George Turnbull (soldier)

George Turnbull (1728 - 16 February 1809) was a Scottish American soldier and settler in New York City.

For other people with the same name, see George Turnbull.

George Turnbull
Born1728 (1728)
Scotland
Died(1810-02-16)February 16, 1810
New York City
RankLieutenant Colonel

He served as a soldier for about 60 years, initially for about 10 years in Colonel Majoribanks' Regiment of Scots, but then in North America.

Early life

George Turnbull was born in 1728 at Blackadder Mains in the county of Berwickshire in Scotland close to the Scottish/English border.

In 1728, his father Hector Turnbull and Hector's son William had taken a lease from Sir John Home for Blackadder Mains: rent of 1200 marks Scottish money, carriage of 36 loads of coals or 5 Scots shillings each load, 18 capons or 8 shillings each capon, and 18 hens or 6 shillings each hen.[1]

"Colonel George Turnbull and sergeant play a strathspey, 1770, New York" by James Waylen, 26x32inches, 1884. The text below includes the Colonel with a favorite sergeant, the solatium [compensation] of a strathspey after a weary day's work. The prostration of the regimental dog indicates the severity of the march, while the approach of the whisky induces the sergeant to beat time with encreased [stet] emphasis.[2][3]

Military career

Turnbull was commissioned as a lieutenant in the British army in February 1756 and rose to captain of the 60th Regiment of Foot in November 1765. He sold his commission and left the army between 1774 and 1776 to settle in New York.

He raised and commanded the New York Volunteers in January 1776; this regiment was renumbered in May 1779 as the 3rd American Regiment.[4]

As a captain in the Loyal American Regiment, Turnbull took part in the capture of Fort Montgomery in October 1777, and was commissioned a lieutenant colonel a few days later. He remained in command of the New York Volunteers until the end of the war. General Henry Clinton’s after-orders at 9pm on 23 August directed the New York Volunteers and the British 15th and 46th Regiments to march to New Utrecht on the morning of 24 August, but new orders at 3pm on that date directed the two British regiments to return again to their former Encampments as soon as convenient.[5]

Turnbull was based at Rocky Mount, South Carolina and commanded at the Battle of Rocky Mount, Lancaster County, South Carolina on August 1, 1780.[6][7]

Captain Christian Huck of Huck’s Defeat (July 12, 1780) served under Turnbull's command. In early July 1780 Turnbull ordered Christian Huck, to find the rebel Patriot Whig leaders and persuade other area residents to swear allegiance to the king.[8]

Death

Turnbull's will is dated 16 February 1809. He died in New York City in 1810.[9]

References
  1. George Turnbull (civil engineer) autobiography page 5, held in The British Library, London
  2. Page 387 of the George Turnbull (civil engineer) autobiography (DVD version) British Library, London. A gift to him by the artist.
  3. Ann Arbor's William L. Clements Library Occasional Bulletins January 2018 page 19.
  4. Gordon, John W. (2003). South Carolina and the American Revolution: A Battlefield History. Columbia SC: Univ of South Carolina Press. p. 90. ISBN 978-1-57003-480-0.
  5. "Founders Online: To George Washington from Brigadier General William Maxwell, 2 …".
  6. US Army Center of Military History - The Battle of Kings Mountain
  7. "The Battle of Rocky Mount". revolutionarywar101.com. Retrieved 12 March 2017.
  8. "South Carolina Society Sons of the American Revolution – South Carolina State Society of the Sons of the American Revolution rendered Honors at the 236th Anniversary of the Battle of Huck's Defeat". Archived from the original on 8 January 2018. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  9. George Turnbull (civil engineer) autobiography page 387, held in The British Library, London
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