The American Revolution in South Carolina - The Loyalists and Their Militias




The American Revolution in South Carolina

Duke of Cumberland's Regiment

Engagements:

1781 - Pocotaligo

One of the last Royal Governors of South Carolina, Charles Greville Montague, raised a regiment of captured American prisoners to fight for the British against the Spanish, many of which settled with him after the revolutionary war in Nova Scotia. He named this group the Duke of Cumberland's Regiment.

Spain entered the war in 1779. Montague was put in charge of recruiting American prisoners captured by the British to form a corps to capture Nicaragua, thus dividing Spain's American colonies in two. The British invasion of Nicaragua had begun in 1780, and by November they were facing extinction.

American prisoners were kept on prison ships in New York and Charleston. After the American defeat at Camden, a large number of American prisoners were aboard the Charleston prison ships. These men were considered by the British the best American troops in the war.

The idea of recruiting American prisoners of war for the king's service did not originate with Montague. The provincial Volunteers of Ireland had enlisted POWs at Camden.

Montague only succeeded by guaranteeing to the POWs that they would not serve against their former comrades but only against the French and Spanish. He initially enlisted, brought ashore and clothed almost 400 recruits. He also enlisted three black pioneers and a black drummer.

In a now famous exchange of correspondence, Lord Montague even attempted to enlist General William Moultrie, offering him command of the regiment (General Moultrie was the highest ranking American prisoner at that time). The American general even suggested that Lord Montague should consider defecting to the rebels.

Besides being drawn from among the best trained and disciplined of the American army, almost thirty percent were born in England, Scotland, or Ireland. The recruits represented every colony from Georgia to New England, as well as France, Germany, and both the East and West Indies.

The Duke of Cumberland regiment was disbanded in 1783, but what happened next is interesting:

Although the former POWs were paid, in addition to their salaries ... "a liberal substinence enabling them with comfort to return to their respective homes," the majority of them petitioned to be allowed to settle with Lord Montague in Nova Scotia. Additionally, the officers were granted half pay traditionally given to extra officers in the regular army, "as no officers can have greater merit, on account of their zeal and attachment to Government." The British Ministry granted both requests.