Should colonists be capitalized in an essay?

Example: The American colonists defeated the British at Yorktown.

The Word "colonists" is not capitalized, because it isn't a proper noun. So, quick fix is to modify it with the adjective "American" to differentiate between the colonists of the 1700s and say, the colonists of Caprica in Battlestar Galactica.

If it is part of an honorary title and not a mode of living, then it is capitalized:

The man who shot the Cylon was a Colonial Warrior.

The British soldier shot the colonist at the Boston Massacre.

Yeah, my inner nerd just came out. Shut up.

-Blue Devil Knight