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Banastre Tarleton was the son of a rich Liverpool merchant who later became mayor of the city. His first regiment was the King's Dragoon Guards but he was only in the regiment for a few months before applying to go to America. Whilst in America he joined the 16th Light Dragoons. During a patrol he captured the American General Charles Lee at Basking Ridge.
But the high point of his life was the three year period he spent in the British Legion. This was a special fighting force raised in America in July 1778 using mostly men of the Caledonian Volunteers. It was called a legion because it was a self contained army with infantry and cavalry, the latter commanded by Tarleton. The cavalry actually acted separately from the infantry and many successful actions were fought, including Catawba River where General Sumpter's troops were annihilated. He suffered defeat at Cowpens and at Guildford Court House he was badly injured, losing two fingers. The British Legion, like the rest of the British army, were forced to surrender, at Gloucester, just over the river from Yorktown. They numbered 21 officers and 209 men when they gave themselves up. The portrait, by Sir Joshua Reynolds, is of Lieutenant-Colonel Tarleton, aged 28, in the uniform of the British Legion. The jacket is green with black collar and cuffs and edged with gold braid. He wears the famous 'Tarleton' light dragoon helmet which was adopted by the British light cavalry following his inspirational exploits in North America.
1754 born in Liverpool |
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