American colonial frontiersman. His service to the people of New England in their struggles against the indigenous population and the French colonialists is far better known than his later service as a Loyalist during the American Revolutionary War.
Because of his legal troubles in Britain, Robert Rogers missed the major events in the disaffected colonies. When he heard that revolution was likely to break out, he returned to America in 1775. The Americans were as out of touch with Rogers as he was with them. Looking upon him as the noted ranger leader, and expecting him to behave as one, they were at a total loss to explain his drunken and licentious behavior. At that time, Rogers was perhaps suffering from the alcoholism that blighted his later life and led to the loss of his family, land, money and friends.
Exactly what transpired between the revolutionary leaders and Rogers is unclear. Rogers was arrested by the local Committee of Safety as a possible spy and released on parole that he would not serve against the colonies. He was offered a commission in the Revolutionary Army by the Continental Congress, but declined on the grounds that he was a British officer. He later wrote to George Washington asking for a command, but instead Washington had him arrested.
In short, Rogers behaved neither as a returned countryman nor as a potential revolutionary. He did not return to New Hampshire to resume life with Elizabeth. Instead, he wandered the countryside talking with various persons, both loyalist and revolutionary. He claimed to have a pass from Congress and often stated contradictory political views. Perhaps his behavior was not that of a spy, as Washington concluded, but of a broken man, a shadow of his former self. When conversing with others, he always seemed to be in or coming from a tavern, where he drank heavily.