Frontier Partisans

The Adventurers, Rangers and Scouts Who Fought the Battles of Empire

Arthur — Celtic Warlord

, by

Properly told, the tale of the warlord Arthur’s defense of a Roman-Celtic Britain from invading Angles and Saxons is one of the great Frontier Partisans epics of all time. When I say properly told, I’m talking about hill forts and trading villages, barbarian raiders and Celtic light cavalry. Forest and fen and the old magic of Britain. None of that … [Read more...] about Arthur — Celtic Warlord

‘A Fair Opportunity Of Making An Impression’ — The Battles Of The Long Knife — Part III

, by

George Rogers Clark’s March to Vincennes (in modern Indiana) stands as one of the great epics of the Ranging Way of War. With 170 light infantry and no artillery, he set out to recapture Fort Sackville from British Lt. Governor Henry Hamilton, who not only held a fortified position but also outnumbered Clark’s force with a garrison of British … [Read more...] about ‘A Fair Opportunity Of Making An Impression’ — The Battles Of The Long Knife — Part III

‘A Few Men Well Conducted’ — The Battles Of The Long Knife — Part II

, by

“I carry in my right hand war, and peace in my left... Here is a bloody belt and a white one. Take which you please.” — Lt. Col. George Rogers Clark to assembled chiefs at Cahokia, Illinois, 1778 * Clark’s big reveal of the mission of his tiny force did not go particularly well. A score of his men deserted that night and attempted to make … [Read more...] about ‘A Few Men Well Conducted’ — The Battles Of The Long Knife — Part II

The Iceman Cometh

, by

Perhaps the oldest Frontier Partisans tale of them all is unfolding on screen this month. An Alpine backpacker later named Ötzi was stalked and killed by an arrow in the Italian Alps more than 5,000 years ago. His assailant: unknown. Motive: undetermined (though intact kit tends to rule out robbery). Ötzi may have been the victim of a mountain … [Read more...] about The Iceman Cometh

Ballads Of The Frontier Partisans — There’s Whiskey In The Jar

, by

Me and my mates are rehearsing for a St. Paddy’s gig, so naturally we’re polishing up a set of Celtic-flavored songs. My own Shoot Straight You Bastards. Steve Earle’s Galway Girl. Charlie Robison’s John O’Reilly. Dropkick Murphys’ Rose Tattoo. Gaelic Storm’s magnificent privateer epic Lover’s Wreck. And Whiskey in the Jar. Popularized by The … [Read more...] about Ballads Of The Frontier Partisans — There’s Whiskey In The Jar

Roosevelt, Rondon, and Tarzan: The Brazilian Frontier

, by

By Captain Paul McNamee Frontier Partisans New England Ranging Company (Editor’s Note: Captain McNamee has a particular interest in the wilds of South America. His report on the Roosevelt-Rondon expedition has been recovered from a chest full of documents that was dredged from the River of Lost Souls after a dugout overturned during the … [Read more...] about Roosevelt, Rondon, and Tarzan: The Brazilian Frontier

Getting A Kick Out Of An 18th Century Rifle

, by

A few days back, John H. Bryan, Attorney at Law, posted on Facebook some wonderful pictures of a rare surviving mid-18th Century flintlock rifle of the Virginia school. Without getting too pedantic about it, Pennsylvania rifles tended to have a little more Germanic cast to them, while the Virginia rifles looked a little bit more like English … [Read more...] about Getting A Kick Out Of An 18th Century Rifle

Savage Civil War in New Jersey During the American Revolution

, by

By Rick Schwertfeger, Captain, Frontier Partisans Southern Command This is  Rick Schwertfeger’s seventh article on backcountry, irregular and militia partisans in the American Revolution. * As 5,000 British Redcoats marched down Schraalenburgh’s New Bridge Road on November 21, 1776, a day behind the retreating, disheveled American … [Read more...] about Savage Civil War in New Jersey During the American Revolution