Major General Samuel Birch (21 February 1735 – 1811) was an officer in the British army during the American Revolution that served as the commandant of New York City.

[7] Under the command of John Hale, Birch served as Captain in the newly formed 17th Regiment of (Light) Dragoons in 1759.

[12] On 27 October 1775, Birch and his regiment famously rode their horses to disrupt the gatherings of patriots in Boston’s Old South Meeting House.

[16] In June 1776, Birch was given command of the regiment and arrived at Staten Island, attached to the Highland Brigade under Brigadier-General Sir William Erskine.

[18][19][12] General Guy Carleton appointed Birch to determine which Blacks had earned their freedom as Loyalist soldiers.

These meetings became known as "The Birch Trials" and they happened at Fraunces Tavern, NYC every Wednesday from April to November of 1783.

(General Thomas Musgrave would sign his name to more than 340 additional emancipation certificates before the last Black Loyalist had set sail for Nova Scotia on November 30, 1783.

[33] He lived the last fifteen years of his life in Ludgate Hill, London, but the location of his gravestone is unknown.