King's American Dragoons

King's American Dragoons
Active	1781-1783
Country	Great Britain
Allegiance	British Army
Branch	dragoons (mounted infantry)
Type	British provincial unit, (auxiliary troops)
Role	demolition, construction
Size	?
Garrison/HQ	Long Island, Province of New York
Engagements	American Revolutionary War Never saw combat
Commanders
Notable commanders	Major General Sir Guy Carleton Lieutenant Colonel Benjamin Thompson

The King's American Dragoons were a British provincial military unit, raised for Loyalist service during the American Revolutionary War. They were founded by Colonel Benjamin Thompson, later Count Rumford, in 1781.^[1] They were initially formed from, the remnants of other British Loyalist units, including Black Loyalist soldiers.

The King's American Dragoons primarily served on Long Island in 1782 and early 1783,^[2] where they earned local notoriety for destroying a church and burial ground in order to erect Fort Golgotha in Huntington.^[3]

They were evacuated from New York and resettled in St. John, New Brunswick, in July 1783.^[4] They were disbanded there in October.^[5]

References

1. Ellis, George Edward; Sciences, American Academy of Arts and (1871-01-01). Memoir of Sir Benjamin Thompson, count Rumford: with notices of his daughter. Estes and Lauriat.
2. Siebert, Wilbur Henry (1916-01-01). The Loyalist Refugees of New Hampshire. Ohio State University.
3. http://town.huntington.ny.us/permit_pics/215.pdf
4. Ellis, George Edward; Sciences, American Academy of Arts and (1871-01-01). Memoir of Sir Benjamin Thompson, count Rumford: with notices of his daughter. Estes and Lauriat.
5. Ellis, George Edward; Sciences, American Academy of Arts and (1871-01-01). Memoir of Sir Benjamin Thompson, count Rumford: with notices of his daughter. Estes and Lauriat.