James Robertson (loyalist)
Encyclopedia
General
James Robertson (1717 – 4 March 1788) was the civil governor of the Province of New York
from 1779 to 1783.
, Fife
, Scotland in 1717. He came to the American colonies in 1756 as a Major of the royal American troops. He became a lieutenant colonel in the 55th Regiment of Foot
on 8 July 1758.
He was for many years barrack master in New York.
He was promoted colonel and was the commander of the 60th Regiment of Foot on January 1776.
He was commissioned a Major General in 1 January 1776. He commanded the 6th brigade at the Battle of Long Island
.
He was instrumental in fighting and stopping the fire
, which destroyed 500 homes and about 1/4 of Manhattan in September 1776.
He returned to England in February, 1777.
He was appointed civil governor of New York in 1779, and arrived in New York City in March 1780, and was appointed Governor on 23 March 1780.
He was made a lieutenant general on 20 November 1782.
He issued a proclaimation of thanksgiving, on 14 January 1783.
On 5 May 1783, he met with General Guy Carleton
, General Henry Clinton
, and Admiral Robert Digby
, about the planning for the evacuation of New York City
.
He was replaced as commandant of New York City was Major General James Pattison
. He went to England in 1783. He was replaced as governor by Andrew Elliot in 1783.
He died in England, on 4 March 1788.
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
James Robertson (1717 – 4 March 1788) was the civil governor of the Province of New York
Province of New York
The Province of New York was an English and later British crown territory that originally included all of the present U.S. states of New York, New Jersey, Delaware and Vermont, along with inland portions of Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Maine, as well as eastern Pennsylvania...
from 1779 to 1783.
Life
He was born in NewbiggingNewbigging
Newbigging is the name of several places:*Newbigging, Angus, Scotland*Newbigging, Auchtertool, Fife, Scotland*Newbigging, Carnock, Fife, Scotland*Newbigging, Orkney, Scotland*Newbigging, Scottish Borders, Scotland*Newbigging, South Lanarkshire, Scotland...
, Fife
Fife
Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...
, Scotland in 1717. He came to the American colonies in 1756 as a Major of the royal American troops. He became a lieutenant colonel in the 55th Regiment of Foot
55th Regiment of Foot
The 55th Regiment of Foot was a British Army infantry regiment which existed from 1755 to 1881. After 1782 it had a county designation added, becoming known as the 55th Regiment of Foot. or simply the Westmorland Regiment...
on 8 July 1758.
He was for many years barrack master in New York.
He was promoted colonel and was the commander of the 60th Regiment of Foot on January 1776.
He was commissioned a Major General in 1 January 1776. He commanded the 6th brigade at the Battle of Long Island
Battle of Long Island
The Battle of Long Island, also known as the Battle of Brooklyn or the Battle of Brooklyn Heights, fought on August 27, 1776, was the first major battle in the American Revolutionary War following the United States Declaration of Independence, the largest battle of the entire conflict, and the...
.
He was instrumental in fighting and stopping the fire
Great Fire of New York (1776)
The Great Fire of New York was a devastating fire that burned through the night of September 21, 1776 on the west side of what then constituted New York City at the southern end of the island of Manhattan...
, which destroyed 500 homes and about 1/4 of Manhattan in September 1776.
He returned to England in February, 1777.
He was appointed civil governor of New York in 1779, and arrived in New York City in March 1780, and was appointed Governor on 23 March 1780.
He was made a lieutenant general on 20 November 1782.
He issued a proclaimation of thanksgiving, on 14 January 1783.
On 5 May 1783, he met with General Guy Carleton
Guy Carleton, 1st Baron Dorchester
Guy Carleton, 1st Baron Dorchester, KB , known between 1776 and 1786 as Sir Guy Carleton, was an Irish-British soldier and administrator...
, General Henry Clinton
Henry Clinton (American War of Independence)
General Sir Henry Clinton KB was a British army officer and politician, best known for his service as a general during the American War of Independence. First arriving in Boston in May 1775, from 1778 to 1782 he was the British Commander-in-Chief in North America...
, and Admiral Robert Digby
Robert Digby (Royal Navy officer)
Admiral Robert Digby was an officer in the Royal Navy officer who also served briefly as an Member of Parliament .- Naval career :...
, about the planning for the evacuation of New York City
Evacuation Day (New York)
Following the American Revolution, Evacuation Day on November 25 marks the day in 1783 when the last vestige of British authority in the United States — its troops in New York — departed from Manhattan...
.
He was replaced as commandant of New York City was Major General James Pattison
James Pattison
James P. Pattison was an Irish Labour Party politician. He was first elected to Dáil Éireann on his second attempt at the 1933 general election for the Carlow–Kilkenny constituency....
. He went to England in 1783. He was replaced as governor by Andrew Elliot in 1783.
He died in England, on 4 March 1788.
Sources
- Ronald W. Howard (ed) The twilight of British rule in revolutionary America: the New York letter book of General James Robertson, 1780–1783, New York State Historical Association, 1983, ISBN 9780917334122
External links
- "Historic Home", Lodge Dunearn 400