Draught Soldiers to the 60th Regiment

In the summer of 1763, having received King George's Instructions regarding the reduction of the British armies in North America, the acting generals put in motion their plan for augmenting the three regiments that would remain guarding Quebec. It was decided the 15th, 27th, and 2d Battalion, 60th Royal American Regiment would be assigned this task.

An analysis of the official Subsistence Rolls of the 78th Regiment reveals approximately 358 soldiers remained in North America for this duty; some were volunteers, others were called upon because of the time remaining on their current enlistment contracts. And while the exact numbers of soldiers transferring to the Second Battalion, 60th Royal American Regiment cannot be positively identified due to incomplete and ambiguous reporting on multiple levels, we've identified 143 draught soldiers from Colonel Simon Fraser's 78th Highlanders most likely joined them that summer. 

Draughts of the 78th Regiment
The following names of soldiers in the 2d Battalion, 60th R.A. Regiment, listed with their company commanders, are synonymous with the names of soldiers in the 78th Regiment at the time of its disbandment. This muster is for 182 days ending 24 April 1765, the earliest available rolls after 1 September 1763, the date by which most of Colonel Fraser's men had transferred.

Note: Our research indicates nine original companies for this duty; however, muster rolls are only available for eight companies during this reporting period. 

Colonel James Murray's Company

Reporting at Ticonderoga, 3 October 1765
1. Drummer Alexander Kennedy
2. Private Alexander Cameron

3. Private Alexander Cameron

4. Private Alexander Cameron

5. Private John Cameron

6. Private William Cameron

7. Private Angus Cameron

7a Private Thomas Cameron

8. Private William Fraser

9. Private William Forbes

10. Private John Gunn
11. Private Alexander Johnson
12. Private James Knight
13. Private John McDonald

14. Private Murdoch McKinzie

15. Private Donald McKinzie

16. Private Donald McDonald
17. Private Alexander McDonald
18. Private Even McPhee
19. Private James McKinzie
20. Private Walter Simpson

Colonel Frederick Haldiman's Company
Reporting at Crown Point, 20 September 1765
21. Private Hector Cameron
22. Private James McDonald
23. Private John Chisolm
24. Private Alexander Fraser
25. Private David Fulerton
26. Private John McKenzie
27. Private Alexander McPherson
28. Private Donald McPherson
29. Private John McPherson
30. Private John McLeod
31. Private Donald McLeod
32. Private James McIntosh
33. Private John McIntosh
34. Private Arthur Rose
35. Private James Smith
36. Private James Wright
37. Private James McDonald
38. Private Peter MacDonald

Captain Thomas Barnsly's Company
Reporting at Fort Oswegatchie, 24 July 1765
39. Corporal Gregor Mcgregor
40. Drummer John Provan
41. Private Donald Black
42. Private Donald Campbele
43. Private Roderick Ferguson
44. Private Duncan Ferguson
45. Private Hugh Grant
46. Private John Gray
47. Private Duncan Gillis
48. Private Coal Henderson
49. Private James Lamb
50. Private John Mcaybin
51. Private Allan McDougall
52. Private John McArthur
53. Private Niel McArthur
54. Private Donald McArthur
55. Private Donald McMillan
56. Private John Munro
57. Private Malcolm McLeod
58. Private Donald Thompson
59. Private William McLeod

Captain Robert Bayard's Company
Reporting at Fort George, New York, 12 August 1765
60. Private Finly Campbell
61. Private William Cameron
62. Private John Fletcher
63. Private John McGilora
64. Private James McPherson
65. Private John Stuart
66. Private John Strachan
67. Private George Thomson
68. Private John McLeod

Captain John Bradstreet's Company
Reporting at Crown Point, 28 September 1765
69. Drummer Duncan McKenzie
70. Private John Brown
71. Private Duncan Campbell
72. Private Alexander Fraser
73. Private Alexander Fraser
74. Private Donald Fraser
75. Private Duncan Fraser
76. Private James Fraser
77. Private Hugh Fraser
78. Private James McNouloch
79. Private Collin McCulloch
80. Private Duncan McCra
81. Private Alexander McKenzie
82. Private Duncan McKenzie
83. Private Donald McKenzie
84. Private Alexander McPherson
85. Private John McGregor
86. Private Petter McGregor
87. Private Malcolm McGregor

Captain Robert Brigstock's Company
Reporting at Fort William Augustus, 25 June 1765
88. Serjeant Allan MacDonald
89. Serjeant William Watson
90. Private Donald Cameron
91. Private William Fraser
92. Private Hugh Fraser
93. Private John Fraser
94. Private John Fraser
95. Private John Fraser
96. Private William Grubb
97. Private John MacDonald
98. Private Hugh Munro
99. Private Hugh Ross
100. Private William Stewart
101. Private Lachline Sinclair
102. Private Peter Macdonald
102a Private Duncan Cumming

Captain John Brown's Company
Reporting at Fort William Augustus, 25 July 1765
103. Drummer Thomas Fraser
104. Private Alexander Baine
105. Private John Chisolm
106. Private Donald Cameron
107. Private Duncan Cameron
108. Private John Cameron
109. Private Donald Cameron
110. Private Donald Campbell
111. Private Alexander Ferguson
112. Private Hugh Fraser
113. Private James Fraser
114. Private Lewis Grant
115. Private John Livingston
116. Private John Mackay
117. Private Alexander MacDonald
118. Private William Mills
119. Private Donald Ross
120. Private Ranald Johnston
121. Private Angus MacIntosh

Captain Samuel Holland's Company
Reporting at Fort William Augustus, 25 July 1765
122. Drummer John McDonell
123. Private Archibald Bochanan
124. Private John Cameron
125. Private Donald Campbell
126. [See notes]
127. Private Angus Fletcher
128. Private John Fraser
129. Private John Forbes
130. Private John Kennedy
131. Private John McBean
132. Private Duncan McDougal
133. Private Donald McDonald
134. Private John McDonell
135. Private John McIntosh
136. Private Duncan McNicall
137. Private John Mcpherson
138. Private William Ross
139. Private John Smith
140. Private John Mcpherson
141. Private Hugh McDonald

Muster roll not available.

142. Murdoch Cameron

143. Donald McKinnon

Notes:

1. Alexander Kennedy appears on the list of 78th soldiers discharged in North America, 1763.
7a Discharged soldier of the 78th Foot (Colonel Fraser's Company), he served in James Murray's Company of the 2nd Battalion, 60th R.A., from about 13 September 1763 through January 1764; spouse: Marie Francoise Roy. [Library Archives Canada, Land Petitions of Lower Canada, 1764-1841, Microfilm C-2514, Reference RG-1 L3L, Item 14196].
39. Gregor Mcgregor appears on the list of 78th soldiers discharged in North America, 1763.
40. John Provan appears on the list of 78th soldiers discharged in North America, 1763.
48. Colin Henderson.
50. John McBain.
58. Donald Thompson died 27 December 1764.
54. William McLeod deserted 9 June 1765 at Fort Oswegatchie.

56. While not definitive he served in the 78th Foot, we placed him here as a very strong candidate.
59. John McGillivrae.
69. Duncan McKenzie appears on the list of 78th soldiers discharged in North America, 1763. He deserted 1 October 1764 near Crown Point.
78. James McNulloch.
80. Duncan McCraw.
88. Allan McDonnel appears on the list of 78th soldiers discharged in North America, 1763.
89. William Watson appears on the list of 78th soldiers discharged in North America, 1763.
98. While not definitive he served in the 78th Foot, we placed him here as a strong candidate.

102a Private Duncan Cumming discharged from Captain Brigstock's Company 29 March 1765; however, his name does not appear on this muster roll.
116. John McKay.
117. Alexander McDonald.
120. Ranald Johnson discharged 24 April 1765 at Fort William Augustus.
121. Angus MacIntosh died 15 July 1765 at Fort William Augustus.
123. Archibald Buchanan.

126. Soldier removed due to transcription error.

131. Possibly John McBain.
140. John Mcpherson transferred 24 April 1765 at Fort William Augustus to unk.
141. Hugh McDonald deserted 2 June 1765 at Fort William Augustus.

142. His name does not appear on these muster rolls; however, his wife's April 27, 1779, Memorial for Assistance, after a house bought by her at St. Roch (Quebec City), has been taken for the use of the government and confirms seven years of service with the 78th Foot and five years of service with the 60th Foot [British Library, Haldimand Papers, Memorial from Civilians, n.d., 1777-1785, MG 21, Add. Mss. 21877, (B-217)].

143. His name does not appear on these muster rolls; however, his 1778 Memorial for Assistance lists him as Lieutenant in the Royal Highland Regiment and a former non-commissioned officer in the Seventy-Eighth Regiment, enlisting in 1754 [sic, 1757] and reducing in 1763, when he entered the Second Battalion of the 60th Royal Americans for the space of 2.5 years [British Library, Haldiman Papers, Memorials from Offices [sic, Officers] and Soldiers of the Army, n.d., 1778-1784, MG 21, Add. Mss. 21873, (B-213)].

- McDonald/McDonell surnames were used interchangeably.

Sources:
War Office Records. 2nd Battalion, 60th Foot, 1764-1783. Commissary General of Musters Office and successors: General Muster Books and Pay Lists. TNA, W.O. 12/6935.

Treasury Board Papers, "Subsistence Rolls of Fraser's Highlanders (the 78th), 1763." LAC, T.1, vol. 422.

Treasury Board Papers, "Subsistence Rolls of Fraser's Highlanders (the 78th), 1763." TNA, T.1, vol. 422.

Marie Fraser, "Subsistence Rolls of Fraser's Highlanders (the 78th), 1763." Clan Fraser Society, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 2001.

McIntosh, Walter H. 78th or Colonel Simon Fraser's Regiment [Topsfield, Massachusetts, n.d.]

©  Jeffrey Campbell, Fraser's 78th Regiment of Foot, 2018. 

Last updated 20 December 2023.