“Unnatural
Rebellion: Loyalists in New York City during the Revolution," Ruma
Chopra
For several centuries American history books and
history courses frequently portrayed America’s loyalists as basically traitors
to “The Glorious Cause” of our Founding Fathers and/or as greedy collaborators
with the British Empire in order to make boatloads of money.
In her March 20 program before Richmond’s
American Revolution Roundtable Dr. Ruma Chopra presented a much more complete
picture of the loyalists, including their backgrounds and what motivated them
to remain loyal to the British crown. Dr. Chopra, an associate professor of
history at San Jose State University, is the author of the book entitled
“Unnatural Rebellion: Loyalists in New York City during the American
Revolution”.
Dr. Chopra noted that loyalists were typically
found throughout the British Empire in all economic and social classes. Many of
the wealthy ones depended on strong trade ties with the mother country and
frequently wanted to maintain the status quo. Many of the middle and lower
class loyalists believed in devotion to the British Empire and shared pride in
their British ancestry. Regardless of one’s economic background many loyalists
were appalled at what they regarded as American rebels to the British crown, and
viewed many of those who are now considered America’s Founding Fathers as
little more than demagogues. Loyalists thought it was only natural to support
Great Britain because the British colonies and the mother country shared the
same ancestry, same skin color, same language, same religion and other natural
similarities to the mother country which helped to make the 13 American
colonies among the wealthiest in the world. As Dr. Chopra summarized, “Being
connected to the richest empire in the world was a good reason to remain
loyal.”
In 1776 Great Britain had 26 colonies in North
America, and in half of them the loyalists comprised a majority of support
among white colonials. For example, the white colonials in Jamaica strongly
supported the British crown because they depended on the British military for
protection. Approximately 94% of Jamaica’s population consisted of slaves so
the 6% whites feared a possible slave revolt far more than any political issues
with the mother country. In Canada the colonies were considered economically
valuable but politically weak, and therefore were easily ruled by Great
Britain. The white colonial governments in West and East Florida were dependent
on the British military since many of their residents were non-English, such as
Hispanics and Seminoles.
Not all North American loyalists to the British
crown were white colonials. Many slaves regarded the American Revolution as
their chance at emancipation in the event Great Britain won the war against the
colonial slaveholders. In addition, most of North America’s Indian tribes saw
the British as a means of preventing further white colonial expansion westward
onto what the Indians regarded as their land, and their way of life for many
centuries.
When the British military captured New York City
during the Fall of 1776, the local loyalists rejoiced at the arrival of what
they regarded as their liberators. During 1774-1776, relations between American
loyalists and rebels deteriorated very badly, and some New York loyalists were
tarred and feathered. While under British protection, New York City became a
major refuge for other loyalists who fled from nearby areas such as New Jersey,
the New York Highlands, New England and Pennsylvania. Toward the end of the war
New York City even became a refuge for loyalists who lived in the southern
colonies.
New York City’s population skyrocketed during
the seven years of British occupation from approximately 5,000 in 1776 to
30,000 in 1783. This huge increase overwhelmed British military rule, and
British authorities had trouble distinguishing true loyalists from those who
were rebels, or those who were neutrals and simply wanted food, shelter and a
job. Much to the disappointment of the loyalists, martial law was declared by
the British when they captured New York City in the Fall of 1776 and remained
in effect throughout the British seven-year occupation.
Why didn’t New York City make the transition
from British martial law to a loyalist civil government? Dr. Chopra said the
British had several good reasons for maintaining martial law.
The first of these was the ease and efficiency
of martial law from the British perspective. Crimes such as arson and theft
were quite common, and the British felt it was easier to deal with criminal
suspects in their own manner rather than through a civil judicial process.
Secondly, the British feared a civil government where the loyalists would seek
revenge against those in rebellion to the British crown after the way many
loyalists were persecuted prior to the war. In its own strange way martial law
promoted a form of reconciliation between New York loyalists and rebels, in
that the British military and not the loyalists and rebels served as New York’s
legislative and judicial systems.
The British also tried to promote reconciliation
by discouraging loyalists from joining the British army. The British feared
reprisals by loyalists soldiers against rebel prisoners and civilians, however
the British also felt more comfortable with hiring Hessians and other European
foreigners to fill the British ranks. By hiring fellow European soldiers the
British felt they could maintain the chivalry, honor and gentlemanly traditions
typically found on the European battlefields rather than allow the American
Revolution to turn into some sort of savage guerilla conflict. The British
discouraged the hiring of black loyalists to serve in its military for fear of
upsetting many white loyalists.
Despite the obstacles of martial law and not
feeling welcome to join the British military, the loyalists remained remarkably
resilient in trying to win concessions from the British. The loyalists were
frequently successful in their petitions to British military authorities on
such issues as obtaining food, obtaining civilian jobs with the British
military and getting reimbursed for horses and other personal property taken by
British soldiers.
Not all of the obstacles which loyalists
encountered were with the British or against the American rebels. Loyalists
fought among themselves in New York City, especially between the New York City
natives and the New York City refugees over such issues as obtaining jobs, food
and other city provisions. Loyalists also fought with each other over who was a
more sincere loyalist----those who were loyalists as early as 1776 versus those
who became loyalists during the course of the war.
When the war officially ended in 1783,
approximately 60,000 loyalists fled the newly created United States.
Approximately 30,000 of them moved to Nova Scotia, and another 8,000-10,000
moved to Great Britain. Others moved to the British colonies in the Caribbean,
especially those loyalists who still owned slaves.
In many cases life was hard for the loyalists
who fled to Great Britain. The British natives frequently discriminated against
the loyalists, accusing them of being more American than British. Approximately
10 years after the war many loyalists began to return to America. Although
these loyalists had forfeited all of their real estate and considerable
personal property when they fled in 1783, the loyalists who returned 10 years
later were usually treated very well by their former rebel enemies. It seems
that time had healed some of the old wounds between loyalists and rebels, and
both groups tried to rebuild their lives as citizens of a new nation.
Dr. Chopra noted that the failure of the British
military to utilize the loyalists in greater military and civil capacities was
probably a major contributing factor to losing the war. By not establishing any
sort of model loyalist government in New York City or elsewhere in the 13
colonies, the British basically destroyed representative government in the
areas they occupied until the war ended in 1783. These dictatorial actions
frequently demoralized the loyalists who felt betrayed by their country---Great
Britain. Many loyalists also resented the frequent British attitude of treating
loyalists with suspicion, making the loyalists feel somewhat similar to
prisoners within their own country.
Dr. Chopra’s presentation brought insight to one
of America’s generally forgotten major political groups of the American
Revolution---those people who were “too British” to support American
independence and were “too American” to enjoy the same rights as other British
citizens while under British military protection/occupation. Yes, America’s
loyalists were caught in the middle and when the war ended in 1783, they
emerged as the war’s biggest losers.
-Bill Seward
