American War of Independence
By the summer of 1775, he was returned to active service, and Colonel Grant was ordered to America. He arrived in Boston on July 30. In the aftermath of the Battle of Bunker Hill, he urged General Gage to move the troops to New York City, to have room to manoeuvre. His advice was ignored at the time, and he remained as a supernumerary until December, when he was made colonel and commander of the 55th Regiment of Foot. He would hold that command until 1791.
His prediction that Boston was an untenable position was proved correct the following spring, and, on March 17, 1776, he accompanied the general withdrawal to Halifax, Nova Scotia . By the summer of 1776, General William Howe had replaced Gage as commander, and took Grant's advice about New York. Grant was given the provisional rank of major-general, and played several key parts in Howe's movements. Fortunately for the Americans, Howe refused advice from Grant, who proposed burning Boston, Marblehead, New York, and Philadelphia.
Read more about this topic: James Grant (British Army Officer)
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