AMERICANREVOLUTION.ORG

THE ORGANIZATION OF THE BRITISH ARMY IN THEAMERICAN REVOLUTION

Illustrative Appendices to CHAPTER V
THE PROBLEM OF TRANSPORTATION

 

NUMBER OF SHIPS AND TONNAGE IN SERVICE OF THE ORDNANCE DEPT., 1 JAN. 1776-31 DEC. 17831

 Year

 Ships

 Tons

 1776

 25

 7,164

 1777

 12

 5,363

 1778

 10

 2,377

 1779

 13

 5,628

 1780

 10

 4,676

 1781

 18

 5,092

 1782

 22

 9,634

 Totals

 110

 39,934

 

ACCOUNT OF TRANSPORTS CONTRACTED FOR BY ORDNANCE DEPT. BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 1775 AND SEPTEMBER 17772

Date

Ships' Names

 Tonnage
  Pd. or contracted to be pd.

 Remarks

 1775
        

 Sept. 13

Charming Sally

174

10s

Discharged

 Sept. 15

Russia Merchant

243

10s
  

Oct. 1

Hope

267 61/94

10s

Taken

Nov. 3

John and William

130

10s
  

Nov. 10

Noble Bounty

273

10s

Nov. 24

Carcass Tender

130

10s
  

 1776
        

Jan. 24

Woodland

222

11s

Discharged

Jan. 24

 Prince George

192

11s
  

 Jan. 24

 Helen

195

11s
  

 Jan. 24

Fleetwood

219

11s

 Discharged

 Jan. 24

 Devonshire

179

11s
  

 Jan. 24

Friendship

199

11s
  

 Jan. 24

Hopewell

339

11s
  

 Jan. 24

Prince of Wales

201

11s
  

 Mar.1

June

300

11s
  

Mar. 15

Rebecca

190

11s
  

Apr. 2

Cadiz Packet

200

12s 6d

Apr. 3

Union Success

254

12s 6d
  

 Apr. 29

Samuel and Elizabeth

195

11s
  

 Aug. 1

Nottingham

271

12s 6d

 Strongly fitted and armed

 Sept. 2

Priscilla
  

Strongly fitted and armed

 Sept. 2

Unity
    

 Strongly fitted and armed

Sept. 2

Aston Hall

370

12s 6d

 Strongly fitted and armed

Sept. 2

Richmond

350

12s 6d

Discharged at Domenica.

 Sept. 6

Lord Townshend

700

14s

Very Strongly fitted and armed

 Sept. 15

Lord Amherst

715

14s

Very Strongly fitted and armed

 1777
        

Feb. 4

Brilliant

800

14s

Very Strongly fitted and armed

 Feb. 4

Price Frigate

330

12s 6d

Very Strongly fitted and armed

Feb. 6

Lord Howe

720

14s 6s

Very Strongly fitted and armed

Mar. 4

Emanuel

160

14s 6s

Discharged

Mar. 9

Andrew

300

14s 6s

Very Strongly fitted and armed

 May 13

Speke

700

12s 6s

Very Strongly fitted and armed

May 16

Commerce

400

12s 6d

Discharged

May 16

Martha

320

12s 6d

Discharged

May 16

Friendship

330

12s 6d

Discharged

July 25

Earl of Bathurst

 737

 14s

Very Strongly fitted and armed

 Aug 7

Earl of Cornwallis

400

13s

Very Strongly fitted and armed

 Sept 25

Adventurer

374

13s

 Very Strongly fitted and armed

 

EXPENCE OF OCEAN TRANSPORT SERVICE3

 1779
  

 Cost of Troop Transports

 £499,193 17s 1d

 Cost of Victuallers

 £131,387 8s 7d

1780
  

  Cost of Troop Transports

 £548,745 4s 1d

 Cost of Victuallers

£275,233 0s 10d

1781
  

  Cost of Troop Transports

£433,650 12s 10d

 Cost of Victuallers

£478,913 5s 2d

1782
  

  Cost of Troop Transports

 £408,629 10s 1/4d

 Cost of Victuallers

 £480,514 19s 5d

1783
  

  Cost of Troop Transports

 £405,147 12s 10d

  Cost of Victuallers

£323,963 11s 4s

 

COMMISSION OF THE WAGGON MASTER GENERAL4

George R.

George the Third by the Grace of God, King of Great Britain France and Ireland Defender of the Faith etc. To our Trusty and Welbeloved Major Robert Molleson
Greeting We do by these Presents constitute and appoint you to be Waggon Master General to Our Army serving in North America. You are therefore carefully and diligently to discharge the Duty of Waggon Master General by doing and performing all and all manner of things thereunto belonging; And you are to observe and follow such Order and Directions from time to time as you shall receive from Us Our Commander in Chief of Our Army serving in North America or any other your Superior Officer, according to the rules and Discipline of War.

Given at Our Court at St. James Is the First day of July One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty two. In the Twenty Second Year of Our Reign.

By His Majesty's Command

Thos. Townshend

Major Robert Molleson Waggon Master General to the Army Serving in North America.

 

ACCOUNT OF THE NUMBER OF VESSELS, WITH THE AMOUNT OF THE HIRE, EMPLOYED IN THE DEPARTMENT OF THE QUARTER MASTER GENERAL IN NORTH AMERICA, FOR EVERY QUARTER, FROM THE 25TH OF DECEMBER 1776 TO THE 31ST OF MARCH 17805

 Periods

No. of vessels

Amount of the Hire

Sir William Erskine, Quarter Master General
    

Between 25 December 1776 and 31 March 1777

63

£4,042 15s 5 1/4d

1st April and 30th June 1777

45

£2,987 2s 1 1/2d

1st July and 30th September 1777

46

£4,110 4s 3 1/2d

 1st October and 31st December 1777

103

£14,108 12s 7 3/4d

1st January and 31st March 1778

41

£5,847 10s 2d

1st April and 30th June 1778

122

£18,775 12s 9 3/4d

1st July and 30th September 1778

72

£9,924 10s 11d

1st October and 31st December 1778

91

£11,897 14s 9 3/4d

1st January and 31st March 1779

60

£9,429 10s 11d

1st April and 30th June 1779

68

£13,039 1s 4 3/4d

Lord Cathcart, Acting Quarter Master General
    

1st July to 30th September 1779

70

£11,575 4s 7d

1st October and 31st December 1779

59

£10,249 1s 11d

1st January and 31st March 1780

62

£11,406 19s 9 1/4d

TOTAL
  

£127,483 18s 10 1/4d


ACCOUNT OF THE NUMBER OF WAGGONS, HORSES, AND DRIVERS WITH THE AMOUNT OF HIRE, EMPLOYED IN THE DEPARTMENT OF THE QUARTER MASTER GENERAL IN NORTH AMERICA, FOR EVERY QUARTER, FROM THE 25TH DECEMBER 1776 TO THE 31ST OF MARCH 17806

 Periods

No. of Waggons

No. of Horses

No. of Drivers

Amount of Hire

Sir William Erskine, Quarter Master General
        

Between 25th December 1776 and 31st March 1777

523

1,176

458

£13,666 3s

1st April and 30th June 1777

763

2,082

817

£28,238 14s

1st July and 30th September 1777

 1,376

3,111

1,440

£23,631 13s

1st October and 31st December 1777

798

1,880

798

£23,785 12s

1st January and 31st March 1778

748

1,810

750

£27,281 12s 6d

1st April and 30th June 1778

897

2,128

899

£31,498 2s 8d

1st July and 30th September 1778

709

1,893

793

£27,821 15s 11 3/4d

1st october and 31st December 1778

640

1,809

642

£24,161 12s 2d

1st January and 31st March 1779

523

1,515

524

£21,555 19s 2d

1st April and 30th June 1779

604

1,723

607

£24,532 8s 6d

Lord Cathcart Acting Quarter Master General
        

1st July and 30th September 1779

646

2,014

687

£27,712 7s 9d

1st October and 31st December 1779

 699

2,164

740

£29,729 15s 9d

1st January and 31st March1780

690

2,147

731

£29,819 12s 6d

TOTAL
      

£338,435 8s 6 3/4d


PROPORTION OF BAT-HORSES PER OFFICER IN
BURGOYNE'S EXPEDITION7

 

 per Battn

Total

To a field Officer

3

6

A Captain

2

12

A Subaltern

1

16

A surgeon and mate

2

2

A chaplain

1

1

A quarter master

1

1

For carrying the company's tents...2 horses to each company
  

16

Total per Battn
  

54

N.B. This calculation was made upon eight companies to a battalion, in which 2 field officers' companies are included.
The horses for the five British battalions of the line, in which two field officers' companies are included.
The horses for the five British battalions of the line, upon calculation, amount to . . . 272

Gen. Fraser's corps, reckoned to be equal to four battalions . . . 216

Five German battalions, @ 70 horses per battalion, that being the difference in proportion to their strength . . . 350

Breyman's corps . . . 100

Total for the regts. of the regs . . . 936

Staff

2 M. Gens . . . 12
4 Brigs . . . 16
Brit. Q.M.G. and asst's . . . 12
Ger. Q.M.G. and asst's . . . 12
The Hospital . . . 30

Total . . . 82

Irregulars

Canads. - Inds. - and Provs . . . 200
Artificers . . . 50

Total . . . 250

Recapit. of whole distrib . . . 1268

 

PROPORTION OF WAGGONS AND OTHER NECESSARIES, FOR
SUCH BRITISH REGIMENTS AS ARE DESTINED TO ACT
ON THE COAST OF THE ATLANTICK THE ENSUING
CAMPAIGN. JANY. 6, 17768

 Waggons for every Batt'n of 677 with Harness compleat for four Horses to each Waggon

 4

 Waggons for every Batt'n of 677 with Harness compleat for four Horses to each Waggon . . . . . . . .
Sunks for the Bat-Horses of each Batt'n Vizt. . . .2 per Comp'y for the Men's Tents and Blankets
and . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 for the Medicine Chests with Collars and Wanties compleat

 22

 Water Decks of painted Oil Cloth

 22

 For the 42d Reg't Establishment 1,168 men

 Waggons

6

Sunks

32

Water Decks

32

 For the 71st Reg't of 2 Batt'ns Establishment 2,298
  

 Waggons

12

Sunks

64

Water Decks

64

 The Seven Reg'ts now about to sail under the Command of Earl Cornwallis have received the following proportion of Necessaries Vizt.
  

 Waggons with Harness compleat for three Horses to
each Vizt

 1

 Waggons for the use of their Hospital

 2

 Sunks for Bat Horses

 22

 Water Decks

22

 Therefore there wants to compleat to their proportion of Necessaries per Batt'n as follows:
  

 Waggons

3

 Sets of Harness for Waggons and the two Hospital Waggons

 15

It is understood that the Treasury mean to order a number of Draught and Bat-Horses, to be bought up for the Service in North America: And that the Ordnance are to send over, such proportion of Horses, as may be Judged requisite for drawing the Artillery: That the Waggons and Harness, would be most conveniently provided by the Ordnance; That the Treasury are to give Directions for supplying the Blankets and Watch Coats; and that the War Office, is to order the sunks, Water Decks, etc. along with the Ordinary Camp Necessaries.

It is supposed, that, exclusive of the two Regiments now Prisoners there will be in North America next Campaign, 43 British Batt'ns Vizt. 42 Regiments of one Battalion each, and the 71st Regiment of two Batt'ns. Of this number it is probable that there may be 5 Batt'ns in Detached Garrisons, which may not immediately require Waggons, so that there will remain 38 Batt'ns to be provided.

 

Waggons with 4 Sets of Harness
 

 Wag's.

Harness

 For 35 Batt'ns at 4 each

140

560

For 1 Batt'n 42 Reg't

 6

 24

 For 1 Batt'ns 71 Reg't

 12

48

Total for 38 Batt'ns

158

632

 Of this Number the 7 Reg'ts under Earl
Cornwallis have received

9

27

 There remains to be provided for the
    

 Infantry

149

605

 And for the two Reg'ts of Light Dragoons 4 each

 8

32

 Total

157

637

 

RETURN OF DRIVERS, HORSES, AND WAGGONS, DELIVERED BY THE QUARTER MASTER GENERAL TO THE ARMY UNDER GENERAL HOWE BETWEEN 1 APRIL AND 30 JUNE 17779

 Distribution

Drivers

Waggons

Horses

Commencing

Ending

At per Day

 Commander-in-Chief (Howe)

6

6

12

May 10

June 30

72s

 Lord Cornwallis

3

3

6

Apr. 1

 June 30

 72s

 Major General Vaughan

 3

 3

 6

 Apr. 1

June 30

 36s

 Major General Grant

 3

 3

 6

 Apr. 1

June 30

 36s

 Major General Grey

 2

 2

 4

 Apr. 14

June 30

 36s

 Brigadier General Agnew

 2

 2

 4

 Apr. 1

June 30

 24s

 Brigadier General Matthew

 2

 2

 4

 Apr. 1

June 30

 24s

 Brigadier General Leslie

 2

 2

 4

 Apr. 1

June 30

 24s

 Quarter Master General and Family

 3

 3

 6

 Apr. 1

June 30

 36s

Adjutant General and Family

 2

 2

 4

 Apr. 1

June 30

 24s

 Hospital

 4

 4

 8

 Apr. 3

June 30

 48s

 Engineer's Department

 8

 8

 32

 Apr. 1

 June 30

 144s

 Pontoon Waggons

 64

 32

 128

Apr. 2

June 30

 672s

 Flat Boat Waggons

 44

 22

 132

 Apr. 3

June 30

 594s

 Maj. Holland's Corps of Pioneers and Guides

 2

 2

 4

 Apr. 1

June 30

 24s

 16th Regt. Light Dragoons

 7

 7

 14

 Apr. 4

June 30

 84s

 17th Regt. Light Dragoons

 7

 7

 14

 Apr. 2

June 30

 84s

 1st Battalion Light Infantry

 10

 10

 20

 Apr. 1

June 30

 120s

 2d Battalion Light Infantry

 10

 10

 20

 Apr. 1

June 30

 120s

 British Rifle-men

 2

 2

 4

 Apr. 2

June 30

 24s

 Queen's Rangers

 5

 5

 10

 Apr. 3

 June 30

 60s

 1st Battalion Grenadiers

 10

 10

 20

 Apr. 1

June 30

 120s

 2d Battalion Grenadiers

 10

 10

 20

 Apr. 1

June 30

 120s

 Guards, 2 Battalions

 16

 16

 32

 Apr. 2

June 30

 192s

 4th Regt.

 5

 5

 10

 Apr. 5

 June 30

 60s

 5th Regt.

 5

 5

 10

 Apr. 2

June 30

 60s

 7th Regt.

 5

 5

 10

 May 11

June 30

 60s

 10th Regt.

 5

 5

 10

 May 11

June 30

 60s

 15th Regt.

 5

 5

 10

 Apr. 1

June 30

 60s

 17th Regt.

 5

 5

 10

 Apr. 1

June 30

 60s

 23rd Regt.

 5

 5

 10

 Apr. 3

June 30

 60s

 26th Regt.

 5

 5

 10

 May 11

 June 30

 60s

 27th Regt.

 5

 5

 10

 Apr. 3

June 30

 60s

 28th Regt.

 5

 5

 10

 Apr. 1

 June 30

 60s

 33rd Regt.

 5

 5

 10

 Apr. 1

June 30

 60s

 35th Regt.

 5

 5

 10

 Apr. 2

June 30

 60s

 37th Regt.

 5

 5

 10

 May 11

June 30

 60s

 38th Regt.

 5

 5

 10

 May 11

June 30

 60s

 40th Regt.

 5

 5

 10

 Apr. 1

June 30

 60s

 42nd Regt. Two Battalions

 10

 5

 20

 Apr. 3

June 30

 120s

 44th Regt.

 5

 5

 10

 Apr. 2

 June 30

 60s

 46th Regt.

 5

 5

 10

 Apr. 1

 June 30

 60s

 49th Regt.

 5

 5

 10

 Apr. 3

 June 30

 60s

 52nd Regt.

 5

 5

 10

 May 11

 June 30

 60s

 55th Regt.

 5

 5

 10

 Apr. 2

 June 30

 60s

 64th Regt.

 5

 5

 10

 Apr. 1

 June 30

 60s

 71st Regt. Three Battalions

 16

 16

 32

 Apr. 1

 June 30

 60s

 Artillery

 46

 46

 92

 Apr. 1

 June 30

 552s

 

A STATE OF THE NUMBER OF DRIVERS, HORSES AND WAGGONS EMPLOYED IN THE QUARTER MASTER GENERAL'S DEPARTMENT IN THE FOLLOWING YEARS10

 Distribution

Drivers

Horses

Waggons

In 1777

823

2092

763

In 1778

874

2086

874

In 1779

740

2164

699

In 1780

731

2146

690

In 1781

623

1979

620

N.B. A no. of Horses and Waggons were taken from the Rebel Country in the Years of 1777 and 1778 which if brought into Acct would make one fourth more than what is charged for in the subsequent Years.

In 1779 the Pontoon Train was ordered to be completed which with the arrival of the 76th, 80th, 82nd and 84th Regiments from Europe, the Troops from Rhode Island, and the Flank Companies from Halifax as also the increase of the Provincial Corps, caused an additional number of Horses to be employed that year.

140 Commons Journal, p. 138.

2W.O. 55:371, pp. 193-194.

3Adm., Navy Board, 3526.

4W.O. 25:37, p. 94.

538 Commons Journal, p. 1104.

638 Commons Journal, p. 1109.

7State of the Expedition, pp. 145-146, note.

8W.O. 1: 890, pp. 1-5.

938 Commons Journal, pp. 1104-1106. These statistics do not include the Hessian corps. See also pp. 1106-1109.

10"Minute Book of a Board of General Officers" (N.Y. Hist. Soc. Coll., 1916), p.226.