Although, there are no accurate numbers of how many American colonists remained “loyal“ to the British during the American Revolution, it is indisputable that support for the war was far from universal. John Adams is quoted as saying that a “full one third were adverse to the Revolution … an opposite one third conceived a hatred of the English … the middle one third … were rather luke-warm.” (Adams, 110)

Due to these opposing forces within the colonies, the American “Revolution” could be more accurately described as a civil war, pitting neighbor against neighbor in a brutal struggle to define the economy and politics of new nation. Even after the war, it took years to settle the old hatreds and to have once again

As British forces began to take control of American cities, such as Boston and New York, thousands of refugees fled for fear of armful confrontation and military rule. Those who remained were considered to be loyalists. And at the end of the war, they would see their land and possessions confiscated as a penalty.

At the end of the war, those deemed loyalists faced a bleak, uncertain future. Although it was specifically stated in the Treaty of Paris that everyone should “adopt a spirit of reconciliation which, on the return of blessings of peace should universally prevail … all persons shall have the freedom to obtain the restitution of such of their estates, rights and properties as may have been confiscated … There should be no further confiscations made, nor any prosecutions commenced against and person for which he may have taken in the present war and no person should suffer any future loss or damage to his person, liberty or property” (Tuchman, 148) this was not the case. Despite the fact that it was written and signed by Congress, there was no way of enforcing these laws at the state level. Many of those who were labeled as loyalists were forced to travel back to England or up to English-held Canada for refuge.

The weakening of the loyalist support proved to be a major downfall for the British armies. England had expected loyalists within the colonies to help supply the British troops. Consequently, as rebel militias fought hard to drive loyalists out of the colonies, the growth of a strong loyalist party had been successfully prevented. By 1782, most loyalists have been driven out of rebel colonies and behind British lines. This elimination of colonist support proved to be a major collapse for the English, Britain, lacking loyalist support in the colonies, political and financial support in Britain, and additional military support from European allies, was forced to rely on weak supply lines and a diminishing army in order to survive.

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