Showing posts with label Correspondence. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Correspondence. Show all posts

Second Highland Battalion Recruiting Efforts

Young colonial woman sewing




In the soft light of morning, a young colonial woman quietly sews, her careful labor reflecting resilience, duty, and endurance. Her modest surroundings and worn clothing speak to a life shaped by necessity and quiet strength. Recently visited by a military recruiting officer, she learns her husband has joined Major James Clephane’s Second Highland Battalion, raised in 1757. — Jeffrey Campbell, By Candlelight and Thread, (2025)

Early Recruiting Efforts

As recruiting for the newly established Second Highland Battalion began in January 1757, Colonel Simon Fraser, Commanding Officer, informed Lord George Beauclerk, Commander of Scottish forces in North Britain, as to the status of his recruiting efforts. 

The War Office in London authorized funding for 1040 men, and the battalion appears to have met its initial recruiting goal in just about 45 days. The following is a transcribed copy of that correspondence.

Colonel Simon Fraser to Lord George Beauclerk

Copy of a Letter from Lieut. Colonel Fraser,
to Captain Stewart Secry. to the Rgt. Honble. 
Lord George Beauclerk dated, Inverness 
1st March 1757.

Sir,
    I must beg you will acquaint My Lord George Beauclerk that the Battalion which I have the Honour to Command is Compleat. The Returns I found here amounted to 582, what I pick'd up myself at Edinburgh and in the several Countrys I passed through 150, which, with 306 which I got in three Days in the Fraser Country makes the whole number 1038. Rank and File without including some subalterns who have as yet made no returns. As in such a number raised in a hurry there must necessarily be many Exceptionable Men, I have not stopt the Recruiting, but have desired them to be nicer than at first, and I hope to have as many supernumerary as will enable me to Discharge any exceptionable ones.
    I hope My Lord George will Excuse my not sending a Regular Return, which I cannot tale upon me to do till I have seen and approve the Men; and as My Lord has order'd me to march them to Glasgow I'm afraid I shan't be able to make any regular Return till the Regimt. is all there, and that will be some time first, as many of them are in the most remote parts of the Highlands where they have been recruited. I have wrote General Napier the State of the Battalion but have begged his Excuse also for making no Return till I have seen the men.
    In case it should make the officers here remiss, I have not informed any here except General Leighton, that the Regiment is compleat, and I submit to my Lord George if it will be improper to say nothing of it for a week or two, as I have Expectations from two or three Quarters for some fine fellows, which I shan't have unless they think I stand in great need.
    In obedience to Lord Georges Commands I shall march Four Companies for Glasgow next week. 

I am sir &c.
Signed S: Fraser

Works Consulted
TNA, W.O. 1/974, pp. 365-6.


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Embarkation of Troops to the St. Lawrence River, 1759

View from British frigate Nightingale’s crow’s nest as transport ships depart New York Harbor for Quebec during the Seven Years’ War.

Perched atop the Nightingale, a 24-gun British frigate, this panoramic view captures New York Harbor at sunrise in 1759, during the Seven Years’ War. British transport ships prepare to depart for the invasion of Quebec via the St. Lawrence River. The harbor bustles with sails, colonial buildings, and military activity. Puffy white clouds drift through a brightening sky as the Union Jack and Red Ensign flutter in the breeze. This historically accurate scene highlights the British Navy’s strategic departure from New York, a key moment in the campaign for control of New France in one of history’s global conflicts. (Jeffrey Campbell, British Fleet Departs New York for Quebec – Seven Years’ War, 2025)

Embarkation of Troops to the St. Lawrence River, 1759

Letter from General Jeffrey Amherst to Brigadier General Robert Monckton dated New York, April 5th, 1759, and enclosed in a letter from General Amherst to the Right Honorable William Pitt, April 16th, 1759. The bulk of the letter discusses the embarkation of troops destined for the St. Lawrence River, including Colonel Fraser's regiment to sail from New York to Louisbourg under convoy of the Nightengale. General Amherst is best known as the architect of Britain's successful campaign to conquer the territory of New France during the Seven Years' War. Under his command, British forces captured the cities of Louisbourg, Quebec City, and Montreal, as well as several major fortresses.

New York, April 5th, 1759

Dear Sir
          Enclosed are copies of orders sent to Brig. Genl. Lawrence for the embarcation of His Majestys forces in the Province of Nova Scotia alloted for the expedition up the River St. Lawrence against Quebec, in which expedition His Majesty has been graciously pleased to order you should as Brig. Genl.
          As the embarcation of the train of artillery and of Webb's Regiment at Boston is under direction of Colonel Burton and that I have an account from thence that everything is in great forwardness and no difficulties attending the executing the service there, and that the two regiments Viz Lascelle's and Fraser's to be embarked from hence to sail under convoy of the Nightengale for Louisbourg will not require your presence here, I think it will be for the good of His Majesty's Service that you do repair to Halifax to forward the embarcation of the troops there according to the direction I have sent to Brig. Genl. Lawrence, and that you sail to Louisbourg with the said troops so as to be there as near as may be to the time prescribed by the above orders, where you will put yourself under the command of Major Genl. Wolfe.
          You will please to acquaint major Genl. Wolfe that I have on your application to me ordered that Major of Brigade Spittal should serve as Major of Brigade on the above expedition. As the enclosed papers will thoroughly inform you of all steps taken in regard to the embarcation of the troops destined for the River St. Lawrence I have nothing further to add than my warmest wishes for the success of this expedition in which you will have so great a shave & to take this occasion [as I always most gladly seize every one that may offer to me] to assure you that I am etc. Jeff Amherst.

Works Cited:

Amherst, Jeffrey. Letter from General Jeffrey Amherst to Brigadier General Robert Monckton dated New York, April 5th, 1759, and enclosed in a letter from General Amherst to the Right Honorable William Pitt, April 16th, 1759. Northcliffe Collection Series 1: Robert Monckton Papers : C-369. Public Archives Canada.

©  Jeffrey Campbell, Fraser's 78th Regiment of Foot, 2021.

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Bon Voyage: Libera nos Domine!

British Navy warship during the French and Indian War


Bathed in the golden light of a waning sun, a British warship of the 18th century surges westward across the open sea. Her sails swell with wind, taut and luminous against a sky ablaze with the warm hues of twilight. The Union Jack flutters proudly at her stern, a symbol of imperial ambition and seaborne strength. Each timbered detail and shadowed gunport speaks of voyages long and perilous. The ocean churns beneath her with rhythmic grace, reflecting the amber glow of day’s end. This is no idle passage—it is a portrait of purpose, dignity, and a nation's reach cast upon the waves. (Jeffrey Campbell, Majesty at Dusk, 2025)

Bon Voyage: Libera nos Domine!

Colonel Simon Fraser, writing to his closest Inverness confidante and dear friend, Baillie James Fraser; completing the letter 25 December 1757, from New York.

My Dear Sir,
     After a halt of Five Days at Cork to recover the fatigues of a march of 400 miles the Battalion Embark'd consisting of 1000 fine fellows besides the 170 Supernumerarys being 40 more than the Secretary at War desired me to bring, those 40 men were intended to answer any deficiency that might arise by death or Desertion, but I did not lose a man by either from the day we left Glasgow and but 7 before. We had even the good luck to seize two Deserters from Montgomery's in the March thro' Ireland. And here I cant help mentioning that in the whole of this March, Man and Woman gave us the preference over the other Battalion even beyond comparison, particularly at Dublin; I shoud not have mentioned this but that I know that pains has been taken to give merit to the other Battalion.
     My conduct towards them has been of that honourable kind which a conscious advantage makes it easy to hold, but what I tell you is so sure that you may aver it. Being obliged to leave about 17 men sick at Cork you will not blame my attachment to them in leaving directions to have them sent after us at my private expense, in case the publick shoud grudge it, and think of incorporating them to other Regiments to save expence.
     As I think no voyage can be agreeable, I must only say of ours that it was as tolerable as any for without it being tedious we have extremely fine weather which gave us opportunity of changing the scene a little by visiting from ship to ship; In one of these excursions I surprised a fine Turtle and had him in the boat before he was well awake. In short the last day of eight very ill spent weeks we anchored in Halifax harbour leaving in the whole 17 men sick.
     We remained 7 days aboard while the General deliberated about out destination, at length we were ordered to disembark and to encamp a quarter of a mile out of Town where the Second Battalion of the Royal was already encamped. In this Camp in less than a fortnight the 2 Field Officers 6 Captains seventeen subalterns and above 300 men were down with the Flux whither occasioned by the sudden encamping after so long a March and voyage, or by the climate I cannot say: most of the Officers are now recovered, but I have lost 20 men and there are about 200 still ill. As you have heard so much about this place I must endeavour to describe it to you, but remember whatever I attempt of this kind is upon condition that you do not expect descriptive precision from so rambling a pen as mine.
     Halifax extends itself about a mile in length along the declivity of a rising ground, and about a quarter of a mile in breadth from the sea to the height of a rising ground, the streets run parallel the length of the town, houses are of wood and in general but indifferent tho' the Church the Governor's house and some of the publick offices are neat enough buildings. Towards the sea there are large batteries of 24 pounders, one of the same weight of metal on the opposite shore, and several on a small Island about half way between the two shores, which is so happily situated as to form already the chief security of the Harbour and might at little expense be made of much greater consequence. Towards the Land the Town is surrounded with a line of picquets or tall strong palisades and along this line at certain distances there are five stockaded Forts. When I say it is necessary to observe to you that a stockaded Fort is nothing more than such picquets as I have just mentioned stuck into the ground so as to form the Figure of a Fort of course there is no wall to mount artillery upon so that a few swivel gunns [are] stuck here on a angle. Picquet is all the artillery of Halifax toward the land. There cannot be a more advantageous spot that the rising ground above the Town, it commands the Town and the whole extent of the line round it. Without being fully commanded by any ground within reach, and uncommon circumstance in this country & withal includes so proper an extent of ground as would neither require a very great expense to Fortify not a very great garrison to defend. This place has another great natural advantage from its being situated in a small peninsula the Isthmus of which is not above a mile across and might with little expense be made a very strong pass.
     The country round the Town affords as Disagreeable a prospect to an English eye as any part of old Scotland. There is little more than a mile even along the shore clear'd and above half a mile in breadth into the Country, the rest is impenetrable wood, the worst kind even of American, the closets; the fulest of rough underwood & swamps or morasses, in short it gave me a better idea than ever I had chaos. On the opposite shore where the battery I mentioned is raised there is only about a mile in circumference cleard opposite to the Western end of Halifax at a place called Dartmouth, there are on this ground a good number of houses which have been deserted for some time the Indians having on one or two occasions broke in and scalped several of the inhabitants. After what I have said you will not be sorry to hear that since I began my letter I have received orders to embark in three days for New York. Congratulate me on being in the middle of the army, and of course in the way of the first of next year's operations, perhaps of something this winter tho you must allow if we were dispos'd to desire it we are entitled to some rest for by the time we reach New York, out of seven months three will have been employed in voyaging and two in Marching. . . . .  American news are stale now, besides what this year affords may as well be pass'd over, pray what you will in Brittain of your Louisbourg Expedition being given up and of the surrender of Fort William Henry? If you should be so impertinent as to say our sailors were too nice calculators of pounds and ounces to find out a superiority in the French, fled when the number of line of Battle ships were equal of that Fort William Henry might have held out longer or might have been relieved, we will in return throw all upon you by saying if you had sent the Fleet out sooner there woud have been no room for calculation of Metal, or if you had sent a sufficient Land force My Lord Loudoun woud not have been put to the necessity of Draining the continent & exposing its Frontier in order to form any army for the Expedition.
     I got this far at Halifax, I now write from New York 25th December having got here about eight days ago, after the most tedious and disagreeable voyage that has been known, in the course of which we had six very hard gales that your fresh water sailors woud call storms. In one of these we were all separated, one ship drove upon the Nantucket Shoal, another lost her Masts, a third her sails, and we who got off as well as any you may believe were not entirely at our ease during 36 hours that we drove with our helm lash'd under a balance mizen, however we thank God we have all got in one after another without any material loss, but from the Atlantic Ocean in the Month of November Libera nos Domine.
     We dont after all remain here this winter but go to Cantonments in Connecticut from 40 to 90 miles from hence among a set of Cromwelians imported about the year 1640. . . . . . I wish you woud send me 2 hogshead of your best vintage to the care of Mr Hugh Wallace at New York to Mr Abthorp & Compy at Boston. Farewell my Dr Alderman Remember me most affectionately to the wifie and to all my friends & if you dont write me often may you be 7 years longer a getting to heaven.

In all times & places yrs
S. Fraser

Source:

MacDonald, Archibald, Rev. The Old Lords of Lovat and Beaufort. Inverness, 1943, p. 135-7.

©  Jeffrey Campbell, Fraser's 78th Regiment of Foot, 2020. 


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Major Abercrombie's Letter to Earl of Loudoun, Sep. 1763

Transcription of a letter giving details of military affairs in America at the end of the French and Indian war, sent to Earl of Loudoun as former commander in America. Parson Robert Macpherson returned home in September [prior to the mutiny at Quebec], having obtained leave from General Murray, while the main body of the 78th Regiment departed Quebec in mid October, arriving at Glasgow in late November of 1763

Quebec Sepr. The 15th 1763
My Lord

I have nothing worth giving your Lordship the trouble of a letter however I could not let slip this opportunity of congratulating you on your return from Portugal, for by what I have heard of the few Portuguese troops & the handful of English your Lordship had few laurele could have been reapt.

The Indian War is almost become general in this Country, all the upper posts have been cut off except Detroit, your Lordship will readily excuse me coppying the New York Gazette, besides the bearer Mr McPherson Chaplain to the 78th can acquaint you with what we know, this gentleman is a most deserving Sensible man, & the best Chaplain I ever knew, I hope your Lordship will therefore be pleased to honor him with your countenance.

The 47th & 78th have been drafted to compleat the 15th, 27th, 2d Bn. Royal America, those three Regts remain in this govt. & trois rivieres – the 28th at Montreal who were completed from the 4th Battn. Rl. Americans & the 44th the last Regt. garrisons Crown Point & fort Levi – alias fort Wm. Augustus.

Nothing is yet setled in Canada either in respect to governor or governments all Murray expects to remain & will be much dissapointed should it happen otherwise.

Your friend Robertson has gone to Pensacola & Louisana to settle the posts there, I hope it will be made worth his while, for it is a most dissagreable jaunt.

I intended to have gone home with the remains of the Regt. but Sir Jeffery has desired I would go by New York, I shall therefore set out for thence in a few days, & I don’t think it improbable but I may be sent a Scouting if theres the least probability of a step I shall accept with pleasure, but without that I will not be fond of Indian hunting.

My best respects to Miss Kitty, & I have the honor to be,
Your Lordship
Much obliged & most
Humble Servant
James Abercrombie ~ 

To the Earl of Loudoun

Source:
Abercrombie, James. "Letter addressed to John Campbell, 4th Earl of Loudoun, 15 Sept. 1763." John Campbell, Loudoun papers concerning the siege and fall of Quebec, 1756-1784. Houghton Library, Harvard College Library, cat. no. 45M-113F.

©  Jeffrey Campbell, The 78th Regiment of Foot, 2019. 

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