on of their
original strength. The number of those who came to St. John in the
Fall fleet, has been commonly stated as about three thousand souls.
The returns of the Commissary general's office in New York show that
up to October 12th as many as 3,396 persons connected with the
Loyalist regiments had sailed to the River St. John, viz., 1823
men, 563 women, 696 children and 311 servants. The following summer
an enumeration was made by Thomas Knox of the disbanded troops settled
on the St. John river. His return for the Loyalist regiments gives
a total of 3,520 persons, viz., 1877 men, 585 women, 865 children
and 193 servants. This does not differ very materially from the
other return at New York, the difference being accounted for by the
fact that a few of the men of these regiments left New York very
late in the season, and consequently were not included in the return
of 12th October.

The official correspondence of Sir Guy Carleton contains a pretty full
account of the circumstances that attended the departure of the
Loyalist regiments and their subsequent arrival at St. John. During
the summer months they had been encamped near Newtown, Long Island, a
short distance from Brooklyn Ferry. They embarked on the 3d of
September, and Sir Guy Carleton wrote to General Fox, the commander in
chief in Nova Scotia, that he hoped they would sail on the 7th of that
month; but, as usual, unforseen delays prevented their departure until
some days later. The command of the troops devolved on Lieut. Col.
Richard Hewlett, of the 3d battalion of De Lancey's Brigade; Lieut.
Col. Gabriel De Veber, of the Prince of Wales American Regiment, was
second in command. Most of the senior officers were at this time in
England, where they had gone to present to the British government
their claims for compensation for losses consequent upon the war, and
to press their claims for half-pay upon the disbanding of their
regiments.

Sir Guy Carleton's instructions to Lieut. Col. Hewlett are contained
in the following letter.

"New York, Sep. 12, 1783.

"Sir.--You are to take the command of the British American Troops
mentioned in the margin,[143] which are to proceed to the River
St. John's in the Bay of Fundy in Nova Scotia. On your arrival
there you will see that the stores intended for them are duly
delivered, and you will take such steps as shall be necessary for
the several corps proceeding immediately to the places alloted for