Philip Long of Germany: Pensacola to Savannah

From Pensacola to Savannah

In the search for the origins of my ancestor, Philip Long, I have formulated an hypothesis: he could be a Hessian soldier from Germany, a mercenary hired by England to fight a Rebellion in the USA in 1775. In 2015, the documentation that I had on hand led me to pursue this hypothesis. With time and more search, this hypothesis could find itself in my rear-view mirror.

Many indicators led me to believe that my ancestor who registered in the King's American Regiment (KAR) in the autumn of 1781 in Savannah Georgia could be the same soldier who deserted from the West Florida Royal Foresters (WFRF) in May of the same year in Pensacola.

Wilbur H. Siebert published a book in 1902 about this desertion in May 1781 and the events that followed. It seems that my assumption is realistic. It doesn't mean that Philip Long was of German ancestry, but it means that Philip Long from Pensacola Florida is probably the same as Philip Long in Savannah Georgia, the later one being my ancestor.

In the autumn of 1778, soldiers and civilians were sent from New York to various Southern areas, an event known as The Big Runaway. Todd Braisted wrote that 10 000 individuals were part of this Runaway. From this number, around 1 200 were sent to Pensacola FL: figures vary from 1 200 to 3 500. Since the North had already been lost to the Patriots, Britain wanted to save and reinforce the South. It turned out that they rather had to save the ones sent in 1781....

It seems unrealistic to think that Philip Long of the WFRF was living in Pensacola before 1778. According to General Campbell, in charge of the regiments arriving from New York, it was « the worst place in the world ». It sure was isolated and inhospitable.

The WFRF was raised in Florida in 1779 with a handful of members of the Loyal Refugees. Almost two years after (April 1st, 1781), that number had increased to only 43. Half of them deserted on May 9th, 1781, including Philip Long.

Why do I think that Philip Long from the WFRF could be Philipp Lange who deserted in August of 1778 from his Waldeck regiment? First, Don Hagist have demonstrated that hundreds of Hessians were part of the regular British regiments. Second, if Hessian deserters were not allowed to come back to their original regiment, they conceivably could register in a Loyalist militia. Third, the Waldeck regiment was sent to Florida in 1778. Philipp Lange had also a brother (Henrich) who was part of this Hessian regiment.

Siebert explained that many were captured while hiding in the swamps, but many managed to escape. Those who were successful at escaping the Spanish army took two different routes, but they all arrived months later in Savannah Georgia.

My ancestor Philip Long was in Savannah Georgia in the autumn of 1781 and had registered in a new cavalry regiment called the KAR. The WFRF was also known as a regiment of cavalry.