Prince of Wales' American Regiment

The Prince of Wales' American Regiment was a volunteer regiment of Loyalists in the American Revolution organized in 1776 and 1777 by Montfort Browne, former governor of the Bahamas.[2][3] Recruits were largely from among Connecticut Loyalists.[4][5]

Prince of Wales' American Regiment
Prince of Wales' American Volunteers
Prince of Wales' Royal American Volunteers
Active1777-1783
Allegiance Great Britain
BranchBritish Provincial unit
TypeInfantry
EngagementsRidgefield, Rhode Island, Charleston, Hanging Rock, Cowpens, Fort Granby
Commanders
Notable
commanders

The regiment was initially based in the New York City area [6] and saw early action in 1777 at the Battle of Ridgefield, in which the British sought to destroy American military supplies stored at Danbury, Connecticut.[7][8][9] The regiment later participated in the Battle of Rhode Island in 1778.[10][11]

When the British refocused their efforts on a southern strategy, the regiment was moved to South Carolina, where it participated in the Siege of Charleston in 1780.[12][13]

The regiment saw its heaviest action at the Battle of Hanging Rock, in which the regiment, under the command of Major John Carden, contributed substantially to repulsing a surprise attack by the Continental Army under the command of General Thomas Sumter.[14][15] Although the battle was a tactical victory, the Prince of Wales' American Regiment suffered heavy casualties.[16][17] In addition, Major Carden was disgraced by resigning his command in the heat of battle.[18] Portions of the regiment later served at the Battle of Cowpens[19][20] and the Siege of Fort Granby.[21][22]

The regiment remained in South Carolina until late 1782, when it returned to New York.[23] The regiment was disbanded on October 10, 1783.[24][25] Over 150 members of the regiment, along with family and servants, resettled in New Brunswick, Canada.[26][27] The community of Prince of Wales, New Brunswick was named for the regiment by Lieutenant Colonel Gabiel DeVeber, who settled there with his family.[28]

References
  1. John Carden, American Battlefield Trust webpage. Accessed June 19, 2020.
  2. McCain, Diana Ross (November 12, 1997). "Tories Hung Out In Colonial Middletown". Hartford Courant. Retrieved 15 May 2020.
  3. A History of the Prince Of Wales' American Regiment - Part 1 of 7 webpage. Accessed May 15, 2020.
  4. Fabel, R.F.A. (Autumn 1992). "Montfort Browne's Corps: The Prince of Wales American Volunteers". Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research. 70 (283): 158–160. JSTOR 44224742.
  5. McCain, Diana Ross (November 12, 1997). "Tories Hung Out In Colonial Middletown". Hartford Courant. Retrieved 15 May 2020.
  6. Siebert, Wilbur H. (January 1931). "Loyalist Troops of New England". The New England Quarterly. 4 (1): 132–133. doi:10.2307/359219. JSTOR 359219.
  7. Fabel, R.F.A. (Autumn 1992). "Montfort Browne's Corps: The Prince of Wales American Volunteers". Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research. 70 (283): 160–162. JSTOR 44224742.
  8. A History of the Prince Of Wales' American Regiment - Part 2 of 7, Baptism at Danbury webpage. Accessed May 15, 2020.
  9. Abbott, Tim (April 28, 2008), Walking the Berkshires: Tryon's Danbury Raid webpage. Accessed May 15, 2020.
  10. Fabel, R.F.A. (Autumn 1992). "Montfort Browne's Corps: The Prince of Wales American Volunteers". Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research. 70 (283): 164–165. JSTOR 44224742.
  11. Siebert, Wilbur H. (January 1931). "Loyalist Troops of New England". The New England Quarterly. 4 (1): 133. doi:10.2307/359219. JSTOR 359219.
  12. Fabel, R.F.A. (Autumn 1992). "Montfort Browne's Corps: The Prince of Wales American Volunteers". Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research. 70 (283): 165–166. JSTOR 44224742.
  13. Siebert, Wilbur H. (1916). "The Refugee Loyalists of Connecticut" (PDF). Transactions of the Royal Society of Canada, 3d Series. X: 84.
  14. Fabel, R.F.A. (Autumn 1992). "Montfort Browne's Corps: The Prince of Wales American Volunteers". Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research. 70 (283): 166–168. JSTOR 44224742.
  15. A History of the Prince Of Wales' American Regiment - Part 4 of 7, Hanging Rock webpage. Accessed May 15, 2020.
  16. Fabel, R.F.A. (Autumn 1992). "Montfort Browne's Corps: The Prince of Wales American Volunteers". Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research. 70 (283): 167–168. JSTOR 44224742.
  17. Hanging Rock, American Battlefield Trust webpage. Accessed May 15, 2020.
  18. Chesney, Alexander (October 30, 1921). "The Journal of Alexander Chesney, a South Carolina Loyalist in the Revolution and After". The Ohio State University Bulletin. 26 (4): 90.
  19. Gilbert, Ed; Gilbert, Catherine (2016). Cowpens 1781: Turning Point of the American Revolution. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 31. ISBN 978-1472822383.
  20. The American Revolution in South Carolina: Cowpens webpage. Accessed June 19, 2020.
  21. Fabel, R.F.A. (Autumn 1992). "Montfort Browne's Corps: The Prince of Wales American Volunteers". Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research. 70 (283): 171. JSTOR 44224742.
  22. The American Revolution in South Carolina: Fort Granby webpage. Accessed June 19, 2020.
  23. Fabel, R.F.A. (Autumn 1992). "Montfort Browne's Corps: The Prince of Wales American Volunteers". Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research. 70 (283): 171. JSTOR 44224742.
  24. Siebert, Wilbur H. (January 1931). "Loyalist Troops of New England". The New England Quarterly. 4 (1): 145. doi:10.2307/359219. JSTOR 359219.
  25. A History of the Prince Of Wales' American Regiment - Part 7 of 7, Final Days webpage. Accessed May 15, 2020.
  26. Siebert, Wilbur H. (January 1931). "Loyalist Troops of New England". The New England Quarterly. 4 (1): 145–146. doi:10.2307/359219. JSTOR 359219.
  27. A History of the Prince Of Wales' American Regiment - Part 7 of 7, Final Days webpage. Accessed May 15, 2020.
  28. Point of Interest, Prince of Wales American Regiment, University of New Brunswick webpage. Accessed May 15, 2020.
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