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"The name United Empire Loyalists is an honorific given after the fact to those American Loyalists who resettled in British North America and other British Colonies as an act of fealty to King George III after the British defeat in the American Revolutionary War and prior to the Treaty of Paris." (Wikipedia) United Empire Loyalists
May we always remember that these brave men and women, were Loyal Colonial American Citizens, that chose to obey the Law of the King of England. Referred to in American History books as ="Tories, Belligerents and Kings Men"=
These were the Men and their families - the Fathers,Mothers, Sons, Daughters, Sisters, Brothers, Aunts and Uncles who fought for a cause they believed in, even though they knew the consequence would be to lose everything and be forced to flee to a foreign land and start over.
A not forgotten heroine of Saratoga
British Units
American (Tory) Units (page 60 of Sabine, op.cit.
This War affected all manner of mankind in the Geographic Region of early North America and also Europe. (see links listed below)
Many of these men were Palatinate Germanic Emigrants who settled in New York and other Eastern Seaboard States.
Negro Soldiers, during this War served on both sides of the War. Siding with the British meant a possible chance to become a Freeman, African Americans and Native American Indians were also affected by this War.
Members of the Six nations were Loyalists as well.
http://www.grandriveruel.ca/Newsletter_Reprints/90v2n1Grand_River_S...
This War and the strong beliefs on each side of it, caused some Surname changes.
After the War, many of these men and their families fled to England, Bahamas, Florida and modern day Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, PEI, New Brunswick to seek refuge from persecution and prejudice. ( http://genealogical-gleanings.com/Loyalists.htm ). Some were granted land in St. Elizabeth, Jamaica, in 1783. ( http://jamaicanfamilysearch.com/Samples2/Americanloyalists.htm ).
Note: Being a proven Loyalist descendant confers no special status in Canadian or other society, but many members use the post-nominal letters "UE" after their name, in consequence of Lord Dorchester's Order in Council in 1789, conferring recognition of the service of the Loyalists in defense of "The Unity of Empire."
However, being a Descendant from these Brave men and women brings a special sense of pride.
Further Links and References
- http://www.uelac.org/
- http://www.uelac-nb.ca/
- LOYALISM IN NEW YORK by Alexander Flick (1901)
- http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/022/022-909.003-e.html
- http://www.lib.unb.ca/collections/loyalist/
- http://www.royalprovincial.com/index.htm
- http://www.loyalistresearchnet.org/
- http://fas-history.rutgers.edu/clemens/AfricanAmericansRevolution.html
- http://blackloyalist.com/canadiandigitalcollection/documents/offici...
- Searchable Black Loyalist database
- early Loyalist settlers of Cumberland County, Nova Scotia [http://www.ccgsns.com/local-resources/news-articles-2/cumberland-co...]
- Loyalist Mosaic Joan McGee (1984) with contributions by John Dietrich & Mary Beacock Fryer Dundurn Press, Toronto (11 profiles as detailed in < discussions >)
- List of Ships that evacuated the Loyalist Refugees
- free and enslaved blacks evacuated (1783)
- https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/48255/ & https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/48256/
- The American Loyalists, Or, Biographical Sketches of Adherents to the British Crown by Lorenzo Sabine (mid 19th century)
- one of the last battles: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Johnstown (Johnstown, New York on October 25, 1781)