History - Kings Orange Rangers

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capture a privateer which had been reported in the Liverpool area. Captain Bradford agreed to
take his schooner and serve as sailing master. In addition to the crew, some forty of the King’s
Orange Rangers embarked for the chase. The vessel got out of the harbour slowly, but was
rewarded by soon seeing a schooner which was believed to be the rebel privateer. The following
morning rumours were flying around Liverpool that there had been an engagement between the
KOR and the rebel. Around 10 AM the Rangers’ schooner beat up the harbour. They had
attacked the rebel schooner, captured its boat and lieutenant and two men and killed a number of
rebels. The prisoners including the lieutenant and brothers Thomas and George Thomas were
given their parole on promise that they would not leave town and would report every twenty-four
hours. 136
On July 17th there was another desertion. This time three of the Rangers who were being held
prisoner and their sentry slipped of into the night stealing George Briggs’ sailboat and him in the
bargain. They were Sgt. John 137 Humble, John Crag and Patrick 138 Galbraith. The sentry was
Higgins. Lieutenant MacLeod took Peleg Dexter’s new boat to pursue them. They had a 4 or 5
hour head start. 139
On August 2 Perkins went to his store at the end of what is now Wentworth Street only to
discover there had been a break in and that a number of goods had been stolen. Towards night
Serjeant Phillips informed Perkins that he had found some rum in one of the soldier’s huts.
Perkins returned to his store, sounded his rum barrel and concluding it had been broached, took a
sample to Captain Howard for comparison. It compared favourably. Some rum was found at
Hulane’s 140 which it was claimed came from Wheeler’s. Capt. Howard went there and charged
Wheeler with buying shoes and other goods. Wheeler’s wife insulted and assaulted him. He
knocked her down and then did the same to Wheeler who gave up the shoes. Howard
consequently confined him to jail. 141
On September 5th Snow Parker sailed from Liverpool to Halifax and carried as passengers two
officers of the King’s Orange Rangers, Lieutenant Rorison and Ensign Cameron. 142 At the
mouth of Halifax Harbour the vessel was hit by a gale of wind which knocked her on her beam
ends and almost caused her to founder. Assuming the worst, Rorison and Cameron “threw their
Chest overboard, but it Came on Shore afterwards”. 143
On the 9th Perkins records that “Sergeant Fady Phillips. Of the King’s Orange Rangers, Married
136 Ibid. p. 245
137 On August 25, 1778 Sgt. John Humble was mustered in Captain Lewis Freeman Burgess’ Company at Harlem.
Op. Cit. NAC.
138 There was a Patrick Gilbreath mustered in Captain Rotten’s Company August 25, 1778 at Harlem. Op. Cit.
NAC.
139 Ibid. p. 245.
140 There was a Sgt. Thomas Hulance mustered in Captain Howard’s Company on August 25, 1778 at Harlem. Op.
Cit. NAC
141 Ibid. p. 247.
142 Ibid. p. 252.
143 Ibid. p. 253.
King’s Orange Rangers