Major Clephane’s Company Expenses Through Ireland, 1757

The quaint harbor town of the 18th-century Donaghadee, Ireland, nestled on the northeastern coast, unfolds with its cobblestone streets lined with charming, pastel-hued buildings that hug the shoreline. The cobalt blue sky is dotted with fluffy white clouds, casting a soft, diffused light over the red-tiled roofs and the masts of the sailboats docked in the harbor. The town's iconic lighthouse, a symbol of maritime guidance, stands tall on the distant headland, its beacon a testament to the area's rich seafaring history.

 

After landing in Donaghadee in mid-May 1757, Colonel Fraser's men were offered lodging by the locals for their stay. One night, however, it's purported that one of the regimental pipers sounded the alarm late in the evening to a dwelling fire about a local town structure. Unfortunately, while some of the Highlanders were instrumental in extinguishing the flames, a local woman lost her life. (Jeffrey Campbell, Donaghadee, 2024. Artist's rendition created with Perchance AI Image Generator)

Major Clephane’s Company Expenses Through Ireland, 1757 

About 3 May 1757, newspaper editorials announced the departure of Colonel Fraser's battalion from Glasgow en route southwest to Portpatrick, an approximate 95-mile trek over relatively undeveloped terrain. Marching an average distance of about 25 miles each day, a short 3-day journey would not be out of the question for the colonel's men, having just completed their 180-mile trek through Scotland. Albeit illness would eventually affect some of the soldiers (in a letter to his friend Baillie James Fraser, Colonel Fraser reported 17 men left sick at Cork, Ireland), 10 men were reported left behind at Belfast, Ireland, later to join the regiment after securing passage under escort. Val Jones, father to Ensign Edward Jones of General Kennedy's Regiment, in a letter to Major Clephane dated at Belfast, 8 June 1757, writes: "...This will be delivered you by Corporal Fraser, who takes the opportunity of going to Dublin with 10 private men in a vessel that will be clear to sail hence tomorrow." [NAS, GD125/22/16/3/1-2].

Following an uneventful northern channel crossing from Portpatrick, Scotland, west to Donaghadee, Ireland, Major Clephane's company, as documented in the following pay records, would march to Belfast, then on to Cork via the cities of Drogheda, Dublin, Kilcullen and Clonmel, finally departing for North America on 30 June 1757.

Major Clephane's Company Expenses [1757]

Pay acct. of Major Clephans Companie from Monday the 16th May to Monday the twentie third Dto

1. Paid 84 privat at Belfast one week at 3/5d each… £14:12:0

2. Paid 2 Serjeants at 6/10d each one week subsistance cash… £0:13.8

3. Paid 4 Corporals at 4/6½d each one week subsistance… £0:18:2

4. Paid 2 Drums at 3/5d each one weeks subsistance… £0:6:10

Pay all the above Companie from Monday the 23rd May to Monday 30th Dto

5. Paid 77 Private at Belfast one weeks subsistance at 3/ each… £11:11:0

6. Paid 2 Serjeants at Dto one weeks subsistance at 6/3 each… £0:12:0

7. Paid 3 Corporals at Dto one weeks Dto at 4/ each… £0:12:0

8. Paid 2 Drums at Dto one weeks Dto at 3/ each… £0:6:0

Pay all the above Companie from Monday the 30th May to Monday June the 6th

9. Paid 77 private at Droheda one weeks subsistance at 3/ each… £11:11:0

10. Paid 3 Serjeants at Dto one weeks Dto at 6/ each… £0:18:0

11. Paid 2 Corporals at Dto one weeks Dto at 4/ each… £0:8:0

12. Paid 2 Drums at Dto one weeks Dto at 3/ each… £0:6:0

June 13th - - -

13. Paid 77 Privat at Killculen bridge at 3/ each one weeks subsistance… £11:11:0

14. Paid 4 Serjts at Dto 6/ each one weeks Dto… £1:4:0

15. Paid 2 Corporals & 2 Drums one weeks subsistance… £0:14:0

Pay all of the above Companie from Monday 13th to Dto June the 20th

16. Paid 77 privat at Clonmell one weeks subsistance… £11:11:0

17. Paid 4 Serjts 2 Corporals & 2 Drums one weeks Dto… £1:18:0

18. Paid Cadet Mak Kinzie at Doublin 9 shillings…£0:9:0

19. Advanced two men in Glasgow 4 weeks pay which brought them to Killkennie bridge… £1:4:0

20. Advanced the three men that went on Command to Stirling two weeks pay each… £0:18:0

21. Advanced Serjt Alexr Rose at Dallie… £3:17:0

22. Paid Rodrick McKenzie one Weeks pay… £0:3:0

23. Paid Thomas Robertson… £0:1:0

24. Paid Alexr Dunbar… £0:0:6

25. Total Laid out by Lieut. Campbell On acct of Major Clephans Companie… £76:5:2

26. Advanced Serjt Rose at Belfast… £5:5:0

27. Advanced the Supernumeraries at Belfast… £1:6:0

28. Advanced for Shoes to Dto… £1:4:0

[Total] £83:15:0

Notes:

1. 84 private soldiers were paid at Belfast; however, one week later, that number was reduced by seven soldiers.

3. Four corporals were paid at Belfast; however, one week later, that number was reduced by one corporal.

4. Payroll indicates drummers were paid at the rate of private soldiers.
10. Gained one serjeant this week over previous numbers.

11. Down two corporals since week one.

14. Gained one serjeant this week over previous numbers.

18. It was reported by The Pennsylvania Gazette newspaper dated 11 August 1757, that 360 men in Colonel Montgomery's First Division marched to Royal Square Barracks, Dublin, 16 May 1757, where they were reviewed by the Earl of Rothes, who expressed "intire [sic] satisfaction at the military and handsome appearance they made." Formerly the "Royal Barracks," the facility is today named "Collins Barracks."

21. Possibly Dailly, South Ayrshire, Scotland, located between Glasgow and Portpatrick.

25. Lieutenant Archibald Campbell, originally commissioned to Capt. John MacDonnell's Company.

27. Approximately 15 supernumeraries. Colonel Fraser reported 150 "supers" across 10 companies in October 1757. [NAS, GD125/22/18/18].

28. In 1757, one pair of serjeant's shoes were authorized replacement every six months at a cost of £0.3.4, or money (in lieu of). [Calcraft, John. Regulation of Cloathing for a Highland Regt. of Foot, c.1757. James Grant of Ballindalloch papers, 1740-1819, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.].

Source:
Clephane, James. "Pay accounts of Clephane's Company from Monday 16 May to twentie third Dto." [1757]. NAS, GD125/22/9/35/1.

©  Jeffrey Campbell, Fraser's 78th Regiment of Foot, 2022.

This article last updated 5 March 2022.

Bon Voyage: Libera nos Domine!

The ancient city of Cork, Ireland, emerging from the tender embrace of dawn during the 18th century. The sun, a fiery globe of burgeoning light, peeks over the distant horizon, casting a soft golden hue across the cobblestone streets and historic buildings. The cityscape is a tapestry of red-brick structures, with their tall, narrow windows and pointed roofs, many adorned with ivy that seems to have frozen in the early morning light. The iconic St. Fin Barre's Cathedral, with its intricate Gothic architecture, stands tall as a sentinel in the background, its spires reaching for the heavens. (Jeffrey Campbell, Cork, Ireland, 2024. Artist's rendition created with Perchance AI Image Generator)

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. 

Major Clephane's Company Expenses, Kilravock to Glasgow, 1757

A detailed account of Major Clephane's company's expenses on their march from Kilravock to Glasgow, Scotland encompassing approximately 180 miles over a 10-day period, with layovers for entertainment, supplies, and fresh horses. The soldiers would stay in Glasgow for an additional 10 days or so, presumably waiting on the arrival of the remaining companies from the regiment.

Newspaper accounts depict the recruits' uniforms reviewed in Glasgow during this period, and about April 19th proceeding west to Portpatrick en route to Donaghadee, Ireland. From there, they would eventually march south to Cork, Ireland and depart for North America in 10 transport ships under cover of the Enterprize, a 40-gun man-of-war, on June 30, 1757.

In a letter to his brother, dated April 8, 1757 at Kilraick, Major Clephane discussed the first two companies departing together for Glasgow: "...I have at last sent off for Glasgow 124 recruits along with Colonel Fraser’s company (our two companies making the first division of the battalion)." Arthur Rose, Kilraick's uncle, would accompany Clephane's men on the march due to his pressing business around the country.

Expenses from Kilravock to Glasgow

Marcht from Kilraick Thursday 31 March 1757

Dulcey, 31st

1. For Entertenment: £0-10-0

Avemore, April 1st

2. For horse hire: £0-3-6

3. For Entertenment: £0-5-6

4. To McCoulmore for horse hire: £0-6-0

Ruven, April 2d & 3d

5. For Drams to the men: £0-13-6

6. For Entetenment for 2 days: £0-15-6

Dalnacardigk, April 4th

7. For Entetenment: £0-6-6

8. To the Seven Nairn men accounted for: £0-7-0
9. To John Innes 6 mens pay for 2 days accounted for: £0-6-0
10. To John Fraser 8 mens pay for 2 days accounted for: £0-8-0
11. To Donald McIntosh the Cook accounted for: £0-1-6
12. To the seven men sent back to Inverness: £0-7-0
13. To John Robertson accounted for: £0-?-0
14. To Donald Cuthbert accounted for: £0-?-0
15. To McCoulmore for hors hire: £0-5-0
16. To John Watson and Gray: £0-10-6
17. To McCoul: £0-5-0
18. To Donald McDonald & Little Donald McDonald one sh each: £0-2-0

Note: Major Clephane's Company garrisoned April 5th at Aberfeldy. See Note 22 below.

Crief, April 6th
19. To John Watson at Crief April 6th for the men: £3-0-0
20. To McCoulmore for horsehire at Crief: £0-3-6
21. For Drams to the men at Rumelru: £0-10-6
22. For Entertenment at Tay Bridge: £0-6-0
25. To McCoul: £0-3-6

Sterling, April 7th
24. To John Watson more for the mens pay: £2-0-0
25. For Entertenment: £0-4-0
26. To the piper: £0-3-6

Kirkintullock, April the 8th
27. To Entertenment: £0-3-0
29. For Servants and horse: £0-3-0

Glasgow, April the 9th
20. To John Watson more money for the mens pay: £5-5-0

Glasgow, April 11th
30. To McCoule for carreing him home: £?-?-0
31. To old McKenzie accounted for: £0-0-6
32. To McCoule for horse hire at Glasgow: £0-3-6
33. Got back from John Watson of the 5 guineas: £0-18-0
34. Given to John Watson for the mens pay: £5-0-0
35. To James Geddes and his comerad Six pence each the same: £0-1-0

Glasgow, April 13th
36. To John Watson for the mens: £5-0-0
37. Recived Back for John Watson: £1-1-0
38. To Robertson from Holland: £0-3-0
39. To the Piper: £0-2-0

40. Saturday Aprile 16th paid all the men their pay & arrears from the time they left Kilraick till the above date

41. April 6 gave John Watson: £3-2-0

42. To Sandie Rose: £3-3-0

43. More to Sandie Rose: £2-2-0

44. More to Sandie Rose Sunday: £2-2-0

45. Gave more to the mens use: £5-5-0

46. 18 more to Sandie Rose: £1-1-0

Glasgow, April 18th
47. John Watson & Rose Debers
48. To Sandie Rose: £21-0-0

49. from 16th till 18th: £16-15-0

50. from 13th till 16th: £5-0-0

51. from 11th till 13th: £5-0-0

52. from 9th till 11th: £5-5-0

Stirling, April 7th

53. from 7th till 9th: £2-0-0

54. April 6th at Crief: £3-0-0

Glasgow, April 18

55. John Watson Credetor

56. Credetor: £1-1-0

57. Credetor: £0-18-0

Notes: 

16. Serjeant John Watson.
18. Most likely father/son.

21. Unable to locate.

22. Tay Bridge at Aberfeldy (Wade's Bridge), was built by General Wade in 1734 on a second road which ran from Crieff to Dalnacardoch. At the time of completion, this was the only bridge anywhere to cross the Tay River.

26. The piper paid.

39. The piper paid.

53-54. Both appear to be late entries.

While at Glasgow, City Quartermaster John Robb secured accommodations for Colonels Montgomery and Fraser's Highland Battalions in both public and private houses.

Sources:

Major James Clephane, "Account of the company's expenses on the march to embark at Greenock, 31 March - 18 April, 1757." NAS, GD125-22-16-16.

Rose, H., and Lachlan Shaw. A Genealogical Deduction of the Family of Rose of Kilravock: with Illustrative Documents from the Family Papers, and Notes. Edinburgh, 1848.

Renwick, Robert. "Glasgow City Quartermaster John Robb." Extracts from the Records of the Burgh of Glasgow: with Charters and Other Documents. Vol. VI, A.D. 1739-59. Scottish Burgh Records Society, 1911.

"Bridges and Crossings of the River Tay at Dunkeld. "http://essonfamilyhistory.com/bridges-and-crossings-of-the-river-tay-at-dunkeld. [Accessed 23 May 2020].

©  Jeffrey Campbell, Fraser's 78th Regiment of Foot, 2017.

Last updated 23 May 2020