TY - JOUR
T1 - “All grand tories:” Loyalism in the trans-Appalachian west during the revolutionary war
AU - Ward, Matthew C.
N1 - © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group
PY - 2024
Y1 - 2024
N2 - Loyalism was a potent force in the Trans-Appalachian West during the American Revolution. However, the experiences of western Loyalists differed from those elsewhere and provide a broader understanding of the forces affecting Loyalism in the British Empire. There were few reasons for western Loyalists to declare their sympathies and even fewer opportunities to seek assistance from the British. Geography meant that western Loyalists were isolated and could not cooperate effectively with the British government and army, while the threat of Indian attack also gave Loyalists and Whigs a common cause. Consequently, they lacked a clear identity, especially as most westerners were, to some degree, disaffected. Indeed, many frontier “patriots,” from George Rogers Clark to Daniel Boone, were associated with disaffection, if not outright Loyalism. Finally, the reintegration of Loyalists into western society after the Revolution meant that memories of Loyalism were written out of family and local histories.
AB - Loyalism was a potent force in the Trans-Appalachian West during the American Revolution. However, the experiences of western Loyalists differed from those elsewhere and provide a broader understanding of the forces affecting Loyalism in the British Empire. There were few reasons for western Loyalists to declare their sympathies and even fewer opportunities to seek assistance from the British. Geography meant that western Loyalists were isolated and could not cooperate effectively with the British government and army, while the threat of Indian attack also gave Loyalists and Whigs a common cause. Consequently, they lacked a clear identity, especially as most westerners were, to some degree, disaffected. Indeed, many frontier “patriots,” from George Rogers Clark to Daniel Boone, were associated with disaffection, if not outright Loyalism. Finally, the reintegration of Loyalists into western society after the Revolution meant that memories of Loyalism were written out of family and local histories.
KW - American Revolution
KW - Backcountry
KW - Loyalism
KW - trans-Appalachian West
KW - Kentucky
KW - frontier
KW - warfare
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85170521571&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/14788810.2023.2250419
DO - 10.1080/14788810.2023.2250419
M3 - Article
SN - 1478-8810
VL - 21
SP - 206
EP - 227
JO - Atlantic Studies: Literary, Historical and Cultural Perspectives (Atlantic Studies)
JF - Atlantic Studies: Literary, Historical and Cultural Perspectives (Atlantic Studies)
IS - 2
ER -