Did any loyalists fight, aid, or plot against their own countrymen in the American Revolution?

by kstanman
wishbeaunash

If you're asking if inhabitants of the American colonies fought for the British crown in the War of Independence then the answer is, most definitely. The idea that the American Revolution is more accurately described as a 'British civil war' has been an increasingly popular one in recent years.

When thinking about the American Revolution it's important to remember that the idea of 'America' is more something that emerged from the Revolution rather than something that existed before it. Many colonists who opposed the crown did so at first not because they had any sort of inherent belief in or desire for independence. Rather, they felt that the crown was infringing on their 'rights as Englishmen.' Resistance to overbearing monarchy was not necessarily seen as 'anti-British', as it had a storied tradition in the civil wars and the Revolution of 1688. However, there were also many people, often refered to as 'Tories', who generally supported the crown against Whig/liberal/parliamentarian claims, and they often remained loyal to the crown in the colonies.

The number of people who in theory retained loyalty to the crown was pretty high, and has been estimated at around 20% or so, but actually organising them into fighting forces proved difficult for the British and they often preferred the use of German mercenaries.

It worked the other way around, too, with plenty of people in metropolitan Britain having sympathy for the plight of the colonists, even in Parliament, and arguing for compromise and concessions.