Category: British Legion, American Revolution
Categories: Loyalists, American Revolution | British Units in the American Revolutionary War | Siege of Charleston | Battle of Camden | Battle of Hanging Rock | Battle of Cowpens | Battle of Guilford Court House | Siege of Yorktown | Port Mouton, Nova Scotia Colony
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British Legion, American Revolution
The British Legion, later also known as "Tarleton's Dragoons" were a British Loyalist unit conceived and raised in New York in 1778 by William Cathcart. It combined light cavalry troops, infantry companies, and a light artillery battery, integrating several existing Loyalist fighting units. The infantry consisted of the Caledonian Volunteers, a partially mounted and partially foot unit raised in Philadelphia in late 1777 and early 1778, Rudolphus Ritzema's Royal American Reformers, the West Jersey Volunteers, and some members of the Roman Catholic Volunteers. The cavalry combined elements of Captain Kinloch's independent troop of New York Dragoons, Thomas Sandford's Bucks County Light Dragoons, Richard Hovenden's and Jacob James' Philadelphia Light Dragoons, Emmerich's Chasseurs, elements of the Prince of Wales' American Volunteers, and the 16th Light Dragoons.
The regiment saw service at the Siege of Savannah, the Battle of Waxhaws, the Battle of Camden, the Battle of Cowpens, the Battle of Guilford Courthouse, the Raid on Charlottesville, the Battle of Green Spring, and was part of the British army that surrendered at Yorktown. Some of the men of the Legion were evacuated, sent with Cornwallis' dispatches to New York after the surrender. Some officers were paroled. Some enlisted men, and at least four officers who volunteered to stay with their troopers, were sent to a prison camp in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
After the surrender at Yorktown it becomes difficult to track the soldiers previously taken prisoner. The few extant prison rolls name a small fraction of the men who are assumed to be prisoners based on the muster rolls - the difference may be due to unrecorded deaths, escapes, desertions, etc.
The British Legion was put on the American Establishment as the 5th American Regiment on March 7th, 1781. This recognition meant that Legion officers would be placed on half-pay whenever the War ended. On Jan 14, 1783, the Legion was promoted to the British Establishment as "Tarleton's Dragoons", however, the British Legion was disbanded in October 1783. Some of the soldiers received land in Nova Scotia, notably at Port Mouton, others in New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and elsewhere. It is well documented that many of the soldiers who attempted to return to their homes in the United States before or immediately after the end of hostilities faced imprisonment or even execution.
In 1787, the following officers are recorded on the army half-pay list for Tarleton's Light Dragoons: Lt. Col. Com. Banastre Tarleton, Major Hon. George Hanger, Capts. Richard Hovenden, David Ogilvie, Thomas[sic] Gildart, Thomas Miller, George Dawson (en Sec.), ___ Sandford (en Sec.), Lieuts. Benjamin Hunt, Duncan Munro, Michael Largin, Allan Cameron, ____ MacLeod, Cornets John Davies, John Miller, ____ Chapman, William Miller, John Hovenden, William Wells, Chapl. John Lott Phillips, Adjut. John Price, Surg. John[sic] Smith, Q.Mrs. John Tuck, John Miller, Thomas Embree, John Hagan, Abel Sandys[sic], and Caleb Haynes
In 1798: Lt. Col. Com. M. Gen. Banastre Tarleton, Capt. Francis Gildart, Capt. George Dawson (en Sec.), Charles Douglas Smith, Lieut. Benjamin Hunt, Lieut. Norman[sic, Donald] MacLeod, Cornets Hugh David, Richard Chapman, William Miller, John Hovenden, William Wells, Chapl. John Lott Phillips, Adjut. John Price, Surg. Robert McCausland, Q.Mas. John Tuck, John Miller, Thomas Embree, John Hagan, Abel Sands, and Caleb Haynes
In 1800: Capt. Francis Gildart, George Dawson (en Sec.), Lt Col Cha. Douglas Smith, Lieut. Benjamin Hunt, Norman[sic, Donald] MacLeod, Cornets Richard Chapman, William Wells, Chapl. John Lott Phillips, Adjut. John Price, Q.Mrs. Thomas Embree, John Hagan, Abel Sands, and Caleb Haynes
In 1803: Capt. Francis Gildart, Capt. George Dawson (en Sec.), Lt. Col. Cha. Douglas Smith, Lt. Benjamin Hunt, Lt. Norman[sic, Donald] MacLeod, Cornet William Wells, Adjutant John Price, Q/M Thomas Embree, Q/M John Hagan, Q/M Abel Sands, and Q/M Caleb Haynes
In 1813: Capt. Francis Gildart, Capt. George Dawson, Lt. Benjamin Hunt, Cornet Richard Chapman, Cornet William Wells, Adjutant John Price, Q/M Thomas Embree, Q/M John Hagan, Q/M Abel Sands, and Q/M Caleb Haynes.
In 1821: Capt. George Dawson, Lt. Benjamin Hunt, Cornet William Wells, Adjutant John Price, Q/M Thomas Embree, Q/M John Hagan, and Q/M Abel Sands.
In 1822: Capt. George Dawson, Lt. Benjamin Hunt, Cornet William Wells, Q/M Thomas Embree, Q/M John Hagan, and Q/M Abel Sands.
In 1824: Capt. George Dawson, Lt. Benjamin Hunt, Cornet William Wells, and Q/M John Hagan.
In 1837: Cornet William Wells and Qua. Master John Hagan.
In 1840, 1841, 1842, 1843 (but not 1847): Qua. Master John Hagan.
A list of officers (incomplete):
Colonel: William, Lord Cathcart
Lt. Colonel: Banastre Tarleton
Major (cavalry): George Hanger
Captains (cavalry): Francis Gildart, Richard Hovenden, Christian Huck (killed at Fishing Creek, SC, 12 July 1780), Jacob James, David Kinloch, David Ogilvey, Thomas Sandford, Nathaniel Vernon, Jr.,
Lieutenants (cavalry): Allan Cameron, Abraham Chapman, Samuel Chapman, Hugh Davids, George Geraur (promoted from Cornet by 1780, left Legion after June 1781), Moore Hovenden, Benjamin Hunt, Michael Largin, Donald McLeod (transferred from infantry), Duncan Monroe, William Robins (promoted from Cornet in late 1781), Walter Willett, John Miller (1781 only)
Cornets (cavalry): Richard Chapman, Andrew Coulter(from the 17th Regiment Light Dragoons on April 25th, 1782), Hugh David, George Gray, John Hovenden, Richard McNally, William Miller, Samuel Stapleton, --- Twaine, William Wells, Samuel Willett, James White
Quartermasters (cavalry): Ambrose Morrison (prisoner with the Rebels before Dec 1780), John McIntosh, Amos Chapman, Thomas Embree, John Hagan, Caleb Haines, John Miller, Abel Sands, John Tuck
Major (infantry): Charles Cochrane (killed at Yorktown)
Captains (infantry): George Dawson (Transferred from the Orange Rangers on August 25, 1782), James Edwards (previously sold a commission in 25th Regiment), John MacKenzie (retired from the Legion in 1781), Charles McDonald (Transferred to the Orange Rangers on August 25, 1782), Kenneth McCulloch (transferred from the Roman Catholic Volunteers, killed at Hanging Rock), Donald McPherson (transferred from the 4th New Jersey Volunteers on October 24, 1780), Thomas Miller, John Rousselet (later took the surname Whitefoord), John Scott (previously a Patriot Captain in the 2nd NJ Regiment, he retired from the Legion in April 1779), Charles Stewart (left Legion November 1779), Patrick Stewart (died 24 Oct 1782)
Lieutenants (infantry): Peter Campbell (killed at Waxhaws), Ralph Cunningham (killed at Hanging Rock), Jeremiah Donovan (previously Capt in North Carolina Volunteers, wounded at Camden, later Lt with the King's American Dragoons), Donald McCrummin, James McDonald, Lachlan McDonald (killed at Waxhaws),
Ensigns (infantry): Thomas Stanley, Soirle McDonald (promoted to Lieutenant before the Legion was disbanded in 1783), Jon Miller (previously a sergeant in 16th Dragoons), Thomas Miller, William Jordan (previously a sergeant in 54th Regiment), George Browne (previously a sergeant in 37th Regiment), James Stewart, Ronald McDonald (promoted from sergeant in 1783), William Miller (promoted from sergeant in 1783), Robert Easton/Seaton (commissioned 21 Aug 1780, not on M.R. after Oct 1781)
Quartermaster (infantry): George McDonald (killed at Hanging Rock)
Chaplains: John Lott Phillips, John Sayre
Adjutant (cavalry): Michael Largin
Adjutant (infantry): Thomas Stanley
Surgeons: Robert McCausland, Wynne Stapleton (died Sep 1780 from a violent fever at Waxhaws, North Carolina), Edward Smith
Surgeon Adjutant: Henry Stevenson
A list of badly wounded Legion soldiers who were granted pensions at Chelsea Hospital, London (incomplete):
Sergeant Majors (2): John Anderson, Joseph Redfearn
Sergeants (5): ----- Hutchinson, Thomas Benderman, James Glass, Robert Gardener, Peter McDonald
Corporals (1): Patrick Coleman
Privates (28): Fraser Scrogey, Donald McLeod, Daniel Innes, Alexander Fraser, Michael Drury, Thomas Reily, John Simmons, William Provent, Peter Ridock, Robert Moore, Fraser Stook/Stuck, Isaac Hanse, Patrick Murphy, John Mudford, Francis Archer, Jos. Cotton, Thomas Bevan, Richard Baker, Josh McKiddy, Sheriff Griffin, Patrick Hamilton, Morse Stephens, Edward Hopkins, Josh Akerman, Daniel McLean, John Suter, John McDonald, James Hutchinson
See:
British Legion (Wikipedia website): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Legion_(American_Revolution)
British Legion (Royal Provincial website): http://www.royalprovincial.com/military/rhist/britlegn/bllist.htm
John Knight, War at Saber Point: Banastre Tarleton and the British Legion, Westholme Publishing, 2020, ISBN: 978-1-59416-352-4
Thomas H. Raddall, Tarleton's Legion, Collections of the Nova Scotia Historical Society, 1949: http://www.mersey.ca/tarletonslegion.html
Christian Huck, biographical notes: https://newacquisitionmilitia.com/christian-huck-biography/
Raid on Charlottesville: https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/charlottesville-raid-virginia
The Battle of Green Spring: https://www.battlefields.org/learn/revolutionary-war/battles/green-spring
The Battle of Hanging Rock: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Hanging_Rock
Grant of land at Port Mouton, Nova Scotia: https://archives.novascotia.ca/land-papers/archives/?ID=407&Doc=draft&Page=201102122
Muster Roll of the following Discharged & Disbanded Soldiers and other Loyalists with their respective families who arrived from Shelburne Nova Scotia on the 17th September 1784 and are preparing to settle at the Island of Saint John: https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/military-heritage/loyalists/loyalists-ward-chipman/Pages/item.aspx?IdNumber=1893&
A List of the Officers of the Army, and Marines, with an Index; A List of the Officers on Half-Pay and a Succession of Colonels; Thirty Fifth Edition (1793) (Tarleton's Light Dragoons on page 338): https://books.google.com/books?id=ViIOAAAAQAAJ&pg=RA3-PA8&lpg=RA3-PA8&dq=%22John+Hagan%22+tarleton&source=bl&ots=tOF9rEOja3&sig=ACfU3U3Nh33AnQ3zfBmS3Ez91qBaECMCYw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj488-xyJ6AAxUBmGoFHX3hBlU4HhDoAXoECAUQAw#v=onepage&q=%22John%20Hagan%22%20tarleton&f=false
Army Half Pay list for 1803: https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/viewer/851072/?offset=&return=1#page=327&viewer=picture&o=info&n=0&q=
Army Half Pay list for 1813: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSRJ-V33S-Z
Army Half Pay list for 1821: https://www.google.com/books/edition/A_List_of_the_Officers_of_the_Army_and_o/D29KAQAAMAAJ?hl=en&kptab=editions&gbpv=1
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