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| SOURCES | ||
|---|---|---|
| ALBUS, George | LIEUTENANT, April 20,1781 to October 13, 1783. |
Public Archives of Canada "Muster Rolls", Series C, RG 8, Vol. 1861-64. |
| Formerly served in Captain Frederick Diemar's Independent Troop of Dragoons frequently attached to the Queens American Rangers. He and his troop were subsequently absorbed into the Rangers on April 20, 1781. | Simcoe, John Graves, "History of Operations of a Partisan Corps Called the Queens Rangers", N.Y., 1844, p. 187. | |
| Albus had been a Lieutenant in the Hessian Troops before joining Diemar. Appointed Lieutenant in Diemar's Troop on April 11, 1779. | New York Historical Society, "Guards Orderly Book". | |
| Participated in the Hoppertown, New Jersey, cavalry raid on April 15, 1780 while serving with Diemar. | Lobdell, Jared C., "Action at Hoppertown, NJ", NJ Historical Society, Vol. 80, 1962, p. 262. | |
| Not at the Yorktown surrender. Probably in NYC. | Analysis of the Muster Rolls. | |
| Rank made permanent in the Army as of December 25, 1782. | 1783 Army List. | |
| British Half Pay in 1784. | 1784 Army List. | |
| CLAYTON, Samuel | CORNET, December 1, 1780 to October 13, 1783. |
Muster Rolls. |
| Born in England. | Muster Roll dated February 23, 1781. | |
| Appointed Cornet in Ranger Cavalry, December 1, 1780. | Ibid. | |
| Served in Captain Thomas Cooke's Troop. | Analysis of the Muster Rolls. | |
| Not at Yorktown surrender. Probably in NYC. | Ibid. | |
| Rank made permanent in the Army, December 25, 1782. | 1783 Army List. | |
| British Half Pay in 1784. | 1784 Army List. | |
| Went to New Brunswick after the peace. | Bunnell, Paul, "New Loyalist Index", 1989, MD, p. 87. | |
| COOKE, Thomas Ive | CAPTAIN, December 25, 1780 to October 13, 1783. |
Muster Rolls. |
| Born in England. | Muster Roll dated February 23, 1781. | |
| Another new cavalry troop had been authorized. Thomas Cooke was transferred from the 17th Light Dragoons. Appointed a Lieutenant on December 1, 1780 and Captain on December 25, 1780. Cooke remained in New York recruiting for his troop when the Ranger Infantry and Cavalry embarked for Virginia on December 11, 1780 under the overall command of Brigadier General Benedict Arnold. | Simcoe, "Queens
Rangers", pp. 158-159. 1783 ArmyList. February 23, 1781 Muster Roll. | |
| Troop (under Lt. William Lawlor) joined the rest of the Rangers in Virginia on 5/29/1781. | Simcoe, "Queens Rangers", p. 211. | |
| Returned to England after the peace. | Muster Roll dated February 23, 1783. | |
| Rank made permanent in the Army, December 25, 1782. | 1783 Army List. | |
| British Half Pay in 1784. | 1784 Army List. | |
| DIEMAR, Frederick | CAPTAIN, April 1781. |
Muster Rolls. |
| Previously commanded an independent troop of cavalry, attached to the Rangers. At Hoppertown N. J. cavalry raid on April 15, 1780 with 40 men of his troop. Troop formally added to the Rangers on April 20, 1781 and placed under the temporary command of Captain Thomas Cooke in New York, who was busy recruiting men for his new cavalry troop as indicated above. | Lobdell, "Action
at Hoppertown", p. 262. Simcoe, "Queens Rangers", pp. 140 and 187. | |
| Diemar's independent troop had been established on April 11, 1779. He had come from the 60th Regiment and he returned there rather than transfer to the Rangers. | New York Historical Society, "Guards Orderly Book". | |
| JONES, Charles | CORNET, December 1, 1780 to June 16, 1781. |
Muster Rolls. |
| Born in 1760 at Weston, Massachusetts. One of 11 sons of Elisha Jones, a member of the General Assembly of Massachusetts. who had died on 2/13/1775. Attended Harvard College at the commencement of the war. Joined Wentworth's Volunteers in 1777. | Jones, Alfred E., "Loyalists of Massachusetts", 1969, Baltimore, p. 185. | |
| Served as a Ensign in the Queens Ranger Infantry Company of Captain Robert McCrea from August 25, 1780 to November 30, 1780. | Analysis of the Muster Rolls. | |
| Transferred to Captain David Shank's troop on December 1, 1780, with the rank of Cornet, replacing William Lawlor promoted to be a Lieutenant in Captain Thomas Cooke's Troop. | Ibid. | |
| Killed at Spencer's Ordinary on June 26, 1781, leading the first division of Shank's troop in an attack on American forces. Buried the following day, with military honors, at Williamsburg, VIrginia. | Simcoe, "Queens Rangers", pp. 233 and 237. | |
| Replaced after the Yorktown surrender by Cornet Willliam Jarvis. | Muster Roll dated Dec. 23, 1781. | |
| LAWLOR, William Digby | LIEUTENANT, December 1, 1780 to October 13, 1783. |
Muster Rolls. |
| Born in Ireland. | Muster Roll dated February 23, 1781. | |
| Had been a Quartermaster in the 17th Light Dragoons. | Public Record Office, Great Britain, WO 42, Vol. 15, folio 74-75, "List of Queens Ranger Officers - March 1783". | |
| Served as Cornet in Captain David Shank's troop from August 25, 1780 to November 30, 1780. | Analysis of the Muster Rolls. | |
| Promoted to Captain Thomas Cooke's Troop with the rank of Lieutenant on December 1, 1780. He was also appointed Adjutant of Cavalry. | Muster Roll dated February 23, 1781. | |
| On June 20, 1781 he participated in a skirmish with American forces in Virginia. On June 26, he further participated in the action at Spencer's Ordinary, VIrginia. | Simcoe, "Queens Rangers", pp. 225 and 227. | |
| Surrendered at Yorktown on October 19, 1781. | Analysis of the Muster Rolls. | |
| Rank made permanent in the Army, December 25, 1782. | 1783 Army List. | |
| British Half Pay in 1784. | 1784 Army List. | |
| McNAB, Allan | LIEUTENANT, February 1779 to October 13, 1783. |
Muster Rolls. |
| Born in Scotland in 1758. | Muster Roll dated August 24, 1780. | |
| Served as a Lieutenant from October 1777 to February 1778 in Captain James Dunlop's Queens Ranger Infantry Company. Transferred to Captain Francis Stephenson's Infantry Company. Served there from February 1778 to February 1779 when he transferred to Captain Alexander Wickham's Huzzar Troop. | Analysis of the Muster Rolls. | |
| Participated in the cavalry raid on Hoppertown, N. J. on April 15, 1780. | Lobdell,"Action at Hoppertown", p. 262. | |
| Assumed field command of the Hussars after Wickham's resignation. The Captaincy remained open until 1782 when it was filled by a Captain William Sutherland who never joined. | Analysis of the Muster Rolls. | |
| Not at Yorktown surrender. | Ibid. | |
| Rank made permanent in the Army, December 25, 1782. | 1783 Army List. | |
| British Half Pay in 1784. | 1784 Army List. | |
| Settled in Upper Canada (Ontario) after signing of the peace treaty. Appointed Sergeant at Arms in the House of Assembly. He held this office for many years. Married Anne, daughter of Peter William Napier, Captain, Royal Navy, Commissioner of the Port and Harbor of Quebec. Died June 6, 1830. His son, Sir Allan McNab, became Premier of Upper Canada from 1854 to 1856. | Sabine, Lorenzo,
"Biographical Sketches of Loyalists of the American Revolution, Vol. II,
Baltimore, 1994, p. 72 Chadwick, Edward M., "Ontario Families", 1970, NJ, p. 19. | |
| MERRITT, Thomas | CORNET, August 25, 1780 to October 13, 1783. |
Muster Rolls. |
| Born in Westchester County, New York in 1759. Joined the British Army in 1777. | Chadwick, "Ontario Families", p. 193. | |
| On May 1, 1778, he was appointed a Cornet in Emmerick's Chaussers which was subsequently disbanded on August 31, 1779. | William Clements Library, Univ. of Michigan, "Clinton Papers", Vol. 67, Item 1. | |
| Transferred to the Queens Ranger infantry as Ensign and served in Captain William Moncrief's Company from October 24, 1779 to August 25, 1780. | Analysis of the Muster Rolls. | |
| Reassigned as a Cornet on August 25, 1780 to Captain John Saunders newly formed cavalry troop. | Simcoe, "Queens Rangers", pp. 150 and 153. | |
| Troop sent to Virginia on October 16, 1780 as part of an expedition under Major General Alexander Leslie which was subsequently redirected to proceed on to Charleston, arriving on December 16. Reassigned to garrison Georgetown, South Carolina, along with the Kings American Regiment. Arrived in Georgetown on December 24. | Ibid, p. 240 Boatner, Mark M. III, "Encyclopedia of the American Revolution", 1966, New York, p. 1038. | |
| On February 26, 1781, Merritt was with a Sergeant and 10 Rangers while providing cover for a foraging party. They fell in with a much larger group of militia from whom, after a series of charges back and forth, they managed to escape with the loss of the Sergeant killed. Merritt was knocked from his horse and left for dead. When he recovered, the field was empty. He made his way back to Georgetonwn without his boots, helmet and weapons, which the militia had taken. | Simcoe, "Queens Rangers", pp. 243 to 244. | |
| On or about March 7, Merritt, carrying a flag of truce to General Francis Marion, was detained as a prisoner in retalation for the detention, by Captain Saunders, of Captain John Postell, one of Marion's officers. Postell had come to Georgetown under a flag of truce to arrange an prisoner exchange. Postell had been given parole after the surrender of Charleston in 1780 and had not yet been exchanged. He was considered in violation of parole. Merritt was imprisoned in a log hut but subsequently managed to escape with several others and made his way back to Georgetown, after covering a distance of 50 miles. Merritt's conduct was sufficiently impressive that Lt. Colonel Nesbit Balfour, commanding at Charleston, recommended him for a Lieutenancy in a new troop of dragoons to be raised in the Charleston area. Merritt however chose to stay with the Rangers until the end of the war. | Ibid, pp. 244-246. | |
| While in South Carolina, he met and married Mary Hamilton, member of a local South Carolina family. | Chadwick, "Ontario Families", pp. 193-194. | |
| Still in South Carolina at the Yorktown surrender. | Analysis of the Muster Rolls. | |
| Rank made permanent in the Army on December 25, 1782. | 1783 Army List. | |
| On British Half Pay in 1784. | 1784 Army List. | |
| Went to New Brunswick in 1873. He later resettled in Upper Canada (Ontario) in 1796. Held the office of Sheriff of the District of Niagara and Commissioner of Woods and Forests. | Sabine, "American
Loyalists" p. 79. Chadwick, "Ontario Families", p. 193. | |
| His son, William Hamilton Merritt, led a group of entrepreneurs that financed the building of the Welland Canal, connecting Lake Erie with Lake Ontario which opened on November 28, 1829. | Read, D.B. "Life and Times of General Simcoe", 1890, Tor, p 108. | |
| Died at St. Catherine's in Upper Canada (Ontario) on May 12, 1842. | Sabine, "American Loyalists", p. 79. | |
| PROCTOR, George | CORNET, 1778. |
Muster Rolls. |
| Formerly an Ensign in Captain John Saunders and Captain Stair Agnew's Infantry Companies from September 17, 1777 to April 1778. He was detached to serve with the Huzzars under Lieutenant Alexander Wickham in February 1778 but resigned from the Rangers a short time thereafter. | "Pennsylvania Packet - May 13, 1778", Analysis of the Muster Rolls. . | |
| SAUNDERS, John | CAPTAIN, August 25, 1780 to October 13, 1783. |
Muster Rolls. |
| Born in Virginia on June 1, 1753 in Princess Anne County. He was the only son of Jonathan and Elizabeth Saunders. They had a plantation of 800 acres lying partially on the Lynnhaven River, within 2 miles of Kemps Landing. Saunders had attended the College of Philadelphia. | Sabine, "American Loyalists", p. 256. | |
| Awarded a Captain's commission by Lord Dunmore in the Queen's Own Loyal Virginia Regiment in November 1775 for raising 30 men. He was with his men at the battle of Great Bridge on December 9, 1775 where Dunmore tried unsuccessfully to hold Virginia for the crown. Subsequently escaped to New York with other Virginia loyalists in August 1776. Said regiment was disbanded in November 1776. | Loyalist Transcript 58/573, NY Public Library Memorial of John Saunders to Sir Henry Clinton, Nov 29, 1779, Clinton Papers, William Clements Library, Univ. of Michigan. | |
| Next appears as a Captain of Ranger Infantry from March 31, 1777 to August 24, 1780. Wounded at Brandywine battle on September 11, 1777. | Analysis of the Muster Rolls. | |
| He, and his company, participated in the engagement at Quintan's Bridge N.J. on March 18, 1778 and the affair at Hancock's House, N.J. on March 20, 1778. | Simcoe, "Queens Rangers", pp. 46 to 54. | |
| He was highly regarded by Simcoe. While at winter quarters at Oyster Bay, Long Island during 1778-1779 winter season, he taught the Light Infantry and Huzzars on how to work together. He instructed the Huzzars on how to gallop through woods with the light infantry holding the horses's manes and, with the light infantry lying flat on the ground, how the Huzzars could gallop through their files. | Ibid, p. 98. | |
| Transferred to command a newly created cavalry troop on August 25, 1780. Ten privates from Wickham's troop transferred to form the core of the unit. | Ibid, p. 150 Muster Roll dated October 25, 1780. | |
| On October 16, 1780, Saunders, with his troop of 3 officers & 12 men, sailed with Major General Alexander Leslie's expeditionary force bound for the Chesapeake area of Virginia to create a diversion to draw attention away from Cornwallis in South Carolina. The expedition arrived at Portsmouth on October 21 After spending time destroying supplies, capturing small vessels etc, they were all ordered to proceed on to Charleston, leaving on November 23 and arriving at Charleston on December 16. Saunders' Troop and the Kings American Regiment (another loyalist unit) under Lt. Colonel George Campbell, were ordered to garrison Georgetown, about 60 miles north of Charleston. They arrived there on December 24 with Campbell assuming the overall command. Saunders did not accompany them as he went to visit Cornwallis at Winnsboro to obtain permission for he and his troop to return to Simcoe's command. Permission was granted and he returned to Charleston on January 19. His troop was withdrawn from Georgetown and made ready to embark on January 25, when word came of Tarleton's defeat at Cowpens on January 17, plus the news that Marion and Harry Lee had raided Georgetown the previous day and captured Lt Colonel Campbell, whom they later released on parole. Saunders and his troop were ordered back to Georgetown. On February 10, 1781, he assumed command not only of his Ranger troop but also the Kings American Regiment when Major James Grant of that unit was recalled to Charleston. | Simcoe, "Queens Rangers", p. 240 to 248. Boatner, "Encyclopedia", pp. 420 and 1038. Hayes, John T., "Narrative of Stephen Jarvis", 1996, Ft Lauderdale, Florida, p. 58. | |
| Various skirmishes with local militia forces took place in mid February (See "Wilson"), February 26 (See "Merritt") and again on April 2 (See "Wilson"). | ||
| On February 24, 1781, the Kings American Regiment were withdrawn and sent to Ninety Six, leaving behind the Rangers and a small detachment of 43 men from the 71st Regiment and 25 convalescents, totaling about 80 men. On May 21, the Georgetown Post was ordered abandoned and the garrison returned to Charletson. | New Brunswick Museum, "Diary of Henry Nase, p. 13 Hayes, "Jarvis", p. 74 and p. 129, Note 163 Univ. of New Brunswick, Saunders Family Papers, "Balfour to Saunders 2-19-1781". | |
| They were subsequently sent to man the post at Dorchester, about 30 miles from Charleston, accompanied by the South Carolina Royalist Regiment,commanded by Major Thomas Fraser. On June 3, 1781, Saunders troop, accompanied by a troop from the South Carolina Regiment, successfully attacked a body of militia, commanded by Captain William Snipes. Only Snipes, and two of his men, were able to escape from being killed or captured. On December 1, the post was abandoned upon the approach of a large body from General Nathanael Green's Army and the garrison withdrew back to Charleston. | Hayes, "Jarvis", pp. 65-66 and 126, Note 146 Simcoe, "Queens Rangers", p. 247. | |
| He was still in South Carolina at the Yorktown surrender. | Analysis of the Muster Rolls. | |
| The last action in which Saunders took part, took place on February 24 and 25, 1782. As part of a combined cavalry force, under the command of Lt. Colonel Benjamin Thompson, they successfully attacked a large body of militia commanded by General Francis Marion at Wambau Bridge and Tidyman's Plantation on the Santee. | Boatner,
"Encyclopedia", p. 678. Hayes, "Jarvis", p. 81 and p. 135-136, Note 177. | |
| In early April 1782, Saunders and his men were finally sent back to New York where they rejoined the rest of their regiment after an absence of over 18 months. | Analysis of the Muster Rolls. | |
| Rank made permanent in the Army on December 25, 1782. | 1783 Army List. | |
| On British Half Pay in 1784. | 1784 Army List. | |
| After the peace, he went to England and subsequently studied law. He was admitted to the English bar in 1787. On February 16, 1790 he married Ariana Margaretta Jekyll Chalmers, daughter of Lt. Colonel James Chalmers, of the Maryland Loyalists, then a refugee in England. Shortly thereafter, he sailed for New Brunswick where he had earlier been appointed to be a judge of the Supreme Court. In 1822, he was appointed Chief Justice. He died at Fredericton on April 20, 1834. | Jones, Alfred E., "Virginia Magazine of History and Biography", Vol. 30,
October 1922,
pp. 373-375 Sabine, "American Loyalists" p. 257. | |
| SHANK, David | CAPTAIN, August 25, 1780 to October 13, 1783. |
Muster Rolls. |
| Born in Scotland but a resident of Virginia at the beginning of the Revolution. | Muster Roll dated August 24, 1780. | |
| Former Lieutenant in Captain Francis Stephenson's and Captain Robert McCrea's Infantry companies from March 31, 1777 to October 27, 1778. Promoted to Captain of Infantry on October 28, 1778, succeeding Captain John McGill, who succeeded Captain Richard Armstrong who was promoted to Major of Ranger Infantry. | Analysis of the Muster Rolls. | |
| He, and his company, participated in a skirmish with Americans at Elizabethtown Bridge, New Jersey, on February 10, 1780. | Simcoe, "Queens Rangers" pp. 133-4. | |
| Transferred to command a newly created cavalry troop on August 25, 1780. | Ibid, p, 150. | |
| Shank, and his troop, participated in Queens American Ranger engagment at Richmond, Virginia on January 5, 1781 while under the overall command of Brigadier General Benedict Arnold. | Ibid, pp. 162-163. | |
| Had a skirmish with an American patrol on February, 5, 1781 in the vicinity of Great Bridge, Virginia. | Ibid, p. 173. | |
| Participated in both the Point of Fork, VIrginia engagement on June 5, 1781 against Major General Friedrich Von Steuben and the engagement at Spencer's Tavern, Virginia on June 26, 1781 against detached American forces from Major General Lafayette's command. | Ibid, pp. 212-213 and pp. 228-233. | |
| After Cornwallis had moved his army to Yorktown, Virginia, Shank and his troop patrolled the area between Yorktown and Williamsburg between August 2 and August 11th. On August 12, 1781, the Rangers, both cavalry and infantry, moved to Gloucester Point. | Ibid, pp. 239 & 248. | |
| Shank's final action was assisting the British Legion, on October 3, 1781, in a skirmish with French Huzzars, under the Duke of Lauzun, on Gloucester Point. | Ibid, p. 250. | |
| Surrendered at Yorktown on October 19, 1781. | Analysis of the Muster Rolls. | |
| Rank made permanent in the Army on December 25, 1782. | 1783 Army List. | |
| British Half Pay in 1784. | 1784 Army List. | |
| Served as a Captain in reinstituted Queens Ranger Regiment created in Upper Canada (Ontario) by then Lt. Governor John Graves Simcoe from 1791 to 1802. Returned to England in 1799. Promoted to the rank of Lt. Colonel in January 1798, Colonel in 1808, Major General in 1811 and Lieutenant General in 1821. Died at Glasgow, Scotland on October 16, 1831. | Sabine, "American Loyalists", p. 277. | |
| SPENCER, George | LIEUTENANT, August 25, 1780 to October 13, 1783. |
Muster Rolls. |
| Born in England in 1758. Living in the area of New Haven, Conn. at the beginning of the war. | Guthorn, Peter, "British Maps of the Revolution", Monmouth Beach, NJ, 1972, p. 43. | |
| Had been a Quartermaster in the 16th Dragoons. | PRO, WO 42 "List of Queens Ranger Officers". | |
| Served as a Cornet in Captain Alexander Wickham's Hussar Troop from February 1779 to August 1780. | Analysis of the Muster Rolls. | |
| Participated in the cavalry raid on Hoppertown, N.J. on April 15, 1780. | Lobdell, "Action at Hoppertown", p. 262. | |
| Promoted to Lieutenant in Captain David Shank's newly raised Cavalry troop, on August 25, 1780. | Analysis of the Muster Rolls. | |
| Surrendered at Yorktown on October 19, 1781. | Ibid. | |
| Left Yorktown for New York on the Transport Ship "Andrew". | National Archives "Revolutionary War-Misc Numbered Records", Record Group 93, Record No. 31601. | |
| Rank made permanent in the Army on December 25, 1782. | 1783 Army List. | |
| British Half Pay in 1784. | 1784 Army List. | |
| At the end of the war, with a family of 4 and 2 servants, went to Shelburne, Nova Scotia. Died there in 1834. | Guthorn "Maps", p. 43. | |
| The maps illustrated in Simcoe's Journal "Operations of the Queens Rangers" were made mainly by Spencer, with some drafts being the work of Simcoe and Lieutenant Adam Allen of the Ranger infantry. | Ibid. | |
| THOMPSON, Benjamin | CORNET, April 1781 to October 13,1783. |
Muster Rolls. |
| Born in 1759 in Hillsborough (now Millstone), Somerset County, New Jersey. Son of William Thompson, a lawyer, who died in 1765. Early in the rebellion, he was studying medicine under Dr. John Cochran, the future head of American military hospitals. Cochran tried to prevail upon him to join the American cause but he chose to join the Royal Army in 1776. Claimed to have acted as an aid de camp to Brigadier General Cortlandt Skinner of the New Jersey Volunteers for a period of time. | Jones, Alfred E., "Loyalists of NJ in the Revolution", NJ Hist. Society Collections, Vol. 10, 1927, pp. 218 to 219. | |
| He became a Cornet on 6/24/79 in Diemar's Independent Troop of Light Dragoons which was later absorbed into the Rangers in April 1781. | Journal of Long Island History, "German Troop of Huzzars on L.I.", Vol. 5, No. 3, Summer 1965. | |
| He participated in the April 15, 1780 cavalry raid on Hoppertown, N. J. with Diemar's Independent Troop. | Lobdell, "Action at Hoppertown", p. 262. | |
| Claimed to have lost a limb during the war. | Jones, "New Jersey Loyalists", p. 219. | |
| Not at the Yorktown surrender. | Analysis of the Muster Rolls. | |
| Went to France after the war. Claims to have a wife and 5 children. | Coldham, Peter, "American Migrations 1765-1799", Surry, England, 2000, p. 436. | |
| Rank made permanent in the Army on December 25, 1782. | 1783 Army List. | |
| British Half Pay in 1784. | 1784 Army List. | |
| WICKHAM, Alexander | CAPTAIN, February 1779 to February 1781. |
Muster Rolls. |
| Born in Ireland. | Muster Roll dated August 24, 1780. | |
| Formerly an Ensign in Captain Job Williams Queens Ranger Infantry Company from March 31, 1777 to September 1777. Then promoted to Lieutenant in Captain Stair Agnew's Infantry Company. In February 1779, he was promoted to be Captain of the Huzzar Troop. | Analysis of the Muster Rolls. | |
| A Huzzar detachment of 12 men had been formed in December 1777 & Wickham had been detached from his company to command them. By February 1778, their number had been increased to 30 and Ensign George Proctor was also detached to serve as second in command. | Simcoe, "Queens Rangers", pp. 32 and 37. | |
| The Huzzars, between November 1778 and April 1779, were increased to 50 men and put on a permanent footing with Wickham promoted to Captain. Ensign Proctor had resigned from the Rangers sometime during this period. | Ibid, p. 96. | |
| When the Ranger Infantry were sent south on April 4, 1780, to assist in the seige of Charleston, South Carolina, the Huzzars were left at Richmond, Staten Island. | Ibid, p. 137. | |
| Led his troop, along with Diemar's, in the cavalry raid on Hoppertown, New Jersey on April 15, 1780. | Ibid, pp. 140-142 Lobdell, "Action at Hoppertown", p. 262. | |
| Wickham commanded the troop until the close of February 1781 when he resigned. Field command of the Huzzars fell upon Lieutenant Allen McNab. | Analysis of the Muster Rolls. | |
| WILSON, John | LIEUTENANT, August 25, 1780 to October 13, 1783. |
Muster Rolls. |
| American born. Came from Huntington Township in York County, Pennsylvania. In November 1776, he was seized and imprisoned at Carlisle from where he escaped to go on board HMS Roebuck at New York where he joined the Rangers as a volunteer. | Coldham, "Migrations", p. 495. | |
| He was an Ensign in Captain Francis Stephenson's and Captain James Murray's Queens Ranger Infantry Companies from September 12, 1777 to February 24, 1779. He had formerly been a Volunteer with the Rangers. | Analysis of the Muster Rolls. | |
| Participated in a skirmish with American forces on June 23, 1778 at Crosswick's, New Jersey. | Simcoe, "Queens Rangers", p. 64. | |
| Promoted to Lieutenant in Captain Stair Agnew's Infantry Company in February 1779 and served there until August 1780. | Analysis of the Muster Rolls. | |
| Transfered to the newly created cavalry troop, to be commanded by Captain John Saunders, on August 25, 1780. | Simcoe, "Queens Rangers", pp. 150 and 153. | |
| Troop sent south on October 16, 1780, as part of Major General Alexander Leslie's expedition to Virginia, which was subsequently sent on to Charleston, South Carolina, arriving there on December 16. The Rangers, along with the Kings American Regiment, were sent north to garrison Georgetown, South Carolina. They arrived at that location on December 24 under the overall command of Lt. Colonel George Campbell of the Kings Americans. | Boatner, "Encyclopedia", p. 420 and 1038. | |
| The next day, a detachment of Kings Americans and Rangers, under Campbell's command, engaged in a skirmish with 50 mounted milita during which action Wilson was wounded. | Simcoe, Queens Rangers", p. 242. | |
| The following month, on January 6, 1781, he and his troop, together with the Kings Americans under Campbell, engaged in another skirmish with a large group of mounted militia, during which 2 Ranger Sergeants (John Burt and William Hudgins) were captured and one Ranger Corporal (John Hudgins) was killed. | Ibid. Nase Diary, p. 12. | |
| In mid February, he led a patrol of between 30 and 40 Rangers and Kings Americans, about 40 miles up the Waccama River, in the successful capture of a Captain Clarke, leader of a local militia group. | Simcoe, "Queens Rangers", p. 243. | |
| His last recorded action occurred on April 2, when leading a detachment of 20 Rangers and local loyalist militia and while covering a foraging party, had a skirmish with 60 militia under the command of Major Lemuel Benson of General Francis Marion's Brigade. Wilson was again wounded during the fighting. | Ibid, pp. 246-247. | |
| His conduct, during these aforementioned actions, were sufficient to have Lt. Colonel Nesbit Balfour, Commander at Charleston, recommend him for a Captaincy in a new troop of dragoons to be raised in the Charleston area. Wilson however elected to stay with the Rangers for the remainder of the war. | Ibid, p. 247. | |
| Still in South Carolina at the Yorktown surrender. | Analysis of the Muster Rolls. | |
| Rank made permanent in the Army on December 25, 1782. | 1783 Army List. | |
| On British Half Pay in 1784. | 1784 Army List. | |
| At the peace, he went to England in charge of invalids, arriving in November 1783. He apparently stayed there as his memorial for compensation for the loss of 100 acres and 2 houses in York County was sent from London in 1784. | Coldham, "Migrations", p. 495. | |
| WOOLSEY, Benjamin | CORNET, August 25, 1780 to October 13, 1783. |
Muster Rolls. |
| American Born. Resident of Brookhaven, Long Island (New York). | Coldham, "Migrations", p. 373. | |
| Formerly a Cornet in Emmerick's Chasseurs which were disbanded on August 31, 1779. His date of rank in said Corps was 6/14/78. | Clinton Papers, Vol. 67, Item 1. 1783 Army List. | |
| Transferred to the Queens American Rangers on August 25, 1780 and assigned to Captain Wickham's Troop of Huzzars. | Analysis of the Muster Rolls. | |
| Participated in the Rangers' engagement with American forces under Major General Baron Steuben at Point of Forks, Virginia on June 5, 1778. | Simcoe, "Queens Rangers", pp. 221 to 222. | |
| Surrendered at Yorktown on October 19, 1781. | Analysis of the Muster Rolls. | |
| Left Yorktown for New York on the Transport Ship "Andrew". | National Archives, Record 31601. | |
| Rank made permanent in the Army on December 25, 1782. | 1783 Army List. | |
| On British Half Pay in 1784. | 1784 Army List. | |
| In 1783 he settled in New Brunswick. and subsequently became a Major in the local militia. He later returned to the United States. Was a resident in New York City between July 1783 and March 1785. Went to London, England in 1785. Was still there in 1789. | Sabine, "American Loyalists", p. 455 Coldham, "Migrations", p. 373. | |
The Ranger cavalry had a total of 5 troops during the war. The Huzzar Troop was created in late 1778, three cavalry troops in late 1780 and the German troop, established as an independent troop in early 1779 but absorbed into the Rangers in early 1781. All the troops saw active service, with one officer killed in action (Cornet Jones), 4 officers taken prisoner at Yorktown and three other officers still on active detached service in South Carolina (Captain Saunders Troop) during all of 1781. (Analysis of the Muster Rolls)
[The preceding material was submitted by and is the copyright of Donald J. Gara - Florida. It is reprinted here with his permission.]
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