Wikipedia / List of guerrillas
Wikipedia / List of guerrillas
List of notable guerrilla activists, ordered by country:
Afghanistan
Guerrilla leader | Movement | War |
Albania
Guerrilla leader | Movement | War |
Albanian feudal leader |
Algeria
Guerrilla leader | Movement | War |
Angola
Guerrilla leader | Movement | War |
Arabia
Guerrilla leader | Movement | War |
Argentina
Guerrilla leader | Movement | War |
Armenia
Assyria
Guerrilla leader | Movement | War |
Austria
Guerrilla leader | Movement | War |
Bangladesh
Guerrilla leader | Movement | War |
Belgium
Guerrilla leader | Movement | War |
Bolivia
Guerrilla leader | Movement | War |
Ejército de Liberation Nacional de Bolivia | ||
Brazil
Guerrilla leader | Movement | War |
Bulgaria
Guerrilla leader | Movement | War |
Cambodia
Guerrilla leader | Movement | War |
Cameroon
Guerrilla leader | Movement | War |
Canada
Other
Charles Deschamps de Boishébert et de Raffetot - Quebec born member of the Compagnies Franches de la Marine who was a leader of the Acadian militia in their resistance to the Expulsion of the Acadians.
Joseph Broussard - also went by the pseudonym Beausoleil.
Chad
Guerrilla leader | Movement | War |
Sudanese warlord | ||
Chechnya
Guerrilla leader | Movement | War |
First Chechen War | ||
Second Chechen War | ||
Second Chechen War | ||
First Chechen War | ||
Second Chechen War | ||
First Chechen War | ||
First Chechen War | ||
Second Chechen War | ||
First Chechen War |
Chile
Guerrilla leader | Movement | War |
China
Guerrilla leader | Movement | War |
Colombia
Guerrilla leader | Movement | War |
Cuba
Guerrilla leader | Movement | War |
Cyprus
Guerrilla leader | Movement | War |
Dagestan
Guerrilla leader | Movement | War |
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Guerrilla leader | Movement | War |
Simba rebel |
Dominican Republic
Guerrilla leader | Movement | War |
Constitutionalist faction | ||
Egypt
Inaros - (Egyptian rebel ruler) together with Athenian allies fought for a year and a half in the marshes in north Egypt against Persians.
El Salvador
Guerrilla leader | Movement | War |
Eritrea
Guerrilla leader | Movement | War |
Estonia
Guerrilla leader | Movement | War |
Ethiopia
Guerrilla leader | Movement | War |
Finland
France
François le Clerc - 16th-century French privateer known as "Jambe de Bois" (Peg Leg) who is credited as the first pirate in the modern era to have a "peg leg".
Charles Deschamps de Boishébert et de Raffetot - Quebec born member of the Compagnies Franches de la Marine who was a leader of the Acadian militia in the resistance to the Expulsion of the Acadians.
Pierre Georges - member of the French Communist Party during World War II
Frisia
Germany
Arminius - Germanic chieftain who orchestrated the legendary ambush against the Romans at the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest.
Klein Henszlein - German pirate from 1560 to 1573 who raided shipping in the North Sea
Otto Skorzeny - Austrian elite operative who conducted unconventional operations in World War II for Nazi Germany
Greece
Guatemala
Guerrilla leader | Movement | War |
Haiti
India
Indonesia
Guerrilla leader | Movement | War |
Iran
Guerrilla leader | Movement | War |
Iraq
Guerrilla leader | Movement | War |
Ireland
Guerrilla leader | Movement | War |
Provisional Irish Republican Army and later Irish National Liberation Army | ||
Loyalist Volunteer Force (LVF) | ||
Israel
Guerrilla leader | Movement | War |
Italy
Licio Visintini - decorated Italian naval officer who conducted unconventional amphibious warfare like missions against allied shipping in World War II
Japan
Other
Korea
Japanese invasions of Korea (1592–1598)
Japanese colonial rule of Korea
Others
Kosovo
Guerrilla leader | Movement | War |
Kenya
Guerrilla leader | Movement | War |
Mau Mau rebels | ||
Kurdish regions
Guerrilla leader | Movement | War |
Laos
Guerrilla leader | Movement | War |
Hmong rebels | ||
Phu Mi Bun Movement | ||
Latvia
Guerrilla leader | Movement | War |
Pēteris Dzelzītis |
Lebanon
Guerrilla leader | Movement | War |
Lesotho
Guerrilla leader | Movement | War |
BCP insurgency |
Liberia
Guerrilla leader | Movement | War |
First Liberian Civil War |
Libya
Guerrilla leader | Movement | War |
Lithuania
Guerrilla leader | Movement | War |
Malaysia
Guerrilla leader | Movement | War |
Mexico
Guerrilla leader | Movement | War |
Mongolia
Morocco
Guerrilla leader | Movement | War |
Mozambique
Guerrilla leader | Movement | War |
Mozambican Civil War | ||
Mozambican War of Independence | ||
Mozambican Civil War | ||
Mozambican War of Independence | ||
Frelimo (1972–1975) | Mozambican Civil War | |
Renamo (1975–1979) | Mozambican War of Independence |
Myanmar
Namibia
Nepal
Guerrilla leader | Movement | War |
Netherlands
Michiel Andrieszoon - Dutch buccaneer active in the 1680s.
Nicaragua
Guerrilla leader | Movement | War |
Nigeria
Guerrilla leader | Movement | War |
Ijaw militia | ||
Norway
Guerrilla leader | Movement | War |
Pakistan
Guerrilla leader | Movement | War |
Kalat insurgents | ||
Palestine
Guerrilla leader | Movement | War |
Peru
Guerrilla leader | Movement | War |
Philippines
Juan Pajota - Filipino guerrilla leader who played a major role in the Raid at Cabanatuan
Poland
Avraham Stern (from Suwałki; backed by the Polish Army in 1938 & 1939)
Joseph Epstein - Polish born activist who fought for the French Resistance in World War II
Portugal
Romania
Rwanda
Guerrilla leader | Movement | War |
Scotland
First War of Scottish Independence
Second War of Scottish Independence
Others
Andrew Barton (privateer) - notorious Scottish sailor who made raids against Portuguese ships.
Sierra Leone
Guerrilla leader | Movement | War |
Singapore
South Africa
Guerrilla leader | Movement | War |
Soviet Union
Guerrilla leader | Movement | War |
Serb rebels | ||
Spain
Juan Guartem - late 17th century Spanish renegade pirate
Francisco Sabate - El Quico, Anarchist maquis fighter killed in 1960
Sudan
Guerrilla leader | Movement | War |
Suriname
Guerrilla leader | Movement | War |
Syria
Guerrilla leader | Movement | War |
Syrian rebels | ||
Thailand
Tunisia
Turkey
Uganda
Guerrilla leader | Movement | War |
Ukraine
Guerrilla leader | Movement | War |
United Kingdom
Owain Glyndŵr in Wales
Banastre Tarleton – British Cavalry officer of the British Legion (American Revolution) in the American Revolution
Lieutenant Colonel John Graves Simcoe of the Queen's Rangers in the American Revolution
Christopher Carleton – led raids in the American Revolution
Tecumseh – Native-American guerrilla leader who served the British in the War of 1812
James Lucas Yeo – conducted 3 raids. The second British raid at Charlotte, New York, at the mouth of the Genesse River (June 15, 1813). Performed the raid at the battle of Fort Oswego. And the raid at Sodus, New York (June 19, 1813)
T. E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) in Arabia
David Stirling – Scottish born officer who was the founder of the Special Air Service
Tommy Macpherson – Scottish born British-army officer who conducted guerrilla operations in World War II
Roy Farran – in command of Operations Wallace and Hardy
Orde Wingate – (founder of the Chindits) in Palestine and Burma
Mike Calvert – British soldier nicknamed "Mad Mike" who participated in Chindit operations and was influential in promoting the ideas of unconventional warfare by Orde Wingate.
Jack Churchill – British soldier named "Mad Jack" who fought in World War II armed with a longbow, bagpipes, and a Scottish broadsword.
Ursula Graham Bower – led the Nagas against the Japanese during World War II
Nancy Wake – New Zealand born female operative who joined the Special Operations Executive and participated in operations with the French Resistance in World War II
Virginia Hall – American spy who worked with the Special Operations Executive in the European theatre of World War II before joining the American Office of Strategic Services.
Fitzroy Maclean worked with Tito and Yugoslav Partisans during World War II
Ivan Lyon – member of the Z Special Unit
Robert Grainger Ker Thompson – famous British military officer and counter-insurgency expert who served in the Burma Campaign
Robert Grainger Ker Thompson – famous British military officer and counter-insurgency expert
Other
Henry Mainwaring – nicknamed "The Dread Pirate".
Edward Davis (buccaneer) – English buccaneer active in the Caribbean during the 1680s.
William Kyd – 15th-century English pirate active in Southwest England from the 1430s until the 1450s.
John Nutt – notorious 17th-century English pirate who raided the coasts of Southern Canada and Western England for over three years before his capture.
Henry Jennings – 18th-century English privateer from the colony of Bermuda
Samuel Bellamy – "Black Bellamy"
Howell Davis – Welsh pirate
Charles Bellamy – English pirate raided colonial American shipping in New England and later off the coast of Canada.
Blackbeard – one of the most notorious pirates from England
United States
Kingdom of Great Britain, British America, and Native American allies
Kingdom of France, New France, and Native American allies
William Maxwell – American Continental general whose guerrilla actions are notable in the Forage War, Battle of Cooch's Bridge, and Battle of Connecticut Farms.
Timothy Murphy – his exploits of guerrilla-like actions are shown in What Manner of Men: Forgotten Heroes of the American Revolution by Fred J. Cook in Chapter III
Anthony Wayne – led a famous surprise night attack in the Battle of Stony Point.
Adam Hyler – German who immigrated to America and became a privateer harassing the British by destroying ships, capturing crews, and conducting raids.
Jeremiah O'Brien – led the first American attack in the Raid on St. John (1775)
Gustavus Conyngham – Irish-born American officer in the continental navy and a privateer who has been called "the most successful of all Continental Navy Captains."
John Rathbun – officer in the Continental Navy whose most well known exploit was his own raid at Nassau. Not to be confused with the first Raid of Nassau
Jonathan Haraden – his unconventional type of warfare at sea are mentioned in What Manner of Men: Forgotten Heroes of the American Revolution by Fred J. Cook in chapter IX.
Daniel Bissell – American general who used the cover of the woods and tactical maneuvers to successfully raid/destroy the enemy grain and flower in the Battle of Cook's Mills.
William Pinkney – commanded American riflemen who concealed themselves by the shrubbery on the low ground near the river at Bladensburg bridge. Pinckney's concealed riflemen poured deadly volleys into exposed masses of British troops crossing the bridge. This is mentioned in Harper's New Monthly Magazine, Volume 28 edited by Henry Mills Alden page 439. This is also confirmed in a well documented history book Lossing's War of 1812: Lossing’s Pictorial Field Book of the War of 1812 written by Benson Lossing Chapter XXXIX.
Joseph Tarbell – conducted a hit-and-run night attack on the British navy with gunboats and riflemen with mixed or limited results. This is mentioned in the history book The Encyclopedia of the War of 1812: A Political, Social, and Military History by Spencer C. Tucker page 123.
Bill Johnston – Canadian amphibious guerrilla/pirate who fought for the American side.
John Ordronaux – very successful French-born privateer who preyed on British merchant ships, outran about seventeen British warships, and brought back to the US goods worth $250,000 and $300,000.
J. Rowland – raided British shipping and vessels
American volunteers, Texan Revolutionaries, and allies
William B. Travis – commander of the Texans at the Fall of the Alamo.
Davy Crockett – famous frontiersmen, fought and died at the Fall of the Alamo.
Manuel Fernández Castrillón – used his fellow Mexican marksmen to snipe and harass the Texan insurgents in the Siege of Béxar. Mentioned in Texian Iliad: A Military History of the Texas Revolution by Stephen L. Hardin in Chapter 5.
Joseph Marion Hernandez – commanded an American force that made two successful stealthy raids/assaults on the Seminoles. Mentioned in History of the Second Seminole war, 1835–1842 by John K. Mahon pages 211-214
Andrew Jackson – disguised his ship with a British flag to lure Hillis Hadjo into a trap and successful capture.
Seminoles and their allies
Osceola – Native American freedom fighter
Ar-pi-uck-i – Seminole guerrilla leader who used cover, concealment, and evasive tactics in Lake Okeechobee, Loxahtchee, and Pine Island Ridge
Fabius Stanly – American naval lieutenant who led raids against the Mexican armed forces.
Joseph Lane – United States Army American general who led a hit and run surprise attack on the Mexican armed forces at the Skirmish at Matamoros
John Coffee Hays – Hay's well planned ambush mentioned in Mixed Blessing: the Role of the Texas Rangers in the Mexican War, 1846–1848 written by Ian B. Lyles, pages 43–44
Albert G. Blanchard – feigned retreat luring the Mexicans into John Coffee Hays' ambush in Mixed Blessing: the Role of the Texas Rangers in the Mexican War, 1846–1848 written by Ian B. Lyles, pages 43–44
Ezekiel "Stuttering Zeke" Merritt – conducted a hit-and-run raid capturing 170 horses. Mentioned in historic book Bear Flag Lieutenant: The Life Story of Henry L. Ford [1822-1860] written by Fred Blackburn Rogers page 263.
Henry Ford – conducted 3 incursions/raids on enemy houses/bases destroying enemy weapons, capturing prisoners, and rescuing hostages before returning to friendly lines. Mentioned in Bear Flag Lieutenant: The Life Story of Henry L. Ford (1822–1860) written by Fred Blackburn Rogers pages 268–270.
Jose Mariano Salas – Mexican commander who commanded Mexican partisans called "Guerrillas of Vengeance" which is mentioned in the history book "U.S. Army Campaigns of the Mexican War" page 15.
Manuel Pineda Munoz – commanded Mexican forces that used guerrilla tactics in the Battle of Mulegé
John Hanson McNeill – led an independent irregular Confederate military company called McNeill's Rangers commissioned under the Partisan Ranger Act
Adam Rankin Johnson – gained notoriety for his incursion known as the Newburgh Raid where he gained the nickname "Stovepipe Johnson"
Joseph C. Porter – Confederate officer who was a key leader in the guerrilla campaigns in northern Missouri
Jack Hinson – Confederate partisan sniper
John Jackson Dickison – at times called by scholars or historians as "the Swamp Fox of the Confederacy" or "the Confederate Swamp Fox"
William McWaters – Confederate guerrilla who with his fellow bushwackers conducted a successful but controversial sabotage mission known as the Platte Bridge Railroad Tragedy
Samuel C. Means – captain of the Loudoun Rangers
Harriet Tubman – female African American who infiltrated slave territory bringing slaves to safe zones, played a major role in the Raid on Combahee Ferry, and provided critical intelligence to the Union.
James Montgomery – Union Jayhawker who was in command of the Union forces in the Raid on Combahee Ferry and conducted other raids against the confederates.
Gouverneur K. Warren – Union Army general who executed a deadly ambush in the Battle of Bristoe Station
John R. Kelso – his exploits of covert guerilla-like actions are mentioned in his book Bloody Engagements: John R. Kelso's Civil War written by himself.
Powder River Expedition (1865)
Patrick E. Connor – American brigadier general who led a surprise raid-like incursion in the Battle of the Tongue River; the incursion has had some controversy and debate.
Jim Bridger – army scout alongside Frank North who scouted and discovered the Arapaho village allowing Patrick E. Connor to make his controversial surprise attack in the Battle of the Tongue River
Frank North – led a successful dawn surprise-like attack with his Pawnee Scouts on the Cheyenne which became known as the Powder River Massacre which also might have some controversy or debate.
Red Cloud – very important leader of the Oglala Lakota people.
Dull Knife – great chief of the Cheyenne who alongside Red Cloud harassed the Americans at the Battle of Bone Pile Creek.
Roman Nose – alongside Sitting Bull led the Native Americans in ambushing, harassing, and skirmishing against the U.S. armed forces in the Powder River Battles
Billy Chinook – chief and member of the Wasco tribe and served the United States as a First Sergeant of the U.S. Army Wasco Scouts
Frank North – organized and commanded the Pawnee Scouts
Wesley Merritt – planned an ambush which let to little to no high body count in the Battle of Warbonnet Creek
George Morton Randall – American Captain who led a well coordinated surprise attack on the Apache and their allies in the Battle of Turret Peak.
James Henry Tevis – pioneer who led a militia of 30 men in a surprise attack on the Apache in the Battle of the Mimbres River
Apache and their allies
Mangas Coloradas – Apache tribal chief who led raids and ambushes against the Mexicans and Americans
Cochise – chief or leader of the Chokonen band of the Chiricahua Apache who also led raids and ambushes against the Mexicans and Americans
Geronimo – Native American freedom fighter
Frederick Funston – American brigadier general who planned, led, and executed the raid that captured Emilio Aguinaldo.
United States Armed Forces – led a rear surprise attack/ambush decimating an army of would be ambushers in the Battle of Lonoy
Elwell Stephen Otis – American commander of a hit-and-run raid-like mission that successfully destroyed a Filipino artillery gun in the Battle of Olongapo
Theodore Roosevelt Jr. – planned and ordered a successful raid at Cantigny that captured 33 prisoners and documents with intelligence. This is mentioned in Infantry in Battle by Charles T. Lanham, pages 43–47
John L. Barkley – his exploit of surprising/ambushing and decimating an army of Germans are mentioned in his memoir written by himself and an article One Man’s Ambush written by Edward G. Lengel
United States occupation of the Dominican Republic
Richard Wainwright – was in command of a commando amphibious raid in the Santo Domingo Affair
Ernest Calvin Williams – American marine who led a commando like assault in the Battle of San Francisco de Macoris
United States occupation of Nicaragua
Harold C. Roberts – surprised bandits, used fire and maneuver tactics including use of cover, and attempted an ambush.
United States occupation of Haiti
Ross Lindsey Iams – took part with Samuel Gross in Smedley Butler's surprise raid like commando assault in the Battle of Fort Rivière
Aaron Bank – famous officer of the Office of Strategic Services who is considered the founder of the United States Army Special Forces also known as the "Green Berets".
Donald Blackburn – American advisor to the Philippine Commonwealth Army who conducted a guerrilla insurgency on the island of Luzon against the Japanese.
Evans Carlson – commander of the Marine Raiders whose notable unconventional warfare type of successes were the Raid on Makin Island and the Carlson's patrol.
William Orlando Darby – United States Army officer who led the famous "Darby's Rangers" which would evolve into the U.S. Army Rangers.
Joseph Beyrle – American paratrooper who conducted his own sabotage like warfare behind German lines before fighting alongside the Red Army after escaping German captivity a few times.
Wendell Fertig – American civil engineer who organized and commanded an America-Filipino guerrilla army on the Japanese – occupied, southern Philippine island of Mindanao.
Roger Hilsman – American who served in the Merrill's Marauders and then with the Office of Strategic Services as a guerrilla leader in the China Burma India Theater of World War II
Virginia Hall – American female spy who worked as an agent for the American Office of Strategic Services in Europe after previously working for the British Special Operations Executive.
Russell W. Volckmann – United States Army infantry officer and a leader of the guerrilla resistance in the Philippines and considered a co-founder of the United States Army Special Forces
Hugh B. Miller – U.S. naval officer stranded on an island who systematically ambushed and attacked Japanese soldiers with just hand grenades and a bayonet.
Robert Prince – American officer in the U.S. Army's 6th Ranger Battalion who was the main architect of the plan for the Raid at Cabanatuan.
Henry Mucci – colonel of United States Army Rangers who led the Raid at Cabanatuan with Robert Prince as the planner of the mission.
Jack Hendrick Taylor – sometimes considered or referred to as the "first Navy SEAL".
Richard Winters – took part in an ambush against a German horse drawn supply convoy. Mentioned in Band of Brothers: E Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne, from Normandy to Hitler's Eagle's Nest written by Stephen E. Ambrose page 91. Also mentioned in Brothers in Battle, Best of Friends written by Dick Hill pages 62–64. Conducted a commando-like hit-and-run raid destroying four artillery guns successfully in the Brécourt Manor Assault. And successfully ambushed and wiped out a 7-man German machine gun crew at another battle. Mentioned in Beyond Band of Brothers: The War Memoirs of Major Dick Winters written by Dick Winters pages 137–138.
Colt Terry – whose experience of unconventional warfare in the Korean War before becoming a Green Beret are shown in Colt Terry, Green Beret written by Charles D. Patton published at the Texas A&M University Press
Robert H. Barrow – came up with a cunning tactic that allow his marines to ambush/surprise and kill more than 50 enemy troops. Mentioned in U.S. Marines in the Korean War by Charles Richard Smith pages 203-204
Rudy Boesch – operative in Seal Team 2 in Vietnam War
David Hackworth – involved in the creation and command of Tiger Force
Carlos Hathcock – United States Marine Corps Scout Sniper who has 93 confirmed kills
Tony Poe – legendary paramilitary officer in Vietnam from the CIA's Special Activities Division
Colt Terry – one of the original Green Berets whose successful unconventional type of warfare exploits are mentioned in his official biography Colt Terry, Green Beret written by Charles D. Patton published at the Texas A&M University Press.
Roy Boehm – first officer in charge of Seal Team two.
Tony Poe – legendary paramilitary officer in Vietnam from the CIA's Special Activities Division
United States invasion of Grenada
United States Invasion of Panama
Francis J. Wiercinski – took part in a successful ambush wiping out nine enemy combatants while commanding his unit alongside a U.S. Special Operations Force team. Mentioned in A Different Kind of War: The US Army in Operation Enduring Freedom: October 2001 – September 2005 by Donald Wright pages 148–149.
Jonathan Idema – controversial American non commissioned reserve special operations vigilante.
Carl Higbie – led the raid capturing the Butcher of Fallujah. Author of Enemies, Foreign & Domestic: A SEAL's Story and Battle on the Home Front.
Thomas Payne – took part in a successful commando raid that rescued 70 prisoners and killed 20 enemies in Operation Inherent Resolve.
Others
Michael G. Vickers – legendary paramilitary officer in first Afghan war from the CIA's Special Activities Division
Touch the Clouds – Native American warrior
Orlando Bosch – Cuba, America and South America
Nat Turner – leader of slave rebellion
Daniel Boone – famous frontiersmen, Indian fighter, and American Revolutionary War hero.
Apache Kid – renegade Apache during the Renegade period of the Apache Wars
Dan Seavey – also known as "Roaring" Dan Seavey" who was a notorious timber pirate involved in poaching, human trafficking, and hijacking etc.
Lewis Wetzel – scout, frontiersman, and Indian fighter
William Hardin – American Revolutionary War soldier, farmer, rancher, marksman, hunter, and Native American killer
Caesar (Planet of the Apes) Notable commander of an army which included guerillas
Uruguay
Guerrilla leader | Movement | War |
Venezuela
Gustavo Machado Morales - founder of the Communist Party of Venezuela
Rafael Simón Urbina - Venezuelan rebel who waged a guerrilla insurgency against the dictator Juan Vicente Gómez
Vietnam
Guerrilla leader | Movement | War |
Western Sahara
Guerrilla leader | Movement | War |
Yugoslavia
Guerrilla leader | Movement | War |
Royal Patriotic Army of Yugoslavia | ||
Zimbabwe
Guerrilla leader | Movement | War |
See also
References
External links