Patriot vs Loyalist

Patriot vs Loyalist by Si Sheppard delves into the turbulent times following the American Declaration of Independence, when communities from Boston to Savannah faced the critical decision to strive for an independent republic or remain loyal to the British Crown. This comprehensive study examines the origins, methods, and combat records of the forces on both sides of the conflict.

The American Revolutionary War stands as America's first civil war. While the conflict stretched from Canada to the Caribbean, and from India to Gibraltar, it was in the American communities where the war became the most intimate, personal, and inevitably, the most vicious.

In 1775, British America was home to a diverse population, including North American natives, newly arrived immigrants, established landed aristocrats, and the impoverished, along with people of African descent, both enslaved and free. As war loomed, every individual was compelled to choose between aligning with the Patriots or remaining loyal to the British Crown. These decisions fragmented communities, sometimes even dividing households, and inflamed tensions, leading to a vicious cycle of ostracism, embargo, exile, raids, reprisals, and counter-reprisals.

The war on the frontiers and the margins of conflict mirrored the underhanded and ugly nature of 21st-century insurgencies. This study evaluates the origins, fighting methods, and combat effectiveness of the combatants on both sides, particularly highlighting three significant clashes of the American Revolutionary War.