First Battalion: Second Battalion: The 84th Regiment of Foot (Royal Highland Emigrants) was a British regiment in the American Revolutionary War that was raised to defend present-day Ontario, Quebec, and Atlantic Canada from the constant land and sea attacks by American Revolutionaries.

When Maclean arrived in New York not long after the war broke out, he was warned not to disembark in his uniform for fear of attack.

[11] The dangers of recruiting American Loyalists became even clearer after the Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge, a patriot victory, in North Carolina.

Captain McLeod, who had survived the Battle of Bunker Hill, was killed leading the charge at Moore's Creek Bridge.

[14] Lt. Col. Donald MacDonald helped with the recruiting in North Carolina and fought in the Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge.

Montgomery and Benedict Arnold, who led an expedition through the wilderness of what is now Maine, combined forces and mounted attack on Quebec City.

At a crucial moment in the battle, Captain McDougal led 120 of the 84th and 60 Royal Navy sailors against a force of New Hampshire troops commanded by Henry Dearborn.

[21] There was also a naval engagement with a French fleet at Sydney, Nova Scotia, near Spanish River, Cape Breton (1781).

As a result, in the summer of 1778, Major John Small moved the headquarters of the 84th Regiment from Halifax to Fort Edward (Nova Scotia) in Windsor.

[18] When Col. Allan Maclean landed in America, he discovered that Major General John Small, was already mobilizing American Loyalists from the 13 Colonies as well as present day Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada to create a Highland Regiment.

Five days later, on 17 June, before recruits could be found, Small and a number of other officers of the 84th Regiment were in the Battle of Bunker Hill.

In June 1779, for example, the 84th Regiment at Fort Edward had captured twelve American privateers, who had plundered many small vessels and neighbouring inhabitants on the Bay of Fundy.

[36] Captain Allan Macdonald had fought in the Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge in North Carolina, where he was captured.

[36] In 1750, at the age of 28, Flora married Captain Allan Macdonald of Kingsburgh, and in 1773 together they emigrated to Montgomery County (formerly Anson), North Carolina.

When her husband was released from prison, she travelled with him out of North Carolina to New York and then to Fort Edward in Windsor, Nova Scotia, in the fall of 1778.

[37] There is a plaque at Fort Edward which reads: "Flora MacDonald: A name that will be mentioned in history, and if courage and fidelity be virtures, mentioned with honour" - Samuel Johnson The preserve of Bonnie Prince Charlie spent the winter of 1779 here with her husband, Captain Allan Macdonald of the Royal Highland Emigrants, when returning to her old home in Skye.

[40] One of the crew in the Battle of Newcastle Jane was a young recruit Lachlan Macquarie, who eventually became known as "the Father of Australia.

In response, one of his friends, Captain MacDonald, wrote to Major John Small, "McKinnon was embarrassed by the praise of the General and requested it not be inserted in the record since he only did his duty.

"[44] On 2 October 1778, the 84th Regiment, under the command of Captain MacDonald, was involved in the defeat of an American privateer at Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia.

[44] Captain Campbell of the 84th Regiment, in December 1778, took seven men with him to retrieve an American privateer that was abandoned on Partridge Island.

[47] In November 1777, the 84th Regiment was involved in the raid of a fort at Castine, Maine, a privateering port at the mouth of the Penobscot River.

During the first three years of the conflict, the primary military encounters had been in the north, focused on campaigns around the cities of Boston, New York, and Philadelphia.

Earlier in the war, the 2/84th Regiment was involved in trying to take Charleston, South Carolina, in the Battle of Sullivan's Island.

[48] The 2/84th Regiment was involved in a skirmish at Wiboo Swamp, Savannah River, Clarendon County, South Carolina (1781).

General Gage specified that the new military unit would be "cloathed Armed and accoutred in like manner with His Majesty's Royal Highland Regiment", indicating that they would wear the Highland Scots military uniform, unlike the more conventional uniforms worn by other Provincial units.

Upon their incorporation into the Regular Establishment, their uniform was standardized to the short Highland- style coat with dark blue facings and white turnbacks.

Each man was also issued a bonnet, multiple shirts and a white wool waistcoat with regimentally marked buttons.

(In addition, each man was issued two pairs of gaitered trousers, one of linen for the summer and one of blue wool for the winter.

Members stationed in Canada were issued a wool waistcoat, a blanket coat, overshoes, a watch cape, mittens, ice creepers, and snow shoes.

[61] After the American Revolution, the soldiers of the 2nd Battalion, 84th Regiment became part of the migration of the United Empire Loyalists to Nova Scotia.