A powered surgical stapler comprising: a housing; an endoscopic portion extending distally from the housing and defining a first longitudinal axis; a drive motor disposed at least partially within the housing; a firing rod disposed in mechanical cooperation with the drive motor; an end effector disposed adjacent a distal portion of the endoscopic portion, wherein the end effector includes a pair of opposing tissue engaging surfaces for deforming a plurality of surgical fasteners through and fastening tissue, the tissue engaging surfaces being movable in relation to one another between an open position and an approximated position in which the tissue engaging surfaces are juxtaposed with each other, the end effector being in mechanical cooperation with the firing rod so that the firing rod drives a surgical function of the end effector; and a main drive switch, the main drive switch includes first and second switches (114a, 114b) wherein the first switch is adapted to activate the drive motor in a first direction to facilitate a first surgical function of the end effector and the second switch is adapted to activate the drive motor in a second direction to facilitate a second surgical function of the end effector, characterized in that the main drive switch is formed as a toggle switch, the first surgical function of the end effector includes advancing the firing rod in a distal direction to move the pair of opposing tissue engaging surfaces into the approximated position and the second surgical function of the end effector includes retracting the firing rod in a proximal direction to move the pair of opposing tissue engaging surfaces into the open position, and further comprising: a third switch for mechanically and/or electrically changing a mode of operation from clamping to firing. a housing; an endoscopic portion extending distally from the housing and defining a first longitudinal axis; a drive motor disposed at least partially within the housing; a firing rod disposed in mechanical cooperation with the drive motor; an end effector disposed adjacent a distal portion of the endoscopic portion, wherein the end effector includes a pair of opposing tissue engaging surfaces for deforming a plurality of surgical fasteners through and fastening tissue, the tissue engaging surfaces being movable in relation to one another between an open position and an approximated position in which the tissue engaging surfaces are juxtaposed with each other, the end effector being in mechanical cooperation with the firing rod so that the firing rod drives a surgical function of the end effector; and a main drive switch, the main drive switch includes first and second switches (114a, 114b) wherein the first switch is adapted to activate the drive motor in a first direction to facilitate a first surgical function of the end effector and the second switch is adapted to activate the drive motor in a second direction to facilitate a second surgical function of the end effector, characterized in that the main drive switch is formed as a toggle switch, the first surgical function of the end effector includes advancing the firing rod in a distal direction to move the pair of opposing tissue engaging surfaces into the approximated position and the second surgical function of the end effector includes retracting the firing rod in a proximal direction to move the pair of opposing tissue engaging surfaces into the open position, and further comprising: a third switch for mechanically and/or electrically changing a mode of operation from clamping to firing. a third switch for mechanically and/or electrically changing a mode of operation from clamping to firing.