84th Regiment of Foot (Royal Highland Emigrants)

84th Regiment of Foot (Royal Highland Emigrants)
84th Regiment of Foot (Royal Highland Emigrants)
	A British, Loyalist, soldier in The 84th Regiment of Foot (Royal Highland Emigrants) in traditional, kilted, uniform, drawn by a prisoner, in 1778, at Saratoga, Province of New York
Active	1775–1784
Country	Great Britain
Allegiance	British Army
Branch	British provincial unit
Type	line infantry (auxiliary troops)
Role	infantry
Size	two battalions
Garrison/HQ	Fort Edward, Province of New York
Nickname(s)	Royal Highland Emigrants (1st Battalion), Young Highlanders (2nd Battalion)
Motto(s)	Quicquid aut facere aut pati (Whatever either is to be done or endured)
Colors	dark blue facings; the buttonhole lace was white, with red outer/blue middle/red inner worms; the colours were made up when the regiment was intended to be designated "77th Foot" and bore that number
Engagements	American Revolutionary War First Battalion: Fort St. John's, Quebec (1775); Quebec City, Quebec (1775); Moore's Creek Bridge, North Carolina (1776); Upper New York Raid (1777),; Raid on Lake Champlain (1778),; Raids on Mohawk Valley, New York (1780, 1781, 1782); Second Battalion: Siege of Boston, Massachusetts (1775); Charleston, South Carolina (1776); Long Island, New York (1776); Newcastle Jane, Nfld (1776); Newport, Rhode Island (1776); Fort Howe, Saint John, New Brunswick (1777); Penobscot River, Maine (1778); Cape Sable, Nova Scotia (1778); Penobscot River, Maine (1779); Bay of Fundy, (1779); Raids on Mohawk Valley, New York (1780); Hampton Roads, Virginia (1780); Charlestown, South Carolina (1780–84); Tompkins' Bridges, Virginia (1781); Fort Motte, South Carolina (1781); Eutaw Springs, South Carolina (1781); Wiggin's Hill, Georgia (1781); Fair Lawn, South Carolina (1781); Wimboo Swamp, North Carolina (1781); Combahee River, South Carolina (1782);
Commanders
First Colonel of the Regiment	Lieutenant General Sir Henry Clinton
Second (and final) Colonel of the Regiment	General Sir Guy Carleton
Notable; commanders	Allan Maclean (1st Battalion) John Small (2nd Battalion)

The 84th Regiment of Foot (Royal Highland Emigrants) was a British regiment in the American Revolutionary War that was raised to defend present day Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada from the constant land and sea attacks by American Revolutionaries.^[1] The 84th Regiment was also involved in offensive action in the Thirteen Colonies; including North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Virginia and what is now Maine, as well as raids upon Lake Champlain and the Mohawk Valley. The regiment consisted of 2,000 men in twenty companies. The 84th Regiment was raised from Scottish soldiers who had served in the Seven Years' War and stayed in North America. As a result, the 84th Regiment had one of the oldest and most experienced officer corps of any regiment in North America.^[2] The Scottish Highland regiments were a key element of the British Army in the American Revolution.^[3] The 84th Regiment was clothed, armed and accoutred the same as the Black Watch, with Lieutenant Colonel Allan Maclean commanding the first battalion and Major General John Small of Strathardle commanding the second.^[4] The two Battalions operated independently of each other and saw little action together.

^ The provinces of Ontario and New Brunswick were only created after the American Revolution by dividing Quebec and Nova Scotia respectively. Prior to 1793, Ontario was part of Quebec and New Brunswick was part of Nova Scotia.
^ Stacy, p. 56
^ How the Scots Invented the Modern World by Arthur L. Herman. p. 255
^ Initially, Major John's Small's regiment was named the Young Royal Highlanders and Allan Maclean's was called the Royal Highland Immigrants. John Small's regiment was later amalgamated into Allan MacLean's, both taking on the name the Royal Highland Emigrants. In January 1779, 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.

[1] The provinces of Ontario and New Brunswick were only created after the American Revolution by dividing Quebec and Nova Scotia respectively. Prior to 1793, Ontario was part of Quebec and New Brunswick was part of Nova Scotia.

[2] Stacy, p. 56

[3] How the Scots Invented the Modern World by Arthur L. Herman. p. 255

[4] Initially, Major John's Small's regiment was named the Young Royal Highlanders and Allan Maclean's was called the Royal Highland Immigrants. John Small's regiment was later amalgamated into Allan MacLean's, both taking on the name the Royal Highland Emigrants. In January 1779, 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.

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