"British Order of Battle at Brier Creek" Topic

I'm trying to figure out what the British order of battle at Brier Creek is. The regulars are easy enough to find information on. Sources place them as the 71st, Grenadiers from the 60th, and light infantry under James Baird, plus two field pieces. It's the loyalist I'm having trouble with. I've found references to provincials, militia, and irregulars but having a hard time finding specifics. There are some mentions of the Florida Rangers but that's it. Anyone know if any other provincial or named loyalist units were at the battle?

Right after posting I found this info.

Facing the Patriots were Sir James Baird's Light Infantry on the left, Prevost's 2nd Battalion 71st Highland Regiment in the center, and the Carolina Loyalists to the right. The Florida Grenadiers, Tawse's Light Dragoons, Rangers and mounted militia were in the rear

PDF link

My question with this would be what they mean by Florida Grenadiers?

That site is a nice little find, SCR!

One theory is that the Florida Grenadiers were the grenadier companies of the 2nd and 3rd Bns., 60th foot and the grenadier company from the 16th foot.

From "Nothing but Blood and Slaughter" (Volume 1, 1771-1779) by Patrick O'Kelley:-

Overall Commander – Lt Col James Prevost
Regulars:
Royal Artillery, 4th Battalion, #7 Coy – Captain William Johnstone (six 6-pdrs, two [5.5"?] Howitzers)
16th Foot, Light Company – Major Colin Graham (111)
60th Foot, Grenadier Companies (2nd, 3rd & 4th Battalions) – Major Beamsley Glazier (200)
71st Foot, 1st Battalion – Major Duncan MacPherson (400)
71st Foot, 2nd Battalion – Lt Col John Maitland (400)
Light Infantry, 1st Battalion – Captain Sir James Baird (205) [71st Foot (91), NY Volunteers Lt Coy (50), and DeLancey's Brigade 1st Bn Lt Coy (64)]
Light Infantry, 2nd Battalion – Captain Charles Campbell (200+) [71st Foot (93), NJ Volunteers Lt Coy (90), and DeLancey's Brigade, 2nd Bn Lt Coy (??)]
Provincials:
Georgia Dragoons – Captain Thomas Tawse (40)
Georgia Rifle Dragoons (50)
Carolina Volunteers – Lieutenant (David?) Reed/Reece/Reese (200)
East Florida Rangers – Lt Col Thomas Brown (500)

The Georgia Dragoons provided the commander's bodyguard and a pool of messengers; the Carolina Volunteers were mostly the survivors of the earlier defeat at Kettle Creek and later became the 2nd Battalion, South Carolina Royalists (at the time, they were generally referred to as New Recruits, Carolina Volunteers).

Forgot to add to the last message, under Provincials:-

Artillery, crewed by Loyalists – (four 3-pdr Grasshoppers)

I thought Tawse's Command was a mounted detachment of the 71st? They brought light dragoon kit with them from NY when embarking for the south.

What's your source for this 71st mounted unit please? Very interested, thank you.

I myself think that Tawse's command was the Georgia Light Dragoons.

link

The link above is to a recruiting notice for them from 1779 mentions a Captain Tawes.

There is evidence that the Georgia Light Dragoons had members of the 71st in it though. The second link below gives a muster roll of the 2nd troop showing members of both the 71st and Delancies as being members.

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Bill, your order of battle seems to include units under Prevost's command that were not in the battle. When Prevost began his flanking move he left the 1st Bn 71st, some of his artillery and assorted Loyalists to distract Ashe. My notes which came from Wilson's " The Southern Strategy" have Prevost's command in the battle as the 2nd Bn 71st (400), the Light Infantry Corps consisting of the 71st and some Loyalists (299), the Grenadier Corps (100), light dragoons (42) assorted Loyalists (150) and some artillery. I believe Wilson says the grenadiers were from the 60th and 16th. Henry's paper simply says there were 3 companies of grenadiers.

I would not be surprised if all the grenadiers in Georgia were all from the 60th, but aside from the 2nd Bn 60th I haven't seen anything indicating which other grenadiers were present in Georgia in 1779.