my-server
← Wiki Redirected from List of British Forces in the American Revolutionary War

List of British units in the American Revolutionary War

This is a list of British units in American Revolutionary War which took part in the conflict, fighting against the American rebels and their French, Spanish and Dutch allies in the Americas, Europe and Asia. In addition to the British Army, the list includes German auxiliary units along with provincial and irregular units formed raised in North America and the West Indies. No battle honours were ever awarded to British regiments who fought in America as it was seen by the British to be a civil war. Four battle honours were, however, awarded for actions against the French and Spanish in the West Indies and other theatres.

Of the British Army regiments raised during the war, primarily for military service in North America or the Caribbean, only three, the 23rd Light Dragoons and the 73rd and 78th Foot, survived the post-war reductions in the Army. The 23rd Light Dragoons (later the 19th Light Dragoons) served in India until 1806; the 73rd (renumbered 71st in 1786) later became part of the Highland Light Infantry while the 78th (renumbered 72nd in 1786) became part of the Seaforth Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs) in 1881. The newly raised 85th Foot, 86th Foot, 87th Foot, 88th Foot, 89th Foot, 90th Foot, 91st Foot, 92nd Foot, 93rd Foot, 94th Foot and 99th Foot were stationed on garrison duty in the West Indies. All were disbanded at the end of the war.

Infantry units which remained in the British Isles during the war included the 2nd Foot (Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey)), the 11th Foot (Devonshires), the 12th Foot (Suffolk), the 25th Foot (King's Own Scottish Borderers) at Sussex, the 32nd Foot at Cornwall, the 36th Foot at Herefordshire, the 39th Foot at East Middlesex, the 41st Foot, the 51st Foot and the 81st Foot. The 78th Foot, the 83rd Foot and the 95th Foot were stationed in Jersey, where they defeated a French invasion of the island in 1781 (the Battle of Jersey). Other regiments were in service in India or Gibraltar.

British Army units

Cavalry

Infantry

Foot guards

Regular infantry

American establishment

His Majesty's Marine Forces

  • 1st Battalion
  • 2nd Battalion

Loyalist units

Provincial Corps

Local Volunteer Corps

Associator and Refugee units

Militia units

West Indian units

German auxiliary units

Principality of Anhalt-Zerbst

Margrave of Ansbach and Bayreuth

Duchy of Brunswick

Electorate of Hanover

Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel (or Hesse-Cassel)

County of Hesse-Hanau

Principality of Waldeck

See also

References

Specific

External links