Is the 78th Regiment tartan mystery finally solved?

[Jeffrey]

Ladies and gents,

Nearly three years ago, I set out to put to rest the mystery of which tartan Colonel Fraser's men of the then-Second Highland Battalion wore when raised in 1757, for service in North America. As you all know, the Scottish battalion was quickly renumbered the 63rd Regiment, and finally the 78th Regiment. Some historians lean towards the traditional government sett, while others are in favor of the red Fraser sett. I truly believe I have now answered that question, found in two separate letters from Lord George Beauclerk, Commander in Chief of Scotland, to Lord Barrington, Secretary-at-War, in London.

To set the stage, Colonel Fraser and Colonel Montgomery (First Highland Battalion) were under orders to begin marching to Glasgow in March 1757, where they would receive their final clothing and purchase necessaries before marching south to Portpatrick, en route to Cork, Ireland, for departure to North America. Glasgow would be the first "meeting place," if you will, of both battalions, so that they could make final preparations for their upcoming march.

As copies of the digitals I received are copywritten, I will not post. However, the following snippets are extracts from each of the two letters.

In this first letter, Lord Beauclerk's contact with the clothing contractors strongly implies the making of clothes were a government undertaking, supervised by Beauclerk himself. Therefore, in my opinion, although each colonel paid for their clothing, and later received reimbursements in the form of "off-reckonings," because it was the government that ordered the clothing from the suppliers - it was most likely the government tartan.

22 March 1757: Beauclerk writes to Barrington in London: "I wish the Cloaths and Arms from London, and the Plaid &c. making in this Country may be ready in time, which last I apprehend will be rather late [to Glasgow], tho' the Contractors promise all possible diligence." [Beauclerk to Barrington, Edinburgh, 22 March 1757. Letter book of Lord George Beauclerk as Commander-in-Chief in Scotland, being copies of letters concerning military and administrative affairs in Scotland of Beuaclerk, the Viscount Barrington, the Earl of Holdernesse, the Earl of Ligonier, and others. National Library Scotland, p.47-48].

Early to mid-April 1757, both battalions arrive to Glasgow and are waiting final inspection by Lieutenant Colonels Webb and Worge before they march off.

19 April 1757: Beauclerk again writes to Barrington: "By a Letter I this day received from Lieut Colonel Webb, there are about 90 of the best Men of each of the Highland Battalion who cannot arrive at Glasgow before the 23d Inst. occasioned as is said, by their having been in the Western Isles where they could not receive orders so as to be able to join sooner. This will retard the march of the First Battalion till the 25th following; especially as the same Letter bears that there are also wanting 400 Plaids which daily expected from Stirling." [Beauclerk to Barrington, Edinburgh, 19 April 1757. TNA, W.O. 1/613, p.83-85].

Of this impending delivery of 400 plaids from Stirling (enough to complete about four companies - probably two companies for each battalion), at least 90 of these plaids are for Colonel Fraser's men who have yet to arrive from the Western Isles. And with Beauclerk at the helm of this clothing project, I believe both battalions were awaiting the final shipment(s) of government tartan.

I've already emailed our resident tartan advisor and awaiting his thoughts.

Regards,
Jeffrey