84th Regiment of Foot (Royal Highland Emigrants)
Encyclopedia
The 84th Regiment of Foot (Royal Highland Emigrants) was a British regiment in the American Revolutionary War
that was raised to defend present day Ontario
, Quebec
and Atlantic Canada
from the constant land and sea attacks by American Revolutionaries. The 84th Regiment was also involved in offensive action in the Thirteen Colonies
; including North Carolina
, South Carolina
, Georgia, Virginia
and what is now Maine
, as well as raids upon Lake Champlain
and the Mohawk Valley
. The regiment consisted of 2,000 men in twenty companies. The 84th Regiment was raised from Scottish soldiers who had served in the Seven Years' War
and stayed in North America
. As a result, the 84th Regiment had one of the oldest and most experienced officer corps of any regiment in North America. The Scottish Highland regiments were a key element of the British Army in the American Revolution. The 84th Regiment was clothed, armed and accoutred the same as the Black Watch
, with Lieutenant Colonel Allan Maclean
commanding the first battalion and Major General John Small of Strathardle commanding the second. The two Battalions operated independently of each other and saw little action together.
(which included much of the present-day provinces of Quebec
and Ontario
) was the target of an invasion
by Continental Army
forces in 1775.
, (1725–83), was authorized by Lieutenant General Thomas Gage
to raise a regiment from Scottish communities in Canada, New York and the Carolinas. The 84th Highland Regiment was the first to be raised from American Loyalists. The soldiers were drawn from those who had served Britain in the Seven Years War – the 42nd Regiment of Foot
(Black Watch), 77th Regiment of Foot
(Montgomerie's Highlanders), and 78th Regiment of Foot
(Fraser's Highlanders).
The prospect of raising regiments in the Thirteen Colonies was a dangerous mission. Only two battalions of the five originally requested were raised because of the difficulty of recruiting. When Maclean arrived in New York not long after the war broke out, he was warned not to disembark in his uniform for fear of attack. As a result, when travelling alone he dressed as a doctor. The dangers of recruiting American Loyalists became even clearer after the Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge in North Carolina
.
. There they were to join with a force arriving from Europe and participate in operations in the southern colonies. The recruited force, at first numbering 1,600 American Loyalists but reduced during the march by desertions to fewer than 800, faced off against 1,000 American Patriots. The American Loyalists' movement was blocked by Patriot forces on two occasions, but the Loyalists managed to bypass them to reach the bridge over Widow Moore's Creek. Captain McLeod, who had survived the Battle of Bunker Hill
, was killed leading the charge at Moore's Creek Bridge. Half of the regiment was captured and thirty were killed; with ninety six officers and men taken prisoner. The majority of the Carolina recruits were never able to join the regiment since the Loyalist forces were scattered after the battle.
Lt. Col. Danald MacDonald helped with the recruiting in North Carolina and fought in the Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge. Both MacLean and Macdonald were taken prisoner.
.
's invasion in the Siege of Fort St. Jean, Quebec. The regiment made two attempts to relieve the fort, but eventually return to Quebec, where it helped to stiffen the resolve of the civil population until Carleton's return from Montreal.
The regiment was also involved in the Battle of Quebec (1775)
. Montgomery and Benedict Arnold
, who led an expedition through the wilderness of what is now Maine
, combined forces and mounted attack on Quebec City. At a crucial moment in the battle, Captain McDougal led 120 of the 84th and 60 Royal Navy
sailors against a force of New Hampshire
troops commanded by Henry Dearborn
. They overwhelmed Dearborn's men, forcing the survivors to surrender.
from American Revolutionary attacks by land and sea. Throughout the war, American privateers devastated the maritime economy by raiding many of the coastal communities. There were constant attacks by American privateers, such as the Sack of Lunenburg, Nova Scotia
(1782), numerous raids on Liverpool, Nova Scotia
(October 1776, March 1777, September, 1777, May 1778, September 1780) and a raid on Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia
(1781). There was also a naval engagement
with a French fleet at Sydney, Nova Scotia
, near Spanish River, Cape Breton (1781).
In the fall of 1775 General George Washington
authorized some ship's captains to engage in privateering activities. In violation of their charter (which allowed the taking of ships but not raids on land targets), the privateering ships Hancock and Franklin made an unopposed landing at Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island on 17 November 1775. Three days later, they sailed to Nova Scotia and raided Canso, Nova Scotia
. In 1779, American privateers returned to Canso and destroyed the fisheries, which were worth £50,000 a year to Britain.
To guard against such attacks, the 84th was garrisoned at forts around the maritime provinces. One such fort was Fort Howe
, at the mouth of the Bay of Fundy at what is now Saint John, New Brunswick
. As soon as the fort was built, it was immediately pillaged and burned by American privateers (August, 1775). Saint John was raided three more times in the span of two months (1777) before the 84th was able to rebuild Fort Howe.
In Newfoundland, American privateers sacked numerous ports such as Chateau Bay (1778) and Twillingate (1779). Off the coast of Newfoundland, the 84th Regiment were the first to defeat an American privateer in the Battle of the Newcastle Jane (1776). Major Small also had companies from the 84th Regiment stationed in Fort Frederick, Placentia, Newfoundland.
The 84th Regiment also defended Nova Scotia, attacking an American privateer off Lunenburg, Nova Scotia
(1775). The 84th was led by Captain John MacDonald. They boarded the warship when part of its crew were ashore seeking plunder. They captured the crew and sailed her into Halifax.
There were also Patriot attacks on Nova Scotia by land, such as the Battle of Fort Cumberland
(also known as the Eddy Rebellion). There was the constant fear that American Patriots would attack Halifax, Nova Scotia by land. The threat involved American Patriots landing in Windsor and marching to Halifax. As a result, in the summer of 1778, Major John Small moved the headquarters of the 84th Regiment from Halifax to Fort Edward (Nova Scotia)
in Windsor.
When Col. Allan Maclean landed in America, he discovered that Major General John Small, was already mobilizing American Loyalists from the 13 Colonies as well as present day Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada to create a Highland Regiment. Along with getting soldiers who fought in Montgomerie's Highlanders and 78th Regiment of Foot
(Fraser's Highlanders), Small was recruiting soldiers from the 42nd Regiment of Foot
(Black Watch); the same regiment that he had served with in the Seven Years War. The regiment was known as the "Young Royal Highlanders" until it turned into the 84th Regiment.
Small was involved with also recruiting new immigrants as they arrived off transports from the British Isles. On one occasion, the transport George arrived in New York with 172 immigrant Highlanders. Major Small went aboard, explained the situation, and pressed the men into service. Small gave them assurance that their families would be well taken care of by the regiment. The same thing happened on October 3, 1775, with Scottish immigrants arriving in New York on the ship Glasgow. On that occasion, there were 255 immigrants (men and their families). Upon Small redirecting the immigrants to Halifax, the officer in command in Halifax reported that their amount of luggage was enough to "fill St. Paul's Church
."
. Small was a central figure in the battle, leading the 38th and 43rd Regiments in storming the hill. Along with three other members of the 84th Regiment who were wounded, Small was also wounded in the arm by cannon fire. He relayed his experience to John Trumbull, who then painted his famous painting The Death of General Warren at the Battle of Bunker Hill, in which Major Small is one of the central figures in the painting. Although the British won the battle, it was very costly: 226 were killed and 828 were wounded.
Boston was evacuated in March 1776 and Major Small and the first wave of American Loyalists arrived in Halifax with his newly formed Highland Regiment. A few months later on June 11, 1776, Small and some of his Highlanders left for New York.
Fort Edward (Nova Scotia)
in Windsor was the Headquarters for the 84th Regiment in Atlantic Canada.
Initially, the headquarters for the 84th Regiment was in Halifax. During the nine years of the war, members of the Battalion served on Detachments around Halifax: the Redoubt & Fort Needham (Halifax), Fort Sackville (Bedford), Fort Charlotte (Georges Island (Nova Scotia), Fort Clarence (Eastern Battery, Dartmouth).
The 84th Regiment was also stationed at four locations around the Bay of Fundy: Fort Edward (Windsor), Fort Anne
(Annapolis), Fort Cumberland (Amherst), and Fort Howe (Saint John). There were also forts that the 84th were stationed at on Cape Sable, Fort Cornwallis (Kentville, Nova Scotia
), Sydney Mines Battery (Spanish River, Sydney), Fort Frederick (Placentia, Nfld.). The Regiment was also at Fort Hughes (Oromocto, New Brunswick).
As well the 84th Regiment was stationed at forts in the 13 Colonies: Brooklyn Heights (New York) and Ft. Augusta (Georgia).
Because of the threat of a land assault on Halifax by landings in Windsor, Small moved the headquarters for the 84th Highland Regiment from Halifax to Fort Edward, Windsor (1778). The 84th operated on land and sea. In June 1779, for example, the 84th Regiment at Fort Edward had captured twelve American privateers, who had plundered many small vessels and neighbouring inhabitants on the Bay of Fundy. The prisoners were wounded. The prisoners were almost rescued by another American privateer vessel the Statagem, from Marblehead which had a crew of nine. Upon seeing the fate of the prisoners, however, they abandoned the rescue mission for fear of sharing the same fate. One report stated, "It is to be hoped that if they dare return they will fare no better."
Small assigned Captain Allan Macdonald, husband of the famous Scottish heroine Flora MacDonald (Scottish Jacobite), to be the commander of Fort Edward for five years.
. He served there along with two of his sons, Ranald and Charles, who were among the young officers of the regiment.
In 1750, at the age of 28, Flora married Captain Allan Macdonald of Kingsburgh, and in 1773 together they emigrated to Montgomery County (formerly Anson), North Carolina. Flora actively participated in recruiting men for the 84th Highland Regiment, displaying once more her resolution. She exhorted the 84th Regiment at Cross Creek, North Carolina (present-day Fayetteville) before the went off to fight in the Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge.
After Flora's husband was taken prisoner, Flora remained in hiding while the American Patriots ravaged her family plantation and she lost all her possessions. When her husband was released from prison, she travelled with him out of out of North Carolina to New York and then to Fort Edward in Windsor, Nova Scotia in the fall of 1778.
Flora only stayed in Nova Scotia for one year at Fort Edward, Windsor. In 1779 Flora returned home to Dunvegan Castle
in Isle of Skye, Scotland. After the war, in 1784, Allan followed her.
There is a plaque at Fort Edward which reads:
, Newfoundland. On board the ship was 20,000 pounds sterling and 3,000 sets of uniforms, much of which was for the 84th Regiment. On October 23 at 4:00 am American privateer came within 30 yards of the Newcastle Jane. The American had ten carriage guns and twelve swivel guns and the Jane had only 6 three-pound carriage guns and a few swivels. The ships opened fire on each other. After a 24-hour standoff, the 84th Regiment had outmanoeuvred the Americans, leaving them with many wounded and a damaged vessel. By the time the battle was over, the Newcastle Jane only had two rounds of shot left.
One of the crew in the Battle of the Newcastle Jane was a young recruit Lachlan Macquarie
, who eventually became known as "the Father of Australia." Macquarie began his military career in 1776 at the age of fourteen when he sailed from Scotland to the New World. The attackers were repulsed and, six months later, on 9 April 1777, he obtained an ensigncy in the 84th Regiment. He did garrison duty, first in Nova Scotia, and then in New York and Charleston. He was commissioned a lieutenant in the 71st Regiment in January 1781. In 1784 he returned to Scotland from his posting in Jamaica, and was reduced to half-pay.
Machias, Maine was used as a base for privateering against Nova Scotia and as a staging and supply point for American Patriot attacks on Fort Frederick, Saint John
and Fort Cumberland. In 1776, privateers from Machias had burned Fort Frederick at Saint John to the ground. In 1777, American forces briefly controlled Saint John. In response, Major John Small personally led a force to drive out the Americans.
When the 84th Regiment landed at Saint John on June 30, 1777, the Americans retreated to the woods. The 84th marched through the woods and were ambushed by the American. Twelve Americans and one member of the regiment were killed. Weeks later, on July 13, 1777, American privateers again attacked Saint John and were repulsed by the 84th. In August 1777, the Americans attacked yet again and were successful, carrying off 21 boatloads of plunder. The 84th immediately began to replace the low-lying Fort Frederick with Fort Howe
, which overlooked the settlement. Fort Howe became instrumental in curtailing privateer action and was used as an assembly point for attacks on the 13 Colonies.
. Captain MacDonald arrived at Annapolis by ship, only to find a large privateer ship raiding the port. He destroyed the privateer vessel, which mounted ten carriage guns. Captain MacDonald also caught the attention of General Massey, who wrote that he "highly approved" of his conduct.
Captain Campbell of the 84th Regiment, in December 1778, took seven men with him to retrieve an American privateer that was abandoned on Partridge Island
. They returned the ship safely to Annopolis Royal.
In another raid on Annapolis Royal in 1781, prisoners were captured by the crew of an American privateer and later released on parole on promise of exchange for an American prisoner at Halifax.
, a privateering port at the mouth of the Penobscot River. The caputure of this vital port interrupted its as a staging area by privateers to attack Nova Scotia.
. The Southern theater was the central area of operations in the second half of the American Revolutionary War. During the first three years of the conflict, the primary military encounters had been in the north, focused on campaigns around the cities of Boston, New York, and Philadelphia.
Earlier in the war, the 2/84th Regiment was involved in trying to take Charleston, South Carolina
in the Battle of Sullivan's Island
. On June 24, companies of the 2/84th Regiment from Boston and New York left their ports to descend upon Fort Sullivan (later renamed Fort Moultrie), South Carolina. Four days later the 84th Regiment from New York, on June 28, 1776, engaged in the Battle of Fort Sullivan (see Fort Moultrie National Monument
). The fleet bombarded the fort and suffered excessive damage by return fire. The attack was a failure; 38 of the regiment died. The 84th Regiment did not return to Charlestown, South Carolina until 1780.
The 2/84th Regiment was involved in a skirmish at Wiboo Swamp, Savannah River, Clarendon County, South Carolina (1781). 3 of the 84th Regiment were killed as were about 18 American Patriots. (See Wiboo Swamp Skirmish).
The 2/84th Regiment was then involved in protecting the Loyalist strong hold of Augusta, Georgia
. The first skirmish was at Wiggin's Hill, Savannah River, Georgia in April 1881. (See Skirmish at Wiggin's Hill). The Patriots surprised the regiment at Wiggin's Hill, but were twice repulsed. The 84th then took prisoners, killed many of them and burned their homes. Captain McKinnon tried to stop what he considered his own regiments "barbarity". The 84th was also involved with trying to protect Fort Motte in the Siege of Fort Motte
, Georgia (1781). The 2/84th Regiment was forced to surrender on May 12 and were taken prisoner.
On June 18, 1781, the 2/84th Regiment was involved with the relief of the American Loyalists besieged by Americans Patriots in the Siege of Ninety-Six
. The American Patriots were trying to defeat the American Loyalists who were trapped in an earthen fortification known as the Star Fort. The American Patriots had 1,000 troops in a siege against the 550 American Loyalists. On the 28th day of the siege, Lord Rawdon, along with the 2/84th Regiment arrived. The American Patriots retreated and those in the Star Fort were saved, although Ninety-Six was abandoned by the British not long after.
One of those in the Star Fort who belonged to the Ninety-Six Militia was Captain John Bond. Along with the rest of the American Loyalists from Ninety-Six, John Bond eventually left South Carolina and settled in Rawdon Township (see Rawdon, Nova Scotia), the place being named after Lord Rawdon who had saved them in the siege.
The American Patriots attacked Orangeburg, South Carolina, with 2,600 troops. The 2/84th were part of a British force of 2,300, which stopped their advance at the Battle of Eutaw Springs
on September 8, 1781. In the battle, the 84th Regiment lost 6 killed, 22 wounded and 2 missing.
In the last months of the war, the Second Battalion, 84th Regiment, defending Charleston, was involved in the Skirmish at Fair Lawn (also known as Fair Lawn Barony, Colleton House, "below Monck's Corner"). The battalion was in the area of the hospital where many of their fellow wounded soldiers were located. They were also stationed at a blockhouse near Baggen's Bridge, which lead directly to Charleston. They had few soldiers in the area and the captain in charge was forced to choose between either protecting the hospital or protecting the bridge that led to Charleston. He chose to protect the bridge. On November 17, 1781, the American Patriots attacked the undefended hospital; pillaging it and then burning the building to the ground. Most of the wounded were dragged into the surrounding woods and swamps, where they died from exposure and maltreatment.(See Fair Lawn Skirmish)
After this incident, the 2/84th Regiment went to Georgia, Florida and Jamaica. In Georgia, they were involved in the skirmish on the Ogeechee River, Burke County (1781). (See Oggeechee Skirmish).
The original uniform of the first battalion was the green Provincial uniform, consisting of a long, green coat, tri-cornered black hat, breeches, and gray hose. They were armed with surplus King's Long Land Muskets from the Seven Years' War
.
In the second quarter of 1777, they received kilts, belted plaid
s (or perhaps both) in the government sett
and wore these with their green Provincial coats (which were shortened) until these wore out, at which time they were replaced with the red coats of regulars.
The Second Battalion did not do as well; having to provide for their own uniforms until the local governor was formally ordered to clothe and arm them in the autumn of 1776.
Upon their incorporation into the Regular Establishment, their uniform was standardized to the short Highland- style coat with dark blue facings and white turnbacks. The regimental lace is presumed to have been white tape, with one blue worm between two red ones: but this description is based on a later 84th Regiment's practices. No contemporary descriptions of the regimental lace have been discovered. Buttons had one of three variations; all of which incorporated "84th" with the customary Highland embellishment. The men were issued plaids or kilts of government sett. In addition, each man was issued two pairs of trews, one white and one blue.
Companies in the South Theater were issued brown trousers instead of white or blue ones. Officers' uniforms used gold lace and buttons.
In winter, it was common for the men to wear trousers and plaids simultaneously. Members stationed in Canada were issued a wool waistcoat, a blanket coat, overshoes, a watch cape, mittens, ice creepers, and snow shoes.
to Nova Scotia. The 2/84th Regiment evacuated Charlotte, North Carolina and went to New York in April 1782 and then on to Halifax, arriving on October 24, 1782. Major Small followed them, arriving on the frigate Jason on November 12. Small arrived with a number of the settlers that the 84th Regiment had saved in the Siege of Ninety-Six
. These men founded Rawdon Township (currently, Rawdon, Nova Scotia and area). After the 2nd Battalion was disbanded at the headquarters for the 84th Regiment Fort Edward (Nova Scotia)
on October 10, 1783, many of the 84th Regiment settled beside Rawdon Township in the newly formed Douglas Township (Kennetcook, Nova Scotia
and surrounding area).
Major Small purchased Malachy Salter
's grant (present day Selma, Nova Scotia
) and built a manor house on an estate which he named "Selma", after which the community is named. Small had hoped to establish the Feudal Barony of Straloch in Selma but his last will and testament was not honoured.
The First battalion settled mainly in Kingston, Ontario
. A few took passage, instead, to Britain
.
This unit, the "old 84th", was completely disbanded and has no direct descendants in the military of the modern United Kingdom
. Later regiments to bear this number (84th (York and Lancaster) Regiment of Foot
) have no historical nor traditional connection to it. However, the Canadian Army considers the 84th to be continued in the Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders.
after the war:
For list of the 84th Regiment soldiers who settled in the Douglas Township see Duncanson, John (1989). Rawdon and Douglas: Two Loyalists Townships in Nova Scotia. Ontario: Mika Publishing Company.
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
that was raised to defend present day Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
and Atlantic Canada
Atlantic Canada
Atlantic Canada is the region of Canada comprising the four provinces located on the Atlantic coast, excluding Quebec: the three Maritime provinces – New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia – and Newfoundland and Labrador...
from the constant land and sea attacks by American Revolutionaries. The 84th Regiment was also involved in offensive action in the Thirteen Colonies
Thirteen Colonies
The Thirteen Colonies were English and later British colonies established on the Atlantic coast of North America between 1607 and 1733. They declared their independence in the American Revolution and formed the United States of America...
; including North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
, Georgia, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
and what is now Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
, as well as raids upon Lake Champlain
Lake Champlain
Lake Champlain is a natural, freshwater lake in North America, located mainly within the borders of the United States but partially situated across the Canada—United States border in the Canadian province of Quebec.The New York portion of the Champlain Valley includes the eastern portions of...
and the Mohawk Valley
Mohawk Valley
The Mohawk Valley region of the U.S. state of New York is the area surrounding the Mohawk River, sandwiched between the Adirondack Mountains and Catskill Mountains....
. The regiment consisted of 2,000 men in twenty companies. The 84th Regiment was raised from Scottish soldiers who had served in the Seven Years' War
Seven Years' War
The Seven Years' War was a global military war between 1756 and 1763, involving most of the great powers of the time and affecting Europe, North America, Central America, the West African coast, India, and the Philippines...
and stayed in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. As a result, the 84th Regiment had one of the oldest and most experienced officer corps of any regiment in North America. The Scottish Highland regiments were a key element of the British Army in the American Revolution. The 84th Regiment was clothed, armed and accoutred the same as the Black Watch
Black Watch
The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. The unit's traditional colours were retired in 2011 in a ceremony led by Queen Elizabeth II....
, with Lieutenant Colonel Allan Maclean
Allan Maclean of Torloisk
Allan Maclean of Torloisk was a Jacobite who became a British Army General. He was born at a cottage built close to the site of the Duart Castle in Scotland from its scattered stones...
commanding the first battalion and Major General John Small of Strathardle commanding the second. The two Battalions operated independently of each other and saw little action together.
Historical context - Quebec and Ontario
The British Province of QuebecProvince of Quebec (1763-1791)
The Province of Quebec was a colony in North America created by Great Britain after the Seven Years' War. Great Britain acquired Canada by the Treaty of Paris when King Louis XV of France and his advisors chose to keep the territory of Guadeloupe for its valuable sugar crops instead of New France...
(which included much of the present-day provinces of Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
and Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
) was the target of an invasion
Invasion of Canada (1775)
The Invasion of Canada in 1775 was the first major military initiative by the newly formed Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. The objective of the campaign was to gain military control of the British Province of Quebec, and convince the French-speaking Canadiens to join the...
by Continental Army
Continental Army
The Continental Army was formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America. Established by a resolution of the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, it was created to coordinate the military efforts of the Thirteen Colonies in...
forces in 1775.
Lieutenant Colonel Allan Maclean, Commander, 1st Battalion
The distinguished war hero, Lieutenant Colonel Allan Maclean of TorloiskAllan Maclean of Torloisk
Allan Maclean of Torloisk was a Jacobite who became a British Army General. He was born at a cottage built close to the site of the Duart Castle in Scotland from its scattered stones...
, (1725–83), was authorized by Lieutenant General Thomas Gage
Thomas Gage
Thomas Gage was a British general, best known for his many years of service in North America, including his role as military commander in the early days of the American War of Independence....
to raise a regiment from Scottish communities in Canada, New York and the Carolinas. The 84th Highland Regiment was the first to be raised from American Loyalists. The soldiers were drawn from those who had served Britain in the Seven Years War – the 42nd Regiment of Foot
42nd Regiment of Foot
The 42nd Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army. Originally the 43rd Highlanders they were renumbered the 42nd in 1748.- Early history :...
(Black Watch), 77th Regiment of Foot
77th Regiment of Foot
77th Regiment of Foot may refer to:*77th Regiment of Foot *77th Regiment of Foot *77th Regiment of Foot...
(Montgomerie's Highlanders), and 78th Regiment of Foot
78th Regiment of Foot
The 78th Regiment of Foot was a Highland Infantry Regiment of the Line raised in late 18th Century Scotland for service against the French during the Napoleonic Wars.- History :The original 78th Foot was raised by the Earl of Seaforth in 1778...
(Fraser's Highlanders).
The prospect of raising regiments in the Thirteen Colonies was a dangerous mission. Only two battalions of the five originally requested were raised because of the difficulty of recruiting. When Maclean arrived in New York not long after the war broke out, he was warned not to disembark in his uniform for fear of attack. As a result, when travelling alone he dressed as a doctor. The dangers of recruiting American Loyalists became even clearer after the Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge in North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
.
Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge, North Carolina
Members of the 84th Highland Regiment were in the Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge, North Carolina in early 1776. On 27 February 1776, the 84th Regiment, with a number of new recruits, was marching to the port of Wilmington, North CarolinaWilmington, North Carolina
Wilmington is a port city in and is the county seat of New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States. The population is 106,476 according to the 2010 Census, making it the eighth most populous city in the state of North Carolina...
. There they were to join with a force arriving from Europe and participate in operations in the southern colonies. The recruited force, at first numbering 1,600 American Loyalists but reduced during the march by desertions to fewer than 800, faced off against 1,000 American Patriots. The American Loyalists' movement was blocked by Patriot forces on two occasions, but the Loyalists managed to bypass them to reach the bridge over Widow Moore's Creek. Captain McLeod, who had survived the Battle of Bunker Hill
Battle of Bunker Hill
The Battle of Bunker Hill took place on June 17, 1775, mostly on and around Breed's Hill, during the Siege of Boston early in the American Revolutionary War...
, was killed leading the charge at Moore's Creek Bridge. Half of the regiment was captured and thirty were killed; with ninety six officers and men taken prisoner. The majority of the Carolina recruits were never able to join the regiment since the Loyalist forces were scattered after the battle.
Lt. Col. Danald MacDonald helped with the recruiting in North Carolina and fought in the Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge. Both MacLean and Macdonald were taken prisoner.
Sorel, Quebec, Headquarters, 1st Battalion
In 1777 the Headquarters moved from Quebec to SorelSorel-Tracy, Quebec
Sorel-Tracy is a city in southwestern Quebec, Canada and the geographical end point of the Lake Champlain Valley at the confluence of the Richelieu River and the St. Lawrence River, on the western edge of Lac Saint-Pierre downstream and east of nearby Montreal. The population as of the Canada 2006...
.
Military operations – Quebec
Under McLean's command, the First Battalion acted primarily to defend Quebec from American Patriot forces. It marched from Quebec in an attempt to repel Brigadier General Richard MontgomeryRichard Montgomery
Richard Montgomery was an Irish-born soldier who first served in the British Army. He later became a brigadier-general in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War and he is most famous for leading the failed 1775 invasion of Canada.Montgomery was born and raised in Ireland...
's invasion in the Siege of Fort St. Jean, Quebec. The regiment made two attempts to relieve the fort, but eventually return to Quebec, where it helped to stiffen the resolve of the civil population until Carleton's return from Montreal.
The regiment was also involved in the Battle of Quebec (1775)
Battle of Quebec (1775)
The Battle of Quebec was fought on December 31, 1775 between American Continental Army forces and the British defenders of the city of Quebec, early in the American Revolutionary War. The battle was the first major defeat of the war for the Americans, and it came at a high price...
. Montgomery and Benedict Arnold
Benedict Arnold
Benedict Arnold V was a general during the American Revolutionary War. He began the war in the Continental Army but later defected to the British Army. While a general on the American side, he obtained command of the fort at West Point, New York, and plotted to surrender it to the British forces...
, who led an expedition through the wilderness of what is now Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
, combined forces and mounted attack on Quebec City. At a crucial moment in the battle, Captain McDougal led 120 of the 84th and 60 Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
sailors against a force of New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
troops commanded by Henry Dearborn
Henry Dearborn
Henry Dearborn was an American physician, a statesman and a veteran of both the American Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. Born to Simon Dearborn and Sarah Marston in North Hampton, New Hampshire, he spent much of his youth in Epping, where he attended public schools...
. They overwhelmed Dearborn's men, forcing the survivors to surrender.
Military operations – Thirteen Colonies
Later in the war, they took part in raids upon Lake Champlain in 1778 and into the Mohawk Valley in 1780, 1781 and 1782.Historical context – Atlantic Canada
The 84th was tasked with defending British maritime provincesAtlantic Canada
Atlantic Canada is the region of Canada comprising the four provinces located on the Atlantic coast, excluding Quebec: the three Maritime provinces – New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia – and Newfoundland and Labrador...
from American Revolutionary attacks by land and sea. Throughout the war, American privateers devastated the maritime economy by raiding many of the coastal communities. There were constant attacks by American privateers, such as the Sack of Lunenburg, Nova Scotia
Lunenburg, Nova Scotia
Lunenburg , is a Canadian port town in Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia.Situated on the province's South Shore, Lunenburg is located on a peninsula at the western side of Mahone Bay. The town is approximately 90 kilometres southwest of the county boundary with the Halifax Regional Municipality.The...
(1782), numerous raids on Liverpool, Nova Scotia
Liverpool, Nova Scotia
Liverpool is a Canadian community and former town located along the Atlantic Ocean of the Province of Nova Scotia's South Shore. It is situated within the Region of Queens Municipality which is the local governmental unit that comprises all of Queens County, Nova Scotia...
(October 1776, March 1777, September, 1777, May 1778, September 1780) and a raid on Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia
Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia
Annapolis Royal is a town located in the western part of Annapolis County, Nova Scotia. Known as Port Royal until the Conquest of Acadia in 1710 by Britain, the town is the oldest continuous European settlement in North America, north of St...
(1781). There was also a naval engagement
Naval battle off Cape Breton
The Battle off Spanish River took place during the American Revolution between two French Navy frigates and a convoy of 18 British ships under protection of the Royal Navy off the harbour of Spanish River, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia...
with a French fleet at Sydney, Nova Scotia
Sydney, Nova Scotia
Sydney is a Canadian urban community in the province of Nova Scotia. It is situated on the east coast of Cape Breton Island and is administratively part of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality....
, near Spanish River, Cape Breton (1781).
In the fall of 1775 General George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
authorized some ship's captains to engage in privateering activities. In violation of their charter (which allowed the taking of ships but not raids on land targets), the privateering ships Hancock and Franklin made an unopposed landing at Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island on 17 November 1775. Three days later, they sailed to Nova Scotia and raided Canso, Nova Scotia
Canso, Nova Scotia
For the headland, see Cape Canso.Canso is a small Canadian town in Guysborough County, on the north-eastern tip of mainland Nova Scotia, next to Chedabucto Bay. The area was established in 1604, along with Port Royal, Nova Scotia. The British construction of a fort in the village , was instrumental...
. In 1779, American privateers returned to Canso and destroyed the fisheries, which were worth £50,000 a year to Britain.
To guard against such attacks, the 84th was garrisoned at forts around the maritime provinces. One such fort was Fort Howe
Fort Howe
Fort Howe was built during the American Revolution shortly after the American Siege of Saint John to protect Saint John from further American raids. The 18th and 19th century British Army fortification is built in present-day New Brunswick, Canada at the mouth of the Saint John River where it...
, at the mouth of the Bay of Fundy at what is now Saint John, New Brunswick
Saint John, New Brunswick
City of Saint John , or commonly Saint John, is the largest city in the province of New Brunswick, and the first incorporated city in Canada. The city is situated along the north shore of the Bay of Fundy at the mouth of the Saint John River. In 2006 the city proper had a population of 74,043...
. As soon as the fort was built, it was immediately pillaged and burned by American privateers (August, 1775). Saint John was raided three more times in the span of two months (1777) before the 84th was able to rebuild Fort Howe.
In Newfoundland, American privateers sacked numerous ports such as Chateau Bay (1778) and Twillingate (1779). Off the coast of Newfoundland, the 84th Regiment were the first to defeat an American privateer in the Battle of the Newcastle Jane (1776). Major Small also had companies from the 84th Regiment stationed in Fort Frederick, Placentia, Newfoundland.
The 84th Regiment also defended Nova Scotia, attacking an American privateer off Lunenburg, Nova Scotia
Lunenburg, Nova Scotia
Lunenburg , is a Canadian port town in Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia.Situated on the province's South Shore, Lunenburg is located on a peninsula at the western side of Mahone Bay. The town is approximately 90 kilometres southwest of the county boundary with the Halifax Regional Municipality.The...
(1775). The 84th was led by Captain John MacDonald. They boarded the warship when part of its crew were ashore seeking plunder. They captured the crew and sailed her into Halifax.
There were also Patriot attacks on Nova Scotia by land, such as the Battle of Fort Cumberland
Battle of Fort Cumberland
The Battle of Fort Cumberland was an attempt by a small number of militia commanded by Jonathan Eddy to bring the American Revolutionary War to Nova Scotia in late 1776...
(also known as the Eddy Rebellion). There was the constant fear that American Patriots would attack Halifax, Nova Scotia by land. The threat involved American Patriots landing in Windsor and marching to Halifax. As a result, in the summer of 1778, Major John Small moved the headquarters of the 84th Regiment from Halifax to Fort Edward (Nova Scotia)
Fort Edward (Nova Scotia)
Fort Edward is a National Historic Site in Windsor, Nova Scotia, Canada and was built during Father Le Loutre's War. The fort was created to help prevent the Acadian Exodus from the region...
in Windsor.
Major General John Small, Commander, 2nd Battalion
78th Regiment of Foot
The 78th Regiment of Foot was a Highland Infantry Regiment of the Line raised in late 18th Century Scotland for service against the French during the Napoleonic Wars.- History :The original 78th Foot was raised by the Earl of Seaforth in 1778...
(Fraser's Highlanders), Small was recruiting soldiers from the 42nd Regiment of Foot
42nd Regiment of Foot
The 42nd Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army. Originally the 43rd Highlanders they were renumbered the 42nd in 1748.- Early history :...
(Black Watch); the same regiment that he had served with in the Seven Years War. The regiment was known as the "Young Royal Highlanders" until it turned into the 84th Regiment.
Small was involved with also recruiting new immigrants as they arrived off transports from the British Isles. On one occasion, the transport George arrived in New York with 172 immigrant Highlanders. Major Small went aboard, explained the situation, and pressed the men into service. Small gave them assurance that their families would be well taken care of by the regiment. The same thing happened on October 3, 1775, with Scottish immigrants arriving in New York on the ship Glasgow. On that occasion, there were 255 immigrants (men and their families). Upon Small redirecting the immigrants to Halifax, the officer in command in Halifax reported that their amount of luggage was enough to "fill St. Paul's Church
St. Paul's Church (Halifax)
St. Paul's Church is an evangelical Anglican church in downtown Halifax Nova Scotia within the Diocese of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island of the Anglican Church of Canada. It is located at the south end of the Grand Parade, an open square in downtown Halifax with Halifax City Hall at the...
."
Battle of Bunker Hill, Boston
Major John Small was engaged to establish the Royal Highland Emigrants on 13 June 1775. Five days later, on June 17, before recruits could be found, Small and a number of other officers of the 84th Regiment were in the Battle of Bunker HillBattle of Bunker Hill
The Battle of Bunker Hill took place on June 17, 1775, mostly on and around Breed's Hill, during the Siege of Boston early in the American Revolutionary War...
. Small was a central figure in the battle, leading the 38th and 43rd Regiments in storming the hill. Along with three other members of the 84th Regiment who were wounded, Small was also wounded in the arm by cannon fire. He relayed his experience to John Trumbull, who then painted his famous painting The Death of General Warren at the Battle of Bunker Hill, in which Major Small is one of the central figures in the painting. Although the British won the battle, it was very costly: 226 were killed and 828 were wounded.
Boston was evacuated in March 1776 and Major Small and the first wave of American Loyalists arrived in Halifax with his newly formed Highland Regiment. A few months later on June 11, 1776, Small and some of his Highlanders left for New York.
Fort Edward, Headquarters, 2nd Battalion
Fort Edward (Nova Scotia)
Fort Edward is a National Historic Site in Windsor, Nova Scotia, Canada and was built during Father Le Loutre's War. The fort was created to help prevent the Acadian Exodus from the region...
in Windsor was the Headquarters for the 84th Regiment in Atlantic Canada.
Initially, the headquarters for the 84th Regiment was in Halifax. During the nine years of the war, members of the Battalion served on Detachments around Halifax: the Redoubt & Fort Needham (Halifax), Fort Sackville (Bedford), Fort Charlotte (Georges Island (Nova Scotia), Fort Clarence (Eastern Battery, Dartmouth).
The 84th Regiment was also stationed at four locations around the Bay of Fundy: Fort Edward (Windsor), Fort Anne
Fort Anne
For a similarly named fort in New York City see: Fort AmsterdamFort Anne is a typical star fort built to protect the harbour of Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia. The fort repelled all French attacks during the early stages of King George's War....
(Annapolis), Fort Cumberland (Amherst), and Fort Howe (Saint John). There were also forts that the 84th were stationed at on Cape Sable, Fort Cornwallis (Kentville, Nova Scotia
Kentville, Nova Scotia
Kentville is a town in Kings County, Nova Scotia. It is one of the main towns in the Annapolis Valley, and it is the county seat of Kings County. As of 2006, the town of Kentville had a population of 5,815 people....
), Sydney Mines Battery (Spanish River, Sydney), Fort Frederick (Placentia, Nfld.). The Regiment was also at Fort Hughes (Oromocto, New Brunswick).
As well the 84th Regiment was stationed at forts in the 13 Colonies: Brooklyn Heights (New York) and Ft. Augusta (Georgia).
Because of the threat of a land assault on Halifax by landings in Windsor, Small moved the headquarters for the 84th Highland Regiment from Halifax to Fort Edward, Windsor (1778). The 84th operated on land and sea. In June 1779, for example, the 84th Regiment at Fort Edward had captured twelve American privateers, who had plundered many small vessels and neighbouring inhabitants on the Bay of Fundy. The prisoners were wounded. The prisoners were almost rescued by another American privateer vessel the Statagem, from Marblehead which had a crew of nine. Upon seeing the fate of the prisoners, however, they abandoned the rescue mission for fear of sharing the same fate. One report stated, "It is to be hoped that if they dare return they will fare no better."
Small assigned Captain Allan Macdonald, husband of the famous Scottish heroine Flora MacDonald (Scottish Jacobite), to be the commander of Fort Edward for five years.
Flora MacDonald
Captain Allan Macdonald had fought in the Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge in North Carolina, where he was captured. He was imprisoned for two years until a prisoner exchange in 1777, when he was sent to New York and then to Fort Edward in Windsor, Nova Scotia. Major Small gave him command of the Second Battalion, 84th Regiment, at Fort Edward (Nova Scotia)Fort Edward (Nova Scotia)
Fort Edward is a National Historic Site in Windsor, Nova Scotia, Canada and was built during Father Le Loutre's War. The fort was created to help prevent the Acadian Exodus from the region...
. He served there along with two of his sons, Ranald and Charles, who were among the young officers of the regiment.
In 1750, at the age of 28, Flora married Captain Allan Macdonald of Kingsburgh, and in 1773 together they emigrated to Montgomery County (formerly Anson), North Carolina. Flora actively participated in recruiting men for the 84th Highland Regiment, displaying once more her resolution. She exhorted the 84th Regiment at Cross Creek, North Carolina (present-day Fayetteville) before the went off to fight in the Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge.
After Flora's husband was taken prisoner, Flora remained in hiding while the American Patriots ravaged her family plantation and she lost all her possessions. When her husband was released from prison, she travelled with him out of out of North Carolina to New York and then to Fort Edward in Windsor, Nova Scotia in the fall of 1778.
Flora only stayed in Nova Scotia for one year at Fort Edward, Windsor. In 1779 Flora returned home to Dunvegan Castle
Dunvegan Castle
Dunvegan Castle is a castle a mile and a half to the North of Dunvegan on the Isle of Skye, situated off the west coast of Scotland. It is the seat of the MacLeod of MacLeod, chief of the Clan MacLeod. Dunvegan Castle is the oldest continuously inhabited castle in Scotland and has been the...
in Isle of Skye, Scotland. After the war, in 1784, Allan followed her.
There is a plaque at Fort Edward which reads:
"Flora MacDonald: A name that will be mtioned in history, and if courage and fidelity be virtures, mentioned with honour" - Samuel JohnsonSamuel JohnsonSamuel Johnson , often referred to as Dr. Johnson, was an English author who made lasting contributions to English literature as a poet, essayist, moralist, literary critic, biographer, editor and lexicographer...
The preserve of Bonnie Prince Charlie spent the winter of 1779 here with her husband, Captain Allan Macdonald of the Royal Highland Emigrants, when returning to her old home in Skye. After exile from her home in North Carolina. Her loyalty and devotion in the midst of troubled days have long been told in Scottish song and story.
Battle of the Newcastle Jane, Newfoundland
On October 23, 1776, under the Captain Murdock MacLaine, the 84th Regiment was in the Battle of the Newcastle Jane. This battle was the first in which a merchant British vessel defeated an American Privateer vessel. The 84th Regiment was on the transport ship Newcastle Jane off the coast of Cape RaceCape Race
Cape Race is a point of land located at the southeastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland, Canada. Its name is thought to come from the original Portuguese name for this cape, "Raso", or "bare"...
, Newfoundland. On board the ship was 20,000 pounds sterling and 3,000 sets of uniforms, much of which was for the 84th Regiment. On October 23 at 4:00 am American privateer came within 30 yards of the Newcastle Jane. The American had ten carriage guns and twelve swivel guns and the Jane had only 6 three-pound carriage guns and a few swivels. The ships opened fire on each other. After a 24-hour standoff, the 84th Regiment had outmanoeuvred the Americans, leaving them with many wounded and a damaged vessel. By the time the battle was over, the Newcastle Jane only had two rounds of shot left.
Lachlan Macquarie
One of the crew in the Battle of the Newcastle Jane was a young recruit Lachlan Macquarie
Lachlan Macquarie
Major-General Lachlan Macquarie CB , was a British military officer and colonial administrator. He served as the last autocratic Governor of New South Wales, Australia from 1810 to 1821 and had a leading role in the social, economic and architectural development of the colony...
, who eventually became known as "the Father of Australia." Macquarie began his military career in 1776 at the age of fourteen when he sailed from Scotland to the New World. The attackers were repulsed and, six months later, on 9 April 1777, he obtained an ensigncy in the 84th Regiment. He did garrison duty, first in Nova Scotia, and then in New York and Charleston. He was commissioned a lieutenant in the 71st Regiment in January 1781. In 1784 he returned to Scotland from his posting in Jamaica, and was reduced to half-pay.
Siege of Saint John (1777)
Saint John, New Brunswick
City of Saint John , or commonly Saint John, is the largest city in the province of New Brunswick, and the first incorporated city in Canada. The city is situated along the north shore of the Bay of Fundy at the mouth of the Saint John River. In 2006 the city proper had a population of 74,043...
and Fort Cumberland. In 1776, privateers from Machias had burned Fort Frederick at Saint John to the ground. In 1777, American forces briefly controlled Saint John. In response, Major John Small personally led a force to drive out the Americans.
When the 84th Regiment landed at Saint John on June 30, 1777, the Americans retreated to the woods. The 84th marched through the woods and were ambushed by the American. Twelve Americans and one member of the regiment were killed. Weeks later, on July 13, 1777, American privateers again attacked Saint John and were repulsed by the 84th. In August 1777, the Americans attacked yet again and were successful, carrying off 21 boatloads of plunder. The 84th immediately began to replace the low-lying Fort Frederick with Fort Howe
Fort Howe
Fort Howe was built during the American Revolution shortly after the American Siege of Saint John to protect Saint John from further American raids. The 18th and 19th century British Army fortification is built in present-day New Brunswick, Canada at the mouth of the Saint John River where it...
, which overlooked the settlement. Fort Howe became instrumental in curtailing privateer action and was used as an assembly point for attacks on the 13 Colonies.
Raid on Cape Sable Island, Nova Scotia
On September 4, 1778, the 84th Regiment, under the command of Ranald MacKinnon, was in the Raid of Cape Sable Island. Privateers were threatening Cape Sable Island when the 84th arrived; they surprised the ship in the night and destroyed it. For his aggressive action, McKinnon was praised highly by Brigadier General Eyre Massey. In response, one of his friends, Captain MacDonald, wrote to Major John Small, "McKinnon was embarrassed by the praise of the General and requested it not be inserted in the record since he only did his duty."Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia
On October 2, 1778, the 84th Regiment, under the command of Captain MacDonald, was involved in the defeat of an American privateer at Annapolis Royal, Nova ScotiaAnnapolis Royal, Nova Scotia
Annapolis Royal is a town located in the western part of Annapolis County, Nova Scotia. Known as Port Royal until the Conquest of Acadia in 1710 by Britain, the town is the oldest continuous European settlement in North America, north of St...
. Captain MacDonald arrived at Annapolis by ship, only to find a large privateer ship raiding the port. He destroyed the privateer vessel, which mounted ten carriage guns. Captain MacDonald also caught the attention of General Massey, who wrote that he "highly approved" of his conduct.
Captain Campbell of the 84th Regiment, in December 1778, took seven men with him to retrieve an American privateer that was abandoned on Partridge Island
Partridge Island, New Brunswick
Partridge Island is a Canadian island located in the Bay of Fundy off the coast of New Brunswick on the west side of the mouth of the Saint John River and Saint John Harbour.The island is designated as both a national and provincial historic site...
. They returned the ship safely to Annopolis Royal.
In another raid on Annapolis Royal in 1781, prisoners were captured by the crew of an American privateer and later released on parole on promise of exchange for an American prisoner at Halifax.
Maine
In November of 1777, the 84th Regiment was involved in the raid of a fort at Castine, MaineCastine, Maine
Castine is a town in Hancock County, Maine, United States and was once the capital of Acadia . The population was 1,343 at the 2000 census. Castine is the home of Maine Maritime Academy, a four-year institution that graduates officers and engineers for the United States Merchant Marine and marine...
, a privateering port at the mouth of the Penobscot River. The caputure of this vital port interrupted its as a staging area by privateers to attack Nova Scotia.
Southern theater
Upon leaving New York, the Second Battalion, 84th Regiment was engaged in the Southern theater of the American Revolutionary WarSouthern theater of the American Revolutionary War
The Southern theater of the American Revolutionary War was the central area of operations in North America in the second half of the American Revolutionary War. During the first three years of the conflict, the primary military encounters had been in the north, focused on campaigns around the...
. The Southern theater was the central area of operations in the second half of the American Revolutionary War. During the first three years of the conflict, the primary military encounters had been in the north, focused on campaigns around the cities of Boston, New York, and Philadelphia.
Earlier in the war, the 2/84th Regiment was involved in trying to take Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
in the Battle of Sullivan's Island
Battle of Sullivan's Island
The Battle of Sullivan's Island or the Battle of Fort Sullivan was fought on June 28, 1776, during the American Revolutionary War, also known as the American War of Independence. It took place near Charleston, South Carolina, during the first British attempt to capture the city from American rebels...
. On June 24, companies of the 2/84th Regiment from Boston and New York left their ports to descend upon Fort Sullivan (later renamed Fort Moultrie), South Carolina. Four days later the 84th Regiment from New York, on June 28, 1776, engaged in the Battle of Fort Sullivan (see Fort Moultrie National Monument
Fort Moultrie National Monument
Fort Moultrie is the name of a series of citadels on Sullivan's Island, South Carolina, built to protect the city of Charleston, South Carolina. The first fort, built of palmetto logs, inspired the flag and nickname of South Carolina...
). The fleet bombarded the fort and suffered excessive damage by return fire. The attack was a failure; 38 of the regiment died. The 84th Regiment did not return to Charlestown, South Carolina until 1780.
The 2/84th Regiment was involved in a skirmish at Wiboo Swamp, Savannah River, Clarendon County, South Carolina (1781). 3 of the 84th Regiment were killed as were about 18 American Patriots. (See Wiboo Swamp Skirmish).
The 2/84th Regiment was then involved in protecting the Loyalist strong hold of Augusta, Georgia
Augusta, Georgia
Augusta is a consolidated city in the U.S. state of Georgia, located along the Savannah River. As of the 2010 census, the Augusta–Richmond County population was 195,844 not counting the unconsolidated cities of Hephzibah and Blythe.Augusta is the principal city of the Augusta-Richmond County...
. The first skirmish was at Wiggin's Hill, Savannah River, Georgia in April 1881. (See Skirmish at Wiggin's Hill). The Patriots surprised the regiment at Wiggin's Hill, but were twice repulsed. The 84th then took prisoners, killed many of them and burned their homes. Captain McKinnon tried to stop what he considered his own regiments "barbarity". The 84th was also involved with trying to protect Fort Motte in the Siege of Fort Motte
Siege of Fort Motte
The Siege of Fort Motte was a military operation during the American Revolutionary War. A force of Patriots led by General Francis "Swamp Fox" Marion and Lt. Colonel "Light Horse" Harry Lee set out to capture the British post at Fort Motte, strategically located at the confluence of the Congaree...
, Georgia (1781). The 2/84th Regiment was forced to surrender on May 12 and were taken prisoner.
Siege of Ninety-Six, South Carolina
On June 18, 1781, the 2/84th Regiment was involved with the relief of the American Loyalists besieged by Americans Patriots in the Siege of Ninety-Six
Siege of Ninety-Six
The Siege of Ninety Six was a siege late in the American Revolutionary War. From May 22 to June 18, 1781, Continental Army Major General Nathanael Greene led 1,000 troops in a siege against the 550 Loyalists in the fortified village of Ninety Six, South Carolina. The 28-day siege centered on an...
. The American Patriots were trying to defeat the American Loyalists who were trapped in an earthen fortification known as the Star Fort. The American Patriots had 1,000 troops in a siege against the 550 American Loyalists. On the 28th day of the siege, Lord Rawdon, along with the 2/84th Regiment arrived. The American Patriots retreated and those in the Star Fort were saved, although Ninety-Six was abandoned by the British not long after.
John Bond
One of those in the Star Fort who belonged to the Ninety-Six Militia was Captain John Bond. Along with the rest of the American Loyalists from Ninety-Six, John Bond eventually left South Carolina and settled in Rawdon Township (see Rawdon, Nova Scotia), the place being named after Lord Rawdon who had saved them in the siege.
Battle of Eutaw Springs
The American Patriots attacked Orangeburg, South Carolina, with 2,600 troops. The 2/84th were part of a British force of 2,300, which stopped their advance at the Battle of Eutaw Springs
Battle of Eutaw Springs
The Battle of Eutaw Springs was a battle of the American Revolutionary War, and was the last major engagement of the war in the Carolinas.-Background:...
on September 8, 1781. In the battle, the 84th Regiment lost 6 killed, 22 wounded and 2 missing.
Skirmish at Fair Lawn
In the last months of the war, the Second Battalion, 84th Regiment, defending Charleston, was involved in the Skirmish at Fair Lawn (also known as Fair Lawn Barony, Colleton House, "below Monck's Corner"). The battalion was in the area of the hospital where many of their fellow wounded soldiers were located. They were also stationed at a blockhouse near Baggen's Bridge, which lead directly to Charleston. They had few soldiers in the area and the captain in charge was forced to choose between either protecting the hospital or protecting the bridge that led to Charleston. He chose to protect the bridge. On November 17, 1781, the American Patriots attacked the undefended hospital; pillaging it and then burning the building to the ground. Most of the wounded were dragged into the surrounding woods and swamps, where they died from exposure and maltreatment.(See Fair Lawn Skirmish)
After this incident, the 2/84th Regiment went to Georgia, Florida and Jamaica. In Georgia, they were involved in the skirmish on the Ogeechee River, Burke County (1781). (See Oggeechee Skirmish).
Uniform and equipment
The 84th was the only Highland regiment to keep and use its traditional highland uniform; plaids and swords, for the duration of the war. General Gage specified that the new military unit would be "cloathed Armed and accoutred in like manner with His Majesty's Royal Highland Regiment", indicating that they would wear the Highland Scots military uniform, unlike the more conventional uniforms worn by other Provincial units.The original uniform of the first battalion was the green Provincial uniform, consisting of a long, green coat, tri-cornered black hat, breeches, and gray hose. They were armed with surplus King's Long Land Muskets from the Seven Years' War
Seven Years' War
The Seven Years' War was a global military war between 1756 and 1763, involving most of the great powers of the time and affecting Europe, North America, Central America, the West African coast, India, and the Philippines...
.
In the second quarter of 1777, they received kilts, belted plaid
Belted plaid
The belted plaid is a large blanket-like piece of fabric which is wrapped around one's body with the material pleated or, more accurately, loosely gathered and secured at the waist by means of a belt...
s (or perhaps both) in the government sett
Tartan
Tartan is a pattern consisting of criss-crossed horizontal and vertical bands in multiple colours. Tartans originated in woven wool, but now they are made in many other materials. Tartan is particularly associated with Scotland. Scottish kilts almost always have tartan patterns...
and wore these with their green Provincial coats (which were shortened) until these wore out, at which time they were replaced with the red coats of regulars.
The Second Battalion did not do as well; having to provide for their own uniforms until the local governor was formally ordered to clothe and arm them in the autumn of 1776.
Upon their incorporation into the Regular Establishment, their uniform was standardized to the short Highland- style coat with dark blue facings and white turnbacks. The regimental lace is presumed to have been white tape, with one blue worm between two red ones: but this description is based on a later 84th Regiment's practices. No contemporary descriptions of the regimental lace have been discovered. Buttons had one of three variations; all of which incorporated "84th" with the customary Highland embellishment. The men were issued plaids or kilts of government sett. In addition, each man was issued two pairs of trews, one white and one blue.
Companies in the South Theater were issued brown trousers instead of white or blue ones. Officers' uniforms used gold lace and buttons.
In winter, it was common for the men to wear trousers and plaids simultaneously. Members stationed in Canada were issued a wool waistcoat, a blanket coat, overshoes, a watch cape, mittens, ice creepers, and snow shoes.
Disbanded
After the American Revolution, the soldiers of the 2nd Battalion, 84th Regiment became part of the migration of the United Empire LoyalistsUnited Empire Loyalists
The name United Empire Loyalists is an honorific given after the fact to those American Loyalists who resettled in British North America and other British Colonies as an act of fealty to King George III after the British defeat in the American Revolutionary War and prior to the Treaty of Paris...
to Nova Scotia. The 2/84th Regiment evacuated Charlotte, North Carolina and went to New York in April 1782 and then on to Halifax, arriving on October 24, 1782. Major Small followed them, arriving on the frigate Jason on November 12. Small arrived with a number of the settlers that the 84th Regiment had saved in the Siege of Ninety-Six
Siege of Ninety-Six
The Siege of Ninety Six was a siege late in the American Revolutionary War. From May 22 to June 18, 1781, Continental Army Major General Nathanael Greene led 1,000 troops in a siege against the 550 Loyalists in the fortified village of Ninety Six, South Carolina. The 28-day siege centered on an...
. These men founded Rawdon Township (currently, Rawdon, Nova Scotia and area). After the 2nd Battalion was disbanded at the headquarters for the 84th Regiment Fort Edward (Nova Scotia)
Fort Edward (Nova Scotia)
Fort Edward is a National Historic Site in Windsor, Nova Scotia, Canada and was built during Father Le Loutre's War. The fort was created to help prevent the Acadian Exodus from the region...
on October 10, 1783, many of the 84th Regiment settled beside Rawdon Township in the newly formed Douglas Township (Kennetcook, Nova Scotia
Kennetcook, Nova Scotia
Kennetcook is a community in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, located in the Municipal District of East Hants. The community likely was named after the river that runs through it, Kennetcook River. Also see Upper Kennetcook.- History :...
and surrounding area).
Major Small purchased Malachy Salter
Malachy Salter
Malachy Salter , a Nova Scotia merchant and office-holder, was born at Boston, second son of Malachy Salter and Sarah Holmes. He married Susanna Mulberry, on 26 July 1744 in Boston, and they had at least 11 children...
's grant (present day Selma, Nova Scotia
Selma, Nova Scotia
Selma is a small community in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, located in The Municipality of the District of East Hants in Hants County.- Acadians :...
) and built a manor house on an estate which he named "Selma", after which the community is named. Small had hoped to establish the Feudal Barony of Straloch in Selma but his last will and testament was not honoured.
The First battalion settled mainly in Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post...
. A few took passage, instead, to Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
.
This unit, the "old 84th", was completely disbanded and has no direct descendants in the military of the modern United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Later regiments to bear this number (84th (York and Lancaster) Regiment of Foot
84th (York and Lancaster) Regiment of Foot
The 84th Regiment of Foot was a regiment in the British Army. In 1881 it was amalgamated with the 65th Regiment of Foot to create the York and Lancaster Regiment, with the 84th becoming the 2nd Battalion....
) have no historical nor traditional connection to it. However, the Canadian Army considers the 84th to be continued in the Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders.
84th Regiment soldiers in Hants County, Nova Scotia
The following is a list of the soldiers from the 84th Regiment who settled in Douglas Township in Hants County, Nova ScotiaHants County, Nova Scotia
Hants County is a county in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia which was the home of Thomas Chandler Haliburton, Alden Nowlan and Noel Doiron. The county of Hants was created June 17, 1781, and consisted of the townships of Windsor, Falmouth and Newport...
after the war:
- Abraham Blois, Gore, Nova ScotiaGore, Nova ScotiaGore is a Canadian rural community in central Hants County, Nova Scotia. It is named after Sir Charles Stephen Gore. The village was settled primarily by the 84th Regiment of Foot ....
- Alexander Cameron, Minasville, Nova ScotiaMinasville, Nova ScotiaMinasville is a small community in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, located in The Municipality of the District of East Hants in Hants County....
- James Dalrymple, Kennetcook, Nova ScotiaKennetcook, Nova ScotiaKennetcook is a community in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, located in the Municipal District of East Hants. The community likely was named after the river that runs through it, Kennetcook River. Also see Upper Kennetcook.- History :...
- Lewis Ettinger, Kennetcook, Nova ScotiaKennetcook, Nova ScotiaKennetcook is a community in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, located in the Municipal District of East Hants. The community likely was named after the river that runs through it, Kennetcook River. Also see Upper Kennetcook.- History :...
- Christian Hennigar, Kennetcook, Nova ScotiaKennetcook, Nova ScotiaKennetcook is a community in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, located in the Municipal District of East Hants. The community likely was named after the river that runs through it, Kennetcook River. Also see Upper Kennetcook.- History :...
- Thomas Laffin, Kennetcook, Nova ScotiaKennetcook, Nova ScotiaKennetcook is a community in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, located in the Municipal District of East Hants. The community likely was named after the river that runs through it, Kennetcook River. Also see Upper Kennetcook.- History :...
For list of the 84th Regiment soldiers who settled in the Douglas Township see Duncanson, John (1989). Rawdon and Douglas: Two Loyalists Townships in Nova Scotia. Ontario: Mika Publishing Company.
84th Regiment soldiers in Eastern, Ontario
- William Brannan, E. District
- Richard Campbell, Marysburgh Township, OntarioMarysburgh Township, OntarioMarysburgh is a historic township in southern Ontario, Canada. It is one of the three original townships that formed Prince Edward County. The other two townships were Ameliasburgh and Sophiasburgh. Originally known as Fifth Township, it was renamed in 1786 after Princess Mary, the fourth daughter...
- Donald Cameron, Charlottenb'g
- William Cameron, Cornwall
- James Chavassey, Marysburgh Township, OntarioMarysburgh Township, OntarioMarysburgh is a historic township in southern Ontario, Canada. It is one of the three original townships that formed Prince Edward County. The other two townships were Ameliasburgh and Sophiasburgh. Originally known as Fifth Township, it was renamed in 1786 after Princess Mary, the fourth daughter...
- Michael Conlon, Kingston
External links
- http://84thregiment.org/ - Re-enactment Group, Maryland, USA
- http://www.douglastownship.com/ - Re-enactment Group, Douglas Township, Hants County, Nova Scotia
- http://www.scottishmilitaryarticles.org.uk/smhsarticle_84th_Emigrants.htm - History of the 84 Regiment by Kim Stacy
- http://ohio84th.tripod.com/docs.htm 84th Regiment of Foot - Historical Documents
- http://www.cmhg-phmc.gc.ca/cmh/en/image_250.asp - Parks Canada