This is a list of British soldiers in the American Revolutionary War. Lost in the romanticized history of the Revolution is the discipline it took to be a soldier in the British Army. The Regiment of Foot served as the backbone of the British army. They were supported by Light Cavalry and Heavy Artillery. They were required to fight in close quarters in order to maximize the devastation of their volley. It required much discipline to become a British soldier. They were feared across the world for how effective they were in the field.
1st Regiment of Foot Guards: Arrived in America in 1776 (New York). Long Island, Fort Washington, Philadelphia Campaign, Brandywine, Monmouth Court House, Charleston, Guilford Court House, Green Spring, and surrendered at Yorktown, Virginia.
3rd Regiment of Foot (The Buffs): Arrived in America in 1781 (South Carolina). Charleston, Ninety-Six, Eutaw Springs; sent to Jamaica in 1782.
4th (The King’s Own) Regiment of Foot: Arrived in America in 1774 (Boston). Lexington, Concord, Siege of Boston, New York Campaign, Philadelphia Campaign, Charleston, East Florida; sent to Barbados.
5th Regiment of Foot: Arrived in America in 1774 (Boston). Bunker Hill, New York Campaign, Philadelphia Campaign, Brandywine, and Germantown sent to the West Indies in 1778.
7th Regiment of Foot (Royal Fusiliers): Arrived in Québec in 1773. Fort St. John, Chambly, Québec, Forts Clinton and Montgomery, Philadelphia Campaign, Monmouth Court House, Charleston, and Cowpens split into two sections and assigned to Savannah and New York in 1782.
8th (The King’s) Regiment of Foot: Arrived in Québec in 1768 and assigned to garrison duty in Canada (Niagara, Oswego). Fort Stanwix.
9th (The East Norfolk) Regiment of Foot: Arrived in Québec in 1776. Lake Champlain, Burgoyne’s Campaign (captured at Saratoga).
10th (The North Lincolnshire) Regiment of Foot: Arrived in America in 1774 (Boston). Lexington, Concord, Bunker Hill, Siege of Boston, New York Campaign, Philadelphia Campaign, and Brandywine. Reorganized into other regiments in 1779.
14th (Bedfordshire) Regiment of Foot: Arrived in America in 1775 (Virginia). Great Bridge. Reorganized and transferred to Jamaica in 1782.
15th (The Yorkshire East Riding) Regiment of Foot: Arrived in America in 1776 (North Carolina). Charleston, New York Campaign, Philadelphia Campaign, Brandywine, and Monmouth Court House. Transferred to East Florida in 1778 and St. Kitts in 1779.
16th (The Buckinghamshire) Regiment of Foot: Arrived in America in 1776 (Georgia). Savannah and Pensacola. Returned to England in 1782.
16th Regiment of (2nd Queen’s) Light Dragoons: Arrived in America in 1776 (New York). Fought in the Philadelphia Campaign, Brandywine, Paoli, and Monmouth Court House. Transferred to Charleston in 1779 and fought at Eutaw Springs. Transferred to the 17th Regiment of Dragoons in 1778.
17th (The Leicestershire) Regiment of Foot: Arrived in America in 1775 (Boston). Siege of Boston, New York Campaign, Philadelphia Campaign, Brandywine, Germantown, Whitemarsh, Monmouth Court House, Stony Point, and the Siege of Yorktown (captured).
17th Regiment of Light Dragoons: Arrived in America in 1775 (Boston). Fought in the New York Campaign, Long Island, Fort Washington, Princeton, Forts Clinton and Montgomery, Philadelphia Campaign, Whitemarsh, and Monmouth Court House. Elements transferred to Charleston in 1779 as the British Legion (led by Lt. Col. Banastre Tarleton) and fought at Blackstock’s Plantation, Cowpens, Guilford Court House, and Yorktown (captured).
18th (The Royal Irish) Regiment of Foot: Arrived in America in 1774 (Boston). Lexington, Concord, and Bunker Hill. Reorganized in 1776 into other units.
19th (The 1st Yorkshire North Riding) Regiment of Foot: Arrived in America in 1781 (South Carolina). Charleston, Ninety-Six, and Eutaw Springs sent to St. Lucia in 1782.
20th (The East Devonshire) Regiment of Foot: Arrived in Québec in 1776. Fought in Burgoyne’s Campaign (captured at Saratoga).
21st Regiment of Foot (Royal North British Fusiliers): Arrived in Québec in 1776. Lake Champlain and in Burgoyne’s Campaign (captured at Saratoga).
22nd (The Cheshire) Regiment of Foot: Arrived in America in 1775 (Boston). Siege of Boston and New York Campaign.
23rd Regiment of Foot (Royal Welch Fusiliers): Arrived in America in 1775 (Boston). Siege of Boston, New York Campaign, Philadelphia Campaign, Brandywine, Germantown, Whitemarsh, Monmouth Court House, Stony Point, Charleston, Camden, Guilford Court House, and the Siege of Yorktown (captured).
24th (2nd Warwickshire) Regiment of Foot: Arrived in Québec in 1776. Lake Champlain, Burgoyne’s Campaign (captured at Saratoga).
26th (The Cameronian) Regiment of Foot: Arrived in Québec in 1775. Assigned to garrison duty in Canada (Montreal, Crown Point). Fort St. John, Forts Clinton and Montgomery, Philadelphia Campaign, and Monmouth Court House. Reorganized in 1779.
27th (Enniskillings) Regiment of Foot: Arrived in America in 1775 (Boston). Siege of Boston, New York Campaign, Philadelphia Campaign. Sent to East Florida in 1778 and transferred to St. Kitts in 1779.
28th (North Gloucestershire) Regiment of Foot: Arrived in America in 1776 (North Carolina). Charleston, New York Campaign, Philadelphia Campaign, Brandywine, and Monmouth Court House. Transferred to East Florida in 1778 and St. Kitts in 1779.
29th (Worcestershire) Regiment of Foot: Arrived in America in 1768 (Boston). The Siege of Boston. Transferred to Québec in 1776. Elements participated in Burgoyne’s Campaign (captured at Saratoga).
30th (Cambridgeshire) Regiment of Foot: Arrived in America in 1781 (South Carolina). Charleston, Ninety-Six, Eutaw Springs; sent to St. Lucia in 1782.
31st (Huntingdonshire) Regiment of Foot: Arrived in Québec in 1776. Lake Champlain and elements participated in Burgoyne’s Campaign (captured at Saratoga).
33rd (1st Yorkshire West Riding) Regiment of Foot: Arrived in America in 1776 (North Carolina). Charleston, New York Campaign, Philadelphia Campaign, Brandywine, Germantown, Whitemarsh, and Monmouth Court House. Returned to Charleston in 1779 and Camden, Guilford Court House, Green Spring, and the Siege of Yorktown (captured).
34th (Cumberland) Regiment of Foot: Arrived in Québec in 1776. Lake Champlain, Burgoyne’s Campaign (captured at Saratoga).
35th (Dorsetshire) Regiment of Foot: Arrived in America in 1775 (Boston). Siege of Boston, Bunker Hill, New York Campaign; sent to St. Lucia in 1778.
37th (North Hampshire) Regiment of Foot: Arrived in America in 1776 (North Carolina). Charleston. Transferred north and fought in the New York Campaign, Philadelphia Campaign, Brandywine, and Monmouth Court House. Split into two units and transferred to East Florida and Nova Scotia in 1778.
38th (1st Staffordshire) Regiment of Foot: Arrived in America in 1774 (Boston). Lexington, Concord, Bunker Hill, Siege of Boston, and New London.
40th (2nd Somersetshire) Regiment of Foot: Arrived in America in 1775 (Boston). The Siege of Boston, New York Campaign, Philadelphia Campaign, Brandywine, Paoli, and Germantown. Transferred to East Florida in 1778 and Antigua and Barbados in 1779.
42nd Regiment of Foot (Royal Highland Regiment): Arrived in America in 1776 (New York). Long Island, Fort Washington, Harlem Heights, Paoli, Whitemarsh, Philadelphia Campaign, Brandywine, and Monmouth Court House. Sent to East Florida in 1778 and fought at Charleston. Sent to fight in India in 1781.
43rd (Monmouthshire) Regiment of Foot: Arrived in America in 1774 (Boston). Lexington, Concord, Bunker Hill, Siege of Boston, Long Island, Fort Washington, and Green Spring.
44th (East Essex) Regiment of Foot: Arrived in America in 1775 (Boston). Siege of Boston, New York Campaign, Philadelphia Campaign, and Monmouth Court House. Transferred to Québec in 1779.
45th (Nottinghamshire) Regiment of Foot: Arrived in America in 1775 (Boston). Siege of Boston and Long Island. Reorganized in 1776.
46th (Cornwall) Regiment of Foot: Arrived in America in 1776 (North Carolina). Charleston. Transferred north and fought in the New York Campaign, Philadelphia Campaign, Brandywine, and Monmouth Court House. Reorganized and transferred to the West Indies in 1777.
47th (Lancashire) Regiment of Foot: Arrived in America in 1773 (New Jersey). Lexington, Concord, and the Siege of Boston before being transferred to Québec in 1776. Lake Champlain and Burgoyne’s Campaign (captured at Saratoga).
49th (Hertfordshire) Regiment of Foot: Arrived in America in 1775 (Boston). Siege of Boston, New York Campaign, Philadelphia Campaign, and Monmouth Court House. Transferred to St. Lucia in 1778.
52nd (Oxfordshire) Regiment of Foot (Light Infantry): Arrived in America in 1774 (Boston). Lexington, Concord, Bunker Hill, Siege of Boston, Long Island, and Fort Washington. Reorganized in 1778.
53rd (Shropshire) Regiment of Foot: Arrived in Québec in 1776. Participated in Burgoyne’s Campaign (captured at Saratoga).
54th (West Norfolk) Regiment of Foot: Arrived in America in 1776 (North Carolina). Charleston was transferred north and fought in the New York Campaign and New London. Transferred to Halifax in 1778.
55th (Westmoreland) Regiment of Foot: Arrived in America in 1775 (Boston). The Siege of Boston, New York Campaign, Philadelphia Campaign, and Monmouth Court House. Transferred to East Florida and St. Kitts in 1779.
57th (West Middlesex) Regiment of Foot: Arrived in America in 1776 (North Carolina). Charleston transferred north and fought in the New York Campaign. Stationed in New York and Halifax until the war’s end in 1783.
59th (2nd Nottinghamshire) Regiment of Foot: Arrived in America in 1774 (Boston). Lexington, Concord, and the Siege of Boston. Reorganized in 1776.
60th (Royal American) Regiment of Foot: Arrived in America in 1776 (Georgia). Split up during the war, with some companies serving in the West Indies, where they fought in Honduras, Nicaragua, and St. Vincent. Those in America fought at Sunbury, Savannah, Augusta, Briar Creek, Mobile, and Baton Rouge and surrendered during the Siege of Pensacola.
62nd (Wiltshire) Regiment of Foot: Arrived in Québec in 1776. Participated in Burgoyne’s Campaign (captured at Saratoga).
63rd (West Suffolk) Regiment of Foot: Arrived in America in 1775 (Boston). Siege of Boston, Bunker Hill, New York Campaign, Philadelphia Campaign, Monmouth Court House. Transferred to Charleston in 1779 and fought at Blackstock’s Plantation, Hobkirk’s Hill, and Eutaw Springs. Transferred to the West Indies in 1782.
64th (2nd Staffordshire) Regiment of Foot: Arrived in America in 1769 (Boston). Fought in the Siege of Boston, New York Campaign, Philadelphia Campaign, and Monmouth Court House. Transferred to Charleston in 1779 and fought at Eutaw Springs. Transferred to the West Indies in 1782.
65th (2nd Yorkshire North Riding) Regiment of Foot: Arrived in America in 1769 (Boston). Bunker Hill and the Siege of Boston. Reorganized and transferred to Gibraltar in 1782.
71st Regiment of Foot (Fraser’s Highlanders): Arrived in America in 1776 (New York). Long Island, Fort Washington, Forts Clinton and Montgomery, Philadelphia Campaign, and Stony Point. Sent to Savannah in 1778 and fought at Briar Creek, Stono Ferry, Augusta, Savannah, Charleston, Camden, Cowpens, Guilford Court House, Green Spring, and Yorktown (captured).
74th Regiment of Foot (Argyle Highlanders): Arrived in America in 1779 (New York). Penobscot. Also served in garrison duty at Halifax.
76th Regiment of Foot (MacDonnell’s Highlanders): Arrived in America in 1779 (New York). Transferred south and fought at Portsmouth, Green Spring, and Yorktown (captured).
79th Regiment of Foot (Royal Liverpool Volunteers): Sent to Jamaica in 1779. Served in the West Indies and fought in Honduras and Nicaragua.
80th Regiment of Foot (Royal Edinburgh Volunteers): Arrived in America in 1779 (New York). Transferred south and fought at Portsmouth, Green Spring, and Yorktown (captured).
82nd Regiment of Foot (Lanarkshire): Arrived in America in 1779 (New York). Penobscot. Transferred south and fought at Yorktown (captured).
84th Regiment of Foot (1st Battalion: Royal Highland Emigrants; 2nd Battalion: Young Royal Highlanders): Organized in North America, comprised of Provincial Loyalists and French and Indian War British veterans who had settled in Canada and New York. Fought in Quebec, the Hudson Valley, and in the Southern Theater at Charleston and Eutaw Springs.