Webster, James c1743-1781

British officer. son of an eminent Edinburgh minister, Dr. Alexander Webster (Appleton's), he became a Lt. in the 33d Foot on May '60, was promoted to Capt. in 1763, to Maj. in 1771, and to Lt. Col. on 9 Apr. '74. The 33d Foot ("West Riding") was the regiment whose Col. since Mar. '66 had been Cornwallis. The latter was promoted to Maj. Gen. in 1775 and Webster commanded the regiment (as Lt. Col.) when Cornwallis sailed for America in Feb. '76. Therefore the 33d was one of the regiments under CORNWALLIS in N.Y and N.J. campaigns. In the Philadelphia Campaign the 33d was in Grey's Brig. of Cornwallis' command. In the battle of MONMOUTH, 28 June '78, it was Webster who came onto the field in the final stage of the action to make it possible for Clinton to extricate the light infantry. Clinton describes this as follows:

"... as I was looking about me in search of other troops to call to their support...I perceived the Thirty-third Regiment, with that gallant officer, Colonel Webster, at their head, unexpectedly clearing the wood and marching in column toward the enemy. The First Grenadiers, on this, advanced also on their side; and, both pushing together up to the enemy in order to stop the cannonade from a farm on the hill, their [the American] troops did not wait the shock, but instantly quitted and retired again over the bridge. The First Grenadiers and Thirty-third then put themselves as much under cover as possible (by shouldering the hill on their left) until the light corps, whose usual gallantry and impetuosity had engaged them too forward, were returned. And the whole afterward fell back..." (Amer.Reb.,95)

Within a year after this last major battle in the North, Webster was serving as a Brigadier (Baurmeister, Journals, 279). When Clinton withdrew forces from the Hudson Highlands and R.I. for Gov. Tryon's Conn. Coast Raid (July '79) he left the 33d Foot, Robinson's Loyal American Regt., and half of Ferguson's Corps to hold Ft. Lafayette at Verplancks Point; this detachment was commanded by Webster (ibid., 289-91), "who was an officer of great experience and on whom I reposed the most implicit confidence," wrote Clinton. (Op.cit.,131)

Sailing south on 26 Dec. '79 with Clinton's Charleston Expedition, Webster commanded a task force of 1,400 men that operated against Lincoln's line of communications from Charleston. (Under CHARLESTON EXPEDITION...in 1780 see section headed "Operations Against...L. of C.) Commanding a brigade composed of his own regiment, three light infantry companies, and the 23d Fusiliers, he distinguished himself at CAMDEN, where he was slightly wounded. In the unsuccessful pursuit of Greene to the Dan River, Webster commanded the force that conducted the demonstration against Beattie's Ford when Cornwallis made his main crossing of the Catawba at Cowan's Ford, 1 Feb. '81. (See SOUTHERN CAMPAIGNS of Greene) He defied American MARKSMANSHIP to lead his brigade forward at WETZELL'S MILLS, N.C., 6 Mar. '81.

At GUILFORD, 15 Mar. '81 Webster particularly distinguished himself from the opening movement of the battle to the end. Mortally wounded in this action, he died a fortnight later. Of this outstanding officer, Tarleton wrote that he "united all the virtues of civil life to the gallantry and professional knowledge of a soldier." (History, 289, quoted in Ward, W.O.RR.,796). In summing up British performance in the Revolution, Fortescue mentions O'Hara and Webster as Cornwallis' two outstanding brigadiers (British Army, III, 404).

- from Cassell's Biographal Dictionary of the American War of Independence 1763-1783 (pg 1179-9) by Mark M Boatner.

References are also to be found in "A History of the British Army" by Sir John W Fortescue, Volume 3 1763-93.