71st Regiment of Foot (Fraser's Highlanders) action in Savannah, Georgia

[Orvis]

I just spent a few days in Savannah on business, with very limited time to wander the city and see the sights. Lots of great history there, especially during the Revolutionary War. I was particularly interested in the First Battle of Savannah (a.k.a. the Capture of Savannah) in December 1778, as well as the Second Battle of Savannah (a.k.a. the Siege of Savannah) in October 1779.

From what I've read about it, the 1778 Capture of Savannah was accomplished under Lieutenant-Colonel Archibald Campbell, leading the 1st and 2nd battalions of the 71st Regiment of Foot as well as a Hessian unit and some other provincial units. Campbell ended up going back home in July 1779 before the Siege of Savannah in October, though the 71st was still there and successfully defended their position against French/American forces.

I was really hoping to see some detailed historical mentions or depictments of Fraser's Highlanders in the local monuments. But I didn't see anything other than a very minor blurb about Scottish people being involved in the battle. Perhaps there was more info somewhere in one of the museums, but as I said, I didn't get to see everything. It seems that local history is (understandably) focused on glamourising the American revolutionary side, with the British just seen as generic British soldiers.

I was impressed enough with Savannah overall that I may consider coming back for a vacation with my wife and spending some quality time there. So I'm curious to hear from those who are more familiar with it: where is the best place in Savannah to find more detailed history on the Scottish units that fought in these battles? The museum apparently does some reenactments and such. Do they include kilted examples of the 71st Regiment of Foot?

Side note: I did manage to find a lovely little Scottish pub called Molly MacPherson's. I strayed off my diet long enough to enjoy some Scotch eggs, bangers & mash, etc.

The 71st to which you refer was raised by Simon Fraser, who had also raised the 78th Regiment (disbanded 1763) for service in America during the French and Indian War, and who had been a colonel in the Jacobite Army of 1745-46 before he turned his coat just before Culloden. In 1775, Fraser raised three battalions of the 71st, who were uniformed, armed and immediately put on a convoy at Greenock for transport (with the 42nd RHR) to America. The 71st did not receive any training before embarking (evidently there was still government distrust of Highlanders who might be secret Jacobites), so they learned their manual exercise and simple foot drill onboard ship en route to America. A couple the convoy's ships sailed into Boston harbor, unaware that the British had departed, and were captured following a battle in the harbor. The Highlanders were so incensed by the surrender that they destroyed their arms (in contravention of the rules of war as understood then) and were harshly treated by the American rebel side. LtCol Archibald Campbell was one of the officers captured in that incident and he remained a year there before returning to British control. What became of the 71st ORs who were captured was not stated, although I presume they were farmed out for laborers or escaped.

The 71st was originally a kilted unit, but as the war went on they converted their plaids to tartan trews or adopted gaitered breeches or trousers, retaining only their Highland bonnets for identity purposes. Likewise, the ORs gave up their baskethilt swords, which went into stores. The regiment fought in the 1776 Long Island/New York campaign. Later, some of them went south (to Savannah) and then fought in Lord Cornwallis's southern campaign during 1780-81, ending at Yorktown. One battalion of the 71st fought in the Battle of Cowpens (under Col Banastre Tarleton), where they were routed by the Americans. The members of the Regiment that surrendered at Yorktown went into captivity in a POW camp in the Winchester Virginia area. Eventually, they were re-patriated and following the peace treaty of 1783, the regiment was disbanded. Survivors returned to Scotland.

If I remember correctly, the 71st and 74th regiments (which later formed the Highland Light Infantry) were raised at some point after 1783. I believe they were de-kilted in 1809.

My oldest daughter attended college in Savannah so I've been there several times. It is truly a charming city and was, in the 18th c. a walled city, if I remember correctly. The walled city is now the area with all of the squares. This is surrounded by the "Victorian city". With regard to the 71st (Fraser's) Regiment, I believe there is now a book out detailing its history.

[Tobus]

The 71st was originally a kilted unit, but as the war went on they converted their plaids to tartan trews or adopted gaitered breeches or trousers, retaining only their Highland bonnets for identity purposes. Likewise, the ORs gave up their baskethilt swords, which went into stores.

Orvis, thanks. That was a lot of good information. I'm curious about the part I quoted above. Do you happen to know when during the war they were de-kilted, as well as the reason for it? I wonder if it had to do with the brutally cold weather and/or other environmental conditions, or if it was just a matter of simplification for supply/logistics purposes. I'm also curious why the basket-hilt swords were given up.

If indeed they had been de-kilted prior to their southern foray to Savannah, it would certainly explain why I didn't see any mention of it there.

[Allan Thomson]

Orvis, thanks. That was a lot of good information. I'm curious about the part I quoted above. Do you happen to know when during the war they were de-kilted, as well as the reason for it? I wonder if it had to do with the brutally cold weather and/or other environmental conditions, or if it was just a matter of simplification for supply/logistics purposes. I'm also curious why the basket-hilt swords were given up.

If indeed they had been de-kilted prior to their southern foray to Savannah, it would certainly explain why I didn't see any mention of it there.

In the American theatre in both the French & Indian + the war of independence swords were put aside in favour of tommohawks which were more useful by all infantry regiments. That said there was mention of the 42nd using broadswords at Ticonderoga and later in one of the Indian rebellions using broadswords at Bushy run, so it may depend on the circumstance as to what was worn...

[Luke MacGillie]

In the American theatre in both the French & Indian + the war of independence swords were put aside in favour of tommohawks which were more useful by all infantry regiments. That said there was mention of the 42nd using broadswords at Ticonderoga and later in one of the Indian rebellions using broadswords at Bushy run, so it may depend on the circumstance as to what was worn...

Ive yet to see an actual issue document for Tomahawks to any of the 3 regiments/4 battalions that were over here. Camp axes yes, on a ratio of 1 ax to every tent. But there is a mention in the Orderly book that the Light Infantry had them, but that's 2 companies in 20 in the 42nd.


Now the 77th, the members of that unit had no clue how to use swords, or pistols, and put them in stores after the first year here in America.


LTC Montgomery to Gen Forbes, , April 1758. 
“I intend to leave our swords at Philadelphia, our men are young and the less they are loaded the better.”



So here are some actual quotes, not "Osprey documentation" but real.

42nd:

Cpt Stewart's Orderly Book mentions:

New York 16 th April 1759
The three Companys here of the 2 nd Ba ttn to have their swords numbr d and lettred as soon as
possible beginning with the letter “L” the 1 st B n having ended with the letter “K.”

Albany Camp 17 th My 1759.
The 4 th B n of the Royal Americans to receive 41 swords from the Royal Highland Reg t . The
Commanding Officer will give a receipt and return the same or make them good at the end of the
campaign.

Montreal 19 th April 1761. R.O.
The swords of the supernumerary Grenadiers drafted into the battalion to be lodges in the
Regim tl store and as the men are obliged to keep the scabbards in repair none to be received into
the store but such as are sufficient – the supernumerary Tomihawks , powder horns and shot bags
belonging to the Light Infantry company, also to be delivered to the store.

Camp at Staten Island 28 th July 1761
The Commanding Officers of Companys will compleat their men immediately the best and
lightest swords, and as they are numbered observing as near as possible to deliver them to the
men whose firelocks are numbered with the same mark; they are also to be compleated with the
most sufficient slings, shoulder belts and cartridge boxes. The companys to give in separate
returns this evening, of the firelocks only, distinguishing between the sufficient and unsufficient,
those cut or not cut.



78th:

“The poor fellows would cry out lustily when they were in an uneasy position, but we could not understand a word of what they said. One of them had one of his cheeks lying flat down upon his shoulder, which he got by attempting to run away, though he had a Highlander at his heels. When the French gave themselves up quietly they had no harm done them, but faith! if they tried to outrun a Heelandman they stood but a bad chance, for whash went the broadsword!" - (Related in August, 1828, as stated in the Diary of Volunteer Sergt. Jas. Thompson.)”

Ewan Cameron at Quebec Slew 9 Frenchmen before his sword Arm was hit by a cannonball. He continued to fight again with a musket before being killed.

Volunteer Malcolm MacPherson of Phoness, the subject of the Pinch of Snuff painting killed so many Frenchmen at the Plains of Abraham that he was selected to be part of the Honor guard for Wolfe's body on its return to England.

I just hate for people to think that Highland Soldiers were running around the woods over here half like Indians being some form of Super Soldier Natty Bumpoe.

Forbes once said in a letter that if a Highlander got 3 steps off a trail in the woods he was lost. Also there was not a lot of woods fighting, and a whole lot of conventional warfare, 2 and 3 rank firing that the regiments practiced and used in battle.

[Orvis]

I agree with Luke about the 77th (Montgomery's) Highlanders in the French and Indian War. Unlike the 78th Regt (Fraser's Highlanders), they were a mixed bag of Highlanders and Lowlanders, and many of the Highlanders had received no sword training from their elders since the failure of the '45 Rising (11 years prior to the regiment being raised). So the swords of the 77th were more like a parade or dress appendage, and unlikely to be used in combat. The officers and the serjeants were probably the only ones with swords on Forbes' 1758 campaign. As to the 78th, they were recruited entirely in the Highlands with many older Jacobites amongst them, and they retained their swords because they knew how to use them. As to the 42nd RHR in the F&I War, I don't know when they put their swords in stores, but it was probably earlier rather than later in their time in America. By the time of the RevWar, swords were even more of a dress item, since it had been 30 years since the '45 and few of the men knew how to use them, and the OR swords were put into stores immediately upon arrival in America.

Good quotes, Luke. Some I had seen, others I had not.

[Orvis]

Tobus - I'm not sure when Fraser's 71st de-kilted, but it may have been early in the war, since I've seen reports that some of their plaids went to the Royal Highland Emigrants (later 84th Foot). I'm also not sure if the three battalions of the 71st were all de-kilted at the same time, or did so incrementally. I believe the reason for the de-kilting was simplicity of logistics - they were at the end of a long supply chain - and for practicality (Highland regiments in America discovered that belted plaids were not the most practical garment to wear when campaigning in America). One source I saw indicated that the 71st's plaids may have been converted to trews by the regimental tailors. I'd have to hit the books (many of them to round up all the information. I suspect that the new book giving the history of the 71st might contain all of that information.