ROBERT ROGERS' STANDING ORDERS

FOLLOWING TRADITIONS OF THE PAST

The first Rangers were formed in Europe during the Middle Ages to protect the land, under the direction of their king, searching for bandits and criminals. Modern day Rangers continue this tradition of “ranging” to their targets, using high-performance aircraft and vehicles to confront their opponents where they least expect it. Here are Rogers' Standing Orders:

1. Don’t forget nothing.

2. Have your musket clean as a whistle, hatchet scoured, sixty rounds powder and ball, and be ready to march at a minute’s warning.

3. When you are on the march, act the way you would if you were sneaking up on a deer. See the enemy first.

4. Tell the truth about what you see and what you do. There is an army depending on us for correct information. You can lie all you please when you tell other folks about the rangers, but don’t never lie to a ranger or officer.

5. Don’t never take a chance you don’t have to.

6. When we’re on march we march single file, far enough apart so no one shot can go through two men.

7. If we strike swamps, or soft ground, we spread out abreast, so it’s hard to track us.

8. When we march, we keep moving till dark, so as to give the enemy the least possible chance at us.

9. When we camp, half the party stays awake while the other half sleeps.

10. If we take prisoners, we keep ‘em separate till we have time to examine them, so they can’t cook up a story between ‘em.

11. Don’t ever march home the same way. Take a different route so you won’t be ambushed.

12. No matter whether we travel in big parties or little ones, each party has to keep a scout 20 yards ahead, 20 yards on each flank, and 20 yards in the rear, so the main body can’t be surprised and wiped out.

13. Every night you’ll be told where to meet if surrounded by a superior force.

14. Don’t sit down to eat without posting sentries.

15. Don’t sleep beyond dawn. Dawn’s when the French and Indians attack.

16. Don’t cross a river at a regular ford.

17. If somebody’s trailing you, make a circle, come back onto your own tracks, and ambush the folks that aim to ambush you.

18. Don’t stand up when the enemy’s coming against you. Kneel down, lie down, hide behind a tree.

19. Let the enemy come till he’s almost close enough to touch. Then let him have it and jump out and finish him up with your hatchet. 

REVISED FROM MAJOR ROBERT ROGERS'

"28 RULES OF RANGING",c. 1789