"Lee's Legion Composition 1780-81" Topic

Anyone have information on the composition of this force in the southern campaign. Specifically looking for the breakdown of how many mounted troops and how many dismounted.

For the Southern Campaign – two sources I used

link Lees Legion Remembered
"when it joined General Greene by early January numbered some 100 cavalry and 180 foot which were organized into three troops of horse … and 3 companies of infantry"

PDF link
"Lee's Legion was expanded by a general order of November 1, 1780, into a six-company unit. Three companies were cavalry and three were infantry, although all personnel were paid according to the higher cavalry scale…. The legion's services in the Southern Department from 1781 to 1782 are ably chronicled in Lee's two-volume Memoirs of the War" (note this structure changed in June of 1782)

Different battles etc you will find specific numbers – but Cavalry numbers were as low as 60 effectives and Infantry 100

Greg Novak wrote campaign books for both the Northern and Southern campaigns. He lists the following for Lee's Legion in 1781:

Start of year is 200 strong.

Race to the Dan, Feb 9-14. 100 infantry and 100 cavalry.

Pyle's Massacre, Feb 25. 180 men.

Weitzel's Mill, March 6. 90 infantry and 90 cavalry.

Guilford Courthouse, March 15. 82 infantry and 75 cavalry.

Fort Granby, May 15. 180 men.

Siege of Ninety Six, May 22 to June 18. 180 men.

Eutaw Springs, Sept 8. 260 men.

At the beginning of 1782 strength was 179 infantry and 119 cavalry.

Did the Legion have its own artillery? I thought that the idea of a "legion" was to have all three arms present in the same organization. I can see that artillery may not have been doable if the Legion was only cavalry, however, as there was an infantry component, the artillery would not necessarily slow things down.

I dont believe so

Good Summary
link

However Lauzun's Legion on French side did have an Artillery Component

On the British side – The Queens Rangers had all three – however artillery was a 3 pdr and an amusette

The British Legion raised in 1778 may have had artillery for a short time – though I have no source on this- just a reference to it

Look forward to hearing from others on it

Artillery was not a requirement. Neither Armand's or Polaski's legion had artillery.

Thanks all. I am thinking I will set them up on the basis of three 30 man companies for the horse.