Taking Title of Mount Murray

Title.-- "Grant of the 27th of April, 1762, by the Honourable James Murray, Esq. Governor of Quebec, to Lieutenant Malcolm Fraser, of His Majesty's 78th Regiment of Foot, of all that extent of land lying on the North Shore of the St. Lawrence, from the North side of the River of Malbay to the River Noire, and for three leagues back, to be known hereafter, at the special request of the said Lieutenant...

Arms Issued to the Highland Regiments, 1757

War Office, 13 January 1757 Sir, His Majesty having thought fit to order two Highland Battalions of Foot to be forthwith raised each Battalion to consist of Forty Serjeants Forty Corporals Twenty Drummers and One thousand Effective Private Men besides Commission Officers, I have the Honour to acquaint you herewith that you may be pleased to receive His Majesty's Commands thereupon and Signify...

Major Clephane's Uniform Tailoring, Sep. 1757

Shortly after the regiment arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Major Clephane placed an order for the making of, what appears to be a regimental jacket. Eighteenth-century regimental clothing Tailor Henry Cooke described, that two and one-half yards of cloth would fit a man with a 42-inch chest, indicating the major was probably small in his bodily frame and overall stature.  It would appear...

Return of Bedding in Fort Stanwix, 1759

Albany, Nov. 22d 1759 Sir,  I beg leave to inclose your Excellency a Return from Fort Stanwix, sent by Lieut. Col. Massey, of the Bedding there and to acquaint you that Last Fall Beding for 400 men was sent tho' not quite new still good and that upon a representation of Col. Frazier [78th Foot] to Brigr. Genl. Stanwix of its not being fit for his People he order'd that we should send up...

Lieutenant John Murray's Letter Home, Oct. 1757

My Dearest Sir, About six weeks ago I wrote from Boston By Capt. Noble bound for Clyde, I was sent from Halifax to boston To provide Quarters for Coll: Frasers Regt. who I believe my Lord Loudon intended should winter there, but he has since ordered them Here where I expect them Dayly & I believe they will winter either at Philadelphia or this place I long vastly to to see Coll: Fraser both...

Clothing Suppliers to the Highland Regiments, 1757

In our discussion entitled, Clothing for the Highland Regiments, 1757, the main emphasis of that conversation is centered around identifying not only the specific clothing articles worn by the three Scottish Regiments sent to North America, but also the army clothier(s) responsible for procuring the different uniform components for the troops  And while it was discovered a gentleman named...

78th Regiment at Isle of Orleans

General James Wolfe, ill with dysentery and suffering from rheumatism, commanded the expedition to capture the city of Quebec. By late June 1759, his entire convoy had passed up the St. Lawrence River and had reached the Island of Orleans, which lay opposite Quebec along the river. At the end of that month, he and his brigadiers agreed on a plan to land troops across the river a short distance upstream...

Request for the 78th Regiment to Disband in Scotland

To the Rt. Hon. Welbore Ellis, Secretary at War. Memorial of the Nobility, Gentry, Freeholders and others in the Northern and Highland Counties of Scotland, Shewith That in 1759 it having been thought expedient to raise under the command of Colonels Montgomery and Fraser two Highland Battalions (then Nos. 62nd & 63rd of the Army) for immediate service, your memorialists so effectually concurred...

Payroll Account of Corporal Alexander Fraser

Much like today, accounting books were used in the eighteenth century for documenting military pay and other related expenses accrued over periods of time. The payroll account of Corporal Alexander Fraser, 78th Regiment, covers the period of July 5, 1757, through April 24, 1758.  Note: Category headers and bracketed script have been added for clarification and do not appear in the...

Letter to Major James Clephane at New York, 1759

Dear Sir I was extremely sorry to Hear by Capt. Crawford, that you have been in a bad State of Health for Sometime past, I hope by this time you have got the Better of your Illness which will give you one great Satisfaction; as you Intend to sell out I wish you a good market & a safe Return to your native country. By Letters from England in the spring I was informed of your Brother the Doctor’s...

Payroll Account of Corporal James Gowe

Much like today, accounting books were used in the eighteenth century for documenting military pay and other related expenses accrued over periods of time. The payroll account of James Gowe, 78th Regiment, covers the period of July 5, 1757, through April 24, 1758.  Note: Category headers and bracketed script have been added for clarification and do not appear in the original document. Additionally,...

Report of Colonel Simon Fraser to General Forbes, Jan. 1758

Dear Sir, I have at length sent you the Report & Controut of Quarters which I am afraid you expected sooner, but when you look at their extent, & consider that I was oblig'd to visit them all twice, & at same time to Settle the Draft for Otways, you will perhaps do me the Justice to believe the Report was not delay'd thro my idleness. I take for granted the Controut is not exactly...

Major Clephane's Road Clearing Detachment, Sep. 1758

General Jeffrey Amherst, having arrived with troops at Boston, Massachusetts on 12 September 1758, and commanding from headquarters at Springfield two weeks later, ordered Major James Clephane, the light infantry of Colonel Fraser's 78th Regiment, and 200 local pioneers to begin clearing the road 14 miles west of headquarters, from the city of Westfield to Blandford, so that he and his troops could...

Monthly Return of Sep. 24, 1759

The monthly Army Returns reported on the strength of each regiment, including total numbers of men present, absent, sick, or on extra daily duty, as well as giving a report of officers and some categories of enlisted men. They were a very useful and effective planning tool in eighteenth-century combat operations and are still in practical use throughout today's armed forces. Ten soldiers of...