This word (see N.E.D.) is apparently of American origin. Prof. E. A. Freeman remarks that, in the contemporary records of the War of Independence, the word English is never contrasted with American, nor is it applied to the royal army. The word used is British. [‘Impressions of the U.S.,’ 1883, pp. 27–9.] And when the general committee of the city and county of New York addressed a letter (1775) to the Lord Mayor of London, they said: “That while the whole continent are ardently wishing for peace on such terms as can be acceded to by Englishmen, they are indefatigable in preparing for the last appeal.”—[W. Gordon, ‘History of the American Revolution,’ ii. 5, Lond., 1788.] The term “Briton” seems to have been somewhat offensively applied to Englishmen in Connecticut.—[Samuel Peters, ‘History of Connecticut,’ pp. 307–11.]
1842. The British on Lake Ontario are supposed to own near twenty steamboats to our five.—Mr. Woodbury of New Hampshire in the Senate, April 14: Congressional Globe, p. 309, Appendix.
1843. Is that the way the Britishers larnt ye to treat a gal, blast your infarnal pictur!—Yale Lit. Mag., ix. 79 (Dec.).
