Commander-in-Chief, North America

The office of Commander-in-Chief, North America was a military position of the British Army

British Army

The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...

. Established in 1755 in the early years of 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...

, holders of the post were generally responsible for land-based military personnel and activities in and around those parts of 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...

 that Great Britain either controlled or contested. The post continued to exist until 1775, when 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....

, the last holder of the post, was replaced early in the American War of Independence. The post's responsibilities were then divided: Major-General William Howe

William Howe, 5th Viscount Howe

William Howe, 5th Viscount Howe, KB, PC was a British army officer who rose to become Commander-in-Chief of British forces during the American War of Independence...

 became Commander-in-Chief, America, responsible for British troops from West Florida

West Florida

West Florida was a region on the north shore of the Gulf of Mexico, which underwent several boundary and sovereignty changes during its history. West Florida was first established in 1763 by the British government; as its name suggests it largely consisted of the western portion of the region...

 to Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...

, and General Guy Carleton

Guy Carleton, 1st Baron Dorchester

Guy Carleton, 1st Baron Dorchester, KB , known between 1776 and 1786 as Sir Guy Carleton, was an Irish-British soldier and administrator...

 became Commander-in-Chief, Quebec, responsible for the defence of the Province of Quebec

Province 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...

.

This division of responsibility persisted after American independence and the loss of East

East Florida

East Florida was a colony of Great Britain from 1763–1783 and of Spain from 1783–1822. East Florida was established by the British colonial government in 1763; as its name implies it consisted of the eastern part of the region of Florida, with West Florida comprising the western parts. Its capital...

 and West Florida in the Treaty of Paris (1783)

Treaty of Paris (1783)

The Treaty of Paris, signed on September 3, 1783, ended the American Revolutionary War between Great Britain on the one hand and the United States of America and its allies on the other. The other combatant nations, France, Spain and the Dutch Republic had separate agreements; for details of...

. One officer was given the posting for Quebec, which later became the Commander-in-Chief of The Canadas when Quebec was divided into Upper

Upper Canada

The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...

 and Lower Canada

Lower Canada

The Province of Lower Canada was a British colony on the lower Saint Lawrence River and the shores of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence...

, while another officer was posted to Halifax

City of Halifax

Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...

 with responsibility for military matters in the maritime provinces.

Following Canadian Confederation

Canadian Confederation

Canadian Confederation was the process by which the federal Dominion of Canada was formed on July 1, 1867. On that day, three British colonies were formed into four Canadian provinces...

 in 1867, these commanders were replaced in 1875 by the General Officer Commanding the Forces (Canada)

General Officer Commanding the Forces (Canada)

The General Officer Commanding the Forces was the most senior member of the Canadian Army from 1875 until 1904. With to the withdrawal of the majority of British forces in Canada in 1906, the position was replaced by the Chief of the General Staff which title was used until 1964 when the...

, whose post was succeeded in 1904 by the Chief of the General Staff Canada

Chief of the General Staff (Canada)

The Chief of the General Staff was the most senior member of the Canadian Army from 1904 until 1964 when the appointment became Commander, Mobile Command with the unification of Canada's military forces. The position was renamed Chief of the Land Staff in 1993....

, a position which was established for a Canadian Army commander.

Commanders-in-Chief, North America 1755–1775

Officer	Start of command	End of command	Notes	Ref
Major-General Edward Braddock Edward Braddock General Edward Braddock was a British soldier and commander-in-chief for the 13 colonies during the actions at the start of the French and Indian War...	November 1754	July 1755	Braddock's commission was issued in November after word arrived of Major 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... 's actions with French forces in the Ohio Country Ohio Country The Ohio Country was the name used in the 18th century for the regions of North America west of the Appalachian Mountains and in the region of the upper Ohio River south of Lake Erie... . Braddock was mortally wounded in the Battle of the Monongahela Battle of the Monongahela The Battle of the Monongahela, also known as the Battle of the Wilderness, took place on 9 July 1755, at the beginning of the French and Indian War, at Braddock's Field in what is now Braddock, Pennsylvania, east of Pittsburgh... , and died on 13 July 1755.
Major-General William Shirley William Shirley William Shirley was a British colonial administrator who served twice as Governor of the Province of Massachusetts Bay and as Governor of the Bahamas in the 1760s...	July 1755	1756	Shirley, who was also the royal governor of the Province of Massachusetts Bay Province of Massachusetts Bay The Province of Massachusetts Bay was a crown colony in North America. It was chartered on October 7, 1691 by William and Mary, the joint monarchs of the kingdoms of England and Scotland... , assumed command upon Braddock's death, and had limited military experience. His tenure was marked by failed expeditions on the New York-New France frontier and disagreements with Indian agent William Johnson Sir William Johnson, 1st Baronet Sir William Johnson, 1st Baronet was an Anglo-Irish official of the British Empire. As a young man, Johnson came to the Province of New York to manage an estate purchased by his uncle, Admiral Peter Warren, which was located amidst the Mohawk, one of the Six Nations of the Iroquois League... .
Major-General The Right Honourable John Campbell, 4th Earl of Loudoun John Campbell, 4th Earl of Loudoun Major-General John Campbell, 4th Earl of Loudoun was a British nobleman and army officer.-Early career:Campbell inherited the peerage on the death of his father in 1731, becoming Lord Loudoun. The earl raised a regiment of infantry that took part in the Jacobite Rising of 1745 on the side of the...	Arrived July 1756	1758	During Loudoun's tenure, thousands of British troops were sent to North America. He was ordered to make a single major expedition, to take the Fortress of Louisbourg Fortress of Louisbourg The Fortress of Louisbourg is a national historic site and the location of a one-quarter partial reconstruction of an 18th century French fortress at Louisbourg, Nova Scotia... . The expedition Louisbourg Expedition (1757) The Louisbourg Expedition was a failed British attempt to capture the French fortress of Louisbourg on Île Royale during the Seven Years' War ....  failed when the French were able to send a fleet to defend the approaches to the fortress. The expedition weakened British forces at Fort William Henry Fort William Henry Fort William Henry was a British fort at the southern end of Lake George in the province of New York. It is best known as the site of notorious atrocities committed by Indians against the surrendered British and provincial troops following a successful French siege in 1757, an event which is the...  in New York, which fell after a brief siege.
Major-General James Abercrombie	1758	1758	Abercrombie served as Loudon's second in command in 1757, and was appointed in part for political reasons. Troops and militia numbering more than 45,000 were under his overall command, with three ambitious campaigns planned. Although the British captured Fort Duquesne Fort Duquesne Fort Duquesne was a fort established by the French in 1754, at the junction of the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers in what is now downtown Pittsburgh in the state of Pennsylvania....  and Fortress Louisbourg during his tenure, his spectacular failure in the Battle of Carillon Battle of Carillon The Battle of Carillon, also known as the 1758 Battle of Ticonderoga, was fought on July 8, 1758, during the French and Indian War...  led to his recall.
Lieutenant-General Sir Jeffery Amherst, 1st Baron Amherst, KB	1758	1763	Amherst was the victor in the Siege of Louisbourg Siege of Louisbourg (1758) The Siege of Louisbourg was a pivotal battle of the Seven Years' War in 1758 which ended the French colonial era in Atlantic Canada and led directly to the loss of Quebec in 1759 and the remainder of French North America the following year.-Background:The British government realized that with the... . He oversaw the conquest of New France in 1759 and 1760, personally leading forces in the capture of Fort Ticonderoga Battle of Ticonderoga (1759) The 1759 Battle of Ticonderoga was a minor confrontation at Fort Carillon on July 26 and 27, 1759, during the French and Indian War...  and the 1760 Battle of the Thousand Islands Battle of the Thousand Islands The Battle of the Thousand Islands was fought 16–24 August 1760, in the upper St. Lawrence River, amongst the Thousand Islands, along the present day Canada–United States border, by British and French forces during the closing phases of the Seven Years' War, as it is called in Canada and Europe, or... . He then instituted military rule of the conquered territories, introducing policies concerning Indian relations that led to Pontiac's Rebellion Pontiac's Rebellion Pontiac's War, Pontiac's Conspiracy, or Pontiac's Rebellion was a war that was launched in 1763 by a loose confederation of elements of Native American tribes primarily from the Great Lakes region, the Illinois Country, and Ohio Country who were dissatisfied with British postwar policies in the... . He has controversially been associated with allegations of schemes to deliberately infect Native Americans with smallpox Smallpox Smallpox was an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, which is a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning "spotted", or varus, meaning "pimple"... , although there is no hard evidence this occurred due to orders he issued. During his term he also coordinated military efforts in the West Indies in the later years of 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 organized the successful response to the French seizure of St. John's, Newfoundland St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador St. John's is the capital and largest city in Newfoundland and Labrador, and is the oldest English-founded city in North America. It is located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland. With a population of 192,326 as of July 1, 2010, the St... .
Lieutenant-General The Honourable 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....	1763	1773	Gage served under Braddock and Abercrombie during the Seven Years' War. He oversaw the military response to Pontiac's Rebellion Pontiac's Rebellion Pontiac's War, Pontiac's Conspiracy, or Pontiac's Rebellion was a war that was launched in 1763 by a loose confederation of elements of Native American tribes primarily from the Great Lakes region, the Illinois Country, and Ohio Country who were dissatisfied with British postwar policies in the... , and was responsible for implementing official responses to the rising unrest of the American Revolution American Revolution The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...  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... . He returned to England on leave in 1773 without relinquishing the post.
Major-General Frederick Haldimand Frederick Haldimand Sir Frederick Haldimand, KB was a military officer best known for his service in the British Army in North America during the Seven Years' War and the American Revolutionary War...  (temporary)	1773	1774	Haldimand, a professional officer originally from Switzerland Switzerland Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition.... , carefully avoided involving British troops in civil unrest unless specifically requested by local authorities. He also resisted entanglement in the territorial disputes of the New Hampshire Grants New Hampshire Grants The New Hampshire Grants or Benning Wentworth Grants were land grants made between 1749 and 1764 by the provincial governor of New Hampshire, Benning Wentworth. The land grants, totaling about 135 , were made on land claimed by New Hampshire west of the Connecticut River, territory that was also... , although during his later term as governor of Quebec Province 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...  (1778–1786) he was involved in controversial negotiations Haldimand Affair The Haldimand Affair was a series of negotiations conducted in the early 1780s between Frederick Haldimand, then serving as governor of the British Province of Quebec, his agents, and several people representing, or claiming to represent, the independent Vermont Republic...  over the status of what later became the state of Vermont Vermont Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England... .
Lieutenant-General The Honourable 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....	1774	1775	Gage returned to North America as Commander-in-Chief and as governor of the Province of Massachusetts Bay Province of Massachusetts Bay The Province of Massachusetts Bay was a crown colony in North America. It was chartered on October 7, 1691 by William and Mary, the joint monarchs of the kingdoms of England and Scotland... , with orders to implement the punitive Intolerable Acts Intolerable Acts The Intolerable Acts or the Coercive Acts are names used to describe a series of laws passed by the British Parliament in 1774 relating to Britain's colonies in North America... , passed to punish Massachusetts for the Boston Tea Party Boston Tea Party The Boston Tea Party was a direct action by colonists in Boston, a town in the British colony of Massachusetts, against the British government and the monopolistic East India Company that controlled all the tea imported into the colonies... . Troop movements he ordered in April 1775 led to the Battles of Lexington and Concord Battles of Lexington and Concord The Battles of Lexington and Concord were the first military engagements of the American Revolutionary War. They were fought on April 19, 1775, in Middlesex County, Province of Massachusetts Bay, within the towns of Lexington, Concord, Lincoln, Menotomy , and Cambridge, near Boston...  and the start of the American Revolutionary War 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... . He was recalled after the British Pyrrhic victory in 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... .

Commanders-in-Chief, America 1775–1783

Officer	Start of command	End of command	Notes	Ref
Lieutenant-General Sir William Howe, 5th Viscount Howe William Howe, 5th Viscount Howe William Howe, 5th Viscount Howe, KB, PC was a British army officer who rose to become Commander-in-Chief of British forces during the American War of Independence... , KB	assumed command September 1775	departed May 1778	Howe oversaw the rest of the Siege of Boston Siege of Boston The Siege of Boston was the opening phase of the American Revolutionary War, in which New England militiamen—who later became part of the Continental Army—surrounded the town of Boston, Massachusetts, to prevent movement by the British Army garrisoned within... , before embarking on a campaign New York and New Jersey campaign The New York and New Jersey campaign was a series of battles for control of New York City and the state of New Jersey in the American Revolutionary War between British forces under General Sir William Howe and the Continental Army under General George Washington in 1776 and the winter months of 1777...  in 1776 that resulted in the capture of New York City New York City New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...  and parts of New Jersey New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware... . In 1777 he captured Philadelphia Philadelphia campaign The Philadelphia campaign was a British initiative in the American Revolutionary War to gain control of Philadelphia, which was then the seat of the Second Continental Congress... , but controversially failed to support John Burgoyne John Burgoyne General John Burgoyne was a British army officer, politician and dramatist. He first saw action during the Seven Years' War when he participated in several battles, mostly notably during the Portugal Campaign of 1762.... , whose campaign Saratoga campaign The Saratoga Campaign was an attempt by Great Britain to gain military control of the strategically important Hudson River valley in 1777 during the American Revolutionary War...  for control of the Hudson River Hudson River The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...  ended in the surrender of his army, leading to the entry of France France The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...  into the war.
Lieutenant-General Sir Henry Clinton, KB	arrived May 1778	departed May 1782	Clinton, who had served as second in command to Howe, personally led the withdrawal of British troops from Philadelphia, including the Battle of Monmouth Battle of Monmouth The Battle of Monmouth was an American Revolutionary War battle fought on June 28, 1778 in Monmouth County, New Jersey. The Continental Army under General George Washington attacked the rear of the British Army column commanded by Lieutenant General Sir Henry Clinton as they left Monmouth Court...  fought en route. He directed the disposition of military troops along all of the frontiers between rebel and Loyal colonies, from West Florida West Florida West Florida was a region on the north shore of the Gulf of Mexico, which underwent several boundary and sovereignty changes during its history. West Florida was first established in 1763 by the British government; as its name suggests it largely consisted of the western portion of the region...  to Nova Scotia Nova Scotia Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the... . He conducted the successful Siege of Charleston Siege of Charleston The Siege of Charleston was one of the major battles which took place towards the end of the American Revolutionary War, after the British began to shift their strategic focus towards the American Southern Colonies. After about six weeks of siege, Continental Army Major General Benjamin Lincoln...  before leaving Major-General Charles, Earl Cornwallis Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis KG , styled Viscount Brome between 1753 and 1762 and known as The Earl Cornwallis between 1762 and 1792, was a British Army officer and colonial administrator...  in command of the south. Miscommunication and disagreement between Clinton and both Cornwallis and Admiral Marriot Arbuthnot contributed to British failures that culminated in the 1781 Siege of Yorktown Siege of Yorktown The Siege of Yorktown, Battle of Yorktown, or Surrender of Yorktown in 1781 was a decisive victory by a combined assault of American forces led by General George Washington and French forces led by the Comte de Rochambeau over a British Army commanded by Lieutenant General Lord Cornwallis... , in which Cornwallis surrendered his army.
General The Right Honourable Guy Carleton Guy Carleton, 1st Baron Dorchester Guy Carleton, 1st Baron Dorchester, KB , known between 1776 and 1786 as Sir Guy Carleton, was an Irish-British soldier and administrator... , KB	arrived May 1782	departed December 1783	Carleton, who had served as Governor of Quebec Province 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...  early in the war, oversaw the withdrawal of British troops from the United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... , and assisted in the relocation of thousands of Loyalists to other parts of the British Empire. Although he indicated a desire to resign in August 1782, his appointed successor, Earl Grey Charles Grey, 1st Earl Grey Charles Grey, 1st Earl Grey, KB PC was one of the most important British generals of the 18th century. He was the fourth son of Sir Henry Grey, 1st Baronet, of Howick in Northumberland. He served in the Seven Years' War, American War of Independence and French Revolutionary War... , was withdrawn before his departure when the government in London collapsed.

Commanders-in-Chief, Quebec 1775–1791

Officer	Start of command	End of command	Notes	Ref
General The Right Honourable Guy Carleton Guy Carleton, 1st Baron Dorchester Guy Carleton, 1st Baron Dorchester, KB , known between 1776 and 1786 as Sir Guy Carleton, was an Irish-British soldier and administrator...	appointed August 1775	departed 1778
General Frederick Haldimand Frederick Haldimand Sir Frederick Haldimand, KB was a military officer best known for his service in the British Army in North America during the Seven Years' War and the American Revolutionary War...	arrived 1778	departed 1786
General The Right Honourable Guy Carleton, 1st Baron Dorchester Guy Carleton, 1st Baron Dorchester Guy Carleton, 1st Baron Dorchester, KB , known between 1776 and 1786 as Sir Guy Carleton, was an Irish-British soldier and administrator... , KB	appointed April 1786	continued in 1791 as Commander-in-Chief of The Canadas	The second tenure of General Carleton (named Baron Dorchester in August 1786, after his appointment as commander-in-chief and as the first Governor General of The Canadas) was marked by the ongoing consequences of the arrival of needy Loyalist settlers in the provinces. He oversaw the division of Quebec into Upper Upper Canada The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...  and Lower Canada Lower Canada The Province of Lower Canada was a British colony on the lower Saint Lawrence River and the shores of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence...  and the creation of New Brunswick New Brunswick New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...  from Nova Scotia Nova Scotia Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the... n territory, and engaged in prolonged wrangling with the Americans over the continued occupation of frontier forts in the Northwest Territory Northwest Territory The Territory Northwest of the River Ohio, more commonly known as the Northwest Territory, was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 13, 1787, until March 1, 1803, when the southeastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the state of Ohio... , whose transfer Carleton oversaw in 1796 after the signing of the Jay Treaty Jay Treaty Jay's Treaty, , also known as Jay's Treaty, The British Treaty, and the Treaty of London of 1794, was a treaty between the United States and Great Britain that is credited with averting war,, resolving issues remaining since the Treaty of Paris of 1783, which ended the American Revolution,, and... .

Commanders-in-Chief of The Canadas 1791–1864

Officer	Start of command	End of command	Notes	Ref
General The Right Honourable Guy Carleton, 1st Baron Dorchester Guy Carleton, 1st Baron Dorchester Guy Carleton, 1st Baron Dorchester, KB , known between 1776 and 1786 as Sir Guy Carleton, was an Irish-British soldier and administrator... , KB	appointed April 1791	departed July 1796	Carleton during this time engaged in prolonged wrangling with the Americans over the continued occupation of frontier forts in the Northwest Territory Northwest Territory The Territory Northwest of the River Ohio, more commonly known as the Northwest Territory, was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 13, 1787, until March 1, 1803, when the southeastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the state of Ohio... , whose transfer Carleton oversaw in 1796 after the signing of the Jay Treaty Jay Treaty Jay's Treaty, , also known as Jay's Treaty, The British Treaty, and the Treaty of London of 1794, was a treaty between the United States and Great Britain that is credited with averting war,, resolving issues remaining since the Treaty of Paris of 1783, which ended the American Revolution,, and... .
General Robert Prescott Robert Prescott General Robert Prescott was a British soldier and colonial administrator. He enlisted in the British Army in 1745 and served during the Seven Years' War...	appointed December 1796	departed April 1799	Prescott's tenure in North America, which began in April 1796 with appointment as Governor General of The Canadas, was militarily uneventful; in addition to ongoing issues surrounding land grants, he was concerned with intrigues (real and perceived) against British rule by French agitators.
Lieutenant-General Sir George Prévost George Prevost Sir George Prévost, 1st Baronet was a British soldier and colonial administrator. Born in Hackensack, New Jersey, the eldest son of Swiss French Augustine Prévost, he joined the British Army as a youth and became a captain in 1784. Prévost served in the West Indies during the French Revolutionary... , Bt.	1811	1816	Prévost oversaw the British conduct of the War of 1812 War of 1812 The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...  in British North America, for which he was much criticised. Sent to London to defend his conduct, he died in 1816 before the court martial was convened.
Major-General Sir John Colborne John Colborne, 1st Baron Seaton Field Marshal John Colborne, 1st Baron Seaton, GCB, GCMG, GCH, PC was a British field marshal and colonial governor.-Early service:... , GCB	1836	1839	Colborne, who had previously served a difficult term as governor of Upper Canada Upper Canada The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...  (1828–1836), oversaw the official response to the Rebellions of 1837 Rebellions of 1837 The Rebellions of 1837 were a pair of Canadian armed uprisings that occurred in 1837 and 1838 in response to frustrations in political reform. A key shared goal was the allowance of responsible government, which was eventually achieved in the incident's aftermath.-Rebellions:The rebellions started... , personally leading forces in the Battle of Saint-Eustache Battle of Saint-Eustache The Battle of Saint-Eustache, fought on December 14, 1837, was a decisive battle in the Lower Canada Rebellion in which British forces defeated the principal remaining Patriotes camp at Saint-Eustache.-Prelude:... .
Sir Richard Downes Jackson Richard Downes Jackson Sir Richard Downes Jackson KCB was Administrator of Canada West and Canada East until the arrival of Sir Charles Bagot who took the position of Governor General of the Province of Canada.- External links :*...	1839	1845	During Jackson's tenure, there was tension with the United States over a variety of border disputes, with significant tensions Aroostook War The Aroostook War was an undeclared nonviolent confrontation in 1838/1839 between the United States and Great Britain over the international boundary between British North America and Maine. The compromise resolution win a mutually accepted border between the state of Maine and the provinces of...  on the disputed Maine-New Brunswick frontier. This led to a rise in troop strength in North America to about 12,000; the disputes were peacefully resolved with the Webster-Ashburton Treaty Webster-Ashburton Treaty The Webster–Ashburton Treaty, signed August 9, 1842, was a treaty resolving several border issues between the United States and the British North American colonies...  in 1842. He died quite unexpectedly shortly before the arrival of his replacement, Earl Cathcart Charles Cathcart, 2nd Earl Cathcart Charles Murray Cathcart, 2nd Earl Cathcart GCB was a British Army general who became Governor General of the Province of Canada and Lieutenant Governor of Canada West .-Life:Cathcart, eldest surviving son of William Schaw Cathcart, 1st Earl Cathcart, was born at... .
General Charles Cathcart, 2nd Earl Cathcart Charles Cathcart, 2nd Earl Cathcart Charles Murray Cathcart, 2nd Earl Cathcart GCB was a British Army general who became Governor General of the Province of Canada and Lieutenant Governor of Canada West .-Life:Cathcart, eldest surviving son of William Schaw Cathcart, 1st Earl Cathcart, was born at... , GCB (Lord Greenock)	1845	1847	Cathcart was appointed first as commander-in-chief and later also governor-general amid tensions between Britain and the United States over the Oregon Country Oregon Country The Oregon Country was a predominantly American term referring to a disputed ownership region of the Pacific Northwest of North America. The region was occupied by British and French Canadian fur traders from before 1810, and American settlers from the mid-1830s, with its coastal areas north from... . These were resolved peacefully with the signing in 1846 of the Oregon Treaty Oregon Treaty The Oregon Treaty is a treaty between the United Kingdom and the United States that was signed on June 15, 1846, in Washington, D.C. The treaty brought an end to the Oregon boundary dispute by settling competing American and British claims to the Oregon Country, which had been jointly occupied by... . When a new governor-general was appointed, Cathcart resigned both his positions.
Lieutenant-General William Rowan, CB	1849	1855	Rowan, who had served as an aide to Colborne during his tenure in the post, had a largely uneventful time in office. The only major incident was rioting in Montreal Montreal Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...  that led to the burning of the Parliament buildings Burning of the Parliament Buildings in Montreal The burning of the Parliament Buildings in Montreal occurred on the night of April 25, 1849. Inaugurated on June 24, 1845, St. Anne's Market building lodging the Parliament of the Province of Canada was burned down by rioters while the members of the Legislative Assembly were sitting in session.-...  there.
Lieutenant-General Sir William Williams, 1st Bt. of Kars, GCB	1859	1864	Appointed to the post when North-South tensions rose in the United States, Williams oversaw defensive arrangements to prevent the American Civil War American Civil War The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...  from spilling into British territories. A diplomatic incident known as the Trent Affair Trent affair The Trent Affair, also known as the Mason and Slidell Affair, was an international diplomatic incident that occurred during the American Civil War...  in 1861 led to an increased in the troop strength in the British provinces, and Williams made vigorous preparations for war before the crisis subsided.

Commanders-in-Chief, Maritime provinces 1783–1875

Officer	Start of command	End of command	Notes	Ref
Major-General John Campbell John Campbell, of Strachur General John Campbell, 17th of Strachur was a Scottish soldier and minor nobleman, who commanded the British forces at the Siege of Pensacola, and succeeded Guy Carleton, 1st Baron Dorchester as Commander-in-Chief in North America in 1783 following the end of the American War of...	December 1783	April 1786
General His Royal Highness Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and Strathearn, KG, KP, PC	arrived September 1799	departed August 1800	Kent's tenure was short. The fourth son of King George III, he had been given command of the Halifax station in 1794, at which time he embarked on a major program to upgrade the city's defences. He was appointed commander-in-chief upon Prescott's recall, but illness cut short his tenure.