Maryland Loyalists in the American Revolution tells the story of Marylanders who could not engage in the passionate rebellion that was breaking out all around them. Although most were nearly as disillusioned with England as their rebel counterparts, the loyalists held their ground and refused to join in an armed conflict with the mother country. More than three hundred Eastern Shore men joined the First Battalion of Maryland Loyalists, a provincial red-coat regiment raised in 1777.
Their tale is tragic. They were ill-used by the British high command and shipped off to Florida to fight England’s enemy, Spain. Many lost their homes and jobs; some were banished to Nova Scotia. Their thoughts and reasons for siding with England were brushed aside, their regiment seldom mentioned, their struggles and hardships forgotten. Using rare and previously unpublished documents, muster rolls, and letters, the author examines the words and deeds of these forgotten Marylanders.
M. Christopher New has uncovered a fascinating chapter of American history.