The Westmoreland Rangers and “The Suffering Fruntears” Like many whose charge was to defend America’s back door, the men and women from Pennsylvania’s westernmost county of Old Westmoreland were called to duty well before war broke out in Boston, and remained on duty long after the British surrendered at Yorktown
An Arduous Service: The Pennsylvania Backcountry Soldiers Revolution On September 30, 1839, Peter Keister made the following deposition about his service in the American Revolution as a ranger on the Pennsylvania frontier: The Indians would take advantage of any temporary absence of the rangers and burn property, kill and make prisoners, and drive off cattle
Frontier rangers from Northumberland County, PA During the American Revolution there were two major frontier political divisions in Pennsylvania which bore the brunt of Indian warfare: Northumberland and Westmoreland Counties
Rangers in Colonial and Revolutionary America - RootsWeb In the original concept rangers were full-time soldiers employed by the colonial governments to "range" between fixed frontier fortifications as a reconnaissance system to provide early warning of hostile raids
War on the Pennsylvania Frontier: Part 2 of 5: Captain Phillips . . . In July, 1780, Colonel John Piper, commanding the militia at Fort Bedford, learned of a Native American war party in the area He assembled a group of rangers to patrol nearby, and sent orders for militia Captain William Phillips to do the same to the north
Cluggages Ranging Company - TRG Creations The Rangers were armed with the deadly Pennsylvania Long Rifle and were clothed in hunting shirts and Indian leggings The company saw service from 1779-1780 when a small detachment garrisoned Fort Roberdeau through the winter to guard military stores located there
History of Westmoreland County, Chapter 11 - PA-Roots He did valiant service on frontier and in a number of expeditions against the Indians, and during the war was attached to the Thirteenth Virginia regiment, part of which was stationed at Fort Pitt
Chapter XXI Lochrys Disaster - PA-Roots In the spring of 1781 the General Assembly of Pennsylvania voted the formation of four companies of rangers, to be enlisted and employed in the northern and western counties for the remainder of the war One of these companies was allotted to Westmoreland, and was raised by Captain Thomas Stokely
Here Lies a Revolutionary War Soldier: Leonard Welker These raids led to the county recruiting special rangers, who served long enlistments on the frontier to counter Iroquois attacks Leonard Welker enlisted as a ranger Although surviving