84th Regiment of Foot (Royal Highland Emigrants)
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| 84th Regiment of Foot (Royal Highland Emigrants) | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1775-1784 |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Branch | Army |
| Type | Line Infantry |
| Role | Infantry |
| Size | Two battalions |
| Nickname | Royal Highland Emigrants (1st Battalion), Young Highlanders (2nd Battalion) |
| Colors | white facings, white piping with blue and red worms (piping is speculative, based on designs used by the later York and Lancaster Regiment of Foot, which used the same regimental number.) |
| Commanders | |
| Colonel of the Regiment |
Allan MacLean |
The 84th Regiment of Foot (Royal Highland Emigrants) began as a regiment of the "Provincial Establishment" (military units made up of Colonial citizens of the British Empire, raised during the American Revolution. While it wore the Scottish Highland uniform and was known as a Highland Regiment, it consisted of no more than 25% Scottish membership, the rest made up of the other nationalities present in the English Colonies during the American Revolution.
[edit] History
In June 1775, the first officers were commissioned at Boston, and they traveled about to raise their men in different places. In 1775 alone, they recruited men in Boston, New York City, the Mohawk Valley, Canada, Nova Scotia, the Island of Saint Johns (PEI), Newfoundland, and North Carolina.
It was raised in 1775 by Lieutenant Colonel Allan MacLean, who was empowered to "enlist for His Majesty's Service, in any of His Provinces of North America, such Highlanders or such other Loyal Subjects..." The original commission from General Thomas Gage called for two battalions of ten company strength, each of "One Field Officer or Captain, two Subalterns, three Serjeants, three Corporals, two Drums, and Fifty private men", giving a theoretical strength of 1,220 men under arms (including drummers and captains). More men than this were actually recruited, according to available records. In addition, a full complement of senior officers was authorized. Of particular note, General Gage specified that the new military unit would be "cloathed Armed and accoutred in like manner with His Majesty's Royal Highland Regiment", indicating that they would wear the Highland Scots military uniform, unlike the more conventional uniforms worn by other Provincial units.
Recruiting preference was to be given to veterans of the 42nd, 77th, and 78th Regiments of Foot, which had served as Scottish regiments during the Seven Years' War. Many former members had settled in the North American colonies. When Col. MacLean landed in America, he discovered that Major John Small, originally of the 42nd and later the 21st Regiment of Foot, had begun raising a regiment to be known as the "Young Royal Higlanders". This nascent battalion was, instead, integrated as the second battalion of the Royal Highland Emigrants under Small as Major in command. Officers were commissioned in Boston. These officers then raised men in and around Boston, New York, the Mohawk Valley, Canada, Nova Scotia, the Island of Saint Johns, Newfoundland, and North Carolina. Most of the recruits from the coast were sent to the Second Battalion, while the majority of the Carolinian recruits were never able to join the regiment, being scattered at the Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge in February 1776.
In 1778, all battalions of the regiment were moved from the Provincial to the Regular Establishment as the 84th Regiment of Foot. They served as part of the Regular Establishment until the end of the war. After the end of hostilities, the 84th was disbanded, and its men were offered land grants. The First battalion settled mainly in Ontario while the Second mainly in Nova Scotia. A few took passage, instead, to Britain. This unit, the "old 84th", was completely disbanded and has no direct descendants in the military of the modern United Kingdom. Later regiments to bear this number have no historical nor traditional connection to it. However, the Canadian Army considers the 84th to be continued in the Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders.
[edit] Military Operations
The First and Second Battalions operated independently of each other and saw little action together. The First Battalion acted primarily to defend Quebec from rebel forces, although they took part in raids upon Lake Champlain in 1778 and into the Mohawk Valley in 1780, 1781, and 1782. The Second Battalion trained and operated as marines and primarily served either in Nova Scotia or the Southern maritime colonies, in which they took part in campaigns against Charleston, 1780-1784, and scattered activity in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. The light infantry company of the Second Battalion saw extensive activity in Georgia. Two companies of the Second Battalion were sent to Jamaica for garrison duty in 1782.
[edit] Uniform and Equipment
The original uniform of the first battalion was the green Provincial uniform, consisting of a long, green coat, tri-cornered black hat, breeches, and gray hose. They were armed with surplus King's Long Land Muskets from the Seven Years' War. In the second quarter of 1777, they received kilts, belted plaids (or perhaps both) in the government sett and wore these with their green Provincial coats (which were shortened) until these wore out, at which time they were replaced with the red coats of regulars. The Second Battalion did not do as well, having to provide for their own uniforms until the local governor was formally ordered to clothe and arm them in the autumn of 1776.
Upon their incorporation into the Regular Establishment, their uniform was standardized to the short Highland style coat with dark blue facings and white turnbacks. The regimental lace was white tape with one blue worm centered between two red. Buttons had one of three variations, all of which incorporated "84th" with the customary Highland embellishment. Men were issued plaids or kilts of government sett. In addition, each man was issued two pairs of trews, one white and one blue. Companies in the south were issued brown trousers instead of white or blue. Officers' uniforms used gold lace and buttons. In winter, it was common for men to wear both trousers and plaids simultaneously. Members stationed in Canada were issued a wool waistcoat, a blanket coat, overshoes, a watch cape, mittens, ice creepers, and snow shoes.
