The American establishment refers to the amalgamation of several
British provincial regiments raised in the American colonies during the
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...
under a single military establishment within the regular British army. The establishment was created on 2 May 1779 and set at five regiments; the Queens Rangers, Volunteers of Ireland, New York Volunteers, the King's American Regiment and the British Legion, which were numbered 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th American Regiments respectively.
In 1782 the 2nd American regiment (Volunteers of Ireland) was placed on the
Irish establishment
Irish may refer to:
Common meanings
* Someone or something of, from, or related to:
** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe
***Éire, Irish language name for the isle
** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...
as the 105th foot, whilst 4th and 5th American regiments were placed on the British establishment. The remaining two regiments were disbanded in 1783.
The creation of an army establishment in America followed the British tradition which existed in
Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
and
Britain
Britain most often refers to:
* The United Kingdom, a sovereign state in Europe comprising the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands
* Great Britain, the largest island in the United King ...
and gave the chosen American regiments nominally equal status to regular British units. In doing so the government hoped to encourage loyalist enlistment in the British army.
[Fryer, p.21]
List of regiments
*
1st American Regiment of Foot (
Queen's Rangers
The Queen's Rangers, also known as the Queen's American Rangers, and later Simcoe's Rangers, were a Loyalist military unit of the American Revolutionary War. Formed in 1776, they were named for Queen Charlotte, consort of George III. The Queen' ...
)
*
2nd American Regiment of Foot (
Volunteers of Ireland)
*
3rd American Regiment of Foot (
New York Volunteers
The New York Volunteers, also known as the New York Companies and 1st Dutchess County Company, was a British Loyalist Provincial regiment, which served with the British Army, during American Revolutionary War. Eventually, the New York Volunteer ...
)
*
4th American Regiment of Foot (
King's American Regiment
The King's American Regiment, also known as the "Associated Refugees", were a Loyalist regiment during the American Revolutionary War.
The King's American Regiment was raised on Staten Island in the Province of New York in December 1776 by Colon ...
)
*
5th American Regiment of Foot (
British Legion)
See also
*
List of British units in the American Revolutionary War
This is a list of British units which took part in the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), fighting against the American rebels and their French, Spanish and Dutch allies in the thirteen North American colonies, including battles in Florid ...
References
Sources
*
*
*
* {{cite book, last=Fryer, first=Mary, title=King's Men: The Soldier Founders of Ontario, publisher=Dundurn Group, year=2012, isbn=978-0-919-67051-8
Regiments of the British Army in the American Revolutionary War