Butler's Rangers in the American Revolution

Soldier in Butler's Rangers

In June 1776 Sir John Johnson led 200 of his friends, his tenants and some Mohawks and left the Mohawk Valley of New York. After 19 days of near-starvation they arrived at St. Regis. Continuing on to Chambly he was given permission to raise the 1st. Batallion of the Kings Royal Regiment of New York, also known as the King's Royal Yorkers; Johnson's Greens; the Royal Greens and Sir John's Corps.

On Aug. 6 1777 at Oriskany, forces under Sir John Johnson's command including 150 KKRNY, 40 Indian Department Rangers commanded by Major John Butler (later reorganized as Butler's Rangers), 50 German riflemen and many Mohawks and Senecas ambushed 800 militia on their way to Fort Stanwix. 400 rebels were killed.

Three of my ancestors fought in Butler's Rangers - Isaac Vollick, his son Cornelius Vollick, and Cornelius' father-in-law Jonas Larroway.

In September 1777, Butler's Rangers was formally organized with eight companies, several of them doing special duty with the natives. They began their raids of the Mohawk Valley, Ohio, Pennsylvania and other areas.
Butler's Rangers Roster rolls are incomplete. In 1778 only half the corps had been recruited. By war's end (1783) the Ranger corps was at full strength with about 519 men on the roster.

See the list of Men formerly in Sir John Johnson's Brigade