lewis and Clark expedition.
In War on the Run , John F. Ross vividly re-creates Rogers’s life and his spectacular battles, having traveled over much of Rogers’s campaign country. He presents with breathtaking immediacy and painstaking accuracy a man and an era whose enormous influence on America has been too little appreciated.
They were a group of handpicked soldiers chosen for their backwoods savvy, courage, and endurance. Led by a young captain whose daring made him a hero on two continents, Rogers’s Rangers earned a deadly fame among their most formidable French and Indian enemies for their ability to appear anywhere at any time, burst out of the forest with overwhelming force, and vanish just as quickly. This swift, elusive, intelligence-gathering strike force was the brainchild of Robert Rogers, a uniquely American kind of war maker capable of motivating a new breed of warrior.
The child of marginalized Scots-Irish immigrants, Robert Rogers learned to survive in New England’s dark and deadly forests, grasping, as did few others, that a new world required new forms of warfare. Marrying European technology to the stealth and adaptability he observed in native warriors, Rogers trained and led an unorthodox unit of green provincials, raw woodsmen, farmers, and Indian scouts on “impossible” missions that are still the stuff of soldiers’ legend. Covering heartbreaking distances behind enemy lines, they traversed the wilderness in whaleboats and snowshoes, slept without fire or sufficient food in below-freezing temperatures, and endured hardships that would destroy ordinary men.
With their novel tactics and fierce esprit de corps, the Rangers laid the groundwork for the colonial strategy later used in the War of Independence. Never have the stakes of a continent hung in the hands of so few men. Rogers would eventually write two seminal books whose vision of a unified continent would influence Thomas Jefferson and inspire the Lewis and Clark expedition.
In War on the Run , John F. Ross vividly re-creates Rogers’s life and his spectacular battles, having traveled over much of Rogers’s campaign country. He presents with breathtaking immediacy and painstaking accuracy a man and an era whose enormous influence on America has been too little appreciated.
576 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2009
141 people are currently reading
1357 people want to read
About the author
John F. Ross
5 books9 followersJohn F. Ross is the former Executive Editor of American Heritage and Invention & Technology magazines and was a Senior Editor of Smithsonian magazine before that. On assignment, he has chased scorpions in Baja, dived 3,000 feet underwater in the Galapagos, dogsledded with the Polar Inuit in Greenland, lived with the Khanty reindeer herders in Siberia, and launched the most northern canoe trip in the Canadian Arctic. He has published more than 200 articles and spoken at the Explorers Club of New York, the Smithsonian Institution, NASA’s Ames Research Center, and BMW’s Herbert Quandt
Foundation.
While doing research for War on the Run, Ross walked and kayaked many parts of Roger’s tracks, giving him valuable on-the-ground experience with which to bring Roger’s experiences vividly to life. He is the author of The Polar Bear Strategy: Reflections on Risk in Modern Life (Perseus Books) and lives in Bethesda, Maryland.
Foundation.
While doing research for War on the Run, Ross walked and kayaked many parts of Roger’s tracks, giving him valuable on-the-ground experience with which to bring Roger’s experiences vividly to life. He is the author of The Polar Bear Strategy: Reflections on Risk in Modern Life (Perseus Books) and lives in Bethesda, Maryland.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
September 27, 2022
A well researched biography of a fascinating historical figure.
Perhaps it should be subtitled A Man between Two Countries. Rodgers was amongst the most skilled soldiers and leaders in history. In the final analysis it was his debts and carelessness about money (a big no-no in Colonial times) combined with jealousy and suspicion from leaders like George Washington and British superiors that got Rodgers into so much trouble. He was so famous for a time that it seemed that only King George truly admired him.
The frequency of the hundred mile successful raids that Rodgers led into French Canada on behalf of the British during the French and Indian War is mind boggling. In one year he traveled more than fourteen hundred miles all in enemy territory.
If you enjoy adventurous biographies about heroes who are smitten with wanderlust, then this book is for you. It is very dense with information so it took me a long time to read.
5 stars. Highly recommended.
Perhaps it should be subtitled A Man between Two Countries. Rodgers was amongst the most skilled soldiers and leaders in history. In the final analysis it was his debts and carelessness about money (a big no-no in Colonial times) combined with jealousy and suspicion from leaders like George Washington and British superiors that got Rodgers into so much trouble. He was so famous for a time that it seemed that only King George truly admired him.
The frequency of the hundred mile successful raids that Rodgers led into French Canada on behalf of the British during the French and Indian War is mind boggling. In one year he traveled more than fourteen hundred miles all in enemy territory.
If you enjoy adventurous biographies about heroes who are smitten with wanderlust, then this book is for you. It is very dense with information so it took me a long time to read.
5 stars. Highly recommended.
January 16, 2011
What is it about the way U.S. history is taught that makes it uninteresting to so many Americans? I wish I knew. Perhaps the lessons we get in fourth grade — third grade was Colorado history for me — are so poorly constructed as to seem worn and trite. Regardless, it's a shame we can't do better at making history come alive for kids.
One period of history that is being removed from the books, even in states where it occurred, is the history of the French and Indian War (that's the Seven Years' War for the Britishly inclined among you..). And that's too bad because the F&I War had such an impact on the rest of history. Not only did it see European forces changing their methods of warfare as they tried to survive, but also the war had far-reaching impacts, setting us up for the Revolution by putting a wedge between Britain and the colonists, sewing seeds that would grow into the French Revolution, and more.
It also saw the rise of a new kind of military hero in Robert Rogers and his Rangers. This book follows Rogers and his men through the war, bringing alive in the way few sources have the harshness of the struggle they endured, not only facing enemies who would do unspeakable things to them if they were captured alive, but also the taking on the dangers of the natural world. From freezing cold to starvation, Rogers faced situations that would challenge the military of today.
The rawness of that time period, the perils, the cultural conflicts — all of this fascinates me. And this book brought it all alive. I imagine the author was sometimes imagining how Rogers felt or what he was facing, but by incorporating multiple sources, he provides a 3D glimpse of a world now gone.
I have to admit that reading it made me want to back to the beginning of my MacKinnon’s Rangers series and start over. It also made me want to keep writing this time period forever. That probably won't happen.
Anyone with an interest in this period will find this book fascinating. Highly recommended for history nerds.
One period of history that is being removed from the books, even in states where it occurred, is the history of the French and Indian War (that's the Seven Years' War for the Britishly inclined among you..). And that's too bad because the F&I War had such an impact on the rest of history. Not only did it see European forces changing their methods of warfare as they tried to survive, but also the war had far-reaching impacts, setting us up for the Revolution by putting a wedge between Britain and the colonists, sewing seeds that would grow into the French Revolution, and more.
It also saw the rise of a new kind of military hero in Robert Rogers and his Rangers. This book follows Rogers and his men through the war, bringing alive in the way few sources have the harshness of the struggle they endured, not only facing enemies who would do unspeakable things to them if they were captured alive, but also the taking on the dangers of the natural world. From freezing cold to starvation, Rogers faced situations that would challenge the military of today.
The rawness of that time period, the perils, the cultural conflicts — all of this fascinates me. And this book brought it all alive. I imagine the author was sometimes imagining how Rogers felt or what he was facing, but by incorporating multiple sources, he provides a 3D glimpse of a world now gone.
I have to admit that reading it made me want to back to the beginning of my MacKinnon’s Rangers series and start over. It also made me want to keep writing this time period forever. That probably won't happen.
Anyone with an interest in this period will find this book fascinating. Highly recommended for history nerds.
January 1, 2021
Robert Rogers is one of the most unusual characters in American history. He is considered to be the founder of Special Operations and was one of the major antagonist in the AMC series "Turn".
Rogers was famous for the creation of "Roger's Rangers," a group of soldiers that fought battles in an unconventional manner. He garnered fame during the French-Indian Wars when his Rangers performed acts unconceivable by traditional European military units.
When the American Revolution began, he wanted a command within the Continental Army. Instead, due to a series of gaffs, he was arrested as a British spy. After escaping, he gained notoreity for his role in the arrest of Nathan "I regret that I have but one life to give for my county" Hale. He was able to get Hale to admit to being a spy by pretending to a fellow spy.
The British Army then reinstated him but his Queens Rangers did not prove as effective as his earlier French-Indian War unit. While he served the British Army, he has been embraced by the American Military Tradition---particularly special operations.
But this image of Rogers is just a caricature of the real Robert Rogers. While the military campaigns of the French and Indian War is where he gained fame, his activities between that and the US Revolution were fascinating.
Rogers was as an aspring politician, playwright, writer, and adventurer. He wrote the rules that still serve as the basis for special operations in the first military manual written in the colonies. He had grand interest in discovering the fabled NorthWest passage. He explored options and raised funds to provide for an expidition to find the passage. (It was due to these endeavors that he was not in the colonies when the Revolution began and his loyalties were unknown.)
The backstory behind Rogers is, in many ways, better than his military acumen!
Rogers was famous for the creation of "Roger's Rangers," a group of soldiers that fought battles in an unconventional manner. He garnered fame during the French-Indian Wars when his Rangers performed acts unconceivable by traditional European military units.
When the American Revolution began, he wanted a command within the Continental Army. Instead, due to a series of gaffs, he was arrested as a British spy. After escaping, he gained notoreity for his role in the arrest of Nathan "I regret that I have but one life to give for my county" Hale. He was able to get Hale to admit to being a spy by pretending to a fellow spy.
The British Army then reinstated him but his Queens Rangers did not prove as effective as his earlier French-Indian War unit. While he served the British Army, he has been embraced by the American Military Tradition---particularly special operations.
But this image of Rogers is just a caricature of the real Robert Rogers. While the military campaigns of the French and Indian War is where he gained fame, his activities between that and the US Revolution were fascinating.
Rogers was as an aspring politician, playwright, writer, and adventurer. He wrote the rules that still serve as the basis for special operations in the first military manual written in the colonies. He had grand interest in discovering the fabled NorthWest passage. He explored options and raised funds to provide for an expidition to find the passage. (It was due to these endeavors that he was not in the colonies when the Revolution began and his loyalties were unknown.)
The backstory behind Rogers is, in many ways, better than his military acumen!
June 29, 2024
A biography of this influential man and his accomplishments in Early America. He was exceptional, if brutal, and that is why it's important to remember him. Our nation's history might have been very different without Rogers and his Rangers.
The book is a timeline of Rogers's life and his struggles in the bureaucracy that was the English colonial army at the time. The battles and the reasons behind them may be difficult for us to understand or relate to, but that is true of much of history. The political backbiting and favoritism hasn't changed, but it has become more difficult to conceal.
The audiobook was narrated by Jonathan Yen. I didn't like the tone of his quotations, of which there are many.
The book is a timeline of Rogers's life and his struggles in the bureaucracy that was the English colonial army at the time. The battles and the reasons behind them may be difficult for us to understand or relate to, but that is true of much of history. The political backbiting and favoritism hasn't changed, but it has become more difficult to conceal.
The audiobook was narrated by Jonathan Yen. I didn't like the tone of his quotations, of which there are many.
September 27, 2009
I'm very disappointed. Robert Rogers is a fascinating figure. A good biography could provide great insights into early America- the great continental struggle between Britain and France, the complex and ever-evolving role of Indian nations, and the development of a uniquely "American" character in the British colonies. Lots of potential, but this book didn't tap it. Ross provides a lot of information on Roger's life, his narrative spares few details yet fails to be compelling. Incidents of high drama, particularly Rogers' attack on St. Francis and the grueling retreat through the wilderness, were rendered- quite franky- boring. Ross couldn't quite spin a satisfying yarn from the threads he was working with. Additionally, Ross failed to effectively contextualize the imperial struggle of the French and Indian war, or the nuanced attitudes toward and relationships with Indians, on either side. A work of popular historical biography should edify the reader with not only the "life" of the subject, but also the "times." Although Roger's role in the development of special forces "guerrilla" warfare was considerable, Ross manages to overstate this significance, turning parts of the book into a turgid pean to a mythological warrior. This is the third book on Rogers I've read recently. Brumwell's "White Devil" (which is cited by Ross) is a far superior choice. I'll keep looking for a more comprehensive account of Rogers' life that's executed better than this one.
November 29, 2024
This was a very interesting book. It is the biography of Major Robert Rogers. It shows his life in remarkable detail through the end of his time in the Old Northwest. I have read a lot about the Seven Years' War and did not find a lot of new information other than the author's views on the attack on St. Francis. Most older depictions describe it heroically while newer accounts define it as an unprovoked attack on a peaceful First Nations community with the natives as innocent victims. Ross portrays it as a legitimate military target and lays out the reasons for this. The epic trek back to civilization is portrayed with less detail than I have seen in other accounts.
The book has the most detailed account of his time in the Old Northwest that I have read to date. The description of British political machinations on the frontier and the politics of the British military are insightful.
The goes into a lot of detail about how Rogers tried to join the American side during the war and how he ended up fighting for the British. His capture of American spy Nathan Hale has some nice detail. There is very little else about his exploits during the American Revolution reflecting which I found puzzling.
I recommend this book for anyone looking for anyone interested in Robert Rogers, the Seven Years' War or North American colonial history from 1750 though 1774.
The book has the most detailed account of his time in the Old Northwest that I have read to date. The description of British political machinations on the frontier and the politics of the British military are insightful.
The goes into a lot of detail about how Rogers tried to join the American side during the war and how he ended up fighting for the British. His capture of American spy Nathan Hale has some nice detail. There is very little else about his exploits during the American Revolution reflecting which I found puzzling.
I recommend this book for anyone looking for anyone interested in Robert Rogers, the Seven Years' War or North American colonial history from 1750 though 1774.
September 24, 2009
As a self-professed military history enthusiast I thought I knew something about Rogers but I was wrong. This book was a real revelation about a truly heroic and tragic figure. I knew of his special ops abilities during the French and Indian War which eventually gave birth to our own Army Rangers. Rogers would make today's ultra-athletes envious of his endurance and physical abilities. However, I knew nothing of his prescient vision for the American continent(decades ahead of Jefferson and Lewis and Clark) and his fall from grace by venal British aristocrats who were jealous and wary of a self-made man who was able to translate plans into reality. He respected the Indians and treated them fairly. He ranged the entire upper Midwest as well as the Northeast, even making it to current Minnneapolis. Rogers spent at least seven years in prison in Britain for debts and had the misfortune of returning to America from prison at the start of the Revolution. He had actually paid his troops from his own pocket and the Crown would not reimburse him all his expenses! Although he was neutral in his politics in 1776 while trying to find investors for his dream of finding the Northwest Passage George Washington considered him a threat and arrested him. Rogers escaped and fled to the Tories and fought against the Colonial Army of Washington and actually turned over Nathan Hale to the British. He lost everything to include his family. Rogers was truly a man on the run; the run to battle, the run from creditors,and the run to conquer the continent. The book was well written. I would like to have seen more and better maps and more photos of the terrain he "ranged" over in his wanderings.
July 3, 2011
Gripping history and narrative combined with a primer on colonial times. The best narrative on the French and Indian War I've read and the true story of America's first Special Forces, Rogers Rangers. My Adirondack stomping grounds where I grew up and my book are set!
February 2, 2019
A thorough account of the life and accomplishments of Colonel Robert Rogers, the Father of Ranging and Rangers that so impacts warfighting and special operators today. More than a biography, one gets a picture of the very English (and to a lesser extent British) air of superiority and stubbornness that inflamed fires of revolution separating old world ways from the new.
Rogers was at the leading edge of an enlightened and creative way of war that simultaneously threatened his small minded and jealous English superiors. Of particular note, Gen Thomas Gage was central in ruining his career time and again. Rogers, an energetic and indomitable problem solver; was also a spendthrift, a woefully naive leader, feared by both peers and commanders, and mistreated by the very ones who could have employed him more successfully. He understood and respected native Americans in ways no one else did or ever will ...
A great life story, but broken and disappointing in his sadly unreached potential.
A thorough account of the life and accomplishments of Colonel Robert Rogers, the Father of Ranging and Rangers that so impacts warfighting and special operators today. More than a biography, one gets a picture of the very English (and to a lesser extent British) air of superiority and stubbornness that inflamed fires of revolution separating old world ways from the new.
Rogers was at the leading edge of an enlightened and creative way of war that simultaneously threatened his small minded and jealous English superiors. Of particular note, Gen Thomas Gage was central in ruining his career time and again. Rogers, an energetic and indomitable problem solver; was also a spendthrift, a woefully naive leader, feared by both peers and commanders, and mistreated by the very ones who could have employed him more successfully. He understood and respected native Americans in ways no one else did or ever will ...
A great life story, but broken and disappointing in his sadly unreached potential.
Rogers was at the leading edge of an enlightened and creative way of war that simultaneously threatened his small minded and jealous English superiors. Of particular note, Gen Thomas Gage was central in ruining his career time and again. Rogers, an energetic and indomitable problem solver; was also a spendthrift, a woefully naive leader, feared by both peers and commanders, and mistreated by the very ones who could have employed him more successfully. He understood and respected native Americans in ways no one else did or ever will ...
A great life story, but broken and disappointing in his sadly unreached potential.
A thorough account of the life and accomplishments of Colonel Robert Rogers, the Father of Ranging and Rangers that so impacts warfighting and special operators today. More than a biography, one gets a picture of the very English (and to a lesser extent British) air of superiority and stubbornness that inflamed fires of revolution separating old world ways from the new.
Rogers was at the leading edge of an enlightened and creative way of war that simultaneously threatened his small minded and jealous English superiors. Of particular note, Gen Thomas Gage was central in ruining his career time and again. Rogers, an energetic and indomitable problem solver; was also a spendthrift, a woefully naive leader, feared by both peers and commanders, and mistreated by the very ones who could have employed him more successfully. He understood and respected native Americans in ways no one else did or ever will ...
A great life story, but broken and disappointing in his sadly unreached potential.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 18, 2020
The story of Robert Rogers actions in the French and Indian War is one of the great adventures in military history. It's one of the ones that reads a bit like a G. A. Henty book, just here instead of a hero living happily ever after you have a former criminal who went on to end up spending a time in debtor's prison, largely because of money he had personally spent to pay his men and keep the fight going that the British army refused to reimburse.
My main complaint about the book is how it handled Rogers after the French and Indian War. The author went on and on about how the visionary Rogers wanted to expand America by discovering the Northwest Passage. To me it sounded like just his latest idea to get out of debt. The author also dismissed out of hand the idea that Rogers would have betrayed the country to the French. While the evidence may be scanty, it should be acknowledged that at the time he had a lot of motivation to turn traitor. The army was refusing to reimburse him, so he was left in a mountain of debt. He must have seen that it would be nearly impossible for him to pay it back, and he must have blamed the government. It's easy to see why he would be wiling to switch sides, especially since he demonstrated little moral character elsewhere in his life.
My main complaint about the book is how it handled Rogers after the French and Indian War. The author went on and on about how the visionary Rogers wanted to expand America by discovering the Northwest Passage. To me it sounded like just his latest idea to get out of debt. The author also dismissed out of hand the idea that Rogers would have betrayed the country to the French. While the evidence may be scanty, it should be acknowledged that at the time he had a lot of motivation to turn traitor. The army was refusing to reimburse him, so he was left in a mountain of debt. He must have seen that it would be nearly impossible for him to pay it back, and he must have blamed the government. It's easy to see why he would be wiling to switch sides, especially since he demonstrated little moral character elsewhere in his life.
March 22, 2025
An exciting look into America's past.
History is a subject taught in every school but it is often limited to what can be taught within an hour. General knowledge takes precedence over in-depth comprehension. This book provides insight into what life was really like for those who lived in colonial America. The struggle of taming land, protecting livelihoods, and forging a place for oneself in the new world. The American dream before it became America.
Robert Rogers, a pioneer in the earliest beginnings of organized special forces, exemplifies every aspect of this struggle for success. It is an adventurous biography of a fascinating man. Robert Rogers' life story is one that would seem dramatized if not well documented. His early leadership of the Rangers Core, widely known at the time as "Rogers' Rangers," is riddled with action and adventure as he takes on the French and the Indians and continues that way throughout his life.
This book is both informational as well as intriguing. A real-life story comparable to myths and legends. To anyone with an interest in early American history or action, I would recommend this book. Though it takes some time to read it was very well enjoyed.
History is a subject taught in every school but it is often limited to what can be taught within an hour. General knowledge takes precedence over in-depth comprehension. This book provides insight into what life was really like for those who lived in colonial America. The struggle of taming land, protecting livelihoods, and forging a place for oneself in the new world. The American dream before it became America.
Robert Rogers, a pioneer in the earliest beginnings of organized special forces, exemplifies every aspect of this struggle for success. It is an adventurous biography of a fascinating man. Robert Rogers' life story is one that would seem dramatized if not well documented. His early leadership of the Rangers Core, widely known at the time as "Rogers' Rangers," is riddled with action and adventure as he takes on the French and the Indians and continues that way throughout his life.
This book is both informational as well as intriguing. A real-life story comparable to myths and legends. To anyone with an interest in early American history or action, I would recommend this book. Though it takes some time to read it was very well enjoyed.
February 2, 2017
A fascinating and enlightening history of the legendary Robert Rogers. As a veteran of Special Forces, Rogers' Rangers were ingrained into me as part of our long and illustrious heritage, so I was thrilled when I met John Ross at a party and he told me of his book. I was unaware that most of Rogers' exploits came in the French and Indian war, and I was a little disappointed that the revolutionary war was somewhat glossed over. Regardless, this was a great book full of amazing detail. I could easily picture Rogers and his men slogging through swamps and snow or rowing their bateaus up and down rivers to attack french garrisons. I was unaware of how poorly Rogers was treated by the "nobility" within the British ranks or of his lifelong struggle with debt. Great story for any military history buff!
November 22, 2020
First and foremost this is a biography of Robert Rogers. Yes, the subtitle is “...and the Conquest of America’s First Frontier” but there is only so much room in 470 pages, so don’t expect nuances of socio-political impact. Relax and enjoy a great read about how one guy thought outside the box and decided to fight the French and Indian War in North America like the Indians. At least he had enough respect for Native Americans to copy their fighting style. Braddock paid for his bias, and a young George Washington barely escaped with his life. There is plenty of adventure and Rogers is the Eastern version of Hugh Glass. Tough, independent and fearless. Like a good movie, I will eventually read this again.
April 22, 2021
The author has me fascinated with the history of Robert Rogers but I will have to find out more about him elsewhere. I've given up on reading this book after only reading the introduction and the first chapter. Reading the book was just too much work. The typical sentence used so many adjectives and/or adverbs that I would forget what I was reading about before I finished the paragraph. The number of over-described events, actions, or characteristics made me feel like I was reading bad fiction.
May 24, 2022
Great Biography
I find it sad that I never learned about this great man in school. His lessons still ring true today in every special forces organization the world over and attest to the strength and endurance of every soldier who follows in his footsteps. These are the lessons every child should learn at an early age to endure hardship and perseverance, no matter the situation. These lessons could change the face of society today. This book is a powerful motivating story of faith in self and endurance in life.
I find it sad that I never learned about this great man in school. His lessons still ring true today in every special forces organization the world over and attest to the strength and endurance of every soldier who follows in his footsteps. These are the lessons every child should learn at an early age to endure hardship and perseverance, no matter the situation. These lessons could change the face of society today. This book is a powerful motivating story of faith in self and endurance in life.
January 5, 2020
I knew of Robert Rogers from Spencer Tracy's portrayal in "Northwest Passage", but did not know the extent of his heroism. He was also a complex man who had some difficulties financially and politically. May have been America's first star. Wonder why there has never been a stamp honoring him? Really well written and reads easily.
February 14, 2022
An excellent read which greatly illuminated the struggle which foretold our epic effort to build a nation; not just a narrow strip of settlements and ports on the coast. The only treatment of this "war" for me, decades ago, was a very lean section in a grade school history book. John Ross demonstrated what kind of people are truly needed to create a nation.
January 11, 2024
Despite a super dry opening, the story of Roberts' triumphs and failures (which are many) is juxtaposed against his domination of almost every campaign he and his rangers were involved in. Despite his incredible influence on modern warfare, Roberts never got to enjoy any of acclaim while alive. Fantastic analysis of someone who should be way more historically famous than he is.
November 14, 2025
Outstanding
The detail of each sorted, the kearership skills of Rodgers, the refusal to let fear rule the mission. Most of all the vision of Rodgers, a man of qualities lacking in so many today.
I was dismayed at how William Johnson betrayed him. How rumor played across 2 continents, and yet Rodgers stayed the course.
Am American hero Indeed.
The detail of each sorted, the kearership skills of Rodgers, the refusal to let fear rule the mission. Most of all the vision of Rodgers, a man of qualities lacking in so many today.
I was dismayed at how William Johnson betrayed him. How rumor played across 2 continents, and yet Rodgers stayed the course.
Am American hero Indeed.
August 5, 2017
Excellent read. Great story of a true American original who played a key role in both pre and Revolutionary times. Created a new form of miltary combat that blended traditional techniques with totally new ones shaped by the unique characteristics of early America.
May 8, 2018
Exquisite history of Robert Rogers. This book was long, and I always have a tough time with non-fiction bricks such as this, but the author's writing kept the tale of Rogers' life going in a fluid and interesting manner. I learned everything I hoped to about the man and more.
June 21, 2018
Fascinating story of a larger than life character. I knew of Roger's Rangers from my US history but had no idea of his accomplishments during the French & Indian wars. He is the great great grandfather of today's special operators.
January 21, 2019
I learn something new each time I read this book. It is well worth your time if you enjoy studying the beginnings of guerrilla warfare as Robert Rogers waged it during the French and Indian and Revolutionary Wars.
March 6, 2022
An outstanding volume on a nearly forgotten character in the nearly forgotten French and Indian War. Robert Rogers had been a somewhat shady dealer in counterfeit bills in the years prior to that conflict and appeared to be destined for prison or the gallows. He basically reinvented himself as a leader of frontier fighters, the precursor of today’s special forces.
The book is amazingly thorough and apparently very well researched. It has to be extremely difficult to find reliable source material for this period in history. Newspapers were few and far between and of questionable veracity. Fortunately, Rogers was a writer who, though not prolific managed to produce many concise reports on his frontier activities. He also published a history of his campaigns and, perhaps more significantly, a treatise on the geography, native peoples and flora and fauna of North America.
Despite these obstacles the writer has done an admirable job of avoiding prejudices and bias in his narrative. The result is an exciting American adventure that keeps the reader intrigued.
The book is amazingly thorough and apparently very well researched. It has to be extremely difficult to find reliable source material for this period in history. Newspapers were few and far between and of questionable veracity. Fortunately, Rogers was a writer who, though not prolific managed to produce many concise reports on his frontier activities. He also published a history of his campaigns and, perhaps more significantly, a treatise on the geography, native peoples and flora and fauna of North America.
Despite these obstacles the writer has done an admirable job of avoiding prejudices and bias in his narrative. The result is an exciting American adventure that keeps the reader intrigued.
May 16, 2023
the first American tragedy?
I very good book about a complex man who was never permitted to attain is greatest potential. Robert Roger’s is another great American most of us know nothing about.
I very good book about a complex man who was never permitted to attain is greatest potential. Robert Roger’s is another great American most of us know nothing about.
November 25, 2023
I loved this book. Rogers is an endlessly fascinating character and Ross does a wonderful job telling his story with lively writing and admiration. Reading about Rogers and his Rangers reminds us all how soft we are today 🤣
December 13, 2023
Richly researched and detailed, this book let me riveted. The exploits of Rogers are nothing short of superhuman. And I was surprised at how swiftly and thoroughly he fell from national hero to tragic figure.
January 7, 2017
Basically the story of a man that just wanted to farm and make cider in bumblefuck New Hampshire but ended up killing lots of people and thoroughly pissed off George Washington.
December 27, 2017
I'm a big fan of Allan Eckert's "Winning of America Series" and this book compares well to his. Eckert's annotations are far superior, however.
December 6, 2021
Very good book. Although, I thought it was a bit heavy with to much detail at times. None the less worth the read.
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