Tarleton's Raiders
Encyclopedia
The British Legion was the name given to a British provincial regiment established during the American Revolution and composed of Loyalist
American infantry
and cavalry
. "Legion" was an 18th-century term for a military unit the size of a regiment but consisting of infantry and cavalry, or infantry, cavalry, and artillery, all under one command, to make it more flexible for scouting or irregular operations than a regiment that consisted of infantry or cavalry alone. It was colloquially known as Tarleton's Raiders, after the man who led most of its day-to-day activity, Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton
.
in July 1778, by Sir Henry Clinton, in order to merge several small Loyalist units into a single force, a "legion" that combined infantry and cavalry forces and a battery of "flying" (light and fast moving) artillery. The infantry consisted of the Caledonian Volunteers
, Ritzema's Royal American Reformers, the West Jersey Volunteers, and some members of the Roman Catholic Volunteers. The cavalry combined, in whole or in part, elements of Captain Kinloch's independent troop of New York Dragoons, the Philadelphia Light Dragoons, Emmerich's Chasseurs, the Prince of Wales' American Volunteers
, and the 16th Light Dragoons. The regiment was commanded by Lord William Cathcart
as colonel; Banastre Tarleton
was commissioned as lieutenant colonel. Once the unit left New York, Tarleton took full operational command. The Legion's peak operational strength was approximately 250 cavalry and 200 infantry.
and Lieutenant William Washington
at Monck's Corner
, dispersing another American force at Lenud's Ferry
, and routing a column under the hapless Colonel Abraham Buford
at the controversial Waxhaw massacre
.
During 1780, the Legion received reinforcements in the form of more drafts from Emmerich's Chausseurs and the Prince of Wales' American Volunteers, and the permanent attachment of the Bucks County Dragoons
.
After Lord Cornwallis
took command of the southern Crown forces, the Legion participated in his defeat of General Horatio Gates
at the Battle of Camden
, nearly caught Thomas Sumter
at Fishing Creek
, were hit by a surprise attack at Wahab's Plantation
, and pinned a rebel force at Charlotte, North Carolina
, until the remainder of the British force could come up.
Throughout the autumn of 1780, the Legion took part in anti-guerrilla operations, attempting to hunt down Francis Marion
and Thomas Sumter and engaging in combat at Fishdam Ford
and Blackstock's. The Legion seized and destroyed property in punitive attempts to suppress support for the guerrillas.
In January 1781, the Legion was part of the force under Tarleton defeated by Daniel Morgan
at the Battle of Cowpens
. The regiment suffered heavily in this action, particularly its infantry arm. After Cowpens, the remaining Legion infantry either transferred to the cavalry or joined the garrison of Charleston. From this point forward, the active British Legion was a cavalry force only.
After regrouping, the regiment led Cornwallis' movement into North Carolina in search of the American army under Nathanael Greene
, seeing action at Cowan's Ford
and Tarrant's Tavern.
The Legion was taken onto the American Establishment on March 7, 1781, as the 5th American Regiment. This made them an official part of the British Army, rather than provincial (local) troops.
On the 15th of March, the regiment fought at the Battle of Guilford Courthouse.
and the Virginia General Assembly at Charlottesville
. The Legion again engaged in widespread destruction to punish rebel sympathizers and deny material support to the Continental Army
and government. In July 1781 occurred the skirmish Francisco's Fight
between Peter Francisco and several of Tarleton's Raiders.
When Cornwallis occupied Yorktown
, the Legion was posted across the York River
at Gloucester, fought a skirmish with French troops there, and surrendered to the French at the conclusion of the siege. Lord Cornwallis sought terms of surrender that would have ensured no reprisals against the Loyalists in his army, but Washington refused to agree to them. Some of the men of the Legion were evacuated, sent with Cornwallis' dispatches to New York after the surrender. Some officers were paroled. Some enlisted men, and at least four officers who volunteered to stay with their troopers, were sent to a prison camp in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Loyalist (American Revolution)
Loyalists were American colonists who remained loyal to the Kingdom of Great Britain during the American Revolutionary War. At the time they were often called Tories, Royalists, or King's Men. They were opposed by the Patriots, those who supported the revolution...
American infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
and cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
. "Legion" was an 18th-century term for a military unit the size of a regiment but consisting of infantry and cavalry, or infantry, cavalry, and artillery, all under one command, to make it more flexible for scouting or irregular operations than a regiment that consisted of infantry or cavalry alone. It was colloquially known as Tarleton's Raiders, after the man who led most of its day-to-day activity, Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton
Banastre Tarleton
General Sir Banastre Tarleton, 1st Baronet, GCB was a British soldier and politician.He is today probably best remembered for his military service during the American War of Independence. He became the focal point of a propaganda campaign claiming that he had fired upon surrendering Continental...
.
Formation
This unit was raised in New YorkNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
in July 1778, by Sir Henry Clinton, in order to merge several small Loyalist units into a single force, a "legion" that combined infantry and cavalry forces and a battery of "flying" (light and fast moving) artillery. The infantry consisted of the Caledonian Volunteers
Caledonian Volunteers
The Caledonian Volunteers was a British provincial unit that was raised for service in the American Revolutionary War.This unit was partially mounted and partially foot and was raised in Philadelphia in late 1777 and early 1778. It returned with the army to New York in 1778 and was merged into the...
, Ritzema's Royal American Reformers, the West Jersey Volunteers, and some members of the Roman Catholic Volunteers. The cavalry combined, in whole or in part, elements of Captain Kinloch's independent troop of New York Dragoons, the Philadelphia Light Dragoons, Emmerich's Chasseurs, the Prince of Wales' American Volunteers
American Volunteers
The American Volunteers was a British provincial unit raised for service during the American Revolutionary War.This unit was raised in 1779 in New York under the command of Major Patrick Ferguson. It was sent to Charleston in 1780 and was virtually destroyed at the Battle of King's Mountain....
, and the 16th Light Dragoons. The regiment was commanded by Lord William Cathcart
William Cathcart, 1st Earl Cathcart
General William Schaw Cathcart, 1st Earl Cathcart KT, PC, PC , Scottish soldier and diplomatist, was born at Petersham, and educated at Eton.-Military career:...
as colonel; Banastre Tarleton
Banastre Tarleton
General Sir Banastre Tarleton, 1st Baronet, GCB was a British soldier and politician.He is today probably best remembered for his military service during the American War of Independence. He became the focal point of a propaganda campaign claiming that he had fired upon surrendering Continental...
was commissioned as lieutenant colonel. Once the unit left New York, Tarleton took full operational command. The Legion's peak operational strength was approximately 250 cavalry and 200 infantry.
The Legion in the Carolinas
Elements of the Legion fought at the siege of Savannah in 1779. The Legion as a whole was part of the British force that besieged and captured Charleston in 1780. The regiment participated in many battles in Clinton's South Carolina campaign, defeating General Isaac HugerIsaac Huger
Isaac Huger was a planter and Continental Army general during the American Revolutionary War.-Life and work:...
and Lieutenant William Washington
William Washington
William Washington , was an officer of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, who held a final rank of Brigadier General in the newly created United States after the war...
at Monck's Corner
Battle of Monck's Corner
The Battle of Monck's Corner was fought on April 14, 1780, outside the city of Charleston, South Carolina, which was under siege by British forces under the command of General Sir Henry Clinton in the American Revolutionary War. The British Legion, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Banastre...
, dispersing another American force at Lenud's Ferry
Battle of Lenud's Ferry
The Battle of Lenud's Ferry was a battle of the American Revolutionary War that was fought on May 6, 1780 in present-day Berkeley County, South Carolina...
, and routing a column under the hapless Colonel Abraham Buford
Abraham Buford
Abraham Buford was a Continental Army officer during the American Revolutionary War, best known as the commanding officer of the American forces at the Battle of Waxhaws.-Biography:...
at the controversial Waxhaw massacre
Waxhaw massacre
The Battle of Waxhaws took place during the American Revolution on May 29, 1780, near Lancaster, South Carolina, between a Continental Army force led by Abraham Buford and a mainly Loyalist force led by Banastre Tarleton...
.
During 1780, the Legion received reinforcements in the form of more drafts from Emmerich's Chausseurs and the Prince of Wales' American Volunteers, and the permanent attachment of the Bucks County Dragoons
Bucks County Dragoons
The Bucks County Dragoons was a British provincial military unit raised for service during the American Revolutionary War.It was raised in Philadelphia in February, 1778. It returned with the army to New York in 1778. It was attached to the Queen's Rangers for the 1779 campaign and to the British...
.
After Lord 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...
took command of the southern Crown forces, the Legion participated in his defeat of General Horatio Gates
Horatio Gates
Horatio Lloyd Gates was a retired British soldier who served as an American general during the Revolutionary War. He took credit for the American victory at the Battle of Saratoga – Benedict Arnold, who led the attack, was finally forced from the field when he was shot in the leg – and...
at the Battle of Camden
Battle of Camden
The Battle of Camden was a major victory for the British in the Southern theater of the American Revolutionary War...
, nearly caught Thomas Sumter
Thomas Sumter
Thomas Sumter nicknamed the "Carolina Gamecock" , was a hero of the American Revolution and went on to become a longtime member of the Congress of the United States.-Early life:Thomas Sumter was born near Charlottesville in Hanover County, Virginia in 1734...
at Fishing Creek
Battle of Fishing Creek
The Battle of Fishing Creek, also called the Battle of Catawba Ford or the War on Sugar Creek, was an American Revolutionary War battle fought on August 18, 1780, between American and British forces including the 71st Foot. It was fought near the junction of Fishing Creek and the Catawba River in...
, were hit by a surprise attack at Wahab's Plantation
Battle of Wahab's Plantation
The Battle of Wahab's Plantation was a surprise attack on a Loyalist camp, which included elements of the British Legion commanded by Banastre Tarleton , by Patriot militia under the command of William R. Davie on September 21, 1780. The owner of the plantation was militia Captain James A...
, and pinned a rebel force at Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
, until the remainder of the British force could come up.
Throughout the autumn of 1780, the Legion took part in anti-guerrilla operations, attempting to hunt down Francis Marion
Francis Marion
Francis Marion was a military officer who served in the American Revolutionary War. Acting with Continental Army and South Carolina militia commissions, he was a persistent adversary of the British in their occupation of South Carolina in 1780 and 1781, even after the Continental Army was driven...
and Thomas Sumter and engaging in combat at Fishdam Ford
Battle of Fishdam Ford
The Battle of Fishdam Ford was an attempted surprise attack by British forces under the command of Major James Wemyss against an encampment of Patriot militia under the command of local Brigadier General Thomas Sumter around 1 am on the morning of November 9, 1780, late in the American...
and Blackstock's. The Legion seized and destroyed property in punitive attempts to suppress support for the guerrillas.
In January 1781, the Legion was part of the force under Tarleton defeated by Daniel Morgan
Daniel Morgan
Daniel Morgan was an American pioneer, soldier, and United States Representative from Virginia. One of the most gifted battlefield tacticians of the American Revolutionary War, he later commanded troops during the suppression of the Whiskey Rebellion.-Early years:Most authorities believe that...
at the Battle of Cowpens
Battle of Cowpens
The Battle of Cowpens was a decisive victory by Patriot Revolutionary forces under Brigadier General Daniel Morgan, in the Southern campaign of the American Revolutionary War...
. The regiment suffered heavily in this action, particularly its infantry arm. After Cowpens, the remaining Legion infantry either transferred to the cavalry or joined the garrison of Charleston. From this point forward, the active British Legion was a cavalry force only.
After regrouping, the regiment led Cornwallis' movement into North Carolina in search of the American army under Nathanael Greene
Nathanael Greene
Nathanael Greene was a major general of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War. When the war began, Greene was a militia private, the lowest rank possible; he emerged from the war with a reputation as George Washington's most gifted and dependable officer. Many places in the United...
, seeing action at Cowan's Ford
Battle of Cowan's Ford
The Battle of Cowan's Ford was a battle in the Southern Theater of Cornwallis's 1780–1782 Campaign that eventually led to the British Army's surrender at Yorktown during the American Revolutionary War...
and Tarrant's Tavern.
The Legion was taken onto the American Establishment on March 7, 1781, as the 5th American Regiment. This made them an official part of the British Army, rather than provincial (local) troops.
On the 15th of March, the regiment fought at the Battle of Guilford Courthouse.
The Legion in the Virginia Campaign
As Cornwallis shifted his communications to the Chesapeake and abandoned the Carolinas for Virginia, the British Legion cavalry under Tarleton raided ahead of the British army, nearly capturing Virginia Governor Thomas JeffersonThomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
and the Virginia General Assembly at Charlottesville
Charlottesville, Virginia
Charlottesville is an independent city geographically surrounded by but separate from Albemarle County in the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States, and named after Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the queen consort of King George III of the United Kingdom.The official population estimate for...
. The Legion again engaged in widespread destruction to punish rebel sympathizers and deny material support to the 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...
and government. In July 1781 occurred the skirmish Francisco's Fight
Francisco's Fight
Francisco's Fight is the name commonly given to an alleged skirmish between a detachment of Tarleton's Raiders and Peter Francisco, a Continental Army soldier with a long service record, during the American Revolutionary War in July 1781...
between Peter Francisco and several of Tarleton's Raiders.
When Cornwallis occupied Yorktown
Yorktown, Virginia
Yorktown is a census-designated place in York County, Virginia, United States. The population was 220 in the 2000 census. It is the county seat of York County, one of the eight original shires formed in colonial Virginia in 1634....
, the Legion was posted across the York River
York River (Virginia)
The York River is a navigable estuary, approximately long, in eastern Virginia in the United States. It ranges in width from at its head to near its mouth on the west side of Chesapeake Bay. Its watershed drains an area including portions of 17 counties of the coastal plain of Virginia north...
at Gloucester, fought a skirmish with French troops there, and surrendered to the French at the conclusion of the siege. Lord Cornwallis sought terms of surrender that would have ensured no reprisals against the Loyalists in his army, but Washington refused to agree to them. Some of the men of the Legion were evacuated, sent with Cornwallis' dispatches to New York after the surrender. Some officers were paroled. Some enlisted men, and at least four officers who volunteered to stay with their troopers, were sent to a prison camp in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.