A Selection of British/Loyalist Broadsides

  Save, print, and use these broadsides as you see fit. They present an excellent opportunity to give a site or reenacting event that "lived in" appearance. They can be glued to planks of wood, taped gently(!) on walls, tacked to trees - you name it. Drag tourists out of the 21st century and back into the 18th century -- and confuse them with that funny "S."

  These are modern recreations using an appropriate font for the era (with the funny "S"). All are .PDF files and will open in a new browser window; close that window to return to this page.

Price of Provisions

Actual prices the British army would pay for provisions in a given area, taken from the 1778 Maryland Loyalist orderly book.

Clinton Proclamation

Clinton Proclamation regarding deserters

Sir Henry tries to get deserters back into his Majesty's army. From Supplement to the Royal Gazette, May 8, 1779, NYC. Also known as Rivington's Gazette, this was a loyalist newspaper operating in British-occupied New York City. The King's Crest on our broadside is copied from the King's 1775 Proclamation to Boston citizens.

Although the "Sons of Liberty" burned Rivington’s Boston home and destroyed his press in 1775, forcing him to flee for England, subsequent research indicates he may have become a spy for Gen. Washington after his return to New York City in 1777.

Ale or Table Beer prices

From Rivington's Royal Gazette, June 30, 1779. Perhaps the most important broadside here.

Clinton's orders regarding Provincial Rank

From Rivington's Royal Gazette, May 19, 1779. Sir Henry tries to rally the loyalists.

Rivington annoucements and ads

Several civilian annoucements and advertisements

Whether you needed Howe's Acid, some whale oil for your lamp, or Madiera for yourself, New York City's merchants could handle it. From Rivington's Royal Gazette, May 8, 1779.

An inventory of items "in the grocery way"

From Rivington's, June 30, 1779. A good list of sundries, some familiar, some very much not. For some reason, pickles seem very prominent. About three words or so I had to guess at, the ink had been smeared apparently on the original.

General Orders

Adapted from Howe's orders in Philadelphia in 1778.

The Refugee Club

From Rivington's Royal Gazette, an annoucement for a meeting of the famous loyalist society in New York City (1779).

Advertisement for loyalist pamphlet Plain Truth

As it appeared in the Philadelphia newspapers in the Spring of 1776. Many members of the Continental Congress probably read this pamphlet. In fact, the pamphlet itself begins with a dedication to John Dickinson.

Loyalty Oath

With wording from Simes' Military Medley of 1768. 3 oaths on the page.

Notice concerning "Negroes"

This is a proclamation from Sir Henry Clinton promising protection to blacks who desert the rebels. Rivington's front page, July 21, 1779. Upsized to be a broadside.

Ship bound for London

Ship departure for London

The General Vaughan departs for London. Taken from the front page of Rivington's front page, July 21, 1779 (Upsized). The original did not feature a woodcut of a ship but since many other similar ads did, I took the liberty of incorporating an 18th century woodcut of a ship here.

The Frigate Restoration

Loyalist Ship

The Restoration was looking for seamen, to be paid five guineas in advance, three pounds per month, and one share of "all property taken from His Majesty's revolted subjects." From Rivington's front page, July 21, 1779 (upsized). Ditto on the ship (see above)

Clinton's Proclamation on Protection of Farms

This concerns protecting farms providing food to the British Army. Rivington's front page, July 21, 1779.

Prices of Loaf and Ship Bread, NYC

Rivington's front page, July 21, 1779.

Play - The Wonder

Playbill, Philadelphia 1778

The British officers put on their own plays in order to entertain themselves.
Taken from the excellent book, With the British Army in Philadelphia 1777-1778 by Jackson. Note that the 2-colour version (left) is in imitation of the Beggar's Opera playbill at Williamsburg.

Proclamation of Occupation

A fabrication based on several authentic sources. The wording is based heavily on the King's 1775 Proclamation broadside to the citizens of Boston while the format is identical to proclamations from Howe or Clinton.

LAR Recruitment Broadside

Based on an actual 1777 recruitment broadside for the Pennsylvania Loyalists that was printed in Philadelphia. The tavern mentioned in my version of the broadside - Bull's Head Tavern - was an actual recruiting location for the Loyal American Regiment in British-occupied New York City.

LAR Recruitment Notice

Ads exactly identical to this appeared regularly in Rivington's Royal Gazette in 1778 and 1779.

Blank Deserter Notice

Based upon the deserter advertisment suggested in Simes' Military Melody, 1768. Simply fill in the particulars (with a quill pen) and post.

LAR Deserter Notice (1777)

Same notice but with information in the spaces. The man named Dennis Collins did, in fact, desert from the Loyal American Regiment on the date mentioned. Here also are notices from 1778 and 1779.

Riflemen: We Are Your Worst Nightmare

 

 

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Copyright © 2010,
M. Christopher New and Ian Johns