Misplaced Pages

#853146

91-685: The Black Company of Pioneers , also known as the Black Pioneers and Clinton's Black Pioneers , were a British Provincial military unit raised for Loyalist service during the American Revolutionary War . The Black Loyalist company was raised by General Sir Henry as a non-combatant replacement force for the disbanded Ethiopian Regiment in Philadelphia in late 1777 or early 1778. Pioneers were soldiers employed to perform engineering and construction tasks. In 1778,

182-665: A 20-year friendship although they wrote about different sides of the war. Macaulay wrote from a loyalist British perspective whereas Warren wrote about her support for the American Revolution. Macaulay's work include History of England and Warren wrote History of the Rise , Progress , and Termination of the American Revolution. Although both women's works were unpopular, during this time, it pushed them to learn from social critique. Rebel agents were active in Quebec (which

273-414: A large concentration of Loyalists, many of whom were refugees from other states. According to Calhoon, Loyalists tended to be older and wealthier, but there were also many Loyalists of humble means. Many active Church of England members became Loyalists. Some recent arrivals from Britain, especially those from Scotland, had a high Loyalist proportion. Loyalists in the southern colonies were suppressed by

364-461: A loyalist or a patriot; the label was dependent on their husband's political association. However, some women showed their loyalty to the crown by continually purchasing British goods, writing it down, and showing resistance to the Patriots. Grace Growden Galloway recorded the experience in her diary. Her writings show the difficulties that her family faced during the revolution. Galloway's property

455-472: A minority, however, fled the nation for Canada , Great Britain , Florida , or the West Indies . Historians have explored the motivations that pulled men to one side or the other. Yale historian Leonard Woods Labaree used the published and unpublished writings and letters of leading men on each side, searching for how personality shaped their choice. He finds eight characteristics that differentiated

546-672: A regular army status, enrolled 19,000 Loyalists (50 units and 312 companies). The maximum strength of the Loyalist provincial line was 9,700 in December 1780. In all about 19,000 at one time or another were soldiers or militia in British forces. Loyalists from South Carolina fought for the British in the Battle of Camden . The British forces at the Battle of Monck's Corner and the Battle of Lenud's Ferry consisted entirely of Loyalists with

637-628: A son of Loyalists, participated in the Upper Canada Rebellion which sought relief from oligarchic British colonial government and pursued American style Republicanism . He was arrested, tried and executed in Toronto , and later became heralded as a patriot to the movement which led to Canadian self-governance. The wealthiest and most prominent Loyalist exiles went to Great Britain to rebuild their careers; many received pensions. Many Southern Loyalists, taking along their slaves, went to

728-484: A token of compensation when he returned from England in 1796, his son was allowed to regain the family house. In many States, moderate Whigs, who had not been in favor of separation from Britain but preferred a negotiated settlement which would have maintained ties to the Mother Country, aligned with Tories to block radicals. Among these was Alexander Hamilton in 1782–85, to wrest control of New York State from

819-574: A treaty of neutrality in the interior community of Ninety Six , South Carolina . For actively aiding the British army when it occupied Philadelphia, two residents of the city were tried for treason, convicted, and executed by returning Patriot forces. As a result of the looming crisis in 1775, the Royal Governor of Virginia , Lord Dunmore , issued a proclamation that promised freedom to indentured servants and slaves who were able to bear arms and join his Loyalist Ethiopian Regiment . Many of

910-590: Is now modern-day Ontario , the rest to Nova Scotia and PEI. Realizing the importance of some type of consideration, on November 9, 1789, Lord Dorchester , the governor of Quebec, declared that it was his wish to "put the mark of Honour upon the Families who had adhered to the Unity of the Empire ." As a result of Dorchester's statement, the printed militia rolls carried the notation: Those Loyalists who have adhered to

1001-683: The Act Against Slavery tried to suppress slavery in Upper Canada by halting the sale of slaves to the United States, and by freeing slaves upon their escape from the latter into Canada. Simcoe desired to demonstrate the merits of loyalism and abolitionism in Upper Canada in contrast to the nascent republicanism and prominence of slavery in the United States , and, according to historian Stanley R. Mealing: However

SECTION 10

#1732768378854

1092-461: The Chesapeake area. Eventually the camp that they had set up there suffered an outbreak of smallpox and other diseases. This took a heavy toll, putting many of them out of action for some time. The survivors joined other Loyalist units and continued to serve throughout the war. African-Americans were often the first to come forward to volunteer and a total of 12,000 African Americans served with

1183-654: The English-speaking settlers had arrived following the British conquest of Canada in 1759–1760, and were unlikely to support separation from Britain. The older British colonies, Newfoundland and Nova Scotia (including what is now New Brunswick ) also remained loyal and contributed military forces in support of the Crown. In late 1775 the Continental Army sent a force into Quebec , led by General Richard Montgomery and Colonel Benedict Arnold , with

1274-640: The Thirteen Colonies called themselves "Whigs" after 1768, identifying with members of the British Whig party who favored similar colonial policies. Samuel Johnson writes that at the time, the word "patriot" had a negative connotation and was used as a negative epithet for "a factious disturber of the government". Prior to the Revolution, colonists who supported British authority called themselves Tories or royalists , identifying with

1365-670: The West Indies , particularly to the Abaco Islands in the Bahamas . Certain Loyalists who fled the United States brought their slaves with them to Canada (mostly to areas that later became Ontario and New Brunswick ) where slavery was legal . An imperial law in 1790 assured prospective immigrants to Canada that their slaves would remain their property. However, a law enacted by eminent British lieutenant general and founder of modern Toronto John Graves Simcoe in 1793 entitled

1456-702: The colonial era , and supported and helped launch the American Revolution that ultimately established American independence. Patriot politicians led colonial opposition to British policies regarding the American colonies, eventually building support for the adoption of the Declaration of Independence , which was adopted unanimously by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. After the American Revolutionary War began

1547-599: The 1790s attracted by Lieutenant-Governor Simcoe 's policy of land and low taxes, one-fifth those in the US and swearing an oath of allegiance to the King. The 36,000 or so who went to Nova Scotia were not well received by the 17,000 Nova Scotians, who were mostly descendants of New Englanders settled there before the Revolution. "They [the Loyalists]", Colonel Thomas Dundas wrote in 1786, "have experienced every possible injury from

1638-541: The Bahamas, and about 13,000 went to Britain (including 5,000 free blacks). The total is 60–62,000 whites. A precise figure cannot be known because the records were incomplete and inaccurate, and small numbers continued to leave after 1783. The 50,000 or so white departures represented about 10% of the Loyalists (at 20–25% of the white population). Loyalists (especially soldiers and former officials) could choose evacuation. Loyalists whose roots were not yet deeply embedded in

1729-580: The Black Pioneers in 1776. After the Pioneers arrived in New York in 1783, many former slaves escaped from the harbor, in fear of being repossessed by their former masters. It is still unknown how many former slaves escaped from New York during this period. Tens of thousands of slaves, up to one hundred thousand, escaped during the war and joined the British military; others simply moved off during

1820-733: The British Army. One of the most famous commanders of the Company of Black Pioneers was Colonel Stephen Blucke , who commanded them for a number of years. In 1780, Blucke would go on to command the small Loyalist military unit known as the Black Brigade , after their leader, Colonel Tye , died of lockjaw . Blucke received the honorary rank of "Colonel". The Pioneers wore black, wool, tricorn hats, trimmed with white bunting , black spatterdashes , and originally blue, wool, short coats later replaced with provincial green wool that retained

1911-492: The British forces were stationed. Elsewhere there were few British troops and the Patriots seized control of all levels of government, as well as supplies of arms and gunpowder. Vocal Loyalists recruited people to their side, often with the encouragement and assistance of royal governors. In the South Carolina back country, Loyalist recruitment outstripped that of Patriots. A brief siege at Ninety Six, South Carolina in

SECTION 20

#1732768378854

2002-547: The British from 1775 to 1783. This forced the Patriots to also offer freedom to those who would serve in the Continental Army, with thousands of Black Patriots serving in the Continental Army . Americans who gained their freedom by fighting for the British became known as Black Loyalists . The British honored the pledge of freedom in New York City through the efforts of General Guy Carleton , who recorded

2093-514: The British or the Americans. Although some Canadians took up arms in support of the rebellion, the majority remained loyal to the King. French Canadians had been satisfied by the British government's Quebec Act of 1774, which offered religious and linguistic toleration; in general, they did not sympathize with a rebellion that they saw as being led by Protestants from New England , who were their commercial rivals and hereditary enemies. Most of

2184-399: The British side in the Revolution went to London and joined the free black community of about 10,000 there. While men were out fighting for the Crown, women served at home protecting their land and property. At the end of the war, many loyalist men left America for the shelter of England, leaving their wives and daughters to protect their land. The main punishment for Loyalist families was

2275-430: The Crown, and to British Caribbean possessions. Northern Loyalists largely migrated to Ontario , Quebec , New Brunswick , and Nova Scotia . They called themselves United Empire Loyalists . Most were compensated with Canadian land or British cash distributed through formal claims procedures. Loyalists who left the US received over £3 million or about 37% of their losses from the British government. Loyalists who stayed in

2366-630: The De Lancey, De Peyster, Walton and Cruger families undercut the interlocking families that largely owned and controlled the Hudson Valley. Likewise in Pennsylvania, the departure of powerful families—Penn, Allen, Chew, Shippen—destroyed the cohesion of the old upper class there. Massachusetts passed an act banishing forty-six Boston merchants in 1778, including members of some of Boston's wealthiest families. The departure of families such as

2457-550: The Ervings, Winslows, Clarks, and Lloyds deprived Massachusetts of men who had hitherto been leaders of networks of family and clients. The bases of the men who replaced them were much different. One rich Patriot in Boston noted in 1779 that "fellows who would have cleaned my shoes five years ago, have amassed fortunes and are riding in chariots." New men became rich merchants but they shared a spirit of republican equality that replaced

2548-678: The Ethiopian Regiment. The Pioneers retained the Ethiopian regimental motto, which was embroidered on their uniforms: "Liberty to Slaves." During the American Revolution, the Black Pioneers would "Assist in Cleaning the Streets & Removing all Nuisances being thrown into the Streets." The company followed the British troops, under the command of General Clinton, as they moved from New York to Philadelphia, to Charleston, and, after

2639-511: The Loyalist position, while those who were offended by British responses to actions such as the Boston Tea Party became patriots. Merchants in the port cities with long-standing financial attachments to Britain were likely to remain loyal, while few patriots were so deeply enmeshed in the system. Some Loyalists, according to Labaree, were "procrastinators" who believed that independence was bound to come some day, but wanted to "postpone

2730-472: The Loyalists. In areas under Patriot control, Loyalists were subject to confiscation of property , and outspoken supporters of the king were threatened with public humiliation such as tarring and feathering , or physical attack. It is not known how many Loyalist civilians were harassed by the Patriots, but the treatment was a warning to other Loyalists not to take up arms. In September 1775, William Drayton and Loyalist leader Colonel Thomas Fletchall signed

2821-569: The New England states that previously had been so hostile. "In the midst of war and crisis, New Englanders gave up not only their allegiance to Britain but one of their most dearly held prejudices." Videos Patriot (American Revolution) Patriots , also known as Revolutionaries , Continentals , Rebels , or Whigs , were colonists in the Thirteen Colonies who opposed the Kingdom of Great Britain 's control and governance during

Black Company of Pioneers - Misplaced Pages Continue

2912-400: The Patriots were in control, but Loyalist civilian government was re-established in coastal Georgia from 1779 to 1782, despite the presence of Patriot forces in the northern part of Georgia. Essentially, the British were only able to maintain power in areas where they had a strong military presence. Historian Robert Calhoon wrote in 2000, concerning the proportion of Loyalists to Patriots in

3003-539: The Patriots who took control nearly everywhere in the Thirteen Colonies in 1775–76. Yale historian Leonard Woods Larabee has identified eight characteristics of the Loyalists that made them essentially conservative and loyal to the King and to Britain: Other motives of the Loyalists included: In the opening months of the Revolutionary War, the Patriots laid siege to Boston , where most of

3094-698: The Pioneers merged into the Guides and Pioneers, led by Colonel Beverley Robinson in New York. Its company commanders were Captain Allen Stewart and Captain Donald McPherson. In 1783, the company was disbanded in Port Roseway, Canada, now Shelburne, Nova Scotia . The Black Pioneers were an African American military unit, established, in May 1776, out of Lord Dunmore 's disbanded Loyalist unit,

3185-538: The Thirteen Colonies prior to the American Revolution, the issue divided patriots, with some supporting its abolition while others espoused proslavery thought . The patriots included members of every social and ethnic group in the colonies, though support for the patriot cause was strongest in the New England Colonies and weakest in the Southern Colonies . The American Revolution divided

3276-570: The Thirteen Colonies and expelled all royal officials. No one who openly proclaimed their loyalty to the Crown was allowed to remain, so Loyalists fled or kept quiet. Some of those who remained later gave aid to invading British armies or joined uniformed Loyalist regiments. The British were forced out of Boston by March 17, 1776. They regrouped at Halifax and attacked New York in August, defeating George Washington 's army at Long Island and capturing New York City and its vicinity, and they occupied

3367-487: The Thirteen Colonies: Historians' best estimates put the proportion of adult white male loyalists somewhere between 15 and 20 percent. Approximately half the colonists of European ancestry tried to avoid involvement in the struggle—some of them deliberate pacifists, others recent immigrants, and many more simple apolitical folk. The patriots received active support from perhaps 40 to 45 percent of

3458-465: The US were generally able to retain their property and become American citizens. Many Loyalists eventually returned to the US after the war and discriminatory laws had been repealed. Historians have estimated that between 15% and 20% (300,000 to 400,000) of the 2,000,000 whites in the colonies in 1775 were Loyalists. Families were often divided during the American Revolution, and many felt themselves to be both American and British, still owing loyalty to

3549-590: The United States provided the strength needed to keep Canada independent and distinct in North America. The Loyalists' basic distrust of republicanism and " mob rule " influenced Canada's gradual path to independence . The new British North American provinces of Upper Canada (the forerunner of Ontario) and New Brunswick were founded as places of refuge for the United Empire Loyalists. In an interesting historical twist Peter Matthews ,

3640-445: The United States were more likely to leave; older people who had familial bonds and had acquired friends, property, and a degree of social respectability were more likely to remain in the US. The vast majority of the half-million white Loyalists, about 20–25% of the total number of whites, remained in the US. Starting in the mid-1780s a small percentage of those who had left returned to the United States. The exiles amounted to about 2% of

3731-580: The United States. According to Jasanoff, the majority of these Loyalists – 36,000 – went to New Brunswick and Nova Scotia , while about 6,600 went to Quebec and 2,000 to Prince Edward Island . About 5,090 white Loyalists went to Florida, bringing along their slaves who numbered about 8,285 (421 whites and 2,561 blacks returned to the States from Florida). When Florida was returned to Spain, however, very few Loyalists remained there. Approximately 6,000 whites went to Jamaica and other Caribbean islands, notably

Black Company of Pioneers - Misplaced Pages Continue

3822-541: The United States; they stayed on and were allowed to be citizens of the new country, retaining for a time the earlier designation of "Tories". Some became nationally prominent leaders, including Samuel Seabury , who was the first Bishop of the Episcopal Church, and Tench Coxe . There was a small but significant trickle of returnees who found life in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick too difficult. Perhaps 10% of

3913-645: The Unity of the Empire, and joined the Royal Standard before the Treaty of Separation in the year 1783, and all their Children and their Descendants by either sex, are to be distinguished by the following Capitals, affixed to their names: U.E. Alluding to their great principle The Unity of the Empire. The post-nominals "U.E." are rarely seen today, but the influence of the Loyalists on the evolution of Canada remains. Their ties to Britain and/or their antipathy to

4004-521: The actual law was a compromise. According to historian Afua Cooper, Simcoe's law required children in slavery to be freed when they reached age 25 and: Thousands of Iroquois and other Native Americans were expelled from New York and other states and resettled in Canada. The descendants of one such group of Iroquois, led by Joseph Brant (Thayendenegea), settled at Six Nations of the Grand River ,

4095-661: The breakup of ice on the St. Lawrence River and the arrival of British transports in May and June. There would be no further serious attempt to challenge British control of present-day Canada until the War of 1812 . In 1777, 1,500 Loyalist militia took part in the Saratoga campaign in New York, and surrendered with General Burgoyne after the Battles of Saratoga in October. For the rest of

4186-479: The chaos. In South Carolina, nearly 25,000 slaves, being 30% of the enslaved population, fled, migrated, or died from the disruption of the war. When the British withdrew their forces from Savannah and Charleston they also evacuated 10,000 slaves belonging to Loyalists. The British evacuated nearly 20,000 blacks at the end of the war. More than 3,000 of them were freedmen and resettled in Nova Scotia , many under

4277-401: The colonial population into three groups: patriots, who supported the end of British rule, loyalists , who supported Britain's continued control over the colonies, and those who remained neutral. African Americans who supported the patriots were known as Black Patriots , with their counterparts on the British side being referred to as Black Loyalists . The critics of British policy towards

4368-521: The disgust of the Radical Whigs the moderate Whigs were advertising in New York newspapers in 1782–83 that Tories who would make no trouble would be welcome on the grounds that their skills and money would help the State's economy. The Moderates prevailed. All anti-Tory laws were repealed in early 1783 except for the law relating to confiscated Tory estates: "... the problem of the loyalists after 1783

4459-566: The exception of the commanding officer ( Banastre Tarleton ). Both white and black Loyalists fought for the British at the Battle of Kemp's Landing in Virginia. Estimates for how many Loyalists emigrated after the war differ. Historian Maya Jasanoff calculated 60,000 in total went to British North America, including about 50,000 whites, however Philip Ranlet estimates that only 20,000 adult white Loyalists went to Canada, while Wallace Brown cites about 80,000 Loyalists in total permanently left

4550-409: The expropriation of property, but married women were protected under " feme covert ", which meant that they had no political identity and their legal rights were absorbed by their husbands. This created an awkward dilemma for the confiscation committees: confiscating the land of such a woman would punish her for her husband's actions. In many cases, the women did not get a choice on if they were labeled

4641-492: The faction of the George Clinton . Most States had rescinded anti-Tory laws by 1787, although the accusation of being a Tory was heard for another generation. Several hundred who had left for Florida returned to Georgia in 1783–84. South Carolina which had seen a bitter bloody internal civil war in 1780–82 adopted a policy of reconciliation that proved more moderate than any other state. About 4500 white Loyalists left when

SECTION 50

#1732768378854

4732-556: The fall of 1775 was followed by a rapid rise in Patriot recruiting. In what became known as the Snow Campaign , partisan militia arrested or drove out most of the back country Loyalist leadership. North Carolina back country Scots and former Regulators joined forces in early 1776, but they were broken as a force at the Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge . By July 4, 1776, the Patriots had gained control of virtually all territory in

4823-483: The fall of Charleston, back to New York once again. The Black Pioneers were commanded, for a time, by Major James Moncrief of the Royal Engineers . Moncrief had great faith in the ability of African-American slaves to fight. In a letter to Clinton, at the close of the war, he offered to continue the war with a brigade of African-American troops. He also advocated for their freedom, in light of their service in

4914-515: The formal beginning of the American Revolution , many patriots were active in groups, including the Sons of Liberty . The most prominent patriot leaders are referred to today as the Founding Fathers , who are generally defined as the 56 men who, as delegates to the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia signed the Declaration of Independence . Patriots included a cross-section of

5005-414: The former Ethiopian Regimental motto, which embroidered on their uniforms: "Liberty to Slaves". The Black Company of Pioneers may have been trained to use the standard British Army-issue Brown Bess musket . After Lord Dumore's proclamation of freedom to escaped slaves that helped the British Army, Harry Washington , a slave, ran away from General George Washington's Mount Vernon plantation to join

5096-421: The former elitism. The Patriot reliance on Catholic France for military, financial and diplomatic aid led to a sharp drop in anti-Catholic rhetoric. Indeed, the king replaced the pope as the demon Patriots had to fight against. Anti-Catholicism remained strong among Loyalists, some of whom went to Canada after the war most remained in the new nation. By the 1780s, Catholics were extended legal toleration in all of

5187-610: The goal of convincing the residents of Quebec to join the Revolution. Although only a minority of Canadians openly expressed loyalty to King George, about 1,500 militia fought for the King in the Siege of Fort St. Jean . In the region south of Montreal that was occupied by the Continentals, some inhabitants supported the rebellion and raised two regiments to join the Patriot forces. In Nova Scotia , there were many Yankee settlers originally from New England, and they generally supported

5278-516: The influx was greatest in Halifax. Britain in any case built up powerful forces at the naval base of Halifax after the failure of Jonathan Eddy to capture Fort Cumberland in 1776. Although the Continentals captured Montreal in November 1775, they were turned back a month later at Quebec City by a combination of the British military under Governor Guy Carleton , the difficult terrain and weather, and an indifferent local response. The Continental forces would be driven from Quebec in 1776, after

5369-445: The largest First Nations reserve in Canada. (The remainder, under the leadership of Cornplanter (John Abeel) and members of his family, stayed in New York.) A group of African-American Loyalists settled in Nova Scotia but emigrated again for Sierra Leone after facing discrimination there. Many of the Loyalists were forced to abandon substantial properties to America restoration of or compensation for these lost properties, which

5460-432: The largest free black community in North America. However, the long period of waiting time to be officially given land grants that were given to them and the prejudices of white Loyalists in nearby Shelburne who regularly harassed the settlement in events such as the Shelburne Riots in 1784, made life very difficult for the community. In 1791 the Sierra Leone Company offered to transport dissatisfied black Loyalists to

5551-450: The leadership of Stephen Blucke , a prominent Black leader of the battalion. Loyalist (American Revolution) Loyalists were colonists in the Thirteen Colonies who remained loyal to the British Crown during the American Revolutionary War , often referred to as Tories , Royalists , or King's Men at the time. They were opposed by the Patriots or Whigs, who supported the revolution, and considered them "persons inimical to

SECTION 60

#1732768378854

5642-427: The liberties of America." Prominent Loyalists repeatedly assured the British government that many thousands of them would spring to arms and fight for the Crown. The British government acted in expectation of that, especially during the Southern campaigns of 1780 and 1781. Britain was able to effectively protect the people only in areas where they had military control, and in return, the number of military Loyalists

5733-422: The local Patriots, who controlled local and state government. Many people—including former Regulators in North Carolina —refused to join the rebellion, as they had earlier protested against corruption by local authorities who later became Revolutionary leaders. The oppression by the local Whigs during the Regulation led to many of the residents of backcountry North Carolina sitting out the Revolution or siding with

5824-416: The moment", while the patriots wanted to "seize the moment". Loyalists were cautious and afraid of anarchy or tyranny that might come from mob rule; patriots made a systematic effort to take a stand against the British government. Finally, Labaree argues that Loyalists were pessimists who lacked the patriots' confidence that independence lay ahead. The patriots rejected taxes imposed by legislatures in which

5915-400: The mother country. Maryland lawyer Daniel Dulaney the Younger opposed taxation without representation but would not break his oath to the King or take up arms against him. He wrote: "There may be a time when redress may not be obtained. Till then, I shall recommend a legal, orderly, and prudent resentment". Most Americans hoped for a peaceful reconciliation but were forced to choose sides by

6006-403: The mouth of the Hudson River until 1783. British forces seized control of other cities, including Philadelphia (1777), Savannah, Georgia (1778–83), and Charleston, South Carolina (1780–82). But 90% of the colonial population lived outside the cities, with the effective result that Congress represented 80 to 90 percent of the population. The British removed their governors from colonies where

6097-463: The names of African Americans who had supported the British in a document called the Book of Negroes , which granted freedom to slaves who had escaped and assisted the British. About 4,000 Black Loyalists went to the British colonies of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick , where they were promised land grants. They founded communities across the two provinces, many of which still exist today. Over 2,500 settled in Birchtown, Nova Scotia , instantly making it

6188-404: The nascent colony of Sierra Leone in West Africa, with the promise of better land and more equality. About 1,200 left Nova Scotia for Sierra Leone, where they named the capital Freetown . After 1787 they became Sierra Leone's ruling elite during the colonial era and their descendants, the Sierra Leone Creoles , are the cultural elites of the nation. About 400 to 1,000 free blacks who joined

6279-418: The nature of Loyalist support as follows: The largest number of loyalists were found in the middle colonies : many tenant farmers of New York supported the king , for example, as did many of the Dutch in the colony and in New Jersey . The Germans in Pennsylvania tried to stay out of the Revolution, just as many Quakers did, and when that failed, clung to the familiar connection rather than embrace

6370-472: The new. Highland Scots in the Carolinas , a fair number of Anglican clergy and their parishioners in Connecticut and New York , a few Presbyterians in the southern colonies , and a large number of the Iroquois stayed loyal to the king. After the British military capture of New York City and Long Island it became the British military and political base of operations in North America from 1776 to 1783, prompting revolutionaries to flee and resulting in

6461-401: The old inhabitants of Nova Scotia, who are even more disaffected towards the British Government than any of the new States ever were. This makes me much doubt their remaining long dependent." In response, the colony of New Brunswick , until 1784 part of Nova Scotia, was created for the 14,000 who had settled in those parts. Of the 46,000 who went to Canada, 10,000 went to Quebec, especially what

6552-647: The political philosophy of traditionalist conservatism as it existed in Great Britain. During the American Revolution , these persons became known primarily as Loyalists . Afterward, some 15% of Loyalists emigrated north to the remaining British territories in the Canadas . There they called themselves the United Empire Loyalists . 85% of the Loyalists decided to stay in the new United States and were granted American citizenship. Prior to

6643-524: The population of the Thirteen Colonies and came from varying backgrounds. Roughly 40 to 45 percent of the White population in the Thirteen Colonies supported the patriots' cause, between 15 and 20 percent supported the Loyalists , and the remainder were neutral or kept a low profile regarding their loyalties. The great majority of Loyalists remained in the Thirteen Colonies during the American Revolution;

6734-409: The principles of the revolution. The allegiance toward the rebellion waned as American privateers raided Nova Scotia communities throughout the war. As well, the Nova Scotia government used the law to convict people for sedition and treason for supporting the rebel cause. There was also the influence of an influx of recent immigration from the British isles, and they remained neutral during the war, and

6825-656: The refugees to New Brunswick returned to the States as did an unknown number from Nova Scotia. Some Massachusetts Tories settled in the Maine District . Nevertheless, the vast majority never returned. Captain Benjamin Hallowell, who as Mandamus Councilor in Massachusetts served as the direct representative of the Crown, was considered by the insurgents as one of the most hated men in the Colony, but as

6916-495: The royal governor of New Jersey and son of Patriot leader Benjamin Franklin , became the leader of the Loyalists after his release from a Patriot prison in 1778. He worked to build Loyalist military units to fight in the war. Woodrow Wilson wrote that "there had been no less than twenty-five thousand loyalists enlisted in the British service during the five years of the fighting. At one time (1779) they had actually outnumbered

7007-559: The slaves in the South joined the Loyalists with intentions of gaining freedom and escaping the South. About 800 did so; some helped rout the Virginia militia at the Battle of Kemp's Landing and fought in the Battle of Great Bridge on the Elizabeth River , wearing the motto "Liberty to Slaves", but this time they were defeated. The remains of their regiment were then involved in the evacuation of Norfolk , after which they served in

7098-646: The taxpayer was not represented. " No taxation without representation " was their slogan, referring to the lack of representation in the British Parliament. The British countered that there was "virtual representation" in the sense that all members of Parliament represented the interests of all the citizens of the British Empire. Some patriots declared that they were loyal to the king, but they insisted that they should be free to run their own affairs. In fact, they had been running their own affairs since

7189-533: The total US population of 3 million at the end of the war in 1783. After 1783 some former Loyalists, especially Germans from Pennsylvania, emigrated to Canada to take advantage of the British government's offer of free land. Many departed the fledgling United States because they faced continuing hostility. In another migration-motivated mainly by economic rather than political reasons- more than 20,000 and perhaps as many as 30,000 "Late Loyalists" arrived in Ontario in

7280-422: The two groups. Loyalists were older, better established, and more likely to resist innovation than the patriots. Loyalists felt that the Crown was the legitimate government and resistance to it was morally wrong, while the patriots felt that morality was on their side because the British government had violated the constitutional rights of Englishmen. Men who were alienated by physical attacks on Royal officials took

7371-441: The war ended, but the majority remained behind. The state government successfully and quickly reincorporated the vast majority. During the war, pardons were offered to Loyalists who switched sides and joined the Patriot forces. Others were required to pay a 10% fine of the value of the property. The legislature named 232 Loyalists liable for the confiscation of their property, but most appealed and were forgiven. In Connecticut much to

7462-493: The war, Quebec acted as a base for raiding expeditions, conducted primarily by Loyalists and Indians, against frontier communities. The Loyalists rarely attempted any political organization. They were often passive unless regular British army units were in the area. The British, however, assumed a highly activist Loyalist community was ready to mobilize and planned much of their strategy around raising Loyalist regiments. The British provincial line, consisting of Americans enlisted on

7553-448: The white populace, and at most no more than a bare majority. Before Calhoon's work, estimates of the Loyalist share of the population were somewhat higher, at about one-third, but these estimates are now rejected as too high by most scholars. In 1968 historian Paul H. Smith estimated there were about 400,000 Loyalists, or 16% of the white population of 2.25 million in 1780. Historian Robert Middlekauff summarized scholarly research on

7644-462: The whole of the continental muster under the personal command of Washington." When their cause was defeated, about 15 percent of the Loyalists (65,000–70,000 people) fled to other parts of the British Empire ; especially to the Kingdom of Great Britain itself, or to British North America (present day Canada ). The southern Loyalists moved mostly to Florida , which had remained loyal to

7735-615: The year before, in 1775, many patriots assimilated into the Continental Army , which was commanded by George Washington and which secured victory against the British Army , leading the British to acknowledge the sovereign independence of the colonies, reflected in the Treaty of Paris , which led to the establishment of the United States in 1783. The patriots were inspired by English and American republican ideology that

7826-527: Was a major issue during the negotiation of the Jay Treaty in 1794. Two successive boards were formed, and under a new convention signed in 1802 by the United States and Great Britain for the mutual payment of claims, the US paid the sum of £600,000, while only £1,420,000 of nearly £5 million in claims considered by commissioners in Britain were judged to be good. The great majority of Loyalists never left

7917-568: Was part of the Age of Enlightenment , and rejected monarchy and aristocracy and supported individual liberty and natural rights and legal rights . Prominent patriot political theorists such as Thomas Jefferson , John Adams , and Thomas Paine spearheaded the American Enlightenment , which was in turn inspired by European thinkers such as Francis Bacon , John Locke , and Jean-Jacques Rousseau . Though slavery existed in all of

8008-468: Was resolved in their favor after the War of Independence ended." In 1787 the last of any discriminatory laws were rescinded. The departure of so many royal officials, rich merchants and landed gentry destroyed the hierarchical networks that had dominated most of the colonies. A major result was that a Patriot/Whig elite supplanted royal officials and affluent Tories. In New York, the departure of key members of

8099-472: Was seized by the Rebels and she spent the rest of her life fighting to regain it. It was returned to her heirs in 1783, after she and her husband had died. Patriots allowed women to become involved in politics in a larger scale than the loyalists. Some women involved in political activity include Catharine Macaulay (a loyalist) and Mercy Otis Warren who were both writers during this time. Both women maintained

8190-520: Was significantly lower than what had been expected. Due to conflicting political views, loyalists were often under suspicion of those in the British military, who did not know whom they could fully trust in such a conflicted situation; they were often looked down upon. Patriots watched suspected Loyalists very closely and would not tolerate any organized Loyalist opposition. Many outspoken or militarily active Loyalists were forced to flee, especially to their stronghold of New York City . William Franklin ,

8281-626: Was then frequently called "Canada", the name of the earlier French province ) in the months leading to the outbreak of active hostilities. John Brown , an agent of the Boston Committee of Correspondence , worked with Canadian merchant Thomas Walker and other rebel sympathisers during the winter of 1774–1775 to convince inhabitants to support the actions of the First Continental Congress . However, many of Quebec's inhabitants remained neutral, resisting service to either

#853146