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List of British units in the American Revolutionary War facts for kids

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This article is about the different British military groups that fought in the American Revolutionary War. This big conflict happened between 1775 and 1783. It wasn't just the British Army fighting the American rebels. It also involved soldiers from Germany, and special units formed in North America and the West Indies.

The war was fought in the Americas, Europe, and Asia. The British also fought against the French, Spanish, and Dutch who helped the Americans.

Interestingly, British regiments that fought in America didn't get special awards called "battle honours." This was because the British saw the war as a civil war within their own empire. However, some awards were given for battles against the French and Spanish in other parts of the world.

Many new British Army regiments were created during the war. Most of these were later disbanded when the war ended. Only a few, like the 23rd Light Dragoons and parts of the 73rd and 78th Foot, continued to serve.

Some British Army units stayed in the British Isles during the war. Others were stationed in places like India or Gibraltar. For example, the 78th Foot helped defeat a French invasion of Jersey in 1781.

British Army Units

The British Army had different types of units. These included cavalry (soldiers on horseback) and infantry (soldiers who fought on foot).

Cavalry

Cavalry units were important for fast attacks and scouting.

Infantry

Infantry made up the largest part of the army. They were foot soldiers.

Foot Guards

These were elite (top-tier) infantry units. They were often used for important battles.

Regular Infantry

These were the standard British Army regiments. Many of them fought in America.

American Establishment

These were units that were originally formed in America but later became part of the regular British Army.

  • 1st American Regiment (formerly the Queen's Rangers)
  • 2nd American Regiment (formerly the Volunteers of Ireland)
  • 3rd American Regiment (formerly the New York Volunteers)
  • 4th American Regiment (formerly the King's American Regiment)
  • 5th American Regiment (formerly the British Legion)

His Majesty's Marine Forces

These were the Marines, soldiers who served on ships and also fought on land.

  • 1st Battalion
  • 2nd Battalion

Loyalist Units

Not everyone in the American colonies wanted independence. Many people, called Loyalists, stayed loyal to the British Crown. They formed their own military units to fight alongside the British.

Provincial Corps

These were units raised locally in the American colonies. They were often made up of Loyalists.

  • American Legion
  • Black Company of Pioneers (also known as the Black Pioneers, who were military engineers)
  • British Legion
  • Butler's Rangers (a famous unit that fought on the frontier)
  • Queen's Rangers (a well-known Loyalist unit)
  • Many other units like the King's Royal Regiment of New York and New Jersey Volunteers (Skinner's Greens) also fought.

Local Volunteer Corps

These were smaller, local groups of Loyalists who volunteered to fight.

  • Ethiopian Regiment (a unit of formerly enslaved people who fought for the British)
  • Georgia Rangers
  • King's Loyal Americans
  • Mosquito Shore Volunteers
  • Royal Ethiopian Regiment

Associator and Refugee Units

These were groups formed by Loyalists who had been forced to leave their homes.

  • Associated Loyalists
  • Black Brigade (another group of Black Loyalists)
  • Brant's Volunteers (a unit led by Joseph Brant, a famous Mohawk leader)
  • De Lancey's Refugees

Militia Units

Militia were part-time soldiers, often local citizens, who could be called upon to defend their area.

  • Charleston Militia
  • Detroit Militia
  • East Florida Militia
  • New York City Militia
  • Nova Scotia Militia

West Indian Units

Units were also formed in the British colonies in the West Indies.

  • Barbados Militia
  • Jamaica Rangers
  • Grenada Militia

German Auxiliary Units

The British hired soldiers from several German states to help them fight in America. These soldiers are often called "Hessians" because many came from the state of Hesse-Kassel.

Principality of Anhalt-Zerbst

  • Rauschenplatt's Princess of Anhalt-Zerbst's Regiment
  • Nuppenau's Jäger Company (Jägers were light infantry, like skirmishers)

Margrave of Ansbach and Bayreuth

  • 1st Regiment Anspach
  • 2nd Regiment Bayreuth
  • Anspach Jäger Company

Duchy of Brunswick

  • Dragoon Regiment Prinz Lüdwig Ernst
  • Grenadier Battalion Breymann
  • Light Infantry Battalion von Barner
  • Musketeer Regiment Riedesel

Electorate of Hanover

  • 1st Battalion von Reden
  • 14th Regiment

Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel (or Hesse-Cassel)

This was the largest group of German auxiliary troops.

  • Combined Regiment von Loos
  • Fusilier Regiment von Dittfurth
  • Grenadier Regiment von Rall
  • Jäger Corps
  • Many other musketeer and garrison regiments.

County of Hesse-Hanau

  • Janecke's Frei Corps of Light Infantry
  • Musketeer Regiment Erbprinz
  • Creuzbourg's Jäger Corps

Principality of Waldeck

  • 3rd Waldeck Regiment

See also

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