Historical Research & Reading Links

Interrupted Harvest Re-enactment. Fort Klock. NY. 2018

Understanding the experience of the United Empire Loyalists and others swept up in the American Revolution often requires historical research. While primary records and Loyalist accounts can fill in some of the details, further research is needed to more fully understand the complexities of the war that created the United Empire Loyalists – a war often referred to as a civil war.

The following historical research links relate to before, during, and after the American Revolution to provide context.

Atlantic Canada Virtual Archives Includes: Edward Winslow Letters 1783-1785 (Loyalist); Loyalist Women of New Brunswick 1783-1827; Black Loyalists of New Brunswick 1783-1854; and more.

Sketches Illustrating the Early Settlement and History of Glengarry in Canada by J. A. MacDonell (1983)

Virtual Museum of Canada (VMC)

The Papers of Sir William Johnson – Archive.org

Three Rivers, Hudson, Mohawk, Schoharie: History from America’s most famous valleys

Online Institute for Advanced Loyalist Studies

Lunenburg or the Old Eastern District (pub.1890; Eastern Ontario) – Archive.org “Pringle created a comprehensive history of the old Eastern District when he wrote this acclaimed account of pre-settlement and the first 100 years thereafter.”

Loyalists’ Centennial Souvenir (New Brunswick). Published 1887 (Archive.org)

Loyalist Kingston (Cataraqui Archeaological Research Foundation)

New York State Archives

Historic Ipswich, MA

Historic Deerfield, MA

City of Johnstown, NY (History)

Loyalists of North Carolina (NCpedia)

Excavation of the Storm Wreck – (St. Augustine Lighthouse Archaeological Maritime Program – LAMP) Loyalist-era shipwreck in Florida

“The Storm Wreck is a colonial-era shipwreck discovered by LAMP archaeologists in the summer of 2009…In 2012 the discovery of two military buttons, including one from the 71st Regiment of the British Army, proved beyond a reasonable doubt that the Storm Wreck was indeed one of the lost ships from the last fleet to evacuate Charleston.” Historical Background: St. Augustine, the American Revolution, and the Loyalist Influx

American Revolutionary War: BritishBattles.com

The site also includes other historical British conflicts, numerous American Revolution engagements, these are two examples of what is available on this site:

Seige of Charleston (SC) (BritishBattles.com): “The siege and capture of Charleston, capital of South Carolina, by the British on 12^th May 1780″
Seige of Savannah (Georgia) (BritishBattles.com): “The unsuccessful attempt by the Americans and the French to re-take Savannah, Georgia, on 9^th October 1779″