<P> Rangers in North America served in the 17th and 18th - century wars between colonists and Native American tribes . The British regulars were not accustomed to frontier warfare and so Ranger companies were developed . Rangers were full - time soldiers employed by colonial governments to patrol between fixed frontier fortifications in reconnaissance, providing early warning of raids . In offensive operations, they were scouts and guides, locating villages and other targets for task forces drawn from the militia or other colonial troops . </P> <P> The father of American ranging is Colonel Benjamin Church (c. 1639--1718). He was the captain of the first Ranger force in America (1676). Church was commissioned by Plymouth Colony Governor Josiah Winslow to form the first ranger company for King Philip's War . He later employed the company to raid Acadia during King William's War and Queen Anne's War . </P> <P> Benjamin Church designed his force primarily to emulate Native American patterns of war . Toward this end, he endeavored to learn from Native Americans how to fight like Native Americans . Americans became rangers exclusively under the tutelage of the Indian allies . (Until the end of the colonial period, rangers depended on Indians as both allies and teachers .) Church developed a special full - time unit mixing white colonists, selected for frontier skills, with friendly Native Americans to carry out offensive strikes against hostile Native Americans in terrain where normal militia units were ineffective . </P> <P> Under Church served the father and grandfather of two famous rangers of the eighteenth century: John Lovewell and John Gorham, respectively . Rogers' Rangers was established in 1751 by Major Robert Rogers, who organized nine Ranger companies in the American colonies . These early American light infantry units organized during the French and Indian War were called "Rangers" and are often considered to be the spiritual birthplace of the modern Army Rangers . </P>

The new england colonist fought which conflict without the aid of colonial powers