Brady's Rangers

The 1780’s Ohio-Kentucky-Pennsylvania Frontier They were the elite-the Delta Force of the 1780’s Frontier, battling the Indian Nations, who were being supplied by the British, trying to stem the flood of settlers into the Ohio Country. These were the United States original Rangers. Their mission was to take on the Indian raiders, fight them frontier fashion. They would track down and strike without warning, any raiding parties connected with attacks on far-flung cabins and settlements in the territory. These dauntless Rangers rescued many children, women and men taken captive by the Indians. Modeled after the famed Roger’s Rangers of the French and Indian War, they would live off the land, venture into hostile territory. More often than not, fight the raiders hand-to-hand to rescue the captives and property stolen by the enemy. The exploits of Sam Brady inspired James Fennimore Cooper years later as he created his fictional character, Hawkeye, after Brady.

“Who has not heard of Brady-captain of the spies? - Of his perilous adventures by field and flood? - Of his hair-breadth escapes in the imminent deadly breach? - Of his chivalrous courage? - Of his unmatched personal activity?’....... “He is emphatically the hero of Western Pennsylvania; and future history bards of this region, when time shall have mellowed the facts of history, will find his name the personification of all that was fearless and fruitful of resources in the hour of danger. His the step that faultered not-the eye that quailed not, even in the terrific scenes of Indian warfare. Many a mother has quieted the fears, and lulled to sleep her infant family, by the assurance that the broad Allegheny, the dividing line between the Indians and Whites, was watched by the gallant captain and his Rangers; and to their apprehensions of death or captivity by the Indians, has replied encouragingly, - ”They dare not move on the river for there lies Brady and the Rangers!” Quotes of Dr. Lyman Draper, as printed in his manuscripts and ‘Sketches of the Life and Adventures of Captain Samuel Brady’, as printed in the ‘Blairsville Record’ and reprinted by S.H. Zahm & CO. Lancaster, Pa. 1891 The exploits of Brady and his Rangers are well documented. The heroic rescues, narrow escapes, the infiltrating the Indian camps, and his famous leap over the Cuyahoga River escaping from capture to the tremendous support of him during his trial, is all true. He and his Rangers protected many people on the Pennsylvania-Ohio frontiers during the Revolutionary War and after. May they never be forgotten.

David Ekardt is a consummate writer/story-teller of tales from the American wilderness and early Revolutionary days. A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, Ekardt grew up in the Ohio River Valley, where some of the greatest legends of the revolutionary-era American frontier walked and fought for freedom. One of his works profiles one of those legends, Sam Brady. In ‘Brady’s Rangers’, Ekardt relates the daring deeds of those dauntless Rangers who daily put their lives on the line to protect the settlers from British-backed Indian raiders. His recent book, ‘Taggert of the Marines’ is about the early Navy and Marines of the Revolutionary War. He has also written an article for the Navy History magazine, ‘U.S.S. Fort Henry, Terror of the Gulf’, about the most successful Union blockade ship off the coast of Florida in the Civil War and her Medal of Honor winner, Marine Sgt. Christopher Nugent. Also, his article ‘A Matter of Honor, the Taking of the Pensacola Naval Yard’, was featured in the Florida Frontier Gazette, history magazine. His article, “Fleet Marines of the Civil War” appeared in the Civil War Historian Magazine. He has an upcoming article, ‘The Great Navy Salt Raids’, which documents the numerous raids by the Navy and Marines on the critical salt production of the South during the Civil War. Ekardt attended Miami University at Oxford, Ohio, where he studied writing. A veteran of the United States Marine Corps, Ekardt served with 1st Radio Battalion, an intelligence unit in Vietnam. David has managed to reunite many members of his old unit and has sponsored reunions for eight years. He recently gave the dedication speech for the memorial plaque for the 1st Radio Battalion Marines who died in Vietnam. The dedication was held at the Cryptology Museum at Corry Station, Pensacola, Florida. Ekardt makes his home on the west coast of Florida where he has raised his two children. He pursues his writing career while working for the State of Florida. He also participates in Civil War reenactments portraying a Marine of that time. He gives talks on the history of the Marines in Florida and the Civil War at the events, special historical events and schools. Ekardt is an avid outdoorsman and has taught archery, canoeing, camping and wilderness survival to many Scouts over the years.