I have an ancestor who found in the War for Independence. Unfortunately he was a loyalist. He was a well-to-do merchant who apparently feared the financial consequences of independence, and so he became an officer in Tarleton’s Legion. That’s the outfit that served as the basis for the one commanded by the villain in Mel Gibson’s The Patriot. So that white-wigged flunkie obsequiously bowing and scraping to the villain - yeah, that’s basically my ancestor. I coined the phrase “Darth Vader moments in genealogical research” after this particular find...
Heh... it’ll happen. No matter what, it’s better to have an ancestor than to, uh, not have one. :^)
I have at least 3 on my mom’s side who served in the Maryland militia. My mom’s family came over in the early 1700s. They were latecomers compared to my dad’s side which came over in 1649. I have at least one that I know of who served in the North Carolina militia and fought in the battle of Guilford’s Courthouse. I have a written account from him someone wrote down in 1830 when he was an old man. I’m sure there are more on my dad’s side but the record is a little hazy prior to my 4X Great Grandfather who was born in 1776 in Virginia.
So far have found no loyalist (Tory) ancestor and have found several patriot ancestors who fought the British.
However, being a many generation American mutt, have found ancestors who fought on both sides of every war and conflict in North America since the French and Indian War.