Sir Banastre Tarleton, 1st Baronet was a British general and politician. He is best known as the lieutenant colonel leading the British Legion at the end of the American Revolutionary War. He later served in Portugal and held commands in Ireland and England.
Lieutenant-Colonel Banastre Tarleton by Sir Joshua Reynolds, in the uniform of the British Legion, wearing a "Tarleton helmet". National Gallery, London.
The Battle of Waxhaw Creek (29 May 1780), in Lancaster County, South Carolina
Tarleton's Movements historical marker in Adams Grove, Virginia
Portrait of Mary Robinson by Thomas Gainsborough, 1781
British Legion (American Revolutionary War)
The British Legion was an elite British provincial regiment established during the American Revolutionary War, composed of Loyalist American troops, organized as infantry and cavalry, plus a detachment from the 16th Light Dragoons. The unit was commonly known as Tarleton's Legion, after the British officer who led it on campaign, Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton. It was a unit the size of a regiment, consisting of artillery, cavalry, and light infantry, and able to operate independently.
Lieutenant-Colonel Banastre Tarleton in the uniform of the British Legion, 1782 painting by Sir Joshua Reynolds
