Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
At the time, was there a large contingent of colonial born and bred american redcoats?
If you are referring to American born members of the British Royal Army, I don't know but that wasn't what I was referring to when I wrote of Provincial forces. As I understand it the Provincial forces was a volunteer force that operated outside of its colonial territory (unlike a state local or state militia) in support of or alongside British regulars. For example Washington was commissioned by the Royal Governor Robert Dinwiddie as a Colonel in command of the Virginia Regiment an all volunteer force which is not to be confused with the compulsory members of the Virginia milita.
Provincial milita were those American soldiers paid essentially by the Crown who could and would fight outside of their colony and who would supplement British forces.
An interesting read regarding rank between Washington and Captain Dagworthy over the pre eminence of a royal commission and a provisional one.
Despite the American myth the British were quite adept at irregular and open order warfare and they had many highly skilled and very aggressive light infantry, indeed every infantry battalion had a light company and often light companies were banded together to make light infantry strike forces. And British tactics for all infantry were based on speed and aggression and in North America they fought in a far more open, flexible and quick moving order than they used in Europe. The idea was to get the bulge on the American rebels right away by a speedy attack and then to keep the ball rolling, not giving the rebels the opportunity to stand or reform. The shock value of the bayonet in the hands of fast moving, aggressive soldiers was valued over massed fire.
They also worked well with Indian and Tory ranger auxiliaries and bushwhacked us often. The British army has always adapted to local conditions and they learned much in the French and Indian War.
Redcoats on campaign often cut their coats down to short jackets, wore sturdy canvas trousers, cut their hair short, wore slouch hats and carried tomahawks. NOT like the Redcoats of our mythology.
According to what I am reading, some 19,000 loyalist joined the British Army and another 10,000 served in loyalist militias.
I don't think there were many of those here in Virginia. Some of my ancestors from Culpeper fought in units under British command during Lord Dunmore's war and then switched sides to oppose them shortly after or in some cases while they returned home. Seems like there were more tories down in NC.
As I mentioned in the rep comment that I gave you, if you think the myth has been totally discredited and diposed, pick up a copy of American Rifleman, or any other contemporary gun rag.
Your comment went somwhere else. Not received on my end.
Gun rags that I have seen deal with firearms testing or development. Unless you are referring to the currently armed citizen is analogous to the militia of old theme. I think that is more for justifying the purchase of modern military style firearms than actual consideration. People will rationalize a practice with outsiders so as not to appear eccentric. Do not see anyone going Red Dawn if the Feds come for our guns.
Unless you are referring to the currently armed citizen is analogous to the militia of old theme. I think that is more for justifying the purchase of modern military style firearms than actual consideration.
^^^David Hackett Fisher noted in his work Albion's Seed that the majority of Loyalists were from the Southern colonies-NC,SC, Ga.
So why were they more loyal to The Crown than Virginians?
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
