Welcome to General Chat - GAW Community Area
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from AI:
A massive number of people with Irish, Scots-Irish, Scottish, and Welsh roots fought for the American Revolution, forming a huge chunk of the Continental Army, with some sources claiming the Irish/Scots-Irish made up two-fifths (40%) of the army by Valley Forge, and with significant Welsh (like 14 generals/officers) and Scottish figures, contributing heavily to the fight for independence from diverse British Isles backgrounds, especially in Pennsylvania and the backcountry.
Key Figures & Demographics
Irish & Scots-Irish:
A huge influx of Scots-Irish (Presbyterians from Ulster, Ireland) and Irish immigrants arrived before the war, making up a significant portion of the population and army recruits, especially in Pennsylvania.
By 1776, about a quarter of the colonial population was Scots or Scots-Irish, notes this Royal Examiner article.
One historian estimated Irish soldiers comprised two-fifths of the Continental Army by 1778.
Welsh:
Many notable figures were of Welsh descent, including signatories of the Declaration of Independence and generals, showing significant Welsh participation.
Scottish:
Scots fought on both sides, but many, including descendants of earlier Scottish prisoners, were Patriots, notes this Scots' Charitable Society article and this American Battlefield Trust article.
Overall Impact
These groups, particularly the Scots-Irish, were crucial to the Patriot cause, with immigrants comprising a large share of the recruits in key areas like Pennsylvania. Their numbers and dedication were essential to the eventual American victory, even if precise totals are elusive.
This is just Celtic (non-Anglo) people from the other countries of the British Isles besides England. It doesn’t count non-Anglo people from England, such as Celts from Cornwall, Normans who descended from Nordics and mixed with the French before moving to England, and the English descendants of the Huguenots who fled France because of persecution for being Protestant.