# Associators
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{{More citations needed|date=November 2008}}
{{Infobox military unit
| unit_name = Associators
| image = Paxton Boys march on Philadelphia.jpg
| caption = 1764 illustration of the Pennsylvania Associators assembling in [Philadelphia](/source/Philadelphia) after news of the [Paxton Boys](/source/Paxton_Boys) marching on the city
| country = {{flagicon image|Flag of Great Britain (1707–1800).svg}} [British America](/source/British_America)
{{Flag|United States}}
| allegiance = {{flagcountry|Kingdom of Great Britain}}
{{Flag|United States}}
| type = [Infantry](/source/Infantry), [dragoons](/source/dragoons) (mounted infantry), artillery
| branch = Colonial militia, [independent volunteers](/source/military_volunteer), military association, [refugees](/source/refugees), [partisans](/source/partisan_(military)), ([auxiliary troops](/source/auxiliaries))
| dates = 1689-1784
| specialization =
| command_structure =
| size = Company-regiment
| garrison =
| ceremonial_chief =
| nickname =
| motto =
| colors =
| march =
| mascot =
| battles = [Maryland Protestant Rebellion](/source/Protestant_Revolution_(Maryland)) (1689)
[King George's War](/source/King_George's_War) (1744-1748)
[French and Indian War](/source/French_and_Indian_War) (1754-1763)
[American Revolutionary War](/source/American_Revolutionary_War) (1775-1783)
| notable_commanders = * [Maryland Colonial Governor](/source/List_of_colonial_governors_of_Maryland) [Nehemiah Blakiston](/source/Nehemiah_Blakiston)
* Colonel [Stephen Blucke](/source/Stephen_Blucke)
* Captain [Joseph Brant](/source/Joseph_Brant)
* [Colonel Tye](/source/Colonel_Tye)
* [Maryland Colonial Governor](/source/List_of_colonial_governors_of_Maryland) [John Coode](/source/John_Coode_(Governor_of_Maryland))
* Brigadier General [Oliver De Lancey](/source/Oliver_De_Lancey_(American_loyalist))
* [Benjamin Franklin](/source/Benjamin_Franklin)
* Brigadier General [Cortlandt Skinner](/source/Cortlandt_Skinner)
| anniversaries =
}}
[[File:Feke - Benjamin Franklin.png|thumb|right|200px|[Benjamin Franklin](/source/Benjamin_Franklin), in 1747, during [King George's War](/source/King_George's_War), wrote and published the pamphlet, ''Plain Truth'', calling for a voluntary association to defend [Philadelphia](/source/Philadelphia).]]
[[Image:Joseph Brant painting by George Romney 1776 (2).jpg|thumb|right|200px|[Joseph Brant](/source/Joseph_Brant), a [Native American](/source/Native_Americans_in_the_United_States) led [Brant's Volunteers](/source/Brant's_Volunteers) an irregular British Loyalist associators unit, of mixed [Mohawk](/source/Mohawk_people) Indians and white soldiers raised during the [American Revolutionary War](/source/American_Revolutionary_War) who fought on the British side in the [Province of New York](/source/Province_of_New_York).]]
[[Image:2nd Batallion Associators Pennsylvania National Guard U.S. Army Patch Insignia.jpg|thumb|right|275px|2nd Battalion, "Associators", [Pennsylvania National Guard](/source/Pennsylvania_National_Guard), [U.S. Army 111th Infantry Regiment](/source/111th_Infantry_Regiment_(United_States)) insignia patch]]
'''Associators''' were members of 17th- and 18th-century [volunteer](/source/voluntary_association) [military associations](/source/Militia_(United_States)) in the [British American thirteen colonies](/source/Thirteen_Colonies) and [British Colony of Canada](/source/British_Canada). These were more commonly known as Maryland Protestant, Pennsylvania, and American Patriot and British Loyalist colonial [militia](/source/militia)s. But unlike militias, the associator [military volunteers](/source/volunteer_military) were exempt from regular mandatory military service. Other names used to describe associators were "'''[Associations](/source/voluntary_associations)'''", "'''Associated'''", "'''[Refugees](/source/Refugees)'''", "'''Volunteers'''", and "'''[Partisans](/source/partisan_(military))'''".
The term "Non-Associators" was applied to American colonists who refused to support and sign "military association" [charter](/source/charter)s. They were not affiliated with associators, or would choose instead, to pay a fine and suffer possible retaliation. During the [American Revolutionary War](/source/American_Revolutionary_War), some associator units were said to operate more like, or were in fact loose-knit criminal gangs, taking advantage of the disruption of warfare.
The present-day [U.S. Army 111th Infantry Regiment](/source/111th_Infantry_Regiment_(United_States)) [Pennsylvania Army National Guard](/source/Pennsylvania_Army_National_Guard)'s 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, [28th Infantry Division](/source/28th_Infantry_Division_(United_States)) is nicknamed the "Associators", helping to preserve the volunteer associators' ancestral legacy in Pennsylvania.
==Maryland Protestant Associators==
{{Main|Protestant Revolution (Maryland)|John Coode (Governor of Maryland){{!}}John Coode|Nehemiah Blakiston}}
==Philadelphia and Pennsylvania Associators==
During [King George's War](/source/King_George's_War), [Benjamin Franklin](/source/Benjamin_Franklin), in 1747, wrote and published the pamphlet, "Plain Truth", calling for a [voluntary association](/source/voluntary_association) to defend [Philadelphia](/source/Philadelphia). This was in line with his earlier formation of volunteer fire-companies. This organization was formed and approved by the council and the officers would be commissioned by the Council President.[Newland, Samuel J. ''The Pennsylvania Militia: Defending the Commonwealth and the nation, 1669-1870'', Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Dept. of Military and Veterans Affairs (2002), pp. 36-45] In 1755 these groups were re-established in response to [Braddock](/source/Edward_Braddock)'s defeat.[{{cite book|title=The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, Volume 26|year=1902|access-date=February 27, 2010|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4sRR_FAZ2_gC&pg=PA358}}] The [103rd Engineer Battalion (United States)](/source/103rd_Engineer_Battalion_(United_States)) and the [U.S. Army 111th Infantry Regiment](/source/111th_Infantry_Regiment_(United_States)) [Pennsylvania Army National Guard](/source/Pennsylvania_Army_National_Guard)'s 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, [28th Infantry Division](/source/28th_Infantry_Division_(United_States)), nicknamed the "Associators", traces their lineages to these Pennsylvania Associators.
==Associators in American Revolutionary War==
===American Patriot Associators===
{{Main article|List of United States militia units in the American Revolutionary War}}
====Province of Pennsylvania====
In 1776, the [Province of Pennsylvania](/source/Province_of_Pennsylvania)'s Patriot, volunteer, military groups, in the tradition of earlier, colonial, associator militias, used the name the [Pennsylvania Associators](/source/111th_Infantry_Regiment_(United_States)). The following year, in 1777, it was renamed the [Pennsylvania State Militia](/source/Pennsylvania_National_Guard).
* Hanover Associators (1774)
* Bucks County Associators (1775-1776)
* Lancaster County Associators (1775)
* Northumberland County Associators (1776)
* Artillery Battalion, Pennsylvania Militia (Philadelphia) (1747)
* 4th Battalion of Philadelphia County Militia (1776)
* Philadelphia Brigade of Militia (1747)
* 2nd Battalion, Philadelphia Associators
* 3rd Battalion, Philadelphia Associators
===British Loyalist Associators===
{{Main article|List of British units in the American Revolutionary War}}
Many Loyalist [irregulars](/source/irregular_military) who fought with the British in the [American Revolutionary War](/source/American_Revolutionary_War) were "associators". These units were sometimes commissioned by the commander in chief but could also be commissioned by the commander of a [garrison](/source/garrison) or a royal colonial governor. They received no pay, and often no uniforms; they were usually issued provisions, but relied on labor or [looting](/source/looting) to earn money. Loyalist Associators often served in mixed-race units, composed of whites, escaped slaves, and even American Indians.
Perhaps one of the most famous Loyalist associators was [Colonel Tye](/source/Colonel_Tye), a former slave and leader of the infamous "Black Brigade". He was the first known black officer in North American military history.
====Province of Georgia====
* Augusta Associators ([Augusta](/source/Augusta%2C_Georgia)) (1781)
====Province of Massachusetts====
* Loyal American Association ([Boston](/source/Boston)) (1775-1776)
* Loyal Associated Refugees (1779)
* Loyal Irish Volunteers ([Boston](/source/Boston)) (1775-1776)
* Pepperell's Corps ([Boston](/source/Boston)) (1779-?)
* Royal North British Volunteers ([Boston](/source/Boston)) (1775-1776)
====Province of Maryland====
* Maryland Royal Retaliators (raised in [Philadelphia](/source/Philadelphia)) (1780-1781)
====Province of New Jersey====
* [Associated Loyalists](/source/William_Franklin), also known as Governor Franklin's Associated Loyalists (1780–1782)
* Black Brigade[[https://books.google.com/books?id=arI0HSFXwLkC&pg=PA420 Jonathan D. Sutherland, ''African Americans at War'', ABC-CLIO, 2003, pp. 420–421, accessed May 4, 2010]][''Black Loyalists: Our History, Our People''. Canada's Digital Collection. Archived from the original on September 28, 2007.] ([Black Loyalists](/source/Black_Loyalists)) led by Colonel Tye and later, Colonel [Stephen Blucke](/source/Stephen_Blucke)) ([Monmouth County](/source/Monmouth_County%2C_New_Jersey)) (1779-1783)
* King’s Militia Volunteers[{{cite web|url=http://www.royalprovincial.com/military/rlist/rlist.htm|title=Loyalist Institute: List of Loyalist Regiments|website=www.royalprovincial.com|access-date=April 1, 2019}}][{{cite web|url=http://www.royalprovincial.com/military/rhist/kmilvol/kmvnot1.htm|title=Loyalist Institute: King's Militia Volunteers, Jail Break Notice|website=www.royalprovincial.com|access-date=April 1, 2019}}][{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kXDyC76jyisC&dq=King%E2%80%99s+Militia+Volunteers&pg=PA139|title=Roster of the People of Revolutionary Monmouth County (New Jersey)|isbn=9780806346779|access-date=April 1, 2019|last1=Adelberg|first1=Michael S.|year=1997|publisher=Genealogical Publishing Com }}] ([Monmouth County](/source/Monmouth_County%2C_New_Jersey)) (1779–1780)
* [Pine Robbers](/source/Pine_Robbers) (outlaw gangs) ([New Jersey Pine Barrens](/source/Pine_Barrens_(New_Jersey))) (1776–1783)
* [Refugees](/source/John_Bacon_(Loyalist)) (unit of New Jersey Royal Governor [William Franklin](/source/William_Franklin)'s Associated Loyalists and [Pine Robbers](/source/Pine_Robbers) gang) ([New Jersey Pine Barrens](/source/Pine_Barrens_(New_Jersey))), ([Ocean County](/source/Ocean_County%2C_New_Jersey)) (1780–1782)
====Province of New York====
* [Associated Refugees](/source/King's_American_Regiment), also known as the [King's American Regiment](/source/King's_American_Regiment)) ([Long Island](/source/Long_Island)) (1776-1783)
* [Brant's Volunteers](/source/Brant's_Volunteers) ([New York](/source/Province_of_New_York)) (1777-1779)
* [De Lancey's Refugees](/source/De_Lancey's_Brigade) (also known as "Cowboys" and part of [De Lancey's Brigade](/source/De_Lancey's_Brigade)) ([Long Island](/source/Long_Island)) (1776-1783)
* Hatfield's Company of Partisans[{{cite web|url=http://www.royalprovincial.com/military/rhist/hazard/hclist.htm|title=Loyalist Institute: Index to Hazard's Corps of Refugees History|website=www.royalprovincial.com|access-date=April 1, 2019}}][[https://books.google.com/books?id=24stDwAAQBAJ&q=Hazard%27s+Corps+of+Refugees David M. Griffin, ''Lost British Forts of Long Island''. Mount Pleasant, SC: Arcadia Publishing, 2017. p. 93.]] ([Long Island](/source/Long_Island)) (1780–1782)
* Loyal Refugee Volunteers[{{cite web|url=http://www.royalprovincial.com/military/rhist/lrv/lrvlist.htm|title=Loyalist Institute: Index to Loyal Refugee Volunteers History|website=www.royalprovincial.com|access-date=April 1, 2019}}][Todd Braisted, ''Thomas Ward and the Loyal Refugee Volunteers at Bergen Neck, 1779-1782''. 1999.][[https://books.google.com/books?id=PA8AQAAMAAJ&dq=Loyal+Refugee+Volunteers Alexander Fraser, ''United Empire Loyalists: Enquiry Into the Losses and Services in Consequence of Their Loyalty. Evidence in the Canadian Claims, Ontario. Department of Public Records and Archives''. Ottawa, ON: L.K. Cameron, 1905. p. 654–655.]][James J. Gigantino, ''The American Revolution in New Jersey: Where the Battlefront Meets the Home Front Rivergate Regionals Collection''. Rutgers, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 2015. p. 73, 81, 83, 202, 206.] ([Albany](/source/Albany%2C_New_York)) (1779–1782)
====Province of Pennsylvania====
* [Doan Gang](/source/Doan_Outlaws) (outlaws) ([Bucks County](/source/Bucks_County%2C_Pennsylvania)) (1774–1783)
====Province of Rhode Island====
* Loyal Newport Associators[{{cite web|url=http://www.royalprovincial.com/military/rhist/lnassoc/lnalist.htm|title=Loyalist Institute: Index to Loyal Newport Associators History|website=www.royalprovincial.com|access-date=April 1, 2019}}][[https://books.google.com/books?id=HmUFAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA286 Abiel Holmes, ''The annals of America: from the discovery by Columbus in the year 1492, to the year 1826, Volume 1''. Cambridge, UK: Hilliard and Brown, 1829 p. 286.]][[https://archive.org/details/amloyalists00sabirich Lorenzo Sabine, ''The American Loyalists; or, Biographical sketches of adherents to the British crown in the war of the revolution; alphabetically arranged; with a preliminary historical essay''. Boston: C.C. Little and J. Brown, 1847. pp. 63, 269.]][[https://books.google.com/books?id=fl0EAAAAYAAJ&dq=thomas+vernon+loyal+newport+associators&pg=PA749 Samuel Greene Arnold, ''1701-1790 Volume 2 of History of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations''. Providence, RI: Preston & Rounds, 1899. p 749.]][[https://archive.org/details/descendantsoftho03reed William Field Reed, ''The Descendants of Thomas Durfee of Portsmouth, R.I.'', Volume 1. Washington D.C.: Gibson Bros., Printers, 1900 p. 207-208.]][[https://archive.org/details/biographicalske00sabigoog Lorenzo Sabine, ''Biographical Sketches of Loyalists of the American Revolution'', Volume 3. Carlisle, MA: Applewood Books, 2009. p. 581.]][[https://books.google.com/books?id=KRRSfy7eVoIC Theodore Savas and J. David Dameron, ''Guide to the Battles of the American Revolution''. Savas Beatie LLC, 2006. p. xliii.]][[https://books.google.com/books?id=Mo4wDQAAQBAJ&dq=loyalists+in+newport&pg=PT321 Thomas N. Ingersoll, ''The Loyalist Problem in Revolutionary New England''. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2016.]][[https://books.google.com/books?id=uR13CQAAQBAJ&dq=loyalists+in+newport&pg=PT37 Christian M. McBurney, ''Spies in Revolutionary Rhode Island''. Mount Pleasant, SC: Arcadia Publishing, 2014.]][[https://archive.org/details/diaryofthomasver00vern Thomas Vernon, ''he diary of Thomas Vernon, a loyalist, banished from Newport by the Rhode Island general assembly in 1776''. Providence, R.I.: S. S. Rider, 1881.]] (also known as the Loyal Newport Volunteers) ([Newport](/source/Newport%2C_Rhode_Island)) (1777–1779)
====Other Loyalist Associators====
* Robins Company of Partisans