DANISH, DUTCH, GERMAN, RUSSIAN, SWEDISH, SWISS COMMANDERS IN NORTH AMERICA

Introduction

Many nations had senior people in North America authorised to make governmental decisions.[1] The following gives some insight as to the number of states interested in North America for a true variety of motives. Although the Danish may not appear to belong on this list, the British and French were well aware of their Caribbean presence and the resulting impact on colonial developments.

Britain attacked Danish-held islands on at least tthree occasions and the British finally siezed the Danish West Indies in 1801. The Dutch, Swedes, and Russians must have been a distraction as well; and the Germans and Swiss were active participants in wars. The Dutch also fell out with their colonial Swedish neighbours and siezed New Sweden. The Dutch triumph did not last and England (as Charles II had decided to annex the colony of New Netherlands) sent four English frigates and siezed the entire colony of New Netherlands. Actually the English decision had been pushed by the English colonists encroachment of Dutch lands and the commercial Dutch East India Company's reluctance to take costly action. The Germans were detailed by JG Rosengarten.[2]

The Dutch, Danish, Russians, and Swedish names are shown chronologically, and the Germans alphabetically by rank. The Swiss are shown by unit and rank.

ENDNOTES

1               See Index of Colonies and Possessions, at http://www.worldstatesmen.org/ for the Danes, Dutch and Russians, see also List of Governors of the Danish West Indies, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Governors_of_the_Danish_West_Indies. I have also used John K. Robertson and Don Hagist, Biographies of Crown Forces Generals Commanding Troop Units at, http://www.revwar75.com/crown/bio.htm.

2               See JG Rosengarten, The German Allied Troops in the North American War of Independance, 1776-1783, pp. 283-285, and Index of Colonies and Possessions, at http://www.worldstatesmen.org/COLONIES.html.