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I would suggest that the break down was as follows.....
A third were Loyalists, a third were rebels, and a third just wanted to be "left alone ".
Bear in mind that in some cases, the use of physical violence was used, to force out those who were not in favour of rebellion. Having your farm burned down, or your livestock killed was not at all uncommon.
United Empire Loyalists, who fled to Upper or Lower Canada, were numbered in the thousands, and even today, some descendants still use the honorific UEL after their names, to remind others of their family history. Free land grants, patronage appointments, and financial support were all offered to the UEL families, by the British Government .
Jim B. In Toronto.
My wife's family is one of those loyalist (father's side). Even today the foundation of those settlements still exist in a deserted sparse landscape.
this is why I never fully believe in any type of survey.you may be very
pro-british ,but if someone starts pounding on your door to ask you, you'll
probably say you're for independence just so you dont get labeled a traitor.
This kind of reminded me of an interesting and related issue which occurred after the battle of Saratoga. It's the saga of of a group called 'The British Convention Prisoners'. As Burgoyne lost the battle, he was to have his Canadian and Loyalist, soldiers lay down their arms and march back to Canada. The Britsih and German troops were to go to Boston and then repatriated to Europe. But the Americans broke the treaty and the British group became trapped in America for 5 years. This was because Britain did not recognize Congress as a sovereign government and so consequently Congress did not releases the prisoners.They had to stay until the war was over. Thing was there was no provision by Congress to take care of them and they suffered much in captivity usually in the states where they were sent to. It got so bad that it was better to escape to get relief. The states were just not set up to deal with them.
But escape also afforded trials and strategems. Some tried to get back to other regiments. And others deserted to the American army first if they could do it until they could get back to their own. And Washington sure didn't want to see 'Loyalists' in his army.
It's very interesting to note that Major Andre helped these prisoners out and found them Loyalist safe houses to get back to their lines. Arguably without him the prisoners would have had a very hard time being quartered by anybody because Congress, the army and state and govt committees were brutal with giving aid to escaped prisoners. Looks to me those Loyalist houses were brave and took a real big chance in sheltering the prisoners. If caught they cojld have been hanged. If it's true 15-20% of the population were considered Loyalist those who were potential helpers had to be real low considering the circumstances. And no doubt there are some living here today who can possibly trace their family back to these British soldiers who had a rough time of it in America's fight for independence.
And no doubt there are some living here today who can possibly trace their family back to these British soldiers who had a rough time of it in America's fight for independence.
Remember we weren't a country yet to the "Loyalists" were not traitors. We were in rebellion. It wasn't really until the War of 1812 when American identity gelled.
Support was regional. In the southern colonies along the more populated coast there was a strong tie to England but less once you moved inland. There were internal colonial rivalries -- tidewater vs frontier -- that morphed into rebel vs loyalist. In the New York countryside the loyalties were mixed and it was in a state of civil war, even within families. The Boston region was pretty adamant that they were done with England....stick a fork in it. They had been angry for a long time. Some Virginia planters were also fed up. The Canadian colonies were French Catholics and viewed as former enemies so there's not a lot of enthusiasm there. Nova Scotia (partly settled by New England transplants) had the seeds of rebellion but they were too far off from Philadelphia or the rebels to gain any traction.
There was a fluidity in loyalties. I had ancestors thrown into the Albany jail for not signing the 1774 Articles of Association which said in the 11th Article: “...all such foes to the rights of British-America may be publicly known, and universally condemned as the enemies of American liberty; and thenceforth we respectively will break off all dealings with him or her.” That became a loyalty test. They eventually signed and were released and joined the NY Militia and are considered patriots. I think they just wanted to be left alone.
I knew that John Adams had made such a "rule of thirds" but did not realize until you provided documentation that Adams was talking about American citizens' views on the ongoing altercations between the British Empire and Napoléon's France; specifically, how many Americans were pro-British, pro-French, or neutral.
I knew that John Adams had made such a "rule of thirds" but did not realize until you provided documentation that Adams was talking about American citizens' views on the ongoing altercations between the British Empire and Napoléon's France; specifically, how many Americans were pro-British, pro-French, or neutral.
I think historians have applied it by analogy to the American Revolution and it was likely roughly accurate.
I think historians have applied it by analogy to the American Revolution and it was likely roughly accurate.
A good discussion of the breakdown of Patriots, Loyalists, and Fence-Sitters. Older established men of means, New York Dutch, Pennsylvania Dutch and Quakers, religious pacifists, and the Anglican clergy tended to be loyalists. Younger men, backwoods Scots-Irish, and such tended to be Patriots.
Modern historians usually state that the Patriots were always the largest group, but may not have reached a majority. Figures for Loyalists are hard to come by, but perhaps 50,000 emigrated after the war and it is thought that they represented only 10% of the actual Loyalist population. That would put Loyalists at maybe half a million, out of a total colonial population of about four million.
So ignoring the ebb and flow that must have happened over the course of the war, the breakdown might have been 45% Patriot, 15% Loyalist, and 40% willing to accept either side that won.
So ignoring the ebb and flow that must have happened over the course of the war, the breakdown might have been 45% Patriot, 15% Loyalist, and 40% willing to accept either side that won.
Of the ebb and flow, I presume that many shifted sides as more areas came under Patriot control. Being a patriot in New York City probably took courage much before 1783. Being a Loyalist in Boston much after 1775 was probably not a great idea.
A good discussion of the breakdown of Patriots, Loyalists, and Fence-Sitters. Older established men of means, New York Dutch, Pennsylvania Dutch and Quakers, religious pacifists, and the Anglican clergy tended to be loyalists. Younger men, backwoods Scots-Irish, and such tended to be Patriots.
Modern historians usually state that the Patriots were always the largest group, but may not have reached a majority. Figures for Loyalists are hard to come by, but perhaps 50,000 emigrated after the war and it is thought that they represented only 10% of the actual Loyalist population. That would put Loyalists at maybe half a million, out of a total colonial population of about four million.
So ignoring the ebb and flow that must have happened over the course of the war, the breakdown might have been 45% Patriot, 15% Loyalist, and 40% willing to accept either side that won.
This is in line with what I have found. For an overview, the book Tories: Fighting for the King in America's First Civil War by Thomas B Allen is a good start.
The war was also generational. Most, of course, not all, were young revolutionaries. We are use to seeing the Founders as old men; in 1776, Washington was 43, Patrick Henry was 40, Jefferson was 33, Franklin was the old man of the group at 70.
The article below provides insight into the Loyalists of VA. The issues in VA were parallel but not identical to those of the northern colonies.
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