2022 Clothing & Equipment Guidelines.

 

For 2022 Clothing & Equipment guidelines click Here.

2022 Event Update

 

Jan 28th - 30th.  Details coming soon.   

Featured Sponsor Lawrence Fiorillo

This barktan hunting pouch by Lawrence Fiorillo will be in the 2021 Prize Raffle.   It measures 8” wide by 6” deep and is  homespun but skillfully made.  The pouch has an inside pocket and is fully welted.  The inside is lined with barktan.  The strap is made from 17oz hemp fabric and tinned with beeswax. It features an iron buckle and barktan tabs with an adjustable strap keeper.

To learn more about the Prize Raffle or the Event navigate the website using the tabs above.  

 

The first Night we lay near Tonoloways

 

Sept. 2, 1756 Maryland Gazette

 By Letters lately received from the Frontiers, we learn, That on the 24th of August, Col. Cresap, Capt. Lashmatt[?], with a Party of Militia, and an Officer, with a Detachment from Fort-Frederick, in all about sixty, marched thence in Pursuit of the Indians who lately made an Incursion into Pennsylvania, and, this Province, and who have almostentirely broke up the Settlement of Conococheague; The Party is returned without having seen an Enemy, but the following is an Extract from their Journal:  “The first Night we lay near Toonalloways, where Stoddert’s Fort was, and the next Morning went to Combe’s Plantation, and thence through several deserted Plantations, to a Place where one Ryley had a Fort; here we discovered the Tracks of several Indians who had gone down Great-Tonaliways since the Rain felon Sunday Night; these Tracks we followed about a Mile to a Place of one Elias Stillwell, where we found a very large Indian Camp, which seemed to have been a Place of general Rendezvouse for a considerable Time past, for there had been six Fires, the Rails that inclose’d the Plantation were all burnt, and a Row of Beds, near 30 Yards in Length, had been made with Flax on each side off the Fires; the Place was commodiously situated near a Spring, and the Bones, Skins, &c. lying about shewed that several Beeves and Hogs had been killed there:  We found here a large Scalping-Knife, an Iron Ram-Rod, a small Bag of Powder, some Bullets and some Thongs or Ropes that had been just cut out of a Horse’s Hide; we saw Tracks leading in and out of this Plantation, but as the freshest seemed to lead toward Rays-Town, we pursued them several Miles through the Woods without Success: We apprehend that that Party is gone quite off, as we discovered the Tracks of seven or eight Horses among the Tracks of the Indians, and all tending Westward: While we were in Pursuit of the Indians, we found a Dutch Woman’s blue Apron, and suppose the Owner of it is carried away Prisoner.  In the Evening we came round to one Hick’s and remained there all Night: On the 26th we left Hick’s, crossing a Branch of Big-Tonalloway, and came down the Ridge, between that and Licking-creek.  On the Ridge we fell in with a Track of Indians, which was much larger and more beaten than that we made, it seemed to come from the Big-Cove or Sugar-Cabbins, and to go towards the Rendezvous at Stillwell’s, above mentioned; as this Tracks seemed to have been made before the Rain, we proceeded down Licking-Creek to Mills’s, and thence returned the same Night to Fort-Frederick.”

Ranging the Frontiers of this Province

 

This Morning I received Letters from Colo Innes Commandant of Fort Cumberland, & Colo Cresap advising me that on last Monday morning a party of French Indians fell upon some of the distant Inhabitants of Frederick Cty of whom they killed three with the Loss of only one of their own party & carried Eight away prisoners. By other Letters from Virga I am informed that another party of these Barbarians have, also murthered Eleven of the Back Inhabitants of that province & carried as there is reason to suspect many more into Captivity I immediately communicated this Intelligence to the Assembly & requested them to enable me to provide against & prevent such Accidents for the future, in Answer to my Message they presented the following Address — "Resolved that this House will make suitable provision for the paying & maintaining 80 Men including Officers for 4 months (if Occasion) for ranging on the Frontiers of this Province to protect the same against the Incursions & Depredations that may be attempted or made by the French or their Indian Allies“

 — Gov. Sharpe June 1755

To Range the Frontiers of this Province, and help protect the distant inhabitants of Fredrick Cty from the Incursions and Depredations of the French or their Indian Allies,  Enlist today!   As Governor Sharpe noted, the House made suitable provision for maintaining only a set number of forces, and the slots are filling up.

2021 Featured Sponsor: Wool & Weeds

.  

Our first Featured Sponsor for 2021 is Wool & Weeds. 

Emily Burns of Wool & Weeds donated this beautiful   “buffalo and hand spun wool” knit cap.    This knit cap will be a treasure for the winning Living Historian since most of the cap’s production, including the indigo dye by Mrs Simpson and Ms Biederman, was done as public interpretation of 18th C techniques at a historic site!

To order a cap or other items from Wool & Weeds on FB click   here. 

To Donate or Learn more about our 2021 Prize Raffle and our event that supports Fort Frederick click here.

Defending the BackCountry; 

Fort Frederick, Rangers & the Seven Years War 

    

January 29 - 31, 2021.   2pm -2pm.    Fort Frederick, MD

Objectives Based Tactical  • Immersive Garrison Conditions • Tiered Exertion Levels

Expanded, Interactive Fort Interpretation • Dedicated Opposition Foce

 Registration Is Open  

All Proceeds Benefit the Friends of Fort Frederick 501c3  

Click on the “event” tab for details. 

Alternate date in March TBD if Covid Restrictions continue.   

The 2021 Event will be Cancelled if conditions continue through March

2020 Event Update

Register now for the 2020 Event, A Reconnoitering Party.  

January 24th -26th. 2pm-2pm.  Fort Frederick State Park.

The 2020 Event will be conducted as a 48 hour tactical pitting multiple participant led 8-person Ranging Companies against each other in an evolving immersive scenario to benefit The Friends of Fort  Frederick and the  historic Fort Frederick State Park.

The event is capped at 24 participants.   Maryland Park Service Standards for Historic Weapons Use, site rules, and Event Clothing & Equipment Guidelines apply without exception.

For details or to register click the Event tab above or email info@schooloftheranger.org

2019 Event Update

Register now To be Trained to the Woods-Service.

Registered participants in the immersive event will be trained in the mid century Partisan Methods of Marching, Retreating, Ambushing & Fighting, billeted in the barracks & issued rations.       Participants will also receive a 2019 Friends of Fort Frederick membership and be enrolled in the pre-event Participant Forum, dedicated to the source material documenting the tactics, skills & material culture of 18th C ranging. The military science & fieldcraft curriculum is formatted to assist incorporating these practices into participant portrayals, while the material culture subjects are examined by article, emphasizing documentation and current best practices.

New for 2019:   A dedicated opposition force, reconnoitering parties & skirmishes incorporating specific tactical & fieldcraft objectives, and a limited number of  “Half-Pay” slots for intereseted individuals unable to attend.   Half-Pay participant supporters will recieve 2019 FOFF membership, full access to the online Participant Forun, and a Prize Raffle ticket.

Click Here for event details & schedule.


For Prize Raffle info click here.

Announcing A Major New Book

ON THE RANGERS OF THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR 1754-1764

From Canada to Georgia 

By Gary Zaboly and Timothy J. Todish

Illustrated by Gary Zaboly

____________________________________________________

The earlier collaboration of Timothy J. Todish and Gary Zaboly, THE ANNOTATED AND ILLUSTRATED JOURNALS OF MAJOR ROBERT ROGERS, published in 2002, remains in print. This new book will go much farther afield and cover not only Rogers' companies, but the British-allied rangers of every colony, as well as those of Canada's Maritime provinces. The concurrent conflicts with the Cherokees and the Indians of the Pontiac rising will also be included.  Many long-neglected ranger battalions and companies, such as the mounted troops of South Carolina and Georgia, and rangers elsewhere in the South, Middle Colonies, and the North, will receive equal attention, much of the narrative drawn from fresh research and heretofore unpublished documents. Many of these units will be illustrated for the first time. Other parts of the book will deal with the provincial and regular troops who served in the wilderness on ranger-like duty, and the Native Americans who also scouted and fought alongside their white counterparts.

There will also be an Appendix on ranger woodcraft, survival and fighting techniques, methods of building shelters in the forest, food eaten on the trail, weapons, clothing, concealment, and many other related subjects.

Be a part of this Project. If you are interested, please contact the artist/co-author at garyzaboly@aol.com or download the Prospectus here.

Thank you.

2018 Prize Raffle Final Call

Time is running out!  This is the Final Call to Purchase Raffle Tickets in support the Friends of Fort Frederick by post.  The List of Prizes in order of Drawing are:



The Lang Lyman Style Shot Pouch.
The Fiorillo Backwoods Hunting Pouch
The Wulff Series of Autographed Books
The DeJonge Custom Bonnet
The Leach Samois Style Folder
The Siedeman Haversack & Market Wallet Set
The Browder Leather Canteen

In addition to those prizes previously featured, the following items have been recently donated.  Decriptions on the blog to follow:

The Kobuck Tumpline
A Rare Copy of Sons of a Trackless Forest
The Kobuck Fingerwoven & Beaded Legties.


Ticket Requests  & Payment must be recieved by mail on or before Tuesday January 22nd. Late arrivals or payments after the tickets sell out will be returned uncashed after the event.   Availability updated nightly, Rules and Info posted here.   

Featured Sponsor: Longhunter Leather Company

Our next featured sponsor is Longhunter Leather Company.  Longhunter Leather Company generously donated one of their popular Leather Canteens. Their current catalog describe their canteens as follows:

Our canteens hold approx. 28 to 32 oz., dyed in Walnut med to a dark-brown, are fully lined with pure beeswax, have a hemp strap with leather tabs and stoppers carved out of sassafras or apple wood. They are very functional and durable, with proper care will serve to meet your historical reenacting or trekking needs.


For more information or to view their entire catalog, click here.

Featured Sponsor: The Corp of Light Troops

 Our next featured sponsor is  The Corp of Light Troops.  The Wisconsin based reenactment group generously donated the beautiful hand-sewn linen haversack and market wallet set featured in the photos.

The Corps of Light Troops reenacts British Light Infantry and Colonial Rangers of the F&I War and Pontiac's Uprising. Their current impressions include Tute's Company of Roger's Rangers, Balfour's Company of Gage's Light Infantry, and The 55th Regiment Company of Light Infantry.

For more information, or to contact The Corps of Light Troops, click the following link.

VA Rangers

In 1755, far removed from the scouts reconnoitering French Carillion for Sir William Johnson, another famous Provincial was coordinating Rangers deployments further south.  


To Captain Baylis, of the Prince-William Militia, will give you this; and leave you a reinforcement of twenty men—with these, and the Detachment of your own company, which has now certainly rejoined you; you will be sufficiently able to send out several scouting parties: And it is my desire, you do your utmost to scour these parts, and protect the people.

You will deliver Mr Baylie what carpenters tools you have in the Fort: as he has orders to build a small Fort at the Mouth of Little Capecapon. I am &c.

G:W.

May 12th 1756.

N.B. Take Receipts for the several Tools you deliver the Officers.

https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/02-02-02-0087

To Captain William Cocks, of the first Company of Rangers; and Captain John Ashby, of the Second Company.

You are hereby ordered, to remain with your Companies at George Parkers’ Plantation, where you are to erect a Stockade Fort; in building of which, you are to follow Lieutenant Bacons Instructions; he being sent to direct and plan the same. As  is intended for the protection of the Country People, there is no doubt but they will assist all in their power, especially in providing Tools which, without, you may meet with some difficulty. If Lieutenant Bacon should apply for an Escort to conduct him to Captain Ashby’s Company, or to any other place, to which it may be dangerous travelling without—you are to see that he is allowed it: you are to send a trusty Sergeant with proper powers &c. for Recruiting, in order to complete your Company. You are to be very careful to see that no irregularities are committed by your Company, that strict Discipline is observed, and that great pains be taken to inculcate morality and good Harmony, among the Men.
You are to build Barracks therein for your men, and a Magazine for the Reception of the Stores which are to be sent hither: also, to receive necessaries for your own Company.
You are to collect all the Publick Arms and Horses, which you may hear of in the parts adjacent to you, and secure them until they are called for. You are to transmit me the first day of every month, a particular Return of the State of your Company, relating to the variations that may have happened; as also an exact account of your proceedings since your last Return. Besides  these, you are to send me a weekly Return, signed by yourself and Officer, of the State of your Company. You are to provide yourself upon the most reasonable terms, with such Tools as you find absolutely necessary to carry on the work. You are to receive provisions for immediate use, according to my order at Pearsalls and you will hereafter be supplied from this Fort with what you want. By return of the Waggons which came up with Major Lewis’s party, you will receive about eight hundred weight of Flour; and of  that you are to be particular in seeing no waste is committed &c.
G:W.

N:B. Captain Ashby’s Company is stationed at Sellar’s and McCrackins; at the direction of Lieutenant Bacon.



https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/02-02-02-0144



A keyword search of the George Washington Papers is a great place to start tracking primary source information regarding VA Rangers during the F&I, or Continental Rangers during the AWI.

For a general overview on VA rangers during the F&I War, click here.

Battles on Snowshoes?

January 15, 1757. Agreeable to orders from the commanding officer at Fort Edward, I this day marched with my own Lieutenant Mr. Stark, Ensign Page of Captain Richard Roger's company, and fifty privates of said companies, to Fort William Henry, where we were employed in providing provisions, snow-shoes, &c, till the 17th, when being joined by Captain Spikeman, Lieutenant Kennedy and Ensign Brewer of his company, and fourteen of their men, together with Ensign James Rogers and fourteen men of Captain Hobbs's company, .....  we began our march on the ice down Lake George, and at night encamped on the east-side of the First Narrows ... The 19th we marched three miles from our encampment further down the lake, and then took the land, and, upon snow-shoes, travelled northwest about eight miles from our landing, and three from the lake, where we encamped.

-Excerpts from the Journals of Major Robert Rogers.

Our soldiers make great progress in walking on snow-shoes, but men, not accustomed to them, find them very fatiguing. These inventions are made of hoops of hickery, or other tough wood, bended to a particular form, round before ; and the two extremities of the hoop terminate in a point behind, secured well together with strong twine ; the inward space is worked, like close netting, with cat-gut, or the dried entrails of other animals. Each racket is from three quarters to one yard in length. At the broadest part, which is about the center, where it is fastened by thongs and straps to the person's foot, it is about fourteen, fifteen, or sixteen inches ; a light lively man does not: require them so large as he who is more corpulent and less active ; the hard-soled shoe is not at all suitable to them ; they must be used under mogosans, as well, for the sake of the wearer's feet, to keep them warm and preserve them from the snow, as that they will not bind on so well, nor be so soon worn out. The uncouth attitude, in which men are obliged to walk, is what renders them laborious the body must incline forward, the knees bend, ancles and instep remain stiff as if the joints in those parts were completely ossified, and the feet at a great distance asunder; by this description, which is the best I can give, the reader may form to himself a lively idea of the snow-ssioes, or snow-rackets, so fre quently mentioned in the course of this Journal...

- John Knox, December 1759, A Historical Journal of the Campaigns in North America, vol 2

"RACKET is also a kind of snow shoe, or machine, which the savages of Canada bind to their feet, to enable them to walk more commodiously on the snow; made much in the manner of a tennis-racket. Its figure is a lozenge, of which the two obtuse angles are turned off. It is bound about with very fine thongs of leather, the mashes of which are much smaller and closer than those of our rackets. In the middle is fitted a kind of shoe lined with wool or hair, to be tied on to the ancle [sic]."

- A New and Complete Dictionary of Arts and Sciences; Comprehending All the Branches of Useful Knowledge", 2nd Edition, Volume IV, A Society of Gentlemen, 1764

After struggling thro' the snow some hours, we were obliged to halt to make snow shoes, as Mr. and the guide had left theirs at arriving upon the ice. Here we remained all night, without any blankets, no coat, and but a single waistcoat each, for I gave one of mine to Mr. , who had laid aside his green jacket in the field, as I did likewise my furred cap, which became a mark to the enemy, and probably was the cause of a slight round in my face ; so that I had but a silk handkerchief on my head, and our fire could not be large, as we had nothing to cut wood with. Before morning we contrived, with forked sticks and strings of leather, a sort of snow shoes to prevent sinking entirely; and on the 15th, followed our guide west all day,....

- Excerpt from the Henry Pringle Letter describing his ordeal.   Journals of Major Robert Rogers, Hough Edition 1883.

Snowshoes, along with ice skates and ice creepers were indispensable equipment for northern ranging during the 18th C.    For more information, see this 18th Century Material Culture Resource Center link , or this interesting article on Snowshoes in New France.      The above image is The March of Roger's Rangers by Frederick Remington (1896).

Exercise in Scout marches & Bush fiteing...

About this time Lord Loudoun sent the following volunteers in the regular troops, to be trained to the ranging, or wood-service, under my command and inspection; with particular orders to me to instruct them to the utmost of my power in the ranging discipline, our methods of marching, retreating, ambushing, fighting, &c. that they might be the better qualified for any future services against the enemy we had to contend with, desiring me to take particular notice of each one's behavior, and to recommmend them according to their several deserts, viz.

                            -Rogers' Journal, 1757


17th pleasant Day for this Climat Major Rogers this Day exercised his men in Bush fiteing which drew a great Number out of y‘ Camp, to view them.

The Rangers exercise in Scout marches & Bush fighting which made a very pritty figure.

                           - The Journal of Dr Caleb Rea. 1758

A third of your garrision is to be trained to go into the woods when necessary...

                            -The Thomas Gage Papers.  1759

Register today to Join our immersive event.  Garrison historic Fort Frederick and train for the woods-service.  Actually exercise in Scout marches & Bush fighting that you might be better qualified in the ranging discipline.

For event details click here.

Featured Sponsor: De Messenmaker

Our next featured sponsor is De Messenmaker, the Traverse City, Michigan based knife maker that specializes in 17th and 18th C cutlery.

De Messenmaker has generously donated a Samois style folder for our charity auction. These folders were common French trade good items throughout the century, and became so popular they were eventually imported by British traders and copied by manufacturers in England.

An excellent overview of this style knife can be found in the article "French Knives in North America: Part 2" by Kevin Gladysz and Ken Hamilton,  in the Oct / Nov 2011 issue of Journal of the Early Americas.

The De Messenmaker Folder will be the Fifth prize drawn.   To contact De Messenmaker or to view more of their work, visit thier Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/messenmaker/

Prize Raffle rules and details can be found at the "Prize Raffle" link above.

Old Sines, Skouts & the Role of Tracking Part II.

The Indians discover our parties by the track of their shoes. It would be a good thing to have shoe-packs or moccasins for the scouts.

-COL Adam Stephen to COL Washington, 27 September 1755



We came now upon the tracks of Mohgasaons, and also of some horses, which it was evident, by the snow or sleet - that had fallen this morning, were quite new; whereupon we quickened our pace...

- Knox.  December 7, 1957


...On going over mossy or soft ground, we change our position & march abreast of each other to prevent an Enemy from tracking us, as they would do, if we kept in a Single File, till we get over it, and then resume our former Order of travelling till it’s quite dark before we encamp; 

-excerpt of Rogers original letter to Loudoun in 1757 detailing his Ranging Method



A Scouting Party of my Militia consisting of a Lieutt & 12 excellent Woodsmen, all disquised like Indians, went out last Monday in quest of Kickiuskum & three or four others of his Gang, and return’d yesterday, but were not So fortunate as the time before; they upwards of 40 miles from this, but could discover no Indians, tho’ they went to their Cabbins, & tracked them to the Place where they had made their Canoes & embarked. 

- Ourry to Amherst: Fort Bedford, June 10, 1763.  Bouquet, Vol. IV.


Tracking was the critical skill rangers used to detect and subsequently ambush or avoid the French & allied Natives during their primary mission tasking as independent raid or reconnoitering parties.  Tracking was also critical to the success of their secondary roles as advance or security elements for larger regular forces transiting the North American Forest.

Sources such as Rogers, Knox, Bouquet, and many others document the systemic use of tracking as an integral component to scouting missions. Collectively these accounts demonstrate the regular use of sign detection, interpretation and aging by scouts, as well as the sophisticated tactical application of tracking among many ranging parties.

Join us as we examine the role of tracking in 18th C irregular warfare, and its relationship to other skills in the ranging process.

Old Sines, Skouts & the Role of Tracking Part I

we traveld 12 milds up pemichewashet River and found old sines of indens and we sent out skouts that night and found one new track and we lay that night by the river and made new camps. The Land that lys by this river is vere rich and good and the upland vere full of hils and mountains, very bad traveling.

-Journal of Capt John White, April 1725

15th we lay still & sent out scouts. 16th, we travelled 6 miles, & came upon the tracks of Indians, & we left 16 men with our packs, & the rest pursued the tracks till dark that night, and staid there all night, and on the 17th we followed their tracks till about 8 o clock, & then we found where the Indians had lain twenty-four hours be fore, & we having no victuals, returned again to the 16 men we had left our packs with, & refreshed ourselves, & then we all pursued the remaining part of that day, & the night ensuing, 6 miles.Feb. 18th, we travelled 20 miles & encamped at a great pond upon Saco River. 19th, we travelled 22 miles & encamped at a pond.  20th, we travelled about 5 miles, & came upon a wigwam that the Indians had lately gone from, & then we pursued their tracks 2 miles further, & discovered their smokes, and there tarried till about 2 o clock in the morning, & then came upon their wigwams & killed ten .Indian men, which were all that there were there, & not one escaped alive.

- Journal of Captain Lovewell.   February 1724.

When they fear being discover'd, or follow'd by an Enemy in their Marches; they, every Morning, having first agreed where they shall rendezvouz at Night, disperse themselves into the Woods, and each takes a several Way, that so, the Grass or Leaves being but singly prest, may rise again, and not betray them. For the Indians are very artful in following a Track, even where the Impressions are not visible to other People, especially if they have any Advantage from the Looseness of the Earth, from the Stiffness of the Grass, or the stirring of the Leaves, which in the Winter Season lye very thick upon the Ground; and likewise afterwards, if they do not happen to be burned.

- The History of Virginia in Four Parts (1722)

Late 17th and early 18th C sources document the use of tracking in the cycle of limited, retaliatory skirmishes that commonly occurred in North America prior to the French & Indian War. Though not a standardized discipline, souces such as Church, Lovewell, White and others provide enough detail to discern the tactical application of the skill set among the Natives and the colonial woodsmen tasked with tracking them down.  

Part II will touch upon the further militarization of tracking and it's role in reconoitering during the F&I War.

Featured Sponsor: Judy DeJonge

The fourth sponsor we are pleased to feature is Judy DeJonge.  Judy has generously donated a made-to-order custom bonnet again for 2018.

Judy DeJonge's bonnets are known for thier durability, weather tightness and comfort.  This will be the fourth prize drawn.

The winner will be contacted by Judy shortly after the event to coordinate bonnet details, including color and size, and will receive the bonnet by mail upon completion.

Pictured at top is Rick Seidemann wearing the bonnet he won in the 2017 SOTR raffle. Below is Mike DeJonge wearing a bonnet with a contrasting red band.

For information & pricing, or to order one, send inquiries to: mdejonge4@att.net

For prize raffle details or to enter click here.