Active 1777-1783 Allegiance British Army | Country Great Britain Size detachment - regiment | |
 | ||
Branch British Provincial unit Type infantry, (auxiliary troops) | ||
The Loyal American Regiment was a British Provincial regiment, raised in 1777, for Loyalist service, during the American Revolutionary War. The regiment fought, in many engagements, throughout the war and the men were among the thousands of loyalists, who settled in Nova Scotia, who disbanded, the regiment, in 1783.
Contents
Regiment formed
The "Loyal American Regiment" was raised in mid-March 1777, by wealthy, Loyalist, Beverley Robinson. Robinson, a childhood friend of George Washington, commanded the regiment, until it was disbanded, at the end of the war, in 1783. Several of, Beverley Robinson's sons were officers in the regiment. A number of the enlisted men, in the "Loyal Americans", were tenant farmers, who worked Robinson's estate, in lower Dutchess County and Westchester County, Province of New York.
Campaigns
The Loyal American Regiment served, in many, war-time engagements, often at detachment strength. The Loyal Americans spent many months, of the war, in the Province of New York, at Kingsbridge, defending British-occupied, New York City. The Loyal Americans are best known, for being the first British regiment, to enter Fort Montgomery, when it was captured, on October 6, 1777. A detachment of the regiment was captured, in July 1779, when the fort, at Stoney Point was taken, by the Continental Army. On September 6, 1781, the Loyal American Regiment participated, in the British raid on New London, Connecticut, commanded by Brigadier General Benedict Arnold.
Regiment disbanded and resettled in British Canada
When the war was over, Loyalists were unwelcome in the former colonies. From New York City, Britain transported thousands of Loyalists to Nova Scotia throughout the early fall of 1783. In all about 33,000 were settled in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick (separated from Nova Scotia in 1784), Prince Edward Island, and Quebec (including areas that were eventually separated to form Upper Canada, eventually renamed Ontario). Many members of the Loyal American Regiment settled there; some were among the first colonists of the newly formed province of New Brunswick.
Present day
Reenactors have recreated Robinson's unit wearing green coats, the standard issue for loyalist soldiers at the beginning of the war.