124 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



Col. Rogers, authorizing him to enlist men for the Queen's Rangers, was 

 tried by an American court martial and hanged. As the war advanced, 

 the composition of the Queen's Rangers very materially changed, and 

 the native American element seriously diminished in proportion to the 

 other nationalities whicli went to form the regiment. This was duo to 

 various causes, the principal, no doubt, being that the Rangers was the 

 only Loyalist Regiment that was authorized to enlist Europeans. The 

 Rangers gradually grew to be more a European than an American Regi- 

 ment. To illustrate this fact, it may be stated that on the 24th August, 

 1780, according to the muster rolls, in which, contrary- to the usual 

 course, the nationality of the officers and men was given, the Rangers — 

 officers, non-commissioned officers and men — were found to be composed 

 as follows: — 



Irish 219 



Americans 158 



English 132 



Scotch 64 



Foreigners 30 



603 



Of the 40 commissioned officers attached to the Queen's Rangers at 

 this period, 19 were Scotch, 9 Americans, 8 Irish, 3 English and a for- 

 eigner. Of the non-commissioned officers at the same date. 24 were Irish, 

 27 Americans, 13 English, 7 Scotch, and 2 foreigners. Of the privates, 

 therefore, 187 were Irish, 122 Americans, 116 English, 38 Scotch and 

 27 foreigners. These figures show that the Americans formed, at that 

 time, only about 2.5 per cent of the rank and file of the Regiment. 

 Colonel Rogers did not long remain in command of the Rangers, but 

 early in 1777 was succeeded by Colonel French. The latter in his turn 

 was succeeded by Major Wemyss. 



On the 27th August, 1776, General Howe, in command of the British 

 army, defeated the Americans under Washington at the battle of Long 

 Island and took possession of Brooklyn. A few days later the Americans 

 were driven from New York and the British army occupied it, an occu- 

 pation which was maintained for seven years, two months, and ten days, 

 or until the last band of Loyalists which came to St. John in the fall 

 fleet bade it adieu on the 25th November, 1783. The Queen's Rangers 

 then formed a part of General Howe's army, which began a series of 

 operations resulting in the capture of Fort Washington and the flight 

 of the whole American army into New Jersey. 



