Washington the Soldier

Appendix D — British Army, at Various Dates

The British Official Records show that the entire British force in America, including troops in Canada, Florida and the Bahama Islands, hardly exceeded, at any one time—and then not until 1780—42,000 men. Some of the regiments appear upon the maps as participants in battles from the attack upon Breed’s Hill until the final surrender of Cornwallis. The colonels of these regiments, under British regulations, held command as general officers; but the regiments retained their personal relation to the commanding officer, although the lieutenant-colonel commanded the battalions in the field, one recruiting battalion always remaining at the home depot.

The following Tables have peculiar value, being compiled direct from original sources:

1. British regiments assigned to America, 1776.

17th Dragoons	Preston’s.
4th Foot	Hodgsin’s.
5th Foot	Percy’s.
10th Foot	Sanford’s.
22d Foot	Gage’s.
23d Foot	Howe’s.
35th Foot	F. H. Campbell’s.
38th Foot	Pigot’s.
40th Foot	Hamilton’s.
43d Foot	Cray’s.
44th Foot	Abercrombie’s.
45th Foot	Haviland’s.
47th Foot	Carleton’s.
49th Foot	Maitland’s.
52d Foot	Clavering’s.
63d Foot	T. Grant’s.
64th Foot	Pomeroy’s.
65th Foot	Armstrong’s.

The above were stationed in Boston, with five companies of the Royal Artillery.

On their passage from Ireland to Boston:

17th Foot	Monkton’s.
27th Foot	Massey’s.
46th Foot	Vaughn’s.
53d Foot	James Grant’s.

Then, in Canada:

7th Foot	Berlier’s.
8th Foot	T. Armstrong’s.
26th Foot	Lord Gordon’s.
2 Companies	Royal Artillery.

Ready to sail for America, from Cork:

15th Foot	Caven’s.
33d Foot	Cornwallis’.
37th Foot	Coote’s.
42d Foot	Lord Murray’s.
54th Foot	Frederick’s.
57th Foot	Irwin’s.

Ordered for Boston:

16th Dragoons	Burgoyne’s.
King’s Guards	1,000 men.

Ordered for Quebec:

9th Foot	Lagonier’s.
20th Foot	Parker’s.
24th Foot	Taylor’s.
34th Foot	Lord Cavendish’s.
33d Foot	Elphinstone’s.
62d Foot	Jones’.

Also, 29th Foot upon opening of navigation.

Cunningham’s Regiment, the 14th Foot, was in part in Virginia; the residue, with a Company of the Royal Artillery, was at St. Augustine, Florida.

2. British Army at the Battle of Long Island

ADVANCE CORPS.

Four Battalions of Light Infantry and the Light Dragoons.

RESERVE CORPS.

Four Battalions of Grenadiers, 33d and 42d Regiments.

BRITISH COLUMN.

1st Brigade	44th, 15th, 27th and 45th Regiments.
2d Brigade	5th, 28th, 55th and 49th Regiments.
3d Brigade	10th, 37th, 38th and 52d Regiments.
4th Brigade	17th, 40th, 46th and 55th Regiments.
5th Brigade	22d, 43d, 54th and 63d Regiments.
6th Brigade	23d, 44th, 57th and 64th Regiments.
7th Brigade	71st Highland Regiment, New York Companies and Royal Artillery.

Colonel Donop’s command consisted of the Hessian Grenadiers and the Chausseurs.

General De Heister’s command consisted of two Hessian brigades.

TOTAL OF COMBINED ARMIES, INCLUDING FORCE ON STATEN ISLAND.

General Clinton in his report gives Howe’s “effectives fit for duty” as 26,980—officers not included; but, including all officers, commissioned and non-commissioned, as 31,625 men.

3. British Effective Force in America, June 3, 1777

In New Jersey.
British Artillery	365
British Cavalry	710
British Infantry	8,361
Hessian Infantry	3,300
Anspach Infantry	1,043
	———
	13,779
In New York.
British Artillery	20
British Infantry	1,513
Hessian Infantry	1,778
	———
	3,311
Aggregate, 17,090.

On this date, 2,631 men had been sent to Rhode Island, and the total force of foreign troops which had arrived—including those of Hesse, Anspach, and Waldeck—amounted to 14,777.

4. British Effective Force in America, March 26, 1778

	In New York.	In Philadelphia.	In Rhode Island.
British	3,486	13,078	1,610
German	3,689	5,202	2,116
Provincial	3,281	1,250	44
	———	———	———
	10,456	19,530	3,770
Aggregate, 33,756.

5. Aug. 15, 1778

In New York and vicinity, 19,586; in Long Island, 8,117; in Rhode Island, 5,189; Lord Howe’s fleet, 512; making an aggregate of 33,404.

A later return of November 1, on account of troops sent to Halifax and to the West Indies, reduced the aggregate to 22,494 for duty.

6. May 1, 1779

New York	9,123
Long Island	6,056
Staten Island	1,344
Paulus Hook	383
Hoboken	264
Rhode Island	5,644
	———
	22,814
Halifax	3,677
Georgia	4,794
West Florida	1,703
Bermuda and Providence Island	470
	———
	10,644
Aggregate, 33,458.

7. December 1, 1779

At New York and its dependencies:
British	13,848
German	10,836
Provincial	4,072
	———
Total	28,756
Halifax and Penobscot	3,460
Georgia	3,930
West Florida	1,787
Bermuda and Providence Island	636
	———
Total	9,813
Aggregate, 38,569.

8. British Effective Force in America, May 1, 1780

	New York.	South Carolina.	Nova Scotia.	East Florida.	Georgia.
British	7,711	7,041	2,298	590
German	7,451	3,018	572	547	862
Provincials	2,162	2,788	638	316	1,016
	———	———	———	———	———
	17,324	12,847	3,508	1,453	1,878

Aggregate, including East Florida, Providence Island and Bermuda, 38,002.

9. December 1, 1780

New York	17,729
On an expedition	2,274
South Carolina	7,384
Georgia	968
	———
	28,355
West Florida	1,261
Nova Scotia	3,167
Bermuda	387
Providence Island	143
	———
	4,958
Aggregate, 33,313; besides Provincial troops, 8,954. Total, 42,267.

10. May 1, 1781

New York	12,257
On an expedition	1,782
With Leslie	2,278
With Arnold	1,553
With Phillips	2,116
South Carolina	7,254
	———
	27,240
East Florida	438
West Florida	1,185
Nova Scotia	3,130
Bermuda	366
Providence Island	128
Georgia	887
	———
	6,134
Aggregate forces, 33,374.

11. Sept. 1, 1781

	New York.	Virginia.	S. Carolina.	Georgia.	Floridas.	N. Scotia.	W. Indies.
British,	5,932	5,544	5,024		920	1,745	498
German,	8,629	2,204	1,596	486	558	562
Provincial,	2,140	1,137	3,155	598	211	1,145
	———	———	———	———	———	———	———
Total,	16,701	8,885	9,775	1,084	1,689	3,452	498
Aggregate, including Providence Island and Bermuda, 42,075.

Note.—Stedman has the following estimate:

British and Rebel Force in 1776.
Dates.	British.	Rebel.
August	24,000	16,000
November	26,600	4,500
December	27,700	3,300
In 1777.
March	27,000	4,500
June	30,000	8,000