| Call Number: | MIC-Loyalist FC LMR .G7W3M8D8 |
| Name: | Great Britain. War Office. |
| Title: | Muster Books and Pay Lists (WO 12/10684) : Duke of Cumberland's Regiment : 1783. |
| Description: | 1 microfilm reel of textual records ; 35 mm. |
| Background Information: |
The Duke of Cumberland's Regiment, also known as Montagu's Corps, was
raised in Charleston and Camden, South Carolina. On 17 November 1780,
Governor Dalling of Jamaica approved the rank of Lieutenant Colonel for Lord
Charles G. Montagu and authorized him to raise 5 companies of 100 men each
for service in Jamaica or elsewhere. Montagu offered rebel prisoners the
opportunity to serve the King instead of wasting away in prison, and many
joined him. In August 1781, the regiment sailed for Jamaica and spent the war
there. Part of Amherst's Corps was merged with the Duke of Cumberland's
Regiment, and the remainder of Amherst's Corps merged with the Loyal
American Rangers. A second Battalion of the Duke of Cumberland's Regiment
was authorized by the Secretary of State, and Lord Montagu arrived in New
York on 4 April 1783 to recruit for the Battalion. He announced that the Loyal
American Rangers was to be absorbed into that Battalion. The Regiment was
disbanded in Jamaica on 24 October 1783. Captain Gideon White's company
was allowed to settle in Nova Scotia and a number of officers and men from
the disbanded regiment settled at Chedabucto, while others went to Shelburne,
Nova Scotia. |
| Contents: |
Twenty-seven muster rolls of the Duke of Cumberland's regiment have been
microfilmed on this reel. Both the 1st Battalion and the 2nd Battalion are
represented. The dates of the muster rolls vary, but fall within the period from 25 June 1783 until 24 October 1783. Each muster roll contains the names of commissioned and non-commissioned officers and private men. Casuals are
listed in the 1st Battalion records only. The Remarks column contains notes
about individual soldiers, and as the regiment served in Jamaica, an inordinate
number of the men are listed as sick, or sick in the regimental hospital. Other
comments, typical of muster rolls include: on duty, dead, absent by leave,
furlough, deserted, on guard, recruiting, and discharged. In the case of the 1st Battalion, the 24 August 1783 muster lists a number of men who, after discharge, joined either the 60th Regiment or the Buffs. The musters of the 1st Battalion are far more detailed that those for the 2nd Batalion and can include the following headings: length of time in service, to remain in Jamaica, embark for England, and embark for Nova Scotia. Several companies of the 2nd Battalion have either two or three members of the Black Pioneers attached to several of the companies. They are listed as Negroes, and only their first name is given.
The muster rolls have been microfilmed in the following order:
|
| Originals: | The original records are held by the Public Records Office in London. |
| Other Numbers: | PRO WO 12/10684 |
| 668 |