A draft of the beginning of Simcoe's Journal, with pencil notes and remarks in a different hand. On p. 1, the autograph note: "Do, Hole, mark with a pencil opposite my Remarks; this is but a rough sketch." Also included are the following manuscript maps by Adam Allen (1757-1823) "Skirmish at Richmond. 5th January 1781" and George Spencer (1758-1834): "Singular position occupied by Lieutenant Colonel Simcoe with the Queen's Rangers and Legion at North Castle June 24th 1779" ; "The Landing at Burrell's April 17 1781" ; "Sketch of the Action at Osburns. April 27th 1781" ; and "Point of Fork 4th June 1781". Slightly different engraved versions of "The Landing at Burrell's," "Sketch of the Action at Osburns," and "Skirmish at Richmond" appear in the printed edition of the Journal (pp.112, 132, and 140). The "Singular position .. at North Castle" and "Point of Fork" were never engraved. Similar manuscript maps are inset in the Huntington copy of the Journal that was sent to Sir Henry Clinton for review (23648). On October 15, 1777, John Graves Simcoe was appointed to the command of the Queen's Rangers, an American loyalist regiment organized by Robert Rogers in 1776. Under Simcoe's command, the regiment fought in the Philadelphia Campaign, including the battles of Crooked Billet (1778, May 1) and Monmouth (1778, June 28). In October 1779, Simcoe was captured and exchanged in December. In the spring of 1780, the Rangers were sent to South Carolina to assist in the siege of Charleston, then raided Virginia with Benedict Arnold. In June 1781, the regiment joined Cornwallis's army, and surrendered at Yorktown. In 1783, the regiment left for Nova Scotia and was soon disbanded. Simcoe returned to England and, hoping to procure a promotion, wrote a history of the Queen's Rangers that he planned to present copies to the king, ministers, and members of parliament. A limited edition of his memoir titled The Journal of the Operations of Queen's Rangers from the end of the Year 1777 to the Conclusion of the Late American War was printed in Exeter in 1787. In 1790, Simcoe was elected to parliament and in 1791 became the first Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada. Simcoe, John Graves, Journal of the operations of the Queen's Rangers. HM 846. The Huntington Library, San Marino, CA. ; Maps for the Journal of the operations of the Queen's Rangers, HM 1746-1751. The Huntington Library, San Marino, CA.
Simcoe, John Graves, 1752-1806. Journal of the operations of the Queen's Rangers Simcoe, John Graves, 1752-1806--Archives Great Britain. Army--Officers--Archives Great Britain. Army. Queen's Rangers (1776-1783) American loyalists Manuscript maps--Early works to 1800 Great Britain--History--1760-1789--Personal narratives Great Britain--History, Military--18th century--Sources United States--History--Revolution, 1775-1783--Regimental histories United States--History--Revolution, 1775-1783--Personal narratives, British United States--History--Revolution, 1775-1783--Historiography Histories Great Britain 18th century. (aat) Manuscript maps United States Revolution, 1775-1783. (aat) Manuscript maps Great Britain 18th century. (aat) Memoirs Great Britain 18th century. (aat)
Source
Orderly Books of the American Revolution. Manuscripts, Huntington Digital Library
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