The Battle on Snowshoes

Roger's Rangers lead the way

Robert Rogers, the founding leader and namesake of Rogers' Rangers, in a 1776 painting. Believed to be the only known portrait from Roger’s lifetime.

On this day in January, 1757, Captain Robert Rogers and a band of his rangers, a legendary group of colonial soldiers, fought a fierce battle on snowshoes during the French and Indian War. Despite being outnumbered and outgunned by a mixed troop of French regulars, Canadien militiamen, and Indians, the Rangers were able to outmaneuver their enemies and emerge victorious. Their mastery of snowshoe tactics and wilderness survival skills proved to be a decisive advantage in the snowy terrain. The battle on snowshoes solidified the reputation of the Rodgers Rangers as one of the most elite fighting units of the colonial era.