Are there any Americans known to have served in the Napoleonic wars?

You can get 161 names if you include British Royal Navy & Royal Marines Service And Pension Records, 1704-1919. Forgot to mention if you limit the search to 1810 -/+ 5 years

Hi,

If you have access to Find My Past, go on Military, select record set British Army Service Records and type America as an optional keyword and it will bring you up 33 nominals to look at

soon at HELION...for the presence in the Royal Navy https://www.helion.co.uk/military-history-books/from-across-the-sea-north-americans-in-nelsons-navy.php?sid=8b9e22e71af2c94ad93e3a73625d2c59

From Across the Sea: North Americans in Nelson’s Navy explores the varied contributions of North Americans to the Royal Navy during Great Britain’s wars against Revolutionary and Napoleonic France. It is the first book that explores this topic in depth. As an edited compilation, top specialists in the field have contributed thematic essays (on topics ranging from impressment to the Anglo-American maritime relationship) as well as biographical essays on a range of North Americans from both the officer ranks and the lower deck. For the biographical portraits, special attention has been paid to individuals who have not already been the subject of extensive research and writing. Accompanying these essays are several never-before-published illustrations depicting some of the key North Americans as well as the ships and naval battles in which they were a part.

The book’s central focus is to challenge the common assumption that the Nelsonic-era Royal Navy was manned exclusively by British sailors and officers. Instead, Royal Navy personnel from this era often hailed from different parts of the world, with North Americans comprising a particularly significant contingent. For instance, Nelson’s fleet at Trafalgar had hundreds of Americans as well as Canadians, not to mention individuals from the Caribbean. Thus, From Across the Sea sheds new light on these sailors and officers, showcasing years of original, primary source research on the subject. 

The book also challenges the misconception that all North American-born sailors who served in the Royal Navy were pressed into service. Instead, a significant number volunteered for service of their own free will, lured into the Royal Navy by visions of adventure and prize money. Others volunteered more reluctantly, figuring that joining the Royal Navy on their own terms was preferable to being forced in by a press gang. Thus, From Across the Sea reveals that impressment was a more complicated topic than most generally assume.

Over all, From Across the Sea concludes that North Americans played an integral role in the Royal Navy during the Wars with France, from the lower deck all the way to the highest levels of command. While some of these North Americans operated in relative obscurity, others achieved high rank and formed lasting friendships with some of Great Britain’s foremost naval leaders of the age, including Lord Nelson and King William IV.  Theirs is a story that needs to be told, and now it has been told for the first time through From Across the Sea.

As Garry said James Prevost of the 5/60th was from Greene County N.Y. He had a brother Harry who was killed at Albuera, and another, Augustine, who commanded the 87th Foot, plus a younger half brother also in the army. His uncle Sir George Prevost was a general, his uncle William a colonel, and his uncle James was an admiral. Despite the Royal American title of the 60th James was the only American I found in the battalion. You can read more about James here:

https://daringdutycunningplans.wordpress.com/2019/05/10/captain-james-prevost-a-royal-american/

How about John Penman Gairdner? Born in Charleston South Carolina but went to England and joined 95th Rifles, serving in Spain from 1812 and was in the Waterloo campaign. He later went back to the US where he owned a plantation. Two of his sons fought in the American Civil War, one dying at Missionary Ridge. I published his story including his military journals as The American Sharpe in 2016, still available via Amazon etc

though not an American, but a distant relative of George Washington - Jakub Washington fought in the Bavarian Army

How about Captain James Prevost of the 5/60th from Rob Griffith's excellent book Riflemen. I am sure Rob will be able to name a few enlisted men from the battalion also.

Hi Lucas, good to have you here. Quick admin request from me. Can you please amend your profile details so that they list your full name, rather than just your first name? It's an important rule for transparency. Thanks in advance and happy posting. Zack

One British officer in the Peninsula, Colonel FP Robinson, was born an American and had served in a Loyalist unit having been a soldier since 1777. His service began as a fourteen-year-old ensign in an American Loyalist regiment.

He made an interesting observation of campaigning in the Peninsula in 1812-1813:

'...be assured we injure the people much more than [the French] do...The French demand heavy contributions which fall on the wealthier classes only, but they punish plundering in the most severe manner except when it is intended as punishment for fruitless resistance-wherever we move Devastation marks our steps-The Portuguese are an army of Thieves, the Spaniards have no feeling for their countrymen and our soldiers would be worse than either were it not for the severe Discipline.'

See Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research, XXXIV, number 140, 165, the article in the publication is entitled 'A Peninsular Brigadier' by CT Atkinson. The publication date is December 1956.