UE Loyalist History

The United Empire Loyalists were defined by their loyalty to the British Crown during the American Revolution.  It has been the position of the United Empire Loyalists' Association of Canada (UELAC) to be supportive of the Monarchy.  Under the Canadian form of government, being a constitutional monarchy, the current Monarch is Canada's Head of State. Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II (1926 - 2022), as Canada's Head of State, appreciated the role played by United Empire Loyalists in Canada's history and both her and her husband, His Royal Highness, The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, showed this on visits to Canada.   Queen Elizabeth II   Queen Elizabeth II officially opened the Loyalist Parkway in Ontario on September 27, 1984. It was  during a visit to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the United Empire Loyalists' arrival as refugees  after the  American Revolution. In a communication to  the  Editor  of  The Loyalist Gaz...

King George III had nine sons.  He and his wife Queen Charlotte had 16 children. His first born son, on 12 August 1762, was George IV, who succeeded him as King. The others were Frederick, William IV (who succeeded his brother George IV as King), Edward, Ernest Augustus, Augustus, Adolphus, Octavius, and Alfred.  Two of his sons, Frederick and Ernest Augustus, served as Grand Masters in the Orange Lodge.   Loyalty to the Monarch, the Protestant faith, and the unity of the Empire were then principles supported by many Britons which were also pillars of the Orange Lodge. Prince Frederick, Duke of York & Albany, Earl of Ulster The first son of King George III to become a Grand Master in the Orange Lodge,  Frederick, was born on 16 August 1763.  He was created Duke of York and Albany, Earl of Ulster in 1784 and oversaw the reorganization of the British Army as Commander - in - Chief during the Napoleanic Wars (1803 - 15).  In January 1821, on the sugge...

What do you say as a Loyalist historian and presenter about United Empire Loyalists to an audience of Americans? I was asked during the past summer to make a presentation this month, in January,  to a Genealogical Society in Washington State. The American Revolution was, in some ways, a Civil War.  At the start of the conflict, both sides were British subjects.  It divided not just communities, neighbours and friends in the American colonies but families.  In the  Battle of Kings Mountain  the forces on both sides were almost entirely American born.    Benjamin Franklin is known as a leading Patriot, however, his son  William Franklin  was an ardent Loyalist.  Benjamin signed the Declaration of Independence .  His son William was the last Royal Governor of New Jersey (1763 - 1776) and was imprisoned by Patriots.  Another prominent Patriot,  General  John Stark had an older brother, William, who was a Loyalist. ...

Two hundred and fifty years ago, in 1776, key events for Loyalists included the Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge, the  evacuation of British troops and Loyalists from Boston to Halifax, Nova Scotia, formation of King's Royal Regiment of New York, and the capture of New York by British followed by occupation. These and others are noted below.  Fort Edward, Nova Scotia  February 27 - force of Loyalists, including Highland Scots like Alan MacDonald, husband of Flora MacDonald, the reknowned savior of Bonnie Prince Charlie, defeated in North Carolina at  Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge  while on way to join up with British. He was taken prisoner, later to be released as part of an exchange, and Flora joined him in August 1778 at Fort Edward in present day Windsor, Nova Scotia where he was then a Captain in the 84th Regiment (first called the Royal Highland Emigrants). March 17 - following attack and siege on Boston the British evacuate troops and Loyalists to Halifax i...