75th Ranger Regiment (United States) - Origin

Origin

American Ranger history predates the Revolutionary War with Ethan Allen and his guerilla fighting group The Green Mountain Boys in Vermont. Captain Benjamin Church formed Church's Rangers, which fought hostile Native American tribes during King Philip's War. Major Robert Rogers formed a Ranger unit in 1757 to fight during the French and Indian War. They would become known as the "Rogers' Rangers." The Continental Congress formed eight companies of expert riflemen in 1775 to fight in the Revolutionary War. In 1777, this force of hardy frontiersmen commanded by Dan Morgan was known as The Corps of Rangers. Francis Marion, "The Swamp Fox", organized another famous Revolutionary War Ranger element known as "Marion's Partisans."

During the War of 1812, companies of United States Rangers were raised from among the frontier settlers as part of the regular Army. Throughout the war, they patrolled the frontier from Ohio to Western Illinois on horseback and by boat. They participated in many skirmishes and battles with the British and their American Indian allies. The American Civil War included Rangers such as John Singleton Mosby who was the most famous Confederate Ranger during the Civil War. His company's raids on Union camps and bases were so effective, part of North-Central Virginia soon became known as Mosby's Confederacy.

After the Civil War, more than half a century passed without military Ranger units in the United States.