East Florida Rangers

Participants attending St. Augustine’s Colonial Night Watch in 2015

The East Florida Rangers are modeled after the group of Floridians who were organized by Governor Lieutenant Colonel Patrick Tonyn in 1774 as a provincial corps and actually called the East Florida Rangers.  An East Florida Ranger was engaged to serve for 3 years receiving clothing, provisions and 1 shilling a day! The original East Florida Rangers were charged with scouring the woods for enemy, obtaining intelligence, foraging & driving cattle and horses from the disputed border area, cooperating with Indians, defending the outlying plantations and in general performing services that the British regulars were incapable of doing. While the original unit was a mounted corps under the orders of the Governor, our East Florida Rangers do not engage the use of horses.

The purpose of our group is to support the educational programs found in the State of Florida by assisting in historical re-enactments and demonstrations directed at the specific time period of 1775 to 1783 (the period of the American Revolution). For Example, Rangers can often be found assisting the U.S. National Park Service at the Castillo de San Marcos located in St. Augustine Florida.  The East Florida Rangers also periodically step outside of the Revolutionary period of history and can be found assisting Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection at one of the many Seminole Forts that are in Florida.

The East Florida Rangers by its own charter and regulations maintain high standards of safety, sportsmanship, and good fellowship, together with historical appreciation of the era and equipment.  While the original responsibilities of the East Florida Rangers were to represent the British “loyalist” role, our group today may, from time to time, serve to re-enact the “patriot” role when appropriate events or venues allow.

The East Florida Rangers are part of the Historic Florida Militia who operate as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.