There have been significant efforts, among history scholars, to assess the positions and roles that different groups assumed in the revolutionary struggle that gave freedom to the United States from their British colonizers. This study is an effort to look back in history, evaluate the positions taken by American loyalists and make analysis of the roles that they played in the revolutionary wars. Loyalists refers to persons who maintain loyalty to an established government and in this study, they refer to persons who were living in the American colonies and supported the British rule during the American Revolution and thereafter fled the United States to avoid persecution (Stewart 3). The American Revolution constitutes the political upheaval that occurred in the last half of the 18th century in which the thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break off the British empire and combined to form the United States of America. The Revolution began in 1775 as a result of a conflict that occurred between the united thirteen colonies and Great Britain over the way in which Great Britain treated the colonies. Approximately, a third of American colonists were loyalists and they included office holders who served the British crown, large landholders, wealthy merchants, Anglican clergy and their followers.
Reasons for loyalty
The prevalence of loyalism is precipitated by a number of factors and as Flick (9-15) postulates, the loyalism evident in the American Revolution was deeply entrenched in political and religious reasons. Its religious bearing was evident in the fundamental doctrines of Anglicanism in which obedience to the British law and loyalty to the ruler had a near-spiritual bearing. Flick (9) argues that Anglicanism was keen to instill the doctrine of submission to the parliament and the king and emphasized on religious obedience when it came to resistance of authority either by rebellion or acts of revolution. In a typical show of how this doctrine was propagated, Stewart (6) cites Dr Myles Cooper, then the president at Kings College who claimed that God established the laws for governments, ordained the British Power, commanded obedience to authority and that the laws made for heaven and earth, by God, forbade rebellion. When such messages were passed on in such a manner, they created a near divine attachment to the crown and this was evident in most religious matters such as prayers for the king and the nurturing of the clergy, which Flick (10) postulates that were done in pure sentiments of loyalty. The religious orientation is important in conjuring an image of the composition of the loyalists. Anglican followers and the ministers together with their social connections were ardent loyalists and their positions in the society did influence the laymen stand on loyalty. Besides religion, a variety of other reasons abounded which made the loyalists prefer loyalty to the crown. An analysis of some of the reasons indicates that a majority of reasons were based on the weakness of the colonies against the British rule while a few were based on opportunistic hopes pegged on the might of the British rule.
Understanding the socio-economic composition of the loyalists during this period is crucial in explaining the other reasons. First, a good number of loyalists had connections and aspirations within the British circles and as such, had little intention of spoiling their chances. There was also a class that rarely participated in active life, they were comfortable in their retirement and preferred to remain neutral (Sabine, 68). There were also those who were just naturally timid and preferred peace. Still, a good number was inactive due to old age. These factors, albeit not exclusive played a role in the loyalists identification and loyalty to the crown. Some of the reasons admitted by the loyalists themselves, as cited by Sabine (67) included an effort by the loyalists to observe the rights of both persons and property, that is, efforts towards peaceful coexistence. This however did not last for long as they were opposed by patriot groups which did not approve their layback strategies. As protection against this opposition and as a self-defense mechanism, they resulted to royal protection in which they had to identify with the royal party. In addition, some loyalists remained loyal on religious grounds that opposed propositions for war. A good number also remained loyal on the notion that they were enjoying enough privileges from the British forces and as such, saw little need for resistance. Other varied minor reasons included fear of change, political principles, emotional bonds and simple local incidents that had endeared them to the British principles.
Another major reason for loyalty was the strength and supremacy of England at the time. Being the Supreme economic power at the time, England was the prime buyer of American raw materials and agricultural products. As such, the American loyalists did not want to ruin the good relationship or else, they could ruin the market for their goods. As such, they were circumstantially forced to remain loyal. England was very strong militarily too and as such, the loyalists dreaded their strength and resources coupled with a strong conviction that successful resistance would have been impossible. It is prudent to note here that the loyalist colonies had neither means nor men to make war efforts and their loyalism was as such, more out of weakness other than submission.
In recognition of the protective powers that Britain wielded, the American loyalist colonies developed close ties them in the hope that the great British navy would protect their products from the many pirates and privateers who were preying on shipping lines used to transport their goods through different places. This reliance, in essence required identification with the royal party, consequently breeding loyalty. Moreover, there was the issue of the frontier and the British troops who used to protect the colonies along the Appalachian Mountains and acted as security to the loyalists from being attacked by their enemies (Sabine 68). As a result of their British support, they were all enjoined in a commonness of opposing the revolution heralded by the patriots. In summary, loyalists had a common belief that their British connection guaranteed them a better life and security more than what the revolution would achieve.
Based on the diversity of these reasons, three categories of loyalist emerged during the time. The first one consisted of people who had a vested interest in the imperial establishment and whose positions depended on their loyalty to the king. Such included colonial governors, royal officials, judges and Anglican ministers. The second category were people who belonged to religious and cultural minorities who remained loyal based on fear that increasing the American power could end up destroying them. As such, the British tolerance and protection offered them a chance for survival, they opted for British tolerance rather than the American freedom. This category included French Huguenots, Catholics, Quakers, blacks and the Native American Indians. The third category consisted of the Tory elites who opposed the revolution out of principle. They wrote pamphlets, organized regiments and drafted plans to defeat the rebels. They included men like John Johnson, Oliver Delancy, Alexander McKee and Mathew Elliot. They opposed the revolution as they hoped to maintain America as a stable part of the British Empire. Moreover, they also feared that once the rebels gained power, America would be ruled by the mob as it was evidenced in Boston in 1773 (Stewart, 12).
Loyalists Role in the Revolution
The roles that the loyalists assumed during the revolution are entrenched in the socio-political context of the time. First to note is that most of the roles they assumed were largely circumstantial other than out of choice. As mentioned earlier, a majority of loyalists, who comprised different walks and classes of life, had well established reasons as to why they supported British rule in the colonies. A good number are those whose livelihoods, status and wealth depended on the crown and as such, wanted to retain their status quo. Consequently, they took positions that would fight any efforts and ideologies that would destabilize their apparent success. Their composition varied from craftsmen to farmers, lawyers and laborers to clerks and clergymen, most of who saw little benefit of engaging in conflict with the already established and strong British forces. On the other hand, the colonists were opposed to the British efforts to assert political and economic control in its American colonies and were ready to use all available tools and resources to repel the British insurgence and in their efforts, combined their agitation against all the British sympathizers. The loyalists consequently found themselves in such a context, sandwiched between a forceful British force and apparently disorganized colonists, who showed them little sympathy due to their loyalty to the crown. Consequently, most of the loyalists formed militias and joined the British forces, not necessarily out of will but as a means of protection against the insurgence of the colonists.
During the British forceful fight against the colonists, the loyalists role varied greatly. Some participated passively while others acted as spies, supplying information and fighting the rebels who in return branded them as traitors and hounded them all over. The conflict between the loyalists and the patriots was so great and in many instances, loyalists were severely punished by the patriots especially in areas dominated by the patriots. The loyalists largely contributed to the formation of approximately 160 different militias from the year 1776 to 1783. During this period, the British commanders used them in various capacities. Some of them were used to protect lines of communication others joined battle formations with British regiments and the rest were sent on wide ranging missions to provide intelligence and guard the flanks regularly used by the British army units (Stewart 15).The loyalists rarely attempted any political organizations and they were often passive unless regular British army units were in the sea (Ward 40).
The British exploited the formation of the loyalist militias and actually organized them to do most of the fighting as evident in the battle fought at Kemps. The battle at Kemps landing also known as the skirmish of Kempsville was among the battles in the American Revolutionary war that occurred on November 15, 1775 (Selby Higginbotham 9-31). The event leading to the battle were as follows first, the patriot Militia companies in Princess Anne County, Virginia, gathered at the Kemps landing to fight the British forces who had gathered there under the command of Virginias last colonial governor, John Murray Dunmore. Lord Dunmore had called in British troops to the landing to defend a large store of gunpowder that had been moved there from the nearby borough of Norfolk. Before this, Lord Dunmore had began a series of raids to recover the cannons, gunpowder and other military supplies which the patriots forces had been accumulating since the Virginia committee of safety began organizing a response to his actions (Selby Higginbotham 61). The patriot militia had been alerted of Dunmores move and dispersed before he got there. When Dunmore learnt of them he decided to lead his force of 150 men (100 British regulars and 50 militias) towards Kemps landing the next day (Selby Higginbotham 70). After an intense fight, the rebel militia was forced to retreat leaving behind three militia members in the retreat Joseph Hutchings a prominent land owner in Norfolk who was captured by the British after the fight Anthony Lawson, a prominent landowner captured by the British and John Ackiss, who was a farmer in southern Princess Anne County. Ackiss was killed in the battle and became the first Virginian casualty of the American Revolutionary war (Selby Higginbotham 71).
Loyalists life after the war
After the revolutionary war, most of the loyalists returned to England and stayed there. Some of them opted to remain in the United States as the hatred towards them had subsided and were able to live a fairly peaceful life. Tens of thousands of loyalists moved to Canada where they settled. Majority of the white loyalists remained where they had lived during and after the war and as from mid 1780s, a small percentage of those who had left returned to the United States. Those people whose roots were deeply embedded in the new world (England) formed the majority of those who left. Those who had family bonds and had acquired friends, property and social respectability remained in the United States. Out of all those who left, virtually all showed an interest to return to what they considered their native home and after the last wave of anti-Toryism that was passed early in the wake of the peace treaty, a number of the loyalists made their way back to Massachusetts. On return, they were given a warm welcome from Americans and were able to integrate themselves into society. In addition, they were also able to reclaim their lost property, collect debts and to join the conservative, federalist political culture of the state .The richest and prominent loyalist exiles went to Great Britain to rebuild their careers while others took along their slaves and moved to the West Indies and Bahamas (Kermes 30).
About 46,000 loyalists went from British North America (the current Canada) and out of this about 34,000 went to Nova Scotia but they were not well received hence the colony of new Brunswick was created for them. 2000 loyalists went to Prince Edward Island and 10,000 to Ontario. A big number of the loyalists also went to Great Britain (7,000), 9000 to the Bahamas and British colonies in the Caribbean. Many of the settlers of Nova Scotia were members of the disbanded loyalist regiments and they were representatives of minority groups such as Dutch, Huguenots and Quackers.The loyalists did not mix well with the older settlers and they preferred to live in groups by themselves as far away as possible as they doubted the loyalty of these people who had called themselves Neutral Yankees during the war. They also resented their monopoly over government appointments (Clarence 361)
British Loyalists have sort of disappeared in the world of history and everything about them is slowly being buried in the pit of forgetfulness .This is because they have been misunderstood and even vilified since the end of the revolutionary war in 1783. In America they were perceived to be traitors during the war because they did not support their own people to fight for independence from the British Empire. They were referred to by use of intimidating and derogatory names. For instance, George Washington called them unhappy wretches and deluded mortals. In addition, there was a popular rebel expression that stated that a loyalist was a thing whose head was in England and its body in America and that the neck had to be stretched. Loyalists were also called Tories a term that labeled someone as a diehard supporter of the King and absolute royal power. As such, the loyalists have been suppressed and they are slowly disappearing from history. History has not been kind or fair to the loyal Americans who fought, died and in most cases exiled from America during the revolutionary war yet like their patriot neighbours, they believed that they were fighting for a better and free America. This can be proved true because when armed conflict broke out in America, many loyalists formed armies of their own and the loyal militias together with fully armed loyalist provincial corps were raised to fight against the rebels.
In conclusion, much as the Americans have such a negative attitude towards the loyalist, I believe they played a big role in ensuring that the relationship between the two states was maintained in one way or the other because America needed England to support its economy through purchase of raw materials and agricultural products. If this relationship had been destroyed, there would have been possible future ramifications on the relationship between the two countries. The loyalists should also not be forgotten in history because they contributed in the British war by forming colonies to fight against the rebel group.Lastly, the loyal Americans played an important role in American colonial history because they were fighting for a cause they believed in just like their patriot friends and neighbors hence their deeds should not be subjugated in any way.
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