King's Men: The Soldier Founders of Ontario

by Mary Beacock Fryer

King’s Men is the story of the Loyalist regiments who became the soldier founders of the Province of Ontario, the Loyal Colonials who joined the Provincial Corps of the British Army, Canadian Command, during the American revolution.

Mythology on the United Empire Loyalists who founded two Canadian provinces is ingrained. We often envisage loyal families marching out of the victorious United States at the close of the American Revolution. But these myths lead us to overlook a fascinating period in the lives of one group of Loyalists – the soldiers who became Ontario’s founders.

By the time the Treaty of Separation was signed in 1783, four full strength corps were serving in Canada. These were the Royal Highland Emigrants (placed on the regular establishment in 1778, as the 84th Foot), the King’s Royal Regiment of New York, Butler’s Rangers, and the Loyal Rangers. A fifth corps, the King’s rangers amounted to three full companies.

A detailed study on what these Provincials achieved is long overdue. King’s Men fills a gap in tracing the lives of these United Empire Loyalists who first fought under British command, and spent a difficult period as displaced persons in Canada (people whose only desire was to return to their homes in Britain’s older colonies) till the time when they accepted Canada as a new homeland.

400 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1980

About the author

Mary Beacock Fryer is a well-known expert on Upper Canadian history and has written many biographies, including a trilogy on the Simcoe family: Elizabeth Posthuma Simcoe, Our Young Soldier, and John Graves Simcoe. Among Fryer's other books are Bold, Brave, and Born to Lead and Buckskin Pimpernel. She lives in Toronto.

Reviews

[Maxwell Thornton · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great resource to learn about provincial militias, or Loyalist Americans that fought for the Crown during the American Revolutionary War, who would later found cities in Ontario like Belleville and Niagara.

In the book, a reader can expect to learn about the organisation, numbers, and leadership of the regiments, their combat history and movements, and their fate. Though, actions of and feuds between officers make up a good portion of the chapter, so one should take that as willed. The book then concluded with the Loyalist migration north to Canada (Québec) and the maritimes, their life in early settlements, governance and politics, and legacies.

All in all, a solid resource for reenactors of the era and Canadian history buffs.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite informative if you're generally interested in the settlement of Ontario, or if your Loyalist ancestor belonged to one of the military units discussed (which mine did); probably less so otherwise.