| Prince of Wales' American Regiment Prince of Wales' American Volunteers Prince of Wales' Royal American Volunteers | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1777-1783 |
| Country |  Great Britain |
| Allegiance | Great Britain |
| Branch | British Provincial unit |
| Type | Infantry |
| Engagements | Ridgefield, Rhode Island, Charleston, Hanging Rock, Cowpens, Fort Granby |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders |
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The Prince of Wales' American Regiment was a volunteer regiment of Loyalists in the American Revolution organized in 1776 and 1777 by Montfort Browne, former governor of the Bahamas. [2] [3] Recruits were largely from among Connecticut Loyalists. [4] [5]
The regiment was initially based in the New York City area [6] and saw early action in 1777 at the Battle of Ridgefield, in which the British sought to destroy American military supplies stored at Danbury, Connecticut. [7] [8] [9] The regiment later participated in the Battle of Rhode Island in 1778. [10] [11]
When the British refocused their efforts on a southern strategy, the regiment was moved to South Carolina, where it participated in the Siege of Charleston in 1780. [12] [13]
The regiment saw its heaviest action at the Battle of Hanging Rock, in which the regiment, under the command of Major John Carden, contributed substantially to repulsing a surprise attack by the Continental Army under the command of General Thomas Sumter. [14] [15] Although the battle was a tactical victory, the Prince of Wales' American Regiment suffered heavy casualties. [16] [17] In addition, Major Carden was disgraced for resigning his command in the heat of battle. [18] Portions of the regiment later served at the Battle of Cowpens [19] [20] and the Siege of Fort Granby. [21] [22]
The regiment remained in South Carolina until late 1782, when it returned to New York. [23] The regiment was disbanded on October 10, 1783. [24] [25] Over 150 members of the regiment, along with family and servants, resettled in New Brunswick, Canada. [26] [27] The community of Prince of Wales, New Brunswick was named for the regiment by Lieutenant Colonel Gabriel DeVeber, who settled there with his family. [28]