IntroductionDuring the French and Indian War (1754-1763), the French exploited Indian raids to attack British settlements along the entire eastern seaboard. These efforts were successful in checking British colonial expansion. In response, Britain occupied forts in upstate New York with the hope that their conventional forces would inhibit Indian raids. These forts failed because they only controlled the area within musket range of their walls. The British turned to Robert Rogers and his rangers. Colonial rangers were accustomed to the privations of wilderness combat. They had a personal interest in the war in their backyard. At ease in the woods, the rangers fought to win. In the fall of 1759, Rogers and two hundred rangers walked 150 miles through the French-controlled wilderness to attack the Indian town of Saint Francis.1 The action was a remarkable model for future special operations. raids. The ability to materialize where not expected and strike a blow has changed the dynamics of war. The English won the offensive and it was the French and their allies who had to fear the darkness on the fringes of civilization. History The raid on San Francesco can be described in terms of sociopolitical context. The French, British, Indians, and colonists all had different goals and motivations. The British colonists were religious outcasts and misfits who came to the new world to escape persecution and social evils. Britain saw the colonies as a place to send dissenters and never do well. The English settlers were not agents of the crown but settlers looking for land to start over. The British government's primary interest in America was to protect its colonists and enable them to produce goods, especially lumber, cotton, and tobacco. As a result, native ranger privileges... middle of paper... inking and relaxed passes were common.13 During the raid, this sense of entitlement caused a problem. After the fall of St. Francis, Rogers told his men to gather food for the march home. Many rangers ignored this order and instead filled their packs with valuables. This was the victor's right in the frontier war. Rogers' men felt they deserved reward for their fight. The rangers had performed superbly, and Rogers was reluctant to deny them the spoils of war. In retrospect, food would have been a wiser choice and would have prevented many deaths. Robert Rogers and his rangers are an excellent example of special operations and their use. Many lessons can be learned from the incursion against St. Francis. To this day, special operations organizations trace their legacy to Robert Rogers and his use of unconventional warfare in the French and Indian War.