Revolutionary War Series - the Antagonists

During 1775, the British government and most English citizens supported the military effort to crush the American rebellion. However, as the war progressed and extended into a stalemate, English opinion began to shift toward ending the conflict. A few influential Englishmen preferred an accommodation with the rebels, including independence. For example the Earl of Rockingham and General Lord Cornwallis favored a treaty with the Continental Congress. However, their ideas remained the minority view until rebel victories in the south.

English opinion slowly shifted from supporting the war to worrying about causalities. Newspapers began to question drafting English young men to "face the Pennsylvania rifle." English papers also questioned the use of English boys when there are "barbaric" men from Scotland, Ireland and America that could fill regimental quotas. Against this backdrop the military, then politicians favored expanding the war south due to a higher number of loyalists in order to expedite a conclusion.

In America, about one third of the colonists favored remaining English subjects. Most of these people had economic or social ties to England. The economic ties were also strong in the in the southern colonies, but many also choose sides based on the simmering civil war with their neighbors. Often, one side would draft illiterate farmers during a battle; the poor farmers could easily participate with the other side during the next battle.

One large segment of American society, professional soldiers, generally remained loyal English subjects. During the last French and Indian war, the British Government, under Secretary William Pitt, authorized American formed regiments trained and integrated into the regular army. These units remained on active duty between the wars. By contrast, the colonial militias were not generally trained in European warfare and were used to augment the British forces or strategy during the last French war.