Colonel Fraser's Recruits Arrive in Virginia in 1759

HMS Eurus, an eighteenth-century British military warship, as she prepares to port with her convoy for a scheduled visit to Virginia in 1759. Her voyage encompassed some 45 days at sea to cross the Atlantic Ocean from Cork Harbour, Ireland, as she sailed a more southern route than previously scheduled convoys. (Jeffrey Campbell, Fair Winds, 2024. Artist's rendition created with Perchance AI Image Generator)

Colonel Fraser's Recruits Arrive in Virginia in 1759

Writing a letter to his brother Ewen residing in Northumberland, UK, and described by Lieutenant Donald Cameron, a junior officer in the 78th Regiment, as "a long and tedious Pasage," the voyage that departed Greenock, Scotland, in March 1759 brought the fourteenth and final company of Colonel Fraser's recruits to America.

Unlike previous crossings, which took approximately 45 days or so to navigate the transatlantic voyage from Ireland to North America due in part to limiting the initial southern distance in which they sailed out of Cork Harbour, this departure of transport ships headed by HMS Eurus saw the fleet take a more extreme southern route, sailing as far south as the Tropic of Cancer (latitude 23.4°N off the west coast of Morocco below the Canary Islands) before finally turning to the west on May 10th, following that same latitude across the Atlantic, ultimately bearing to the north-west in the latter part of the month, passing Bermuda on June 8th. She finally moored in Hampden, Virginia, on June 20th. 

The lieutenant further explained to his brother, "...and from Virginia we ware Ordered for York, and from York up the River to Albonay, where we parted with Captain Campbes Componay [Colonel Montgomery's battalion], then we ware Ordered Down that same River to York again and from York to Luisbrough, and up the River Sant Lawrence to the Sage of Quebeck. We arrived in Camp before Quebeck September the 3 and we came time enowch to see everything that was Done and one of the most Glorious Battles that ever was fought in America." [NRS, Acc.11137/41 titled 'Letters to Sir Ewan of Fassiefern, 1759, 1764-1787, containing a letter describing the siege of Quebec, 1759'].

Letter to Lord Barrington

St. James's Square Jan. 31, 1759

My Lord

    I beg leave to acquaint your Lordship that yesterday Mr. Secretary Pitt signified the Kings pleasure to the Lords of the Admty for a Convoy to repair to Greenock & from thence to proceed to Virginia with the Highlanders embarked on board the transports which Captain Clark left there for that purpose.

[To] Lord Barrington

I am

with great respect

My Lord, your Lordships

most obedt. humble Servt.

Robt. Wood.

Source: TNA, W.O. 1/678, p. 21[?]

Editorials

Whitehall Evening Post

February 13, 1759

Portsmouth

This morning is sailed, and is now almost out of sight, Admiral Holmes in the Somerset, with Northumberland, Terrible, Trident, Intrepid, Medway, Maidstone, Adventure, Diana, Trent, Europa, Vestal, Eurus, Boreas, Crescent, Baltimore, Scorpion, with 60 sail of Transports.

Public Advertiser Newspaper

Scotland

Edinburgh, April 5. Thursday his Majesty's Ship Eurus, Capt. John Elphingston, sailed from Greenock, with a fair Wind, having about 200 Highland Troops under her Convoy, destined to reinforce those in America.

Although the Public Advertiser newspaper extract incorrectly recorded the date of the convoy's departure from Greenock, the ship's name and the accompanying captain were recorded correctly. It was not uncommon for newspaper editor's in those days to err, as it was practice to copy and publish articles directly from one another.

HMS Eurus

Hired to convoy the transport ships carrying Colonel Fraser's men to Virginia, Eurus, previously the French Privateer Le Dragon, was a sixth-rate frigate captured by the British in April 1757. Her armament consisted of 24 British 9-pounders on the upper gun deck, and she had a crew complement of 160 men.

Captain John Elphingston, a seasoned British officer and first commissioned lieutenant in 1746, rose through the ranks and became an admiral in 1770. He served as Captain of the Eurus from February 10, 1759, through March 30, 1760.

In reviewing the official ship's logs [TNA, ADM 51/316], the following events are recorded in preparation for the overseas voyage:

February 27, 1759: Eurus moored at Greenock [Scotland].

March 10: Troops began boarding the transport ships.

March 21: [Underway] down the River Clyde.

April 5: Moored at Hebberstone [sic, Hubberstone, Wales].

April 12: Got under sail [for North America].

Letter of Francis Fauquier, Lieutenant-Governor of Virginia

To the Board of Trade

Wmsburgh June 23d 1759

My Lords

    I do my self the Honour to transmit to your Lordships, by the Spotswood Captn. Seaton for Bristol a Duplicate of my Letter of the 14th of April, and also of a Letter of the 9th instant which your Lordships will receive by the Jenny Captn. Crawfurd who will sail on this s'en [sennight: one week] night for London, by whom I shall send all the public Acts and Papers. I am extremely sorry I can not send these sooner, but I cannot get them out of the Offices for Want of Clerks who can write the engrossing hand. They are not now all finish'd and deliver'd to me. I propose for the future as an Expedient in some Measure to remove this difficulty, to send your Lordships the principal Acts as soon as the Session is over by themselves, and let them be followed by the Journals and other acts of less Consequence: if this Method will be agreeable to your Lordships.

    Captn. Elphinston in his Majesties Ship Eurus arrived in Hampton Road on the 20th with three Transports under Convoy containing three Hundred Highlanders Recruits for Montgomery's and Fraser's Battalions. They expected I had received Instructions in Relation to their future Destination, but as I have received no Instructions or Information on this Head, I find my self at a Loss to provide for the Men and Officers whom I have ordered to follow their own Instructions and disembark the Men for whom I will do all in my Power both as to Accomodations and Refreshments of fresh provisions after their long passage. I have dispatch'd a Messenger to Brigr. Genl. Stanwix at Philadelphia to know how I shall dispose of the Men; I expect his Return in about eight Days from this Date; and have detained Captn. Elphinston and the Transports till I receive his Answer, for if he would have them, and Captn. Elphinston Convoy them into the Delaware River in his Way to join Admiral Saunders as his Orders are: and I have wrote to Mr. Saunders my Reasons for detaining him these few days.

    Captn. Elphinston has brought in with him two Rhode Island-Men, supposed to be concerned in the same illicit Trade as the Vessel brought in here by Captn. Legge and condemned here lat year. These Captains have, I am informed, burnt many of their papers, so the Event of the Seizure is uncertain. I have the Honour to be with the greatest Regard, My Lords, Your Lordships most Obedient humble Servant.

Fran: Fauquier

The the Rt. Honble. the Lords of Trade &ct.

[Endorsed as read on 14 Nov. 1759].

Source: Reese, George. The Official Papers of Francis Fauquier, Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, 1758-1768, Volume 1, The Virginia Historical Society, 1980, pp. 221–222.

©  Fraser's 78th Regiment of Foot, 2024.