America, the war of 1739–48 and the development of British global power

Abstract

Britain's global power rested on her ability to move effective forces to different parts of the globe. Seapower was at the core of this, but it also required expeditionary armies to establish British power on land in a more permanent fashion. During the Seven Years War (1756-63) Britain proved that she possessed this global power and that it was an extremely effective diplomatic weapon. The factors that contributed to this global capability were many and developed during the decades prior to 1756. One of those factors was the mobilisation of American manpower. This paper examines the contribution of the American Regiment raised in 1740 to serve with British expeditionary forces in the West Indies. Although the operation was a disaster, the experience of raising the troops and employing them was an important step in clarifying the manner in which American manpower could best be tapped for war in the Americas.