War on the Run: The Epic Story of Robert Rogers and the Conquest of America's First Frontier

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War on the Run: The Epic Story of Robert Rogers and the Conquest of America's First Frontier

3.96 of 5 stars 3.96 · rating details · 85 ratings · 20 reviews

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...more 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.(less)

Hardcover, 576 pages

Published May 19th 2009 by Bantam (first published 2009)

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Jul 02, 2012 M rated it 5 of 5 stars

This biography ranks right up there at the top of my list of favorite biographies (my other favorites are David McCullough's John Adams and Andrew Carnegie by Peter Krass) I was enthralled reading this and plan to read it again this summer. I bought copies to give as gifts and could not stop talking about it (my kids would roll their eyes and say "Oh, no, here she goes again..."). This is brilliantly researched and written, about a man I never had any interest in reading about. What piqued my cu...more

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Jul 30, 2011 James (JD) Dittes added it

Robert Rogers was the first American hero, a man who embodied innovation, endurance, and adventure. After a hardscrabble youth spent in the wilds of New Hampshire, he narrowly escaped a prison sentence by joining the provincial army at the dawn of the French & Indian War.

It was Rogers' talents as a recruiter that first elevated him in the eyes of British commanders. He quickly raised 100 men and earned himself a promotion to captain. Moreover, as the British muddled around Fort Edward in the...more Robert Rogers was the first American hero, a man who embodied innovation, endurance, and adventure. After a hardscrabble youth spent in the wilds of New Hampshire, he narrowly escaped a prison sentence by joining the provincial army at the dawn of the French & Indian War.

It was Rogers' talents as a recruiter that first elevated him in the eyes of British commanders. He quickly raised 100 men and earned himself a promotion to captain. Moreover, as the British muddled around Fort Edward in the early years of the war--terrified of woods they saw as overrun with France's Indian allies--Rogers leaped to the fore, training his men and promoting the idea of "Rangers," irregular soldiers who adapted Indian tactics and sought to fight behind enemy lines.

At the time, British generals had a low opinion of American soldiery. James Wolfe, conqueror of Quebec, said, "The Americans are ingeneral the dirtiest, most contemptible cowardly dogs that you can conceive." Rogers would prove that wrong, and set in motion a tradition of soldiering that would overcome the British in the next war.

As a Ranger, Rogers quickly escaped the bureaucratic dithering of the commanders, setting out through the snow to cut off French supply lines. He fought on snowshoes, he ranged far behind enemy lines to strike a decisive blow against Canada's Abenaki Indian allies, he was legendary. He was everywhere. He haunted the French and played a key role in ultimate British victory.

I especially enjoyed Ross's focus on the years after the French & Indian War. Many of the promises Rogers had made to recruits--and much of the money he had invested in recruitment--were not supported by the British, and he spent the rest of his life trying to recoup debt he had incurred on behalf of the British military. He held a fascination with the American West and the fabled Northwest Passage that foreshadowed the Lewis & Clark Expedition.

Rogers' conduct during the American Revolution was also bizarre. Unwilling to fully cut ties with the British military, he drew the suspicions of George Washington and Congress. Ultimately he joined with the British and played a key role in arresting the famous American spy, Nathan Hale. Ross's chapter describing the meeting of Rogers and Washington is particularly insightful.

I had never heard about Rogers until recently. This book sated my curiosity and gave me true insights into the tragic life of this early American hero.(less)

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Apr 20, 2011 Benjaminxjackson rated it 4 of 5 stars

This biography of Robert Rogers was an interesting look at colonial America and the changes that were taking place both in North America and in the world during the second half of the 18th century.

The book describes both the life of Robert Rogers and the life of his ranger units that began during the French and Indian War. It describes how Rogers rose from being a small, unsuccessful farmer to a successful military man, and then his decline. Rogers developed the skills that would let him lead f...more This biography of Robert Rogers was an interesting look at colonial America and the changes that were taking place both in North America and in the world during the second half of the 18th century.

The book describes both the life of Robert Rogers and the life of his ranger units that began during the French and Indian War. It describes how Rogers rose from being a small, unsuccessful farmer to a successful military man, and then his decline. Rogers developed the skills that would let him lead frontiersmen in battles and raids against the French and Indians through his life as an outdoorsman and hunter who spent time to learn from and understand Native Americans.

One of the interesting things in the book is its descriptions of the troubles that Rogers faced with the British Army because he and his men were provincials, and because they did not have any pedigree. Couple that with the antagonism that always seems to exist between elite forces and member sof the regular army, and it is not hard to see that Rogers would face struggles with getting his troops their due support from the British army.

Rogers himself is an interesting character in that he tries to take on new ways of doing things and see beyond the conventional wisdom of the day. This trait led him to work to befriend the Indians, push for an exploration to the West Coast of North America to find the Northwest passage, and to write plays with Native Americans as heroes and books about the continent and its natural history.

It is worth noting, too, that the book contains an account of how Rogers captured Nathan Hale for the British during the Americna Revolution.

If there is any drawback to this book, it comes from the old saw about biographers falling in love with their subjects. Rogers is painted as a flawed, but entirely admirable person. Even with Rogers considerable accomplishments, it is hard to see him as being quite so heroic. Some of the passages in the book are also somewhat dramatic, talking about Rogers enjoying the bite of the wind as he sets out ina canoe on a cold day and glowering and pushing his way through inmates in a debtor's prison where he was confined. It is impossible to know these things with any certainty, but Rogers is always depicted as brave, tough, and cool headed. There is even an attempt to rehabilitate him from a distinctly American point of view when Ross asserts that "Rogers was serious abouot serving the rebels and would have fought hard on their behalf" with nothing to back up the assertion.

That criticism aside, I enjoyed the book and would recommend it to history buffs, military history students, and those interested in either the French and Indian War or colonial America.

(less)

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Mar 18, 2010 William Leverne rated it 5 of 5 stars

War on the Run by John F. Ross is subtitled "the epic story of Robert Rogers" - I would suggest it is really "the tragic story of Robert Rogers." This terrific biography of Robert Rogers ably demonstrates his enormous contributions to the British American cause in the French and Indian War. His relationships with a large number of American Indian tribes and his adaptation of the war tactics they used to create the first American based ranger units are the heart of the story. Unfortunately, these...more

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Nov 21, 2012 Lee rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: history, us-history

An Excellent biography of Robert Rogers a colonial who fought valiantly for the British during the French and Indian War earning himself a commission in the British Army something even Georgge Washington was unable to do. Rogers known for using unorthodox tactics normally used by the Native Americans adopted these tactics for his Rangers setting a precedent that is followed by Special Forces to this day. The book details his long marches and hit and run tactics wreaking havoc among the French an...more

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Jul 11, 2012 Jim rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book is well worth reading. This biography of Robert Rogers gives him due credit for developing small unit tactics that became the inspiration for the U.S. Army Rangers. He was well known both in England and America as well as being feared and respected by the French and their Indian allies. At a time when the English were suffering defeat after defeat, Rogers' Rangers took the war to the French and beat them at their own game. Rogers was a good woodsman, respected the Indians and adapted t...more This book is well worth reading. This biography of Robert Rogers gives him due credit for developing small unit tactics that became the inspiration for the U.S. Army Rangers. He was well known both in England and America as well as being feared and respected by the French and their Indian allies. At a time when the English were suffering defeat after defeat, Rogers' Rangers took the war to the French and beat them at their own game. Rogers was a good woodsman, respected the Indians and adapted their tactics. His raid on St. Francois was the only long distance raid on French Canada.

Rogers enemies weren't limited to the French and Indians. The British military could be just as bad. Rogers went bankrupt paying and supplying his soldiers out of his own pocket and then the British military refused to fully reimburse him because of his sloppy record keeping and because of personal grudges by British commanders. The relief column bringing supplies to Rogers' starving soldiers abandoned their rendezvous a day before Rogers arrived. Only 2 English commanders understood and respected Rogers, Augustus Viscount Howe (Sir William Howe's older brother, killed at Ft. Carillon, Ticonderoga) and Sir Jeffrey Amherst.

Rogers led the expedition from Montreal that accepted the French surrender at Detroit. He encountered Chief Pontiac and respected him so much that Rogers later made him the hero of a play that he wrote. Rogers was the commander at Ft. Michilimackinac. He won the respect of the Indian tribes and traders. But he was arrested for treason and other trumped up charges but his court martial found him not guilty.

Before his arrest, Rogers became obsessed with launching expeditions to discover the Northwest Passage (later the subject of a novel by Kenneth Roberts and a movie starring Spencer Tracy). After his release he went to England but was thrown into debtor's prison. He made his way back to America at the start of the American Revolution. The Americans didn't trust him because he was still a British officer on half-pay but he would've been willing to serve for the Americans. Instead Washington wrote to the Continental Congress recommending that he be arrested. Rogers escaped and went on to lead a Tory militia unit. He was instrumental in discovering & capturing Nathan Hale as a spy.

Unfortunately Rogers' career went downhill from there. The book is sketchy in parts because so little is known about portions of Rogers' life. In fact, no one knows what he looked like because he never had his portrait painted nor did anyone who wrote about him at the time describe his looks other than that he was 6' tall and powerfully built.

The appendices to the book include Rogers' 28 Rules of Rangering that he wrote for the British military during the French & Indian War, the letter from a supposed French spy (which Rogers never responded to) that led to the treason charge, and Washington's letter to the Continental Congress.(less)

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Sep 24, 2009 Chris rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: biography

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...more

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Jan 03, 2012 Greg rated it 4 of 5 stars

Other than a minimal understanding of the French and Indian War (we are taught in school that its monetary demands led to the imposition of taxation and other British policies fomenting the Revolutionary War, and that George Washington served in it), I had very little knowledge of this early American hero and his contributions. Having picked up this book off the bargain rack, I was thoroughly surprised both by the quality of the writing as well as the truly tragic story of the man himself.

Robert...more Other than a minimal understanding of the French and Indian War (we are taught in school that its monetary demands led to the imposition of taxation and other British policies fomenting the Revolutionary War, and that George Washington served in it), I had very little knowledge of this early American hero and his contributions. Having picked up this book off the bargain rack, I was thoroughly surprised both by the quality of the writing as well as the truly tragic story of the man himself.

Robert Rogers exceeded the plaudits of any provincial American before him, rising from a poor New Hampshire farmer of Scotch-Irish descent to an officer in the British army whose fame had spread to both sides of the Atlantic.

The early part of the biography focuses on the makeup of Rogers, and his talent for recruiting men, understanding the situation, and adapting seamlessly to lead men to success. The French and Indian War provided Rogers with the opportunity to reinvent modern warfare for North American woods. Adapting techniques learned from the Native Americans themselves, Rogers was successful where British regulars were not, and in a sense he "invented" the Rangers and their early rules of organization and warfare. His success was also in a sense his undoing, as he incurred large debts employing his men on the assumption of British repayment that never came, all the while earning the jealousy of the gentlemen officers from Great Britain that saw him as an untrustworthy and low-born upstart. The personal animosity that men such as Gage had for him was something that the other major American hero from the time, George Washington, never had to deal with. Other than a passing reference - Ross does not explore this fully, instead focusing on the wrongs Rogers suffered but not necessarily ascribing why.

His later career and personal life were truly tragic. While he made great contributions to the idea of western expansion and opportunity, the dream of continental exploration that Jefferson would pick up later, and essentially a travel manual that did not demonize the Native Americans, his personal misfortunes led him into debtor's prison.

Clearly, the main reason he isn't listed among the pantheon of mythologized American fathers is his ambiguous approach to the Revolutionary War. Having spent years in Britain in prison, he missed the marked changes in attitudes of the American people. On his return, he traveled the country looking to recoup his debts rather than make commitments with Revolutionaries or Loyalists. Unfortunately for Rogers, this led to Washington's assessment that he could not be trusted, and Rogers ended up on the side of the British - his last major contribution being the personal discovery and arrest of Hale as an American spy.

Rogers was a flawed man, and Ross, while addressing the flaws, clearly takes a defensive posture. This is probably due to the unfair portrayal he has received, but a more balanced reading of the history is probably called for. Ross's writing style is very good narrative history. This book his highly recommended.(less)

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Jan 16, 2011 Pamela rated it 5 of 5 stars

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...more 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. (less)

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Sep 26, 2009 Mike rated it 1 of 5 stars

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...more

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Jul 11, 2010 Chuck rated it 4 of 5 stars

A highly accessible book on Robert Rogers and his contributions to American history in the French and Indian war and American Revolution. Rogers is widely considered a founder of Special Operations Forces in America.

It is well written and concentrates on the man and his experiences rather than on battles, tactics, and military details.

I would recommend this book if you are interested in the French and Indian War and have heard about Robert Rogers but don't know much else about him.

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Jul 03, 2011 Julia Spencer-Fleming rated it 5 of 5 stars

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!

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Aug 04, 2012 John rated it 4 of 5 stars

Another great book about an oft overlooked period of our country's development. Roger's Rangers Rangers are often mentioned in our HS and college history survey books but yet is so little is known about them and/or their leader. A captivating book.

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Oct 30, 2012 Paul rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book, but be warned - it's not for the squeamish! This was an eye-opening and unflinching account of the brutal reality of both eighteenth century warfare and wilderness survival.

Rogers was an extraordinary individual, whose accomplishments have had far-reaching effects on the American military. Ross has done an great job of dusting off the story and reputation of a man that should have far outlived his time.

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Jul 28, 2011 M_latimer added it

I liked this book. Robert Rogers was the first special forces soldier. His rules for warfare are still followed today. He was great at war and not so great at peace.

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Sep 07, 2009 James rated it 5 of 5 stars

Very readable account of the role Rogers played in the French and Indian War and the Revolutionary War.

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Jul 14, 2009 Tom rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: american-history, british-history

A great book on Rogers, the French and Indian war in the Northeast, and British tactics (or lack thereof). Ross paints a good picture of several important figures of this period. I would balance this book with O'Toole"s "White Savage" on William Johnson and any of Fred Anderson's books on the F&I war.

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Oct 14, 2009 Xdw rated it 1 of 5 stars

engaging first third. attempt at revisionism in second half is weak.

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Jul 15, 2009 Rose Ann rated it 2 of 5 stars

Very dry.

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Apr 01, 2012 Steven added it

Very good detail so far. Like the info on Maj Rogers early years.

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Jun 07, 2013 Mnrlpt210 rated it 3 of 5 stars

Jun 05, 2013 Stan rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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About John F. Ross

John 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...more

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