| Call Number: | MIC-Loyalist FC LMR .G7W3A4E5 |
| Name: | Great Britain. War Office. |
| Title: | American Rebellion Entry Books (WO 36/1-4) : 1773 - 1783, 1798 - 1799. |
| Description: | 1 microfilm reel of textual records (4 volumes) ; 35 mm. |
| Background Information: |
The American Rebellion Entry Books consist of four small folio volumes which
were originally held by the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, and were
discovered by the librarian when cataloguing the collection. Later they were
transferred to the War Office Library, Whitehall, London, and in 1927 were
deposited in the Public Records Office, London. Three of the volumes and part
of the fourth are in the same handwriting, but it is uncertain who the author may
have been. There is a possibility that the books were the property of an officer of
the 23rd Royal Welsh Fusiliers. One return states that it was made by Major
MacKenzie, an officer of that regiment and deputy adjutant under Sir Henry
Clinton. Major MacKenzie may have been responsible for the entry books. |
| Contents: |
The volumes contain manuscript copies, extracts of orders, returns and
capitulations relating to the American Revolution and later events.
Volume I contains extracts of orders given to the British Army in America from
10 June 1773 until 10 January 1776.
Volume II concerns the Rhode Island campaign from the invasion in December
1776, until the evacuation in October 1779. It contains extracts of orders by
several British commanders including Clinton, Lord Percy, and Brigadier-General
Smith. The volume ends on 6 January 1778.
Volume III is entitled Returns, America, 1774-1780, and is sometimes listed as
Returns,Various. It contains a number of documents which vary considerably in
subject matter. A few samples include: States of regimental battalions or corps;
Returns of arms and accoutrements; Return of artificers; Embarkation returns;
Distribution of forces in America; Return of officers and men on shore at Halifax,
1776; Distribution of transports; Return of killed, dead and deserted of Hessian
corps; Distances from Kingsbridge to various locations; Return of drivers, horses
and wagons; Returns of prisoners taken; Return of batteaux, boats and slaves;
Return of brass and iron ordnance within the Wagon Master General's
Department; State of all His Majesty's provincial corp in North America at
Halifax, Charlestown, Savannah and St. Augustine, NY; List of transports, army
and navy victuallers and oat vessels appointed to receive the garrison at
Charlestown. Each record is dated and lists contain regiments by name or
number, names of vessels, locations, and other details. Toward the end of the
volume there are several lists of particular significance. They include: State of
the British generals and field officers under the command of Sir Guy Carleton, 3
October 1782; List of transports etc. serving in North America under command
of Rear Admiral Digby, 11 July 1783; Embarkation return of troops to settle in
Nova Scotia, 5 September 1783; A general return of the state of provisions and
stores at New York under the control of the Commissary-General, 24 September
1783; Return of Loyalists etc. gone from New York to Nova Scotia, 12 October
1783; and State of the army at New York, 12 October 1783.
Volume IV contains copies of capitulations and exchanges of prisoners, some
during the revolutionary war. Included are St. Johns, Saratoga, Pensacola,
Charlestown, Baton Rouge, as well as the West Indies, South America, Europe,
and the East Indies, 1775-1783, 1798-1799. There is a table of contents for
Volume IV at the beginning of the volume. |
| Originals: | The original records are held by the Public Records Office, London. |
| Other Numbers: | PRO WO 36/1-4. |
| Finding Aids: |
A brief table of contents is available in print and on the World Wide Web. |
| Web Finding Aid Available | |
| 590 |
The Loyalist Collection is located within the Microforms Department at the Harriet Irving Library.
Last update: 2012/12