Nicola, Lewis

NICOLA, LEWIS. (1717?–1807). Continental officer. Ireland and Pennsylvania. Probably born in Ireland, perhaps in 1717, Nicola joined the British army as ensign in 1740, rising to the rank of major. He resigned his commission in 1766 to emigrate to America. Settling in Philadelphia, he established the American Magazine in 1769 and became active in the American Philosophical Society.

Early in 1776, Nicola became the barrack master of Philadelphia, and from December 1776 until February 1782 he was town major in command of the volunteer "home guards." In June 1777 Congress put him in command of the Invalid Regiment of Continental soldiers seriously wounded yet still capable of service, and among the useful duties he found for these incapacitated veterans was the instruction of recruits. Meanwhile he had been active as a recruiting officer, compiled and published A Treatise of Military Exercise (1776), and translated and published the Chevalier de Clairac's L'Ingénieur de Campagne: or Field Engineer (1776) and General De Grandmaison's A Treatise, on the Military Service, of Light Horse and Light Infantry (1777).

For about two years, starting in the summer of 1781, Nicola was with the main encampment of the army around Newburgh. In May 1782 he wrote to General George Washington, proposing that a monarchy be established with the commander-in-chief as king. Though others probably supported Nicola's proposal, Washington ignored it and it received no further attention. Congress did not know about Nicola's proposal that they be put out of business and innocently included Nicola among the twenty-six officers brevetted as brigadier generals in their resolution of 30 September 1783. He held various offices in Philadelphia until 1798, when he moved to Alexandria, Virginia., where he died on 9 August 1807.

SEE ALSO Invalid.

                           revised by Michael Bellesiles