71st Regiment of Foot, Fraser's Highlanders
Encyclopedia
The 71st Regiment of Foot was a regiment
of infantry
raised in 1775, during the American Revolution
. The unit served in both the Northern and Southern Campaigns, and participated in many major battles including the Battle of Long Island
(1776), the Battle of Brandywine
(1777), Savannah (1778), Briar Creek (1779), the Siege of Savannah
(1779), the Siege of Charleston
(1780), the Battle of Camden
(1780), Guilford Courthouse (1781), and the Battle of Yorktown (1781).
The regiment was disbanded at the end of hostilities in 1783.
The regiment was unofficially known as Fraser's Highlanders and is referred to both in contemporary writings, including correspondence by regimental soldiers, and in later historical accounts. The official title of the regiment was always simply "71st Regiment of Foot". The third battalion raised in May of 1777 was Ferguson's Rifle Corp, who drew his pay and allowances from the 71st. The light and grenadier companies were drawn from the regiment to create the new 4th Light Infantry Regiment, composed of men from the 42nd also(2nd Battalion).
erupted with the American Colonies, Britain
's recruiting
efforts became crucial to her ability to wage the war and the Scottish
flocked to the cause. In 1778, some 15,000 men were enlisted into the British Army
. Two-thirds of them were from Scotland
. The 71st Regiment of Foot (1775–1783) was created from among these recruits.
Upon England
's realization that war with the American Colonies was imminent, it expanded the British Army from its 70 numbered Regiments of Foot. The first new regiment was raised by Colonel
Simon Fraser
and designated the 71st Regiment of Foot. King George III bestowed the honour of being the first new regiment to Fraser because of the outstanding service of another regiment of Fraser’s Highlanders, the 78th Regiment
(1753–1763), in the Seven Years (or French and Indian
) War. The earlier unit’s service in Canada
was widely lauded and equal hopes of success were held for the “new” Fraser’s Highlanders. In point of fact, however, the Regiment was never officially called the Fraser’s Highlanders; instead it was always the 71st Regiment of Foot.
Colonel Simon Fraser was the chieftain
of the Frasers of Lovat
. He raised the 78th Regiment of Foot
for the French and Indian Wars. He regained the lands forfeit in 1746, but did not accompany his Regiment to America. He died a Lieutenant General
in 1782.
The Regiment was officially raised at Stirling Castle
and in April 1776 moved to Glasgow
. Several clan chiefs supported Fraser in building the regiment. Six of these served as officers
. In short order, the 71st exceeded their recruiting needs and the unit embarked for America overstrength, including a large number of combat-proven officers from the old 78th Fraser’s Highlanders.
, many sources indicate that the 71st were unique as their over-strength organization numbered 2340 all ranks. The Regiment was organized into the 1st and 2nd battalion
s. The Regiment was later divided into three battalions during the New York campaign of 1776.
The 71st Regiment joined the Black Watch
(42nd Regiment of Foot
) in Glasgow in April 1776. The presence of the two regiments in Glasgow doubled the Highland population of the city. The 71st was well received in Glasgow according to historian John S. Keltie:
Before the 71st Regiment left Glasgow for Greenock
and America the unit’s overage was discovered and some of the unit ordered left behind in Scotland
. This overage was probably identified by the Inspector General
during the review of the Regiment prior to departing Glasgow. It is thought that many soldiers may have stowed away on the transports to avoid being left behind.
At about the same time, a company of 120 men raised on the forfeited estate of Captain
Cameron of Lochiel mutinied
. The company enlisted with the understanding that Captain Cameron would serve as their commander; when Cameron fell ill and did not arrive in Glasgow the company refused to leave the city until he arrived. The mutiny quickly ended when Simon Fraser convinced the men that a friend and relative of Captain Cameron, Captain Cameron of Fassifern should command the company instead. Captain Cameron died while traveling to join his unit.
Colonel Fraser did not accompany the new 71st Regiment of Foot when it set sail for Boston Harbor
.
Little is certain about the regiment’s dress. Archaeological research revealed buttons and a bonnet badge from the Regiment, but little else.
The Frasers were originally outfitted in proper Highland Military uniforms since surviving records indicated "no breeches" when the regiment was formed. Kilts were probably of standard military tartan
, commonly called "Black Watch" today. Pipers may have worn another tartan since they were not officially on the Army's rolls.
Enlisted men wore brick-red coats and officers and non-commissioned officers wore scarlet. Uniform coats had white facings and the buttons were numbered 71. The lace for the button holes was white for enlisted and non-commissioned officers and silver for officers.
The Bonnet Badge was a brass roundel with the cross of St. Andrew surrounded by an outer band with the words Quicquid Amt Facere Aut Pati (Whatever is to be performed or endured). In the centre of the Roundel is a Thistle and below it is the number 71. In an Inner circle around the Thistle is the phrase: Nemo Me Impune Lacesset (No one assails me with impunity).
The type of headgear the unit soldiers wore was a plain round blue woollen bonnet that was the standard headgear for enlisted men in highland regiments at the time.
The American climate and lack of re-supply may have had an adverse effect on men wearing the kilt during the first year, since there is no mention of the kilt in historical records after that. First-hand accounts confirm that by the time of the Southern Campaign the unit’s soldiers wore trousers. They may have worn blue trousers instead of the white trouser used by most British units during the war. Regimental records indicate that large numbers of these breeches were ordered in the Southern Campaign.
transporting the Regiment was separated in a storm and two transports carrying men of the 71st were later attacked. HMS Crawford carrying men of the regiment, their wives, and children was captured by the USS Andrew Doria
. Later, the British vessel HMS Cerberus
recaptured the Crawford, though the Crawford was later once again captured by the Americans.
In June 1776, six ships carrying 71st soldiers were attacked with mixed results by Americans. The Anne with the 1st Battalion's light infantry
and Captain Hamilton Maxwell was captured by the schooners USS Lee
, USS Lynch, and USS Warren
. HMS George, carrying Archibald Campbell
and Major Menzies was captured in Boston Harbor by the USS Franklin
and the same three American ships that attacked Anne. Likewise, the Brig
HMS Annabella, with a company of the 1st battalion under Captain George Mac Kenzie was attacked and run aground in Boston Harbor. The final loss occurred when the Lord Howe with a grenadier company of the 2nd Battalion was captured by seven vessels.
Not all the American attacks were successful, however. The Mayflower
with Captain
Angus MacIntosh and the Mermaid
with Captain Peter Campbell
both evaded capture when attacked. In the Mayflower encounter, according to eye-witness accounts, the privateers were repulsed by the 71st. The Mayflower attacked with cannon
and when its ammunition gave out, the Americans closed to board the British vessel. But upon seeing the 71st ready for a fight, the privateers broke-off the action.
It is thought by some that the losses in Boston Harbour resulted from poor communication. When the British evacuated the city, they could not communicate this change to all the ships headed there. Later, unaware that the city had been abandoned by the British, several ships sailed into the harbour and were attacked by American land
and naval
units. When the 71st Regiment was attacked, they put up a stiff resistance, but the transports were trapped within an American stronghold. During the fighting, Major Menzies and several others were killed and the rest became prisoners
. Many of these prisoners were later exchanged in time to participate in the Southern Campaign.
at Staten Island
in July 1776. Even though the 71st had never drilled, it was placed on line almost immediately. Major Menzies was supposed to lead the drill but he was killed in Boston Harbour and the rapid pace of events in the summer of 1776 virtually eliminated any training time.
On 1 August 1776, General Clinton arrived with reinforcements and the army of 25,000 was divided into seven brigade
s and a reserve
for operations against Brooklyn
. The 71st was placed in the 7th Brigade with some loyalist
and Hessian units. The 71st's Grenadiers were placed in the reserve along with the 33rd and 42nd Regiments.
The Americans under General Putnam placed 10,000 men in defensive positions along Brooklyn Heights, and another 5,000 defended New York
and the Hudson River
. General Howe intended to sweep Staten Island free of Americans and envelop the city from the east and north, beginning with Brooklyn.
The British moved into position by sea and on 22 August 1776. The British force landed at Gravesend Bay, Long Island
. Light American resistance was quickly swept aside and the Americans retreated to Flatbush
, burning everything
they could in the retreat. Lord Cornwallis pursued the Americans near Utrecht
and Flatlands
.
Over the next few days, the American strengthened their positions along high ground while the British reconnoitred the defences. The American right was defended by General William Alexander aka "Lord Stirling" in a good position, but the left under General John Sullivan
failed to cover the Jamaica Road
. This left the extreme left American flank
open.
On 26 August 1776, Hessian units approached Flatbush and engaged General Sullivan's forces with artillery
to hold the Americans in place while the main British force flanked General Sullivan along the Jamaica Road. The main force moved to attack at 9:00 pm with the 71st, 17th Light Dragoons
, Light Infantry, Grenadiers, the 1st Brigade, and 14 guns. Two hours before sunrise, the pass on the road was captured and the British force immediately moved on. The British main force then envelopment and General Sullivan's main force was nearly encircled and forced into retreat.
With General Sullivan’s force out of the way, the British left under General Grant moved against General Stirling’s better position. The engagement lasted for four hours but was eventually flanked by Lord Cornwallis and organized resistance ended.
Reports of bravery among soldiers of the 71st Regiment were noted in the battle while the Regiment lost three men killed and 11 wounded (two sergeants and nine men).
After the battle, General George Washington
reinforced the defences at Brooklyn, but on the night of 29 August 1776, he withdrew the entire force to New York.
On 15 September 1776, British warship
s sailed up the Hudson River to Bloomingdale
and up the East River
to Turtle Bay
. Fire from these vessels scattered American defenders, and the British ground forces landed to complete the encirclement of New York. The two thousand Americans remaining at Harlem
retired to Harlem Heights
and won a small action
there the next day.
The next operation for the 71st Regiment was at Fort Washington
on 16 November 1776. Participating with the regiment were the 4th, 10th, 15th, 23d, 27th, 28th, and 52nd Regiments and a force of Hessians.
s along the Hudson River. At dawn on 16 November 1776, a naval and artillery bombardment
began, and the infantry moved into place. The Hessian column moved against the north from Kingsbridge
. The second column, commanded by Lord Cornwallis, moved against the east from Harlem Creek. The third began a feint south of Lord Cornwallis, and below them, the fourth under Lord Percy
(including the 71st Regiment) moved forward. The advance was slow because of heavy American resistance, difficult terrain, and fortification’s strength, but the 42nd eventually broke through the defences which effectively routed the defenders. The British lost 458 and the Americans over 3,000 killed, wounded, or captured.
. A deserter spoiled the surprise attack, however, and General Greene
withdrew his 2,000 men to Hackensack, New Jersey
, where they joined General Washington. Six days later, the 71st Regiment joined Lord Cornwallis as reinforcements.
. At Trenton, the Americans crossed to safety.
General Howe ordered the British into winter quarters on 14 December 1776. The 71st Regiment wintered in Amboy, New Jersey
and played no part in the winter operations in New Jersey even though they were quartered in the area. Likewise, early operations of 1777 were limited to skirmishing actions and the expeditions against Willsborough and Westfield which did not involve the regiment.
The Regiment did, however, participate in the Battle of Brandywine
. General Howe's plan called for the capture of Philadelphia while simultaneously tying up American forces that might hinder General Burgoyne’s operations in upstate New York
. To confuse the Americans, General Howe chose naval movement for the manoeuvre which placed several American cities at risk, including Boston
, Albany
, and Philadelphia. The 71st sailed for the Chesapeake Bay
on 23 July 1777.
The British landed near Elkton, Maryland
on 25 August 1777 and moved north towards Philadelphia in two columns. The 71st joined the first column under General Knyphausen
along with Hessians, two brigades with four regiments each, the Queen's Rangers
(Irregulars), a squadron of dragoons, and several guns.
General Washington's forces tailed the British after the landing, skirmishing at Elkton, Wilmington
and Cooch's Bridge, with the main Continental defence taking place along the Brandywine halfway between Elkton and Philadelphia on good defensive ground. The main defence was placed at Chadd's Ford
and was supported with very strong defensive works.
On 11 September 1777, General Howe sent the second column under Cornwallis north to the American right where it flanked the Americans. Knyphausen’s force, using both battalions of the 71st to protect his flanks, drove directly to Chadd’s Ford and began an artillery bombardment which pinned General Greene’s forces in place.
General Sullivan’s force was pushed aside by Cornwallis which then threatened Greene’s force holding along Brandywine Creek, and Greene moved to counter Cornwallis, forced to defend against both him and Knyphausen. The 1st battalion of the 71st spearheaded Knyphausen’s attack across the ford. General Washington withdrew the Americans, while Greene’s force held off the British until after dark.
operations along the Hudson River
in 1777, which were intended to sever the New England
colonies from the Mid-Atlantic
. The 71st men led the taking of Forts Clinton
and Montgomery on 6 October 1777. The 71st men, along with the 63rd and 26th Regiments and a squadron of dismounted dragoons and Hessians, moved to the front of the forts from the river while the 52d and 57th Regiments flanked the positions and attack from the rear. Both forts were simultaneously attacked with bayonets at about 4:30 pm, routing the defenders. The detachment did not participate at Saratoga
.
Several sources indicate that a third battalion of the regiment was raised in May 1777 for use in that year’s campaigning, however there is mixed evidence to support this claim. It is more likely that the existing two battalions were divided to create a temporary third battalion.
but their Grenadiers, which had fought apart from the rest of the regiment since arriving in America, were left behind. When the regiment departed, the Grenadiers remained in the Northern Theater, where they were eventually stationed at Stony Point, New York
.
In July 1779, the British captured the fortification at Stony Point. A 600 man garrison, including the 71st's Grenadiers, was left to defend it but on the night of 15 July 1779, Brigadier General Anthony Wayne
attacked and recaptured the fort
. Wayne's disciplined light infantry force advanced in two columns down the Stony Point peninsula. Between the two larger forces was a minor one to draw British attention. Sentries detected the Americans as they approached the fort, and the general engagement ensued, lasting only thirty minutes. With the entire British force taken prisoner, the operations of the 71st Regiment of Foot in the Northern Campaign came to an end.
, where it spent the remainder of the war.
On 26 November 1778, both battalions of the 71st Regiment of Foot (under Lieutenant Colonel Archibald Campbell
), two Hessian and four Provincial Infantry regiments, and some artillery set sail from New York for Savannah. They arrived on 24 December and crossed the sand bar into the Savannah River three days later. In the days before the major landing, Campbell captured several Americans and gathered intelligence to improve his understanding of American forces in the area.
to within two miles (3 km) of Savannah where they landed unopposed at Girardeau's Plantation (also called Brewton's Hill) on 29 December 1778. The light Infantry under Captain Cameron landed first, followed by the first division (1st Battalion 71st Regiment, New York Volunteers
, 1st Battalion Delancy’s Provincials with two guns) under Lieutenant Colonel Maitland. The forces quickly moved inland along the causeway that led from the Plantation inland toward Sheridoe’s Bluff. At the plantation on the bluff, an American force had prepared for defence. Captain Cameron's light infantry advanced to the buildings. Leading the advance was a corporal and four soldiers. A sergeant and 12 men flanked the buildings and the remainder of the company advanced behind the lead group. The Americans allowed the 71st men to come within 100 yards (91.4 m) of the buildings and then opened fire. With the first American shots, the two groups rushed the buildings, taking them in about three minutes. Captain Cameron and three other ranks were killed in the action.
At about 2:00 pm, the British were deployed with the Light Infantry on the (British) right and the 1st Battalion of the 71st and the Hessians in the front facing the main American line. The Americans were deceived when Campbell moved the Light Infantry out of sight of the Americans where they, under the cover of broken terrain, and the New York Volunteers marched to the British rear and circled around to the American right and the road through the swamp.
A British officer, Major Skelly watched the movement from a tall tree to ensure the Americans did not discover the deception. Once beyond the swamp, the British attacked from the flank and the front simultaneously driving the American force from the field. Savannah fell to Campbell and the 71st's 1st Battalion and the New York Volunteers were billeted in the town.
With the capture of Savannah, the British set out in the Southern Campaign to neutralize and isolate the southern States to keep their goods from the more populous North. The British believed that the occupation would entice additional loyalists to join the British.
The 71st Regiment moved inland a few days later along the Savannah River to raise Loyalist support and take the city of Augusta, Georgia
. There was virtually no resistance and it is possible that as many as 1,500 Tories were added to British rolls. When Augusta fell, the 71st remained in camp there.
American attention now turned to the worsening situation in the South, and decided to challenge the British in Georgia.
assumed command of the 71st Regiment of Foot. He was appointed to command the 1st Battalion on 14 October 1778, though one source gives a promotion date of 9 March 1779.
, dispelling belief that the British were in total control of the Colony. American threats to Augusta prompted Campbell's withdrawal of the 71st Regiment from Augusta to Savannah. American troops dogged the retreating British. The king's forces, however, forces engaged those of Generals Ashe and Elbertat Briar Creek on 3 March 1779. Lieutenant Colonels Maitland, Prevost, and MacDonald with the 2nd battalion of the 71st as well as the Light Infantry flanked the Americans while Lieutenant Colonel MacPherson's 1st battalion of the 71st diverted attention with a feint. The Americans were routed, with the 71st losing three men and one officer killed, and twelve more men wounded.
After the loss at Briar Creek, a sizeable American force moved upriver towards Augusta in the last days of April 1779. The British in turn threatened undefended Charleston, and in an un-named skirmish on 24 April 1779, pro-British Creek Indians and the 71st Regiment surprised and swept much of the American forces from their positions, forcing an American retreat into the city. Demands for the city's surrender were met with a plea for neutrality which was rejected. The British lacked the manpower to assault the city and remained inactive. On 20 June 1779, American forces attacked the British rear guard, including the 1st Battalion of the 71st under Lieutenant Colonel Maitland, at Stono Ferry. In all, the force under Maitland included the 1st battalion, a Hessian regiment, and North and South Carolinian provincials, about 500 all told.
On the day of the battle, Maitland’s force was covering a foraging party that had re-crossed the Stono River. Maitland knew that since he was waiting for the foraging party to return, he could not give up his position. Fortunately, Maitland had prepared several redoubts to facilitate defence.
When General Lincoln’s forces appeared from the woods, Captain Colin Campbell (Of Glendaruel, Argylshire) and two Highland companies of about 60 men were sent out in skirmish formation to reconnoitre the Americans. The American force far outnumbered Lieutenant Colonel Maitland’s. The American had nearly 3,000 men, including Continentals, North and South Carolina Militia, cavalry, and artillery. Captain Campbell, however, would not give ground and a determined skirmish ensued. The Highlanders effectively stood their ground and the American advance was temporarily halted. All but seven of the Scotsmen were killed or wounded. When hit, Captain Campbell ordered his men to return to the redoubts, but they refused stating: “that if they left their officers behind in the field, they would bring a lasting disgrace on themselves.” When the fighting did slacken, all the officers were carried back to the redoubt by the seven men who could still walk.
Once the fighting began at Stono Ferry, the 2nd Battalion of the 71st immediately ran for the shore of John’s Island to cross the waterway and into the fight, but the ferries were on the wrong side of the river and the ferrymen fled with the first shots. To remedy the problem, Lieutenant Robert Campbell and several men swam across to retrieve the boats. The 2nd Battalion joined the fight shortly thereafter.
As the 2nd Battalion was crossing, the general engagement began. The Hessians on Maitland’s left were being dislodged by the Carolina Militia which had breached the Hessian redoubt. Maitland shifted two companies of Fraser’s Highlanders from the 1st Battalion to the breach, and the situation stabilized. The arrival of the 2d Battalion tipped the scales to favour the British, and after an hour of heavy fighting, Lincoln’s forces became disorganized and withdrew. The Highlanders pursued the retiring Americans but timely employment of the American cavalry forced the Highlanders to switch over to the defence. In a well synchronized effort, General Lincoln then brought up infantry to rake the Highlanders with musket fire. Maitland began to retire his force. General Lincoln returned to Charleston and the British to Savannah.
In all, the British lost 26 killed and 103 wounded, the Americans 150 killed and wounded. While this small battle had little affect on the overall conduct of the Southern Campaign, it was a severe setback for General Lincoln's force which greatly outnumbered but could not overcome the British.
The British commander used his 24 hour deadline to summon aid from outside the port, including Lieutenant Colonel Maitland’s force of 71st Regiment soldiers (720 all ranks), 200 men of the 2nd Battalion 60th Regiment of Foot, 350 Light Infantry, a small number of Marines, Hessians and Provincial forces from Beaufort, South Carolina. The force arrived at the northern shore of the Savannah River, found it blocked, and was guided by a native fisherman into the city in time to participate in the siege.
Joined by American forces, the French declined to storm the city, and brought up siege guns instead. Men of the garrison did make sorties into Allied lines, including raiding parties from the 71st.
On 8 October 1779, the French launched a direct assault, hoping to expedite the capture of the city and freeing the fleet to make sail before hurricane season. A three-pronged attack was fought back with severe losses on both sides. Both battalions of the 71st took part in repelling the assault, the 2nd from the second line behind the Spring Hill Redoubt, and the 1st Battalion elsewhere in the city where it may have been employed against Count Dillon or General Huger.
After the direct assault, the siege continued for a few days, before the French fleet sailed away for fear of hurricans. The Americans were forced to abandon the siege. The 71st remained in Savannah afterwards the siege, where many men fell victim to disease. At one point, over 25% of the regiment was hospitalized, Lieutenant Colonel Maitland died of illness.
where they joined the British Grenadiers. Over the next few days, the 71st moved several times and on 8 March the regiment's light infantry provided cover to the British crossing at Lighthouse Island, becoming the most significant action the regiment would take part in during this siege.
On 28 March 1780, the 1st Battalion arrived in the British camp and the next day joined the main force departing for Charleston, marching in the last of seven divisions. The siege began on 1 April when the British broke ground for their first siege parallel. Kept from escaping from Charleston when he could have by the city’s Assembly, General Lincoln was later asked, by the same politicians, to surrender Charleston without enduring the siege. Charleston was handed over to the British on 12 May, in their third effort to take the city.
From the siege of Charleston to the end of the war, the 71st Regiment was involved in virtually all of the most important battles. In April, General Washington sent needed reinforcements to the Southern District to help save Charleston. Arriving too late to have any impact on the siege, the Continental Congress
replaced the Bavarian-born General De Kalb with General Horatio Gates
as the commander of the forces in the Southern District, who proved a disappointing choice. He chose a route of march hostile to his men, making foraging difficult, and consequently arrived at Camden with an army too sick to fight.
On the morning of 16 August 1780, both Cornwallis and his American opponent Gates were moving towards each other for a surprise attack and their armies met at 3:00am. Cornwallis’ force consisted of 2,000 men, including the 71st Regiment (now numbering five companies), the 23rd and 33rd Regiments, Tarleton's Legion, Lord Rawdon's Volunteers of Ireland, several militia units, and six guns (four 6-pounders and two 3-pounders). General Gates commanded 3,000 men and several guns.
At daybreak, British and American cavalry clashed on the Charlotte road but neither side gained an advantage; in turn, advancing American infantry was repelled by the British line. Artillery fire announced the start of a general engagement. American militia attempted to advance but hesitated, advancing to within 40 paces of the British only to begin harassing fire on the light infantry. There, the 71st Regiment’s Captain Charles Campbell, watching the activity from a tree stump remarked: “I’ll see you damned first”, and ordered his force forward with the words “Remember you are Light Infantry; Remember you are Highlanders, Charge.” The American militia was swept from the field at bayonet point, crumbling the left of the American line. Gates lost his nerve and fled, assuming the battle over. However, the 2nd Maryland Brigade under General De Kalb continued to resist, and Cornwallis ordered up the 71st from reserve with the words “My brave Highlanders, now is your time.”
The smoke of the battle prevented the 71st, 23rd, and 33rd from seeing that the American right was intact and General De Kalb rallied several units; the greatly out-numbered Americans fought the British to a standstill. After De Kalb was fatally wounded and British cavalry again charged, the Americans surrendered. The British lost 331 of 2,239 men engaged in the battle and Americans losses probably totalled near 700 of the 3,052 engaged.
The battle featured prominently in written literature regarding the 71st, given the critical nature they played in winning the battle.
command against Colonel Thomas Sumter
at the Battle of Fishing Creek
on 18 August 1780. In this fight, the advancing British force found a poorly defended American camp containing Colonel Sumter and about 800 men. With his 150 man force, Lieutenant Colonel Tarleton attacked and captured nearly the entire force but Colonel Sumter narrowly escaped. In the battle, the 71st's Captain Campbell (an officer of the regiment's light infantry) formed his men up with the cavalry for the spontaneous attack. Had the British stopped to consider their situation more closely, the Americans would probably have discovered the enemy and successfully fought-off the numerically weaker British. Captain Campbell was killed by a stray bullet in the attack, his 71st temporarily panicking and thereby not participating fully in the battle.
of the 71st.
In September 1780, Major Ferguson’s Loyalist militia force was sent to cover Cornwallis’ flank as the main British force moved towards Charlotte, tasked to screen and defeat any American militia force that might intervene. In late September, Major Ferguson established himself at Gilbert Town where he sent a message to Patriots in the Appalachians to “to desist from their opposition to the British, or that he would march his army over the mountains and hang their leaders.” On 25 September, the American militia, or Overmountain Men
began to gather. The two forces pursued each other in the hill country of North and South Carolina; the Americans had hoped to catch Major Ferguson at Gilbert Town and again at Cowpens, but it was a few miles from Cowpens that Major Ferguson’s force took-up its last position and battle was joined in the afternoon of 7 October. The Americans advanced under cover of dense woods, to be met with a Loyalist bayonet charge. Major Ferguson manoeuvred his dwindling manpower personally, astride a horse, wearing a chequered hunting shirt and using a great silver whistle to signal his forces. Eventually he was hit by American fire and killed, which brought Loyalist resistance to an end. The Americans killed 225, wounded 163, and took over 700 prisoners while suffering 28 killed and 62 wounded.
Kings Mountain had a major significance to the conduct of the war, forcing Cornwallis to redeploy forces from the coast and towards major cities in the South.
Despite losses at Charleston and Camden, the Americans continued to resist; Washington appointed General Nathaniel Greene to the Southern Army on 3 December 1780. Greene soon moved into South Carolina in a controversial move, splitting the army to ensure enough fodder for both wings and correctly assuming his forces' superior mobility would allow it to fight on ground of its own choosing.
Greene's left wing moved to Cheraw Hill but did not see action, as Cornwallis concentrated against the right wing under General Daniel Morgan. On 27 December 1780, American scouts learned of 250 Tories at Fair Forest, who fled when American cavalry was sent to meet them. Pursuing and routing the Tories, Washington continued on to Fort Williams, whose garrison also retreated. Cornwallis was forced to deal with the thread of the American right wing, and so Lieutenant Colonel Tarleton moved across the Broad River in early January. Joining the 1st battalion of the 71st under his command were 3 pound guns and infantry known as Tarleton's Legion. Tarleton was reinforced by Cornwallis, but terrain made quick movement impossible. A lengthy pursuit of the right wing began, while Cornwallis also sent forces to deal with the left wing.
The American forces converged at Cowpens, received reinforcements, and stopped to make a stand on 17 January 1781. As the forces formed for battle, the 71st we left in reserve. Lieutenant Colonel Tarleton was so focused on attacking quickly that he failed to consider the poor position of his reserves and the terrain’s limits on their manoeuvre. This dramatically affected the battle as the 71st was significantly delayed in joining the fight owing because of the deep underbrush on the British left. Although the main field was clear, the surrounding terrain contained thick underbrush which channelled British movement. Additionally, Lieutenant Colonel Tarleton didn’t allow the 71st time to move into a proper reserve position before the opening of the battle; thereby further worsening their position and ability to react.
After the main engagement got underway, and things went favourably for the British save for actions of the cavalry on the left, Lieutenant Colonel Tarleton, believing victory was at hand, signalled for the reserve. The 71st Regiment and some of his Legion were ordered to strike and envelop the American right. Poor positioning of the regiment prior to the battle came into play dramatically delayed the 71st, and as they struggled forward, the American line of battle fired a deadly volley at 30 to 40 paces with devastating effect on the British line. An American charge resulted in a fierce melee. Major Archibald McArthur, supported by his pipers, rallied the 71st, who stood unflinching in musket fire for 10 to 15 minutes. Lieutenant Colonel Tarleton’s Legion abandoned the regiment’s left flank and most of the Fusiliers threw down their guns and surrendered.
with only the 71st Regiment holding against the encircling Americans, the Georgian Militia charged unsuccessfully against the Regimental Colour. Unsupported and surrounded, the 71st begin to retire, and some even attempted to flee the field. American regulars and militia encircled the regiment by this time, and American Colonel Howard offered Major McArthur quarter, the latter accepting his offer.
The detachment of 71st Regiment men left guarding the baggage train destroyed it and fell back behind the fleeing British cavalry, becoming the only 71st men of the 1st Battalion to escape capture.
As a result of the defeat, the 71st Regiment wore no facings on their uniforms for the rest of the war. Additionally, the surviving officers of the 71st petitioned Lord Cornwallis, asking that the Regiment never serve under Lieutenant Colonel Tarleton again; a request that was approved. At the same time, the 71st was consolidated into a Brigade with the Welsh Fusiliers and the 33d Regiment of Foot.
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Lord Cornwallis felt that the overall operation in the South could still succeed despite the loss at Cowpens, but to do so, he would have to deal with the growing American forces in the Southern District. Cornwallis set out to chase down the force of American regulars that had defeated Tarleton after the latter's battered forces had consolidated.
By the time Cornwallis began to move into North Carolina and Virginia, General Morgan’s force had already crossed the Broad River. Pursuit of the Americans lasted into February 1781 while the Americans retreated towards their supply lines. Skirmishing began in mid-February, as both armies paused to rest. Not wishing to forestall a decisive battle, Cornwallis managed to engage the Americans in a full scale battle on 15 March 1781 at Guilford Courthouse.
General Greene sought to emulate the successful deployments of Cowpens, and put his least experienced and reliable North Carolinian militiamen in the centre of the line, at a fence line, opposite the 71st Regiment. The remainder of the line extended to the tree lines and the flanks were guarded by sharpshooters. This formation forced the British into the open along the fence line. The second line, also of militia units, considered more reliable and better trained, was positioned 300 yards (274.3 m) to the rear. Finally, the Continental regulars were positioned some 500 yards (457.2 m) further to the American rear.
Cornwallis was outnumbered roughly two-to-one, with only 2,200 troops on the ground and was forced to attack over open ground, beyond which were fences and forests which would make control over the troops difficult, followed by more open ground over which the army would have to pass to engage the Continentals.
The 71st Regiment under Lieutenant Colonel Duncan MacPherson began to move at about one in the afternoon as the British line advanced. The British left may have lost as many as a third of its force in engaging the first line of Americans. Captain Dugald Stewart of the 71st said: “One half of the Highlanders dropped on that spot” (Later estimates put the regiment's actual losses that day at about 70 men). After this volley, the British returned fire and drove the American first line from the field with a charge.
The British left then began a contested drive through the second American line and into the open ground in front of the American third. But the British right, including the 71st Regiment, became entangled in a hotly contested skirmish in the woods. This action then split into two, and the 71st were engaged by the Virginia militia in heavy woods, unsupported by any other unit. This was just one of many small battles within the larger battle of Guilford Courthouse where sub-regimental units struggled as individuals and small parties of men without the clearly defined lines which were the convention at the time.
The success of the 71st, along on the British right, now began to support the entire effort. Because the regiment had continued as ordered, they were able to tie-down the Virginia militia in the American second line which prevented them from flanking the British left. Finally, after an exhausting fight, the 71st broke the American second line and the threat to the British flank was eliminated, though the regiment remained in the woods and could provide no support to the main advance on the third American line.
In the end, the day was long and difficult for both sides and neither side could claim a clear victory. The British had swept the field up to the third line, but the Americans succeeded in their goal of inflicting casualties the British could ill-afford. General Greene, believing he had little to gain by remaining, withdrew, leaving the British in possession of the field. The losses at Guilford Courthouse totalled over 500 dead and wounded, of these, the 71st lost Ensign Grant and 11 men killed, with 50 men wounded (including 4 sergeants and 46 other ranks), or a total of 62 casualties.
; by 20 May 1781 Cornwallis commanded 7,500 men.
The two Scottish Regiments under Arnold’s service, the 76th Foot (Macdonald's Highlanders) and the 80th Regiment of Foot (Royal Edinburgh Volunteers) were joined with a Highland force they “revered as the elite of the army, who had fought and generally led in every action during the war”. The combined battalions of the 71st by this point numbered only 175 survivors though fairly accurate numbers after the battle of Yorktown put the regiment at over 240 strong.
Cornwallis completed his movement to Hampton Roads in late June and in early July, prepared to evacuate the peninsula at Jamestown and move to Norfolk. General Lafayette attacked Lord Cornwallis’ rear on 6 July 1781. The 71st did not materially participate in this battle of Green Springs, the last mobile battle of the Yorktown Campaign. Lord Cornwallis’ forces prevailed and forced a stalemate, moving to Norfolk the next day.
On 26 July 1781, Cornwallis decided to winter at Yorktown, a quiet port town north of Hampton at Gloucester Point on the York River. The movement to Yorktown was complete in late August and work began on fortifications that would encircle the city from the York River in the south up to Yorktown Creek in the north and then back towards the York River. The 71st Regiment of Foot arrived early-on in the landings, but it took 21 days to complete the movement of the British force to Yorktown.
For the first few weeks at Yorktown, work consisted of foraging and construction of fortifications. The former was moderately successful and the latter was too slow to meet the future needs of the British, due mainly to the extreme heat. The British also received help from a number of slaves who had flocked to the British from the local area hoping to win freedom. Additionally, it appears Cornwallis felt no compulsion to hurry the work since General Lafayette’s forces 25 miles (40.2 km) away near West Point, Virginia were limited in number and showing no interest in a fight. General Lafayette’s American force did not move closer until 3 September 1871, when it moved into Williamsburg.
At Yorktown, a letter was sent from Lieutenant Colonel Duncan MacPherson, commander of the 71st Regiment. It was written in the first days of September and presumably sent to Lord Cornwallis. The letter painted a picture of the enthusiasm of the regiment. It also refers to “these Highlanders,” and thereby possibly the 76th and 80th Regiments as well as the 71st. The letter begins by announcing that his Regiment heard of the arrival of the French Fleet two days before and then states: “nothing but hard labor goes on here at present in constructing and making Batteries towards the River, and Redoubts towards the Land. The troops are in perfect health and if our Enemies are polite enough to give us three day’s grace (we will be ready).”
The letter refers to the arrival of the French Fleet to blockade the Chesapeake. While the British assumed a British fleet from New York would drive off the French, it did not. While he could not know, Lord Cornwallis sea-lanes of communications were permanently cut and the situation at Yorktown would only deteriorate from that point until the surrender.
After the arrival of the French fleet, work on the defences of Yorktown took-on new emphasis. When complete, the defences stretched for over a mile around Yorktown. The York River covered the entire rear of the British position, and Gloucester Point, across the York, was defended by a smaller British detachment.
To the north on the right British flank, the defences were anchored by Yorktown Creek, a swampy very rough barrier that ran through a ravine which was all but impassable. Beyond the Creek, the British placed the Fusiliers Redoubt, just astride the York River, to provide cover against any possible Allied approach in that direction. Inside the York Creek, some 600 feet (182.9 m) towards the town, the main defences ran 1400 feet (426.7 m) through the outskirts of the town. This first line moved inland from the river and parallel to the creek. The line there turned left to parallel the river for 2000 feet (609.6 m), and terminated in a hornwork that faced the main Allied axis of attack. From the hornwork, the defences turned back to the river, for another 2000 feet (609.6 m), ending on the cliffs that protected the port facilities of the town. Two important redoubts protected this last section of line. Redoubts 9 and 10 were located 1200 ft (365.8 m) south of the main fortifications. Redoubt 10 was near the cliffs and Redoubt 9 was inland from the river 800 ft (243.8 m).
These two fortifications played a crucial role in the battle, and Cornwallis knew he must hold them as long as possible. Maybe because of this, both of these key defences were commanded and defended by the 71st Regiment. Major James Campbell and 45 men defended Redoubt 10 and Lieutenant Colonel Duncan MacPherson and 120 men, part of them Hessians, defended Redoubt 9. Lieutenant Colonel MacPherson may have been describing these defences in his intercepted letter to Lord Cornwallis. These defences were well defended and the lynchpin to either side's success.
The Allies prepared their first parallel line beginning on 6 October 1781. The next morning, the parallel stretched across the open fields in front of his line for 2600 ft (792.5 m).
Though the circle closed upon Lord Cornwallis, morale was not low. On 11 October, Lord Cornwallis began to consider abandoning Yorktown and escaping across to Gloucester and breaking-out. But the British commander’s attention was soon turned to the opening of the Allies second parallel, only 300 odd yards from the British defences.
On 14 October, the Allies began bombarding Redoubts 9 and 10. That night, the Americans under Alexander Hamilton took Redoubt 10 in a quick ten minute bayonet charge. Seventeen men and three officers were taken prisoner. The French under Major General de Viomenil attacked the larger redoubt. This attack lasted 20 minutes before the Redoubt fell to the Allies. Once taken, the two earthworks were incorporated into the Allied line. The circle was fully closed upon the defenders.
On 16 October 1781, the British replied with an attack by 350 men, mostly Grenadiers, Royal Edinburgh Volunteers, and Light Infantry, damaging a handful of Allied guns. Later that day, the Allied second siege line opened fire from their new and deadly positions. That night, Lord Cornwallis decided to retire with his best troops to Gloucester Point and break-out and escape. The forces were divided into divisions and movement began but a storm blew in and ruined Cornwallis’ plan.
At 10:00 am on 17 October 1781, Lord Cornwallis surrendered. On the morning of 18 October 1781, the pipers of the Highland units played a final salute, which was answered by the French Deux Ponts Regimental Band. After the surrender at Yorktown, British forces were marched off to prison camps in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia. The men of the 71st Regiment received new kilts while in POW camps, and eventually returned to Perth, Scotland to be discharged in 1783.
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
of infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
raised in 1775, during the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
. The unit served in both the Northern and Southern Campaigns, and participated in many major battles including the Battle of Long Island
Battle of Long Island
The Battle of Long Island, also known as the Battle of Brooklyn or the Battle of Brooklyn Heights, fought on August 27, 1776, was the first major battle in the American Revolutionary War following the United States Declaration of Independence, the largest battle of the entire conflict, and the...
(1776), the Battle of Brandywine
Battle of Brandywine
The Battle of Brandywine, also known as the Battle of the Brandywine or the Battle of Brandywine Creek, was fought between the American army of Major General George Washington and the British-Hessian army of General Sir William Howe on September 11, 1777. The British defeated the Americans and...
(1777), Savannah (1778), Briar Creek (1779), the Siege of Savannah
Siege of Savannah
The Siege of Savannah or the Second Battle of Savannah was an encounter of the American Revolutionary War in 1779. The year before, the city of Savannah, Georgia, had been captured by a British expeditionary corps under Lieutenant-Colonel Archibald Campbell. The siege itself consisted of a joint...
(1779), the Siege of Charleston
Siege of Charleston
The Siege of Charleston was one of the major battles which took place towards the end of the American Revolutionary War, after the British began to shift their strategic focus towards the American Southern Colonies. After about six weeks of siege, Continental Army Major General Benjamin Lincoln...
(1780), the Battle of Camden
Battle of Camden
The Battle of Camden was a major victory for the British in the Southern theater of the American Revolutionary War...
(1780), Guilford Courthouse (1781), and the Battle of Yorktown (1781).
The regiment was disbanded at the end of hostilities in 1783.
The regiment was unofficially known as Fraser's Highlanders and is referred to both in contemporary writings, including correspondence by regimental soldiers, and in later historical accounts. The official title of the regiment was always simply "71st Regiment of Foot". The third battalion raised in May of 1777 was Ferguson's Rifle Corp, who drew his pay and allowances from the 71st. The light and grenadier companies were drawn from the regiment to create the new 4th Light Infantry Regiment, composed of men from the 42nd also(2nd Battalion).
Raising The 71st Regiment
When warWar
War is a state of organized, armed, and often prolonged conflict carried on between states, nations, or other parties typified by extreme aggression, social disruption, and usually high mortality. War should be understood as an actual, intentional and widespread armed conflict between political...
erupted with the American Colonies, Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
's recruiting
Military recruitment
Military recruitment is the act of requesting people, usually male adults, to join a military voluntarily. Involuntary military recruitment is known as conscription. Many countries that have abolished conscription use military recruiters to persuade people to join, often at an early age. To...
efforts became crucial to her ability to wage the war and the Scottish
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
flocked to the cause. In 1778, some 15,000 men were enlisted into the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
. Two-thirds of them were from Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. The 71st Regiment of Foot (1775–1783) was created from among these recruits.
Upon England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
's realization that war with the American Colonies was imminent, it expanded the British Army from its 70 numbered Regiments of Foot. The first new regiment was raised by Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
Simon Fraser
Simon Fraser of Lovat (general)
General the Hon. Simon Fraser of Lovat, 19th MacShimidh was a Scottish general in the British Army who raised a number of fighting forces, and served in the war against the French in Quebec, as well as the American rebellion. Simon was the 19th Chief of the Clan Fraser.-Master of Lovat:Simon was...
and designated the 71st Regiment of Foot. King George III bestowed the honour of being the first new regiment to Fraser because of the outstanding service of another regiment of Fraser’s Highlanders, the 78th Regiment
78th Fraser Highlanders
The 78th Regiment, Regiment of Foot otherwise known as the 78th Fraser Highlanders was a British infantry regiment of the line unit raised in Scotland in 1757, to fight in the French and Indian War.-History:...
(1753–1763), in the Seven Years (or French and Indian
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War is the common American name for the war between Great Britain and France in North America from 1754 to 1763. In 1756, the war erupted into the world-wide conflict known as the Seven Years' War and thus came to be regarded as the North American theater of that war...
) War. The earlier unit’s service in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
was widely lauded and equal hopes of success were held for the “new” Fraser’s Highlanders. In point of fact, however, the Regiment was never officially called the Fraser’s Highlanders; instead it was always the 71st Regiment of Foot.
Colonel Simon Fraser was the chieftain
Chieftain
Chieftain may refer to:The leader or head of a group:* a tribal chief or a village head.* a member of the 'House of chiefs'.* a captain, to which 'chieftain' is etymologically related.* Clan chief, the head of a Scottish clan....
of the Frasers of Lovat
Frasers of Lovat
Clan Fraser of Lovat is a Highland Scottish clan and is a branch of the Clan Fraser. The Frasers of Lovat are descendants from a younger brother of Sir Alexander Fraser. It is Sir Alexander Fraser descendants whom are the chief line of the Fraser clan...
. He raised the 78th Regiment of Foot
78th Regiment of Foot
The 78th Regiment of Foot was a Highland Infantry Regiment of the Line raised in late 18th Century Scotland for service against the French during the Napoleonic Wars.- History :The original 78th Foot was raised by the Earl of Seaforth in 1778...
for the French and Indian Wars. He regained the lands forfeit in 1746, but did not accompany his Regiment to America. He died a Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
in 1782.
The Regiment was officially raised at Stirling Castle
Stirling Castle
Stirling Castle, located in Stirling, is one of the largest and most important castles, both historically and architecturally, in Scotland. The castle sits atop Castle Hill, an intrusive crag, which forms part of the Stirling Sill geological formation. It is surrounded on three sides by steep...
and in April 1776 moved to Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
. Several clan chiefs supported Fraser in building the regiment. Six of these served as officers
Officer (armed forces)
An officer is a member of an armed force or uniformed service who holds a position of authority. Commissioned officers derive authority directly from a sovereign power and, as such, hold a commission charging them with the duties and responsibilities of a specific office or position...
. In short order, the 71st exceeded their recruiting needs and the unit embarked for America overstrength, including a large number of combat-proven officers from the old 78th Fraser’s Highlanders.
Organization
While typical regiments of the time had 1080 men in 10 companiesCompany (military unit)
A company is a military unit, typically consisting of 80–225 soldiers and usually commanded by a Captain, Major or Commandant. Most companies are formed of three to five platoons although the exact number may vary by country, unit type, and structure...
, many sources indicate that the 71st were unique as their over-strength organization numbered 2340 all ranks. The Regiment was organized into the 1st and 2nd battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
s. The Regiment was later divided into three battalions during the New York campaign of 1776.
The 71st Regiment joined the Black Watch
Black Watch
The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. The unit's traditional colours were retired in 2011 in a ceremony led by Queen Elizabeth II....
(42nd Regiment of Foot
42nd Regiment of Foot
The 42nd Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army. Originally the 43rd Highlanders they were renumbered the 42nd in 1748.- Early history :...
) in Glasgow in April 1776. The presence of the two regiments in Glasgow doubled the Highland population of the city. The 71st was well received in Glasgow according to historian John S. Keltie:
Their conduct was so laudable and exemplary as to gain the affections of the inhabitants, between whom and the soldiers the greatest cordiality prevailed.
Before the 71st Regiment left Glasgow for Greenock
Greenock
Greenock is a town and administrative centre in the Inverclyde council area in United Kingdom, and a former burgh within the historic county of Renfrewshire, located in the west central Lowlands of Scotland...
and America the unit’s overage was discovered and some of the unit ordered left behind in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. This overage was probably identified by the Inspector General
Inspector General
An Inspector General is an investigative official in a civil or military organization. The plural of the term is Inspectors General.-Bangladesh:...
during the review of the Regiment prior to departing Glasgow. It is thought that many soldiers may have stowed away on the transports to avoid being left behind.
At about the same time, a company of 120 men raised on the forfeited estate of Captain
Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)
Captain is a junior officer rank of the British Army and Royal Marines. It ranks above Lieutenant and below Major and has a NATO ranking code of OF-2. The rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and to a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force...
Cameron of Lochiel mutinied
Mutiny
Mutiny is a conspiracy among members of a group of similarly situated individuals to openly oppose, change or overthrow an authority to which they are subject...
. The company enlisted with the understanding that Captain Cameron would serve as their commander; when Cameron fell ill and did not arrive in Glasgow the company refused to leave the city until he arrived. The mutiny quickly ended when Simon Fraser convinced the men that a friend and relative of Captain Cameron, Captain Cameron of Fassifern should command the company instead. Captain Cameron died while traveling to join his unit.
Colonel Fraser did not accompany the new 71st Regiment of Foot when it set sail for Boston Harbor
Boston Harbor
Boston Harbor is a natural harbor and estuary of Massachusetts Bay, and is located adjacent to the city of Boston, Massachusetts. It is home to the Port of Boston, a major shipping facility in the northeast.-History:...
.
Uniforms of the Fraser Highlanders
The Frasers were originally outfitted in proper Highland Military uniforms since surviving records indicated "no breeches" when the regiment was formed. Kilts were probably of standard military tartan
Tartan
Tartan is a pattern consisting of criss-crossed horizontal and vertical bands in multiple colours. Tartans originated in woven wool, but now they are made in many other materials. Tartan is particularly associated with Scotland. Scottish kilts almost always have tartan patterns...
, commonly called "Black Watch" today. Pipers may have worn another tartan since they were not officially on the Army's rolls.
Enlisted men wore brick-red coats and officers and non-commissioned officers wore scarlet. Uniform coats had white facings and the buttons were numbered 71. The lace for the button holes was white for enlisted and non-commissioned officers and silver for officers.
The Bonnet Badge was a brass roundel with the cross of St. Andrew surrounded by an outer band with the words Quicquid Amt Facere Aut Pati (Whatever is to be performed or endured). In the centre of the Roundel is a Thistle and below it is the number 71. In an Inner circle around the Thistle is the phrase: Nemo Me Impune Lacesset (No one assails me with impunity).
The type of headgear the unit soldiers wore was a plain round blue woollen bonnet that was the standard headgear for enlisted men in highland regiments at the time.
The American climate and lack of re-supply may have had an adverse effect on men wearing the kilt during the first year, since there is no mention of the kilt in historical records after that. First-hand accounts confirm that by the time of the Southern Campaign the unit’s soldiers wore trousers. They may have worn blue trousers instead of the white trouser used by most British units during the war. Regimental records indicate that large numbers of these breeches were ordered in the Southern Campaign.
Deployment to America
The crossing to America proved dangerous; in the spring and summer of 1776, when the 42nd and 71st Regiments travelled to America, American privateers were regularly successful at intercepting British merchant shipping. In May, the convoyConvoy
A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support, though it may also be used in a non-military sense, for example when driving through remote areas.-Age of Sail:Naval...
transporting the Regiment was separated in a storm and two transports carrying men of the 71st were later attacked. HMS Crawford carrying men of the regiment, their wives, and children was captured by the USS Andrew Doria
USS Andrew Doria (1775)
Andrew Doria was a brig purchased by the Continental Congress in October of 1775. She is most famous for her participation in the Battle of Nassau—the first amphibious engagement by the Continental Navy and the Continental Marines—and for being the first United States vessel to receive a salute...
. Later, the British vessel HMS Cerberus
HMS Cerberus (1758)
HMS Cerberus was a 28 gun sixth-rate frigate of the Royal Navy.She was ordered on 6 May 1757 from the yards of Pleasant Fenn, East Cowes and was laid down on 13 June 1757. She was launched just over a year later on 5 September 1758. The ship was the target of an early torpedo attack by David...
recaptured the Crawford, though the Crawford was later once again captured by the Americans.
In June 1776, six ships carrying 71st soldiers were attacked with mixed results by Americans. The Anne with the 1st Battalion's light infantry
Light infantry
Traditionally light infantry were soldiers whose job was to provide a skirmishing screen ahead of the main body of infantry, harassing and delaying the enemy advance. Light infantry was distinct from medium, heavy or line infantry. Heavy infantry were dedicated primarily to fighting in tight...
and Captain Hamilton Maxwell was captured by the schooners USS Lee
USS Lee (1775)
The first USS Lee was a schooner under the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. She was named for General Charles Lee.-1775:...
, USS Lynch, and USS Warren
USS Warren (1775)
The first USS Warren was a schooner that served in the American Revolutionary War from 1775 to 1776.Warren was originally the fishing schooner Hawk, probably built at Marblehead, Massachusetts, and owned by John Twisdon at the time of her appraisal for naval service in the American Revolutionary...
. HMS George, carrying Archibald Campbell
Archibald Campbell (British Army officer)
General Sir Archibald Campbell KB served as Governor of Jamaica and Madras. He was a major Scottish landowner, Heritable Usher of the White Rod for Scotland and a Member of Parliament for the Stirling Burghs.-Birth:...
and Major Menzies was captured in Boston Harbor by the USS Franklin
USS Franklin (1775)
The first USS Franklin was a schooner in the Continental Navy during the American Revolutionary War. She was named for Benjamin Franklin....
and the same three American ships that attacked Anne. Likewise, the Brig
Brig
A brig is a sailing vessel with two square-rigged masts. During the Age of Sail, brigs were seen as fast and manoeuvrable and were used as both naval warships and merchant vessels. They were especially popular in the 18th and early 19th centuries...
HMS Annabella, with a company of the 1st battalion under Captain George Mac Kenzie was attacked and run aground in Boston Harbor. The final loss occurred when the Lord Howe with a grenadier company of the 2nd Battalion was captured by seven vessels.
Not all the American attacks were successful, however. The Mayflower
Mayflower
The Mayflower was the ship that transported the English Separatists, better known as the Pilgrims, from a site near the Mayflower Steps in Plymouth, England, to Plymouth, Massachusetts, , in 1620...
with Captain
Captain (nautical)
A sea captain is a licensed mariner in ultimate command of the vessel. The captain is responsible for its safe and efficient operation, including cargo operations, navigation, crew management and ensuring that the vessel complies with local and international laws, as well as company and flag...
Angus MacIntosh and the Mermaid
Mermaid
A mermaid is a mythological aquatic creature with a female human head, arms, and torso and the tail of a fish. A male version of a mermaid is known as a "merman" and in general both males and females are known as "merfolk"...
with Captain Peter Campbell
Peter Campbell
Peter Campbell may refer to:* Peter Campbell , Scottish footballer* Peter Campbell , American water polo player* Peter Campbell , Australian tennis player of the 1970s...
both evaded capture when attacked. In the Mayflower encounter, according to eye-witness accounts, the privateers were repulsed by the 71st. The Mayflower attacked with cannon
Cannon
A cannon is any piece of artillery that uses gunpowder or other usually explosive-based propellents to launch a projectile. Cannon vary in caliber, range, mobility, rate of fire, angle of fire, and firepower; different forms of cannon combine and balance these attributes in varying degrees,...
and when its ammunition gave out, the Americans closed to board the British vessel. But upon seeing the 71st ready for a fight, the privateers broke-off the action.
It is thought by some that the losses in Boston Harbour resulted from poor communication. When the British evacuated the city, they could not communicate this change to all the ships headed there. Later, unaware that the city had been abandoned by the British, several ships sailed into the harbour and were attacked by American land
Army
An army An army An army (from Latin arma "arms, weapons" via Old French armée, "armed" (feminine), in the broadest sense, is the land-based military of a nation or state. It may also include other branches of the military such as the air force via means of aviation corps...
and naval
Navy
A navy is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake- or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions...
units. When the 71st Regiment was attacked, they put up a stiff resistance, but the transports were trapped within an American stronghold. During the fighting, Major Menzies and several others were killed and the rest became prisoners
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
. Many of these prisoners were later exchanged in time to participate in the Southern Campaign.
The Northern Campaign
The 71st Regiment of Foot joined General William HoweWilliam Howe, 5th Viscount Howe
William Howe, 5th Viscount Howe, KB, PC was a British army officer who rose to become Commander-in-Chief of British forces during the American War of Independence...
at Staten Island
Staten Island
Staten Island is a borough of New York City, New York, United States, located in the southwest part of the city. Staten Island is separated from New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull, and from the rest of New York by New York Bay...
in July 1776. Even though the 71st had never drilled, it was placed on line almost immediately. Major Menzies was supposed to lead the drill but he was killed in Boston Harbour and the rapid pace of events in the summer of 1776 virtually eliminated any training time.
On 1 August 1776, General Clinton arrived with reinforcements and the army of 25,000 was divided into seven brigade
Brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that is typically composed of two to five battalions, plus supporting elements depending on the era and nationality of a given army and could be perceived as an enlarged/reinforced regiment...
s and a reserve
Military reserve
A military reserve, tactical reserve, or strategic reserve is a group of military personnel or units which are initially not committed to a battle by their commander so that they are available to address unforeseen situations or exploit suddenly developing...
for operations against Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
. The 71st was placed in the 7th Brigade with some loyalist
Loyalist (American Revolution)
Loyalists were American colonists who remained loyal to the Kingdom of Great Britain during the American Revolutionary War. At the time they were often called Tories, Royalists, or King's Men. They were opposed by the Patriots, those who supported the revolution...
and Hessian units. The 71st's Grenadiers were placed in the reserve along with the 33rd and 42nd Regiments.
The Americans under General Putnam placed 10,000 men in defensive positions along Brooklyn Heights, and another 5,000 defended New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
. General Howe intended to sweep Staten Island free of Americans and envelop the city from the east and north, beginning with Brooklyn.
The British moved into position by sea and on 22 August 1776. The British force landed at Gravesend Bay, Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
. Light American resistance was quickly swept aside and the Americans retreated to Flatbush
Flatbush, Brooklyn
Flatbush is a community of the Borough of Brooklyn, a part of New York City, consisting of several neighborhoods.The name Flatbush is an Anglicization of the Dutch language Vlacke bos ....
, burning everything
Total war
Total war is a war in which a belligerent engages in the complete mobilization of fully available resources and population.In the mid-19th century, "total war" was identified by scholars as a separate class of warfare...
they could in the retreat. Lord Cornwallis pursued the Americans near Utrecht
New Utrecht, Brooklyn
New Utrecht was the last of six towns to be founded in what is today the borough of Brooklyn in New York City. It was named after the city of Utrecht, Netherlands. In 1652 Cornelius van Werckhoven, a surveyor born in Utrecht and a principal investor in the Dutch West India Company, began purchasing...
and Flatlands
Flatlands, Brooklyn
Flatlands is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The area is part of Brooklyn Community Board 18.One of the original five Dutch towns on Long Island , this neighborhood was originally known as Nieuw Amersfoort, after the Dutch city of Amersfoort, but the name was changed to...
.
Over the next few days, the American strengthened their positions along high ground while the British reconnoitred the defences. The American right was defended by General William Alexander aka "Lord Stirling" in a good position, but the left under General John Sullivan
John Sullivan
John Sullivan was the third son of Irish immigrants, a United States general in the Revolutionary War, a delegate in the Continental Congress and a United States federal judge....
failed to cover the Jamaica Road
Jamaica Avenue
Jamaica Avenue is a major avenue in the boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens in New York City, New York, in the United States. Jamaica Avenue starts at Broadway and Fulton Street in the East New York neighborhood in Brooklyn, and goes to the city line in Bellerose, Queens, where it becomes Jericho...
. This left the extreme left American flank
Flanking maneuver
In military tactics, a flanking maneuver, also called a flank attack, is an attack on the sides of an opposing force. If a flanking maneuver succeeds, the opposing force would be surrounded from two or more directions, which significantly reduces the maneuverability of the outflanked force and its...
open.
On 26 August 1776, Hessian units approached Flatbush and engaged General Sullivan's forces with artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
to hold the Americans in place while the main British force flanked General Sullivan along the Jamaica Road. The main force moved to attack at 9:00 pm with the 71st, 17th Light Dragoons
17th Lancers
The 17th Lancers was a cavalry regiment of the British Army, notable for its participation in the Charge of the Light Brigade in the Crimean War...
, Light Infantry, Grenadiers, the 1st Brigade, and 14 guns. Two hours before sunrise, the pass on the road was captured and the British force immediately moved on. The British main force then envelopment and General Sullivan's main force was nearly encircled and forced into retreat.
With General Sullivan’s force out of the way, the British left under General Grant moved against General Stirling’s better position. The engagement lasted for four hours but was eventually flanked by Lord Cornwallis and organized resistance ended.
Reports of bravery among soldiers of the 71st Regiment were noted in the battle while the Regiment lost three men killed and 11 wounded (two sergeants and nine men).
After the battle, General George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
reinforced the defences at Brooklyn, but on the night of 29 August 1776, he withdrew the entire force to New York.
On 15 September 1776, British warship
Warship
A warship is a ship that is built and primarily intended for combat. Warships are usually built in a completely different way from merchant ships. As well as being armed, warships are designed to withstand damage and are usually faster and more maneuvrable than merchant ships...
s sailed up the Hudson River to Bloomingdale
Bloomingdale District
Bloomingdale is a part of Manhattan's Upper West Side between 96th and 110th Streets and bounded on the east by Amsterdam Avenue and on the west by Riverside Drive, Riverside Park and the Hudson River.-History:...
and up the East River
East River
The East River is a tidal strait in New York City. It connects Upper New York Bay on its south end to Long Island Sound on its north end. It separates Long Island from the island of Manhattan and the Bronx on the North American mainland...
to Turtle Bay
Turtle Bay, Manhattan
Turtle Bay is a neighborhood in New York City, on the east side of Midtown Manhattan. It extends between 41st and 54th Streets, and eastward from Lexington Avenue to the East River, across from Roosevelt Island...
. Fire from these vessels scattered American defenders, and the British ground forces landed to complete the encirclement of New York. The two thousand Americans remaining at Harlem
Harlem
Harlem is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, which since the 1920s has been a major African-American residential, cultural and business center. Originally a Dutch village, formally organized in 1658, it is named after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands...
retired to Harlem Heights
Morningside Heights, Manhattan
Morningside Heights is a neighborhood of the Borough of Manhattan in New York City and is chiefly known as the home of institutions such as Columbia University, Teachers College, Barnard College, the Manhattan School of Music, Bank Street College of Education, the Cathedral of Saint John the...
and won a small action
Battle of Harlem Heights
The Battle of Harlem Heights was fought during the New York and New Jersey campaign of the American Revolutionary War. The action took place in what is now the Morningside Heights and west Harlem neighborhoods of Manhattan in New York City on September 16, 1776....
there the next day.
The next operation for the 71st Regiment was at Fort Washington
Fort Washington (New York)
Fort Washington was a fortified position near the north end of Manhattan Island and was located at the highest point on the island. The Fort Washington Site is listed on the U.S...
on 16 November 1776. Participating with the regiment were the 4th, 10th, 15th, 23d, 27th, 28th, and 52nd Regiments and a force of Hessians.
Fort Washington
Fort Washington was an oblong fortification three miles (5 km) long by one-and-a-half mile wide with five bastionBastion
A bastion, or a bulwark, is a structure projecting outward from the main enclosure of a fortification, situated in both corners of a straight wall , facilitating active defence against assaulting troops...
s along the Hudson River. At dawn on 16 November 1776, a naval and artillery bombardment
Bombardment
A bombardment is an attack by artillery fire directed against fortifications, troops or towns and buildings.Prior to World War I the term term was only applied to the bombardment of defenceless or undefended objects, houses, public buildings, it was only loosely employed to describe artillery...
began, and the infantry moved into place. The Hessian column moved against the north from Kingsbridge
Kingsbridge, Bronx
Kingsbridge is a working class residential neighborhood geographically located in the northwest Bronx in New York City. The neighborhood is part of Bronx Community Board 8. Its boundaries are Van Cortlandt Park to the north, Goulden Avenue to the east, West 225th Street to the south, and Irwin...
. The second column, commanded by Lord Cornwallis, moved against the east from Harlem Creek. The third began a feint south of Lord Cornwallis, and below them, the fourth under Lord Percy
Hugh Percy, 2nd Duke of Northumberland
Lieutenant-General Hugh Percy, 2nd Duke of Northumberland, FRS was an officer in the British army and later a British peer...
(including the 71st Regiment) moved forward. The advance was slow because of heavy American resistance, difficult terrain, and fortification’s strength, but the 42nd eventually broke through the defences which effectively routed the defenders. The British lost 458 and the Americans over 3,000 killed, wounded, or captured.
Fort Lee
Two days later, on 18 November 1776, Lord Cornwallis led 4,500 men to surprise Fort LeeFort Lee, New Jersey
Fort Lee is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 35,345. Located atop the Hudson Palisades, the borough is the western terminus of the George Washington Bridge...
. A deserter spoiled the surprise attack, however, and General Greene
Nathanael Greene
Nathanael Greene was a major general of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War. When the war began, Greene was a militia private, the lowest rank possible; he emerged from the war with a reputation as George Washington's most gifted and dependable officer. Many places in the United...
withdrew his 2,000 men to Hackensack, New Jersey
Hackensack, New Jersey
Hackensack is a city in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States and the county seat of Bergen County. Although informally called Hackensack, it was officially named New Barbadoes Township until 1921. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 43,010....
, where they joined General Washington. Six days later, the 71st Regiment joined Lord Cornwallis as reinforcements.
Winter 1776-77
On 28 November 1776, as General Washington’s army left New York for Hackensack, Lord Cornwallis attacked his rear guard and continued the pursuit to Trenton, New JerseyTrenton, New Jersey
Trenton is the capital of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Trenton had a population of 84,913...
. At Trenton, the Americans crossed to safety.
General Howe ordered the British into winter quarters on 14 December 1776. The 71st Regiment wintered in Amboy, New Jersey
Perth Amboy, New Jersey
Perth Amboy is a city in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. The City of Perth Amboy is part of the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 50,814. Perth Amboy is known as the "City by the Bay", referring to Raritan Bay.-Name:The Lenape...
and played no part in the winter operations in New Jersey even though they were quartered in the area. Likewise, early operations of 1777 were limited to skirmishing actions and the expeditions against Willsborough and Westfield which did not involve the regiment.
Brandywine
Battle of Brandywine
The Battle of Brandywine, also known as the Battle of the Brandywine or the Battle of Brandywine Creek, was fought between the American army of Major General George Washington and the British-Hessian army of General Sir William Howe on September 11, 1777. The British defeated the Americans and...
. General Howe's plan called for the capture of Philadelphia while simultaneously tying up American forces that might hinder General Burgoyne’s operations in upstate New York
Upstate New York
Upstate New York is the region of the U.S. state of New York that is located north of the core of the New York metropolitan area.-Definition:There is no clear or official boundary between Upstate New York and Downstate New York...
. To confuse the Americans, General Howe chose naval movement for the manoeuvre which placed several American cities at risk, including Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, Albany
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
, and Philadelphia. The 71st sailed for the Chesapeake Bay
Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's drainage basin covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West...
on 23 July 1777.
The British landed near Elkton, Maryland
Elkton, Maryland
The town of Elkton is the county seat of Cecil County, Maryland, United States. The population was 11,893 as of the 2000 census and 14,842 according to current July 2008 census estimates. It is the county seat of Cecil County...
on 25 August 1777 and moved north towards Philadelphia in two columns. The 71st joined the first column under General Knyphausen
Wilhelm von Knyphausen
Wilhelm Reichsfreiherr zu Innhausen und Knyphausen was a general from Hesse-Cassel. He fought in the American Revolutionary War, during which he led Hessian mercenaries on behalf of the British Empire.-Biography:His father was colonel in a German regiment under the Duke of Marlborough...
along with Hessians, two brigades with four regiments each, the Queen's Rangers
Queen's Rangers
The Queen's Rangers was a military unit who fought on the Loyalist side during the American War of Independence. After the war they moved to Nova Scotia and disbanded, but were reformed again in Upper Canada before disbanding again, in 1802, a decade prior to the War of 1812.-French and Indian...
(Irregulars), a squadron of dragoons, and several guns.
General Washington's forces tailed the British after the landing, skirmishing at Elkton, Wilmington
Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States, and is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine Creek, near where the Christina flows into the Delaware River. It is the county seat of New Castle County and one of the major cities in the Delaware Valley...
and Cooch's Bridge, with the main Continental defence taking place along the Brandywine halfway between Elkton and Philadelphia on good defensive ground. The main defence was placed at Chadd's Ford
Chadds Ford Township, Pennsylvania
Chadds Ford Township is a township in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States, about 30 miles southwest of Philadelphia. Prior to 1996, Chadds Ford Township was known as Birmingham Township, Delaware County, and the name was changed to allow the township to correspond to both its...
and was supported with very strong defensive works.
On 11 September 1777, General Howe sent the second column under Cornwallis north to the American right where it flanked the Americans. Knyphausen’s force, using both battalions of the 71st to protect his flanks, drove directly to Chadd’s Ford and began an artillery bombardment which pinned General Greene’s forces in place.
General Sullivan’s force was pushed aside by Cornwallis which then threatened Greene’s force holding along Brandywine Creek, and Greene moved to counter Cornwallis, forced to defend against both him and Knyphausen. The 1st battalion of the 71st spearheaded Knyphausen’s attack across the ford. General Washington withdrew the Americans, while Greene’s force held off the British until after dark.
Rest - autumn 1777
The 71st Regiment remained with this force until November, but records do not indicate participation in the Paoli Massacre (night of 20 September 1777), Germantown (4 October 1777), or the siege and capture of Philadelphia (25 September 1777). The 71st sailed back to New York in November 1777 where they rested and received 200 recruits from Scotland and 100 men from hospitals.Burgoyne's expedition
A detachment of 71st Regiment men under Captain Colin MacKenzie supported General John Burgoyne’sJohn Burgoyne
General John Burgoyne was a British army officer, politician and dramatist. He first saw action during the Seven Years' War when he participated in several battles, mostly notably during the Portugal Campaign of 1762....
operations along the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
in 1777, which were intended to sever the New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
colonies from the Mid-Atlantic
Mid-Atlantic States
The Mid-Atlantic states, also called middle Atlantic states or simply the mid Atlantic, form a region of the United States generally located between New England and the South...
. The 71st men led the taking of Forts Clinton
Fort Clinton
Fort Clinton was an American Revolutionary War fortification in present-day Highlands, Orange County, New York. It was a companion to Fort Montgomery. Its garrison of 300 was smaller than that of Fort Montgomery, but Fort Clinton was built on a ridge at the mouth of the Popolopen Gorge, overlooking...
and Montgomery on 6 October 1777. The 71st men, along with the 63rd and 26th Regiments and a squadron of dismounted dragoons and Hessians, moved to the front of the forts from the river while the 52d and 57th Regiments flanked the positions and attack from the rear. Both forts were simultaneously attacked with bayonets at about 4:30 pm, routing the defenders. The detachment did not participate at Saratoga
Battle of Saratoga
The Battles of Saratoga conclusively decided the fate of British General John Burgoyne's army in the American War of Independence and are generally regarded as a turning point in the war. The battles were fought eighteen days apart on the same ground, south of Saratoga, New York...
.
Several sources indicate that a third battalion of the regiment was raised in May 1777 for use in that year’s campaigning, however there is mixed evidence to support this claim. It is more likely that the existing two battalions were divided to create a temporary third battalion.
1778-1779
The 71st Regiment of Foot spent 1778 under Lord Cornwallis in operations in New Jersey, but there is no record of the unit participating in major activities during that period.Grenadier company
At the end of 1778, the 71st Regiment of Foot departed New York for SavannahSavannah, Georgia
Savannah is the largest city and the county seat of Chatham County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. Established in 1733, the city of Savannah was the colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. Today Savannah is an industrial center and an important...
but their Grenadiers, which had fought apart from the rest of the regiment since arriving in America, were left behind. When the regiment departed, the Grenadiers remained in the Northern Theater, where they were eventually stationed at Stony Point, New York
Stony Point, New York
Stony Point is a triangle-shaped town in Rockland County, United States. Rockland County is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. The town is located north of the town of Haverstraw, east and south of Orange County, New York, and west of the Hudson River and Westchester County. The population...
.
In July 1779, the British captured the fortification at Stony Point. A 600 man garrison, including the 71st's Grenadiers, was left to defend it but on the night of 15 July 1779, Brigadier General Anthony Wayne
Anthony Wayne
Anthony Wayne was a United States Army general and statesman. Wayne adopted a military career at the outset of the American Revolutionary War, where his military exploits and fiery personality quickly earned him a promotion to the rank of brigadier general and the sobriquet of Mad Anthony.-Early...
attacked and recaptured the fort
Battle of Stony Point
The Battle of Stony Point was a battle of the American Revolutionary War fought on the night of July 15–16, 1779. A select force of Continental Army infantry made a coordinated surprise night attack and stormed a fortified position of the British Army on the Hudson River south of West Point, New...
. Wayne's disciplined light infantry force advanced in two columns down the Stony Point peninsula. Between the two larger forces was a minor one to draw British attention. Sentries detected the Americans as they approached the fort, and the general engagement ensued, lasting only thirty minutes. With the entire British force taken prisoner, the operations of the 71st Regiment of Foot in the Northern Campaign came to an end.
The Southern Campaign
The 71st now became involved in the southern theatreSouthern theater of the American Revolutionary War
The Southern theater of the American Revolutionary War was the central area of operations in North America in the second half of the American Revolutionary War. During the first three years of the conflict, the primary military encounters had been in the north, focused on campaigns around the...
, where it spent the remainder of the war.
On 26 November 1778, both battalions of the 71st Regiment of Foot (under Lieutenant Colonel Archibald Campbell
Archibald Campbell (British Army officer)
General Sir Archibald Campbell KB served as Governor of Jamaica and Madras. He was a major Scottish landowner, Heritable Usher of the White Rod for Scotland and a Member of Parliament for the Stirling Burghs.-Birth:...
), two Hessian and four Provincial Infantry regiments, and some artillery set sail from New York for Savannah. They arrived on 24 December and crossed the sand bar into the Savannah River three days later. In the days before the major landing, Campbell captured several Americans and gathered intelligence to improve his understanding of American forces in the area.
First actions
After crossing the bar, Lieutenant Colonel Campbell moved his transports up the Savannah RiverSavannah River
The Savannah River is a major river in the southeastern United States, forming most of the border between the states of South Carolina and Georgia. Two tributaries of the Savannah, the Tugaloo River and the Chattooga River, form the northernmost part of the border...
to within two miles (3 km) of Savannah where they landed unopposed at Girardeau's Plantation (also called Brewton's Hill) on 29 December 1778. The light Infantry under Captain Cameron landed first, followed by the first division (1st Battalion 71st Regiment, New York Volunteers
New York Volunteers
The New York Volunteers was a American Loyalist provincial regiment which was served in the British Army during American War of Independence.It was raised in Halifax, January 1776. Two companies were in the 1776 New York campaign. It was at the raids on Fort Clinton and Fort Montgomery...
, 1st Battalion Delancy’s Provincials with two guns) under Lieutenant Colonel Maitland. The forces quickly moved inland along the causeway that led from the Plantation inland toward Sheridoe’s Bluff. At the plantation on the bluff, an American force had prepared for defence. Captain Cameron's light infantry advanced to the buildings. Leading the advance was a corporal and four soldiers. A sergeant and 12 men flanked the buildings and the remainder of the company advanced behind the lead group. The Americans allowed the 71st men to come within 100 yards (91.4 m) of the buildings and then opened fire. With the first American shots, the two groups rushed the buildings, taking them in about three minutes. Captain Cameron and three other ranks were killed in the action.
Advance on Savannah
American defences quickly stiffened, however, and with less than the half force landed, Campbell's advance was halted about one-half mile from Savannah. The American General Howe established his defensive line astride the road to Savannah with his front covered by a stream. The right flank was protected by a wooded marsh and the left by rice-paddies. American artillery was located in the centre of the line. The defence, however, was incomplete, for Howe had failed to protect a road which ran through the swamp on his right. Lieutenant Colonel Campbell learned of this road from a slave and quickly dispatched a flanking force.At about 2:00 pm, the British were deployed with the Light Infantry on the (British) right and the 1st Battalion of the 71st and the Hessians in the front facing the main American line. The Americans were deceived when Campbell moved the Light Infantry out of sight of the Americans where they, under the cover of broken terrain, and the New York Volunteers marched to the British rear and circled around to the American right and the road through the swamp.
A British officer, Major Skelly watched the movement from a tall tree to ensure the Americans did not discover the deception. Once beyond the swamp, the British attacked from the flank and the front simultaneously driving the American force from the field. Savannah fell to Campbell and the 71st's 1st Battalion and the New York Volunteers were billeted in the town.
With the capture of Savannah, the British set out in the Southern Campaign to neutralize and isolate the southern States to keep their goods from the more populous North. The British believed that the occupation would entice additional loyalists to join the British.
The 71st Regiment moved inland a few days later along the Savannah River to raise Loyalist support and take the city of Augusta, Georgia
Augusta, Georgia
Augusta is a consolidated city in the U.S. state of Georgia, located along the Savannah River. As of the 2010 census, the Augusta–Richmond County population was 195,844 not counting the unconsolidated cities of Hephzibah and Blythe.Augusta is the principal city of the Augusta-Richmond County...
. There was virtually no resistance and it is possible that as many as 1,500 Tories were added to British rolls. When Augusta fell, the 71st remained in camp there.
American attention now turned to the worsening situation in the South, and decided to challenge the British in Georgia.
New commander
That winter, Lieutenant Colonel Campbell left for Scotland and Lieutenant Colonel John MaitlandJohn Maitland (colonel)
Lieutenant-Colonel John Maitland was a British military officer who was the tenth son of Charles Maitland, 6th Earl of Lauderdale and Lady Elizabeth Ogilvie. He was a member of the Royal Marines prior to joining the 71st Regiment of Foot, Fraser's Highlanders in 1777...
assumed command of the 71st Regiment of Foot. He was appointed to command the 1st Battalion on 14 October 1778, though one source gives a promotion date of 9 March 1779.
Briar Creek and Charleston
On 14 February 1779, while the 71st Regiment wintered in Augusta, the Americans defeated a strong Loyalist force in the Battle of Kettle CreekBattle of Kettle Creek
The Battle of Kettle Creek was one of the most important battles of the American Revolutionary War to be fought in Georgia. The battle was fought on February 14, 1779, in Wilkes County about eight miles from present-day Washington, Georgia...
, dispelling belief that the British were in total control of the Colony. American threats to Augusta prompted Campbell's withdrawal of the 71st Regiment from Augusta to Savannah. American troops dogged the retreating British. The king's forces, however, forces engaged those of Generals Ashe and Elbertat Briar Creek on 3 March 1779. Lieutenant Colonels Maitland, Prevost, and MacDonald with the 2nd battalion of the 71st as well as the Light Infantry flanked the Americans while Lieutenant Colonel MacPherson's 1st battalion of the 71st diverted attention with a feint. The Americans were routed, with the 71st losing three men and one officer killed, and twelve more men wounded.
After the loss at Briar Creek, a sizeable American force moved upriver towards Augusta in the last days of April 1779. The British in turn threatened undefended Charleston, and in an un-named skirmish on 24 April 1779, pro-British Creek Indians and the 71st Regiment surprised and swept much of the American forces from their positions, forcing an American retreat into the city. Demands for the city's surrender were met with a plea for neutrality which was rejected. The British lacked the manpower to assault the city and remained inactive. On 20 June 1779, American forces attacked the British rear guard, including the 1st Battalion of the 71st under Lieutenant Colonel Maitland, at Stono Ferry. In all, the force under Maitland included the 1st battalion, a Hessian regiment, and North and South Carolinian provincials, about 500 all told.
On the day of the battle, Maitland’s force was covering a foraging party that had re-crossed the Stono River. Maitland knew that since he was waiting for the foraging party to return, he could not give up his position. Fortunately, Maitland had prepared several redoubts to facilitate defence.
When General Lincoln’s forces appeared from the woods, Captain Colin Campbell (Of Glendaruel, Argylshire) and two Highland companies of about 60 men were sent out in skirmish formation to reconnoitre the Americans. The American force far outnumbered Lieutenant Colonel Maitland’s. The American had nearly 3,000 men, including Continentals, North and South Carolina Militia, cavalry, and artillery. Captain Campbell, however, would not give ground and a determined skirmish ensued. The Highlanders effectively stood their ground and the American advance was temporarily halted. All but seven of the Scotsmen were killed or wounded. When hit, Captain Campbell ordered his men to return to the redoubts, but they refused stating: “that if they left their officers behind in the field, they would bring a lasting disgrace on themselves.” When the fighting did slacken, all the officers were carried back to the redoubt by the seven men who could still walk.
Once the fighting began at Stono Ferry, the 2nd Battalion of the 71st immediately ran for the shore of John’s Island to cross the waterway and into the fight, but the ferries were on the wrong side of the river and the ferrymen fled with the first shots. To remedy the problem, Lieutenant Robert Campbell and several men swam across to retrieve the boats. The 2nd Battalion joined the fight shortly thereafter.
As the 2nd Battalion was crossing, the general engagement began. The Hessians on Maitland’s left were being dislodged by the Carolina Militia which had breached the Hessian redoubt. Maitland shifted two companies of Fraser’s Highlanders from the 1st Battalion to the breach, and the situation stabilized. The arrival of the 2d Battalion tipped the scales to favour the British, and after an hour of heavy fighting, Lincoln’s forces became disorganized and withdrew. The Highlanders pursued the retiring Americans but timely employment of the American cavalry forced the Highlanders to switch over to the defence. In a well synchronized effort, General Lincoln then brought up infantry to rake the Highlanders with musket fire. Maitland began to retire his force. General Lincoln returned to Charleston and the British to Savannah.
In all, the British lost 26 killed and 103 wounded, the Americans 150 killed and wounded. While this small battle had little affect on the overall conduct of the Southern Campaign, it was a severe setback for General Lincoln's force which greatly outnumbered but could not overcome the British.
Savannah
The remainder of the summer of 1779 passed without significant action, the British retaining control of Georgia. In September, arrival of a French fleet with 4,000 soldiers threatened British-held Savannah, with the French desiring to take the port before hurricanes wrecked the fleet. The first attack went in on 16 September 1779, and a surrender demand was made. The British, with 1,100 men in the garrison (including the 1st Battalion of the 71st), were outnumbered.The British commander used his 24 hour deadline to summon aid from outside the port, including Lieutenant Colonel Maitland’s force of 71st Regiment soldiers (720 all ranks), 200 men of the 2nd Battalion 60th Regiment of Foot, 350 Light Infantry, a small number of Marines, Hessians and Provincial forces from Beaufort, South Carolina. The force arrived at the northern shore of the Savannah River, found it blocked, and was guided by a native fisherman into the city in time to participate in the siege.
Joined by American forces, the French declined to storm the city, and brought up siege guns instead. Men of the garrison did make sorties into Allied lines, including raiding parties from the 71st.
On 8 October 1779, the French launched a direct assault, hoping to expedite the capture of the city and freeing the fleet to make sail before hurricane season. A three-pronged attack was fought back with severe losses on both sides. Both battalions of the 71st took part in repelling the assault, the 2nd from the second line behind the Spring Hill Redoubt, and the 1st Battalion elsewhere in the city where it may have been employed against Count Dillon or General Huger.
After the direct assault, the siege continued for a few days, before the French fleet sailed away for fear of hurricans. The Americans were forced to abandon the siege. The 71st remained in Savannah afterwards the siege, where many men fell victim to disease. At one point, over 25% of the regiment was hospitalized, Lieutenant Colonel Maitland died of illness.
Charleston
On 11 February 1780, a large number of reinforcements from England under General Clinton, landed at Edisto Inlet, South Carolina and advanced without opposition. The next day the rest of the embarked troops were landed and the British fleet moved up to blockade Charleston. By 3 March the 2nd Battalion of the 71st Regiment had arrived at James IslandJames Island (South Carolina)
James Island is one of South Carolina's most urban Sea Islands. The island is separated from peninsular downtown Charleston by the Ashley River, from the mainland by Wappoo Creek and the Wappoo Cut, and from Johns Island by the Stono River...
where they joined the British Grenadiers. Over the next few days, the 71st moved several times and on 8 March the regiment's light infantry provided cover to the British crossing at Lighthouse Island, becoming the most significant action the regiment would take part in during this siege.
On 28 March 1780, the 1st Battalion arrived in the British camp and the next day joined the main force departing for Charleston, marching in the last of seven divisions. The siege began on 1 April when the British broke ground for their first siege parallel. Kept from escaping from Charleston when he could have by the city’s Assembly, General Lincoln was later asked, by the same politicians, to surrender Charleston without enduring the siege. Charleston was handed over to the British on 12 May, in their third effort to take the city.
Camden
Continental Congress
The Continental Congress was a convention of delegates called together from the Thirteen Colonies that became the governing body of the United States during the American Revolution....
replaced the Bavarian-born General De Kalb with General Horatio Gates
Horatio Gates
Horatio Lloyd Gates was a retired British soldier who served as an American general during the Revolutionary War. He took credit for the American victory at the Battle of Saratoga – Benedict Arnold, who led the attack, was finally forced from the field when he was shot in the leg – and...
as the commander of the forces in the Southern District, who proved a disappointing choice. He chose a route of march hostile to his men, making foraging difficult, and consequently arrived at Camden with an army too sick to fight.
On the morning of 16 August 1780, both Cornwallis and his American opponent Gates were moving towards each other for a surprise attack and their armies met at 3:00am. Cornwallis’ force consisted of 2,000 men, including the 71st Regiment (now numbering five companies), the 23rd and 33rd Regiments, Tarleton's Legion, Lord Rawdon's Volunteers of Ireland, several militia units, and six guns (four 6-pounders and two 3-pounders). General Gates commanded 3,000 men and several guns.
At daybreak, British and American cavalry clashed on the Charlotte road but neither side gained an advantage; in turn, advancing American infantry was repelled by the British line. Artillery fire announced the start of a general engagement. American militia attempted to advance but hesitated, advancing to within 40 paces of the British only to begin harassing fire on the light infantry. There, the 71st Regiment’s Captain Charles Campbell, watching the activity from a tree stump remarked: “I’ll see you damned first”, and ordered his force forward with the words “Remember you are Light Infantry; Remember you are Highlanders, Charge.” The American militia was swept from the field at bayonet point, crumbling the left of the American line. Gates lost his nerve and fled, assuming the battle over. However, the 2nd Maryland Brigade under General De Kalb continued to resist, and Cornwallis ordered up the 71st from reserve with the words “My brave Highlanders, now is your time.”
The smoke of the battle prevented the 71st, 23rd, and 33rd from seeing that the American right was intact and General De Kalb rallied several units; the greatly out-numbered Americans fought the British to a standstill. After De Kalb was fatally wounded and British cavalry again charged, the Americans surrendered. The British lost 331 of 2,239 men engaged in the battle and Americans losses probably totalled near 700 of the 3,052 engaged.
The battle featured prominently in written literature regarding the 71st, given the critical nature they played in winning the battle.
Fishing Creek
Two days after Camden, the 71st fought again, this time under Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton’sBanastre Tarleton
General Sir Banastre Tarleton, 1st Baronet, GCB was a British soldier and politician.He is today probably best remembered for his military service during the American War of Independence. He became the focal point of a propaganda campaign claiming that he had fired upon surrendering Continental...
command against Colonel Thomas Sumter
Thomas Sumter
Thomas Sumter nicknamed the "Carolina Gamecock" , was a hero of the American Revolution and went on to become a longtime member of the Congress of the United States.-Early life:Thomas Sumter was born near Charlottesville in Hanover County, Virginia in 1734...
at the Battle of Fishing Creek
Battle of Fishing Creek
The Battle of Fishing Creek, also called the Battle of Catawba Ford or the War on Sugar Creek, was an American Revolutionary War battle fought on August 18, 1780, between American and British forces including the 71st Foot. It was fought near the junction of Fishing Creek and the Catawba River in...
on 18 August 1780. In this fight, the advancing British force found a poorly defended American camp containing Colonel Sumter and about 800 men. With his 150 man force, Lieutenant Colonel Tarleton attacked and captured nearly the entire force but Colonel Sumter narrowly escaped. In the battle, the 71st's Captain Campbell (an officer of the regiment's light infantry) formed his men up with the cavalry for the spontaneous attack. Had the British stopped to consider their situation more closely, the Americans would probably have discovered the enemy and successfully fought-off the numerically weaker British. Captain Campbell was killed by a stray bullet in the attack, his 71st temporarily panicking and thereby not participating fully in the battle.
Kings Mountain
By the end of August 1780, the British had destroyed two American armies in the Southern District, leaving virtually no forces in the South save for partisan forces. One of these groups shook the entire British plan for the Southern District on 7 October 1780, when the Americans destroyed a large British force in the back woods of South Carolina. The British commander of the partisan force defeated there was Major Patrick FergusonPatrick Ferguson
Major Patrick Ferguson was a Scottish officer in the British Army, early advocate of light infantry and designer of the Ferguson rifle. He is best known for his service in the 1780 military campaign of Charles Cornwallis, in which he aggressively recruited Loyalists and harshly treated Patriot...
of the 71st.
In September 1780, Major Ferguson’s Loyalist militia force was sent to cover Cornwallis’ flank as the main British force moved towards Charlotte, tasked to screen and defeat any American militia force that might intervene. In late September, Major Ferguson established himself at Gilbert Town where he sent a message to Patriots in the Appalachians to “to desist from their opposition to the British, or that he would march his army over the mountains and hang their leaders.” On 25 September, the American militia, or Overmountain Men
Overmountain Men
The Overmountain Men were American frontiersmen from west of the Appalachian Mountains who took part in the American Revolutionary War. While they were present at multiple engagements in the war's southern campaign, they are best known for their role in the American victory at the Battle of Kings...
began to gather. The two forces pursued each other in the hill country of North and South Carolina; the Americans had hoped to catch Major Ferguson at Gilbert Town and again at Cowpens, but it was a few miles from Cowpens that Major Ferguson’s force took-up its last position and battle was joined in the afternoon of 7 October. The Americans advanced under cover of dense woods, to be met with a Loyalist bayonet charge. Major Ferguson manoeuvred his dwindling manpower personally, astride a horse, wearing a chequered hunting shirt and using a great silver whistle to signal his forces. Eventually he was hit by American fire and killed, which brought Loyalist resistance to an end. The Americans killed 225, wounded 163, and took over 700 prisoners while suffering 28 killed and 62 wounded.
Kings Mountain had a major significance to the conduct of the war, forcing Cornwallis to redeploy forces from the coast and towards major cities in the South.
Cowpens
Greene's left wing moved to Cheraw Hill but did not see action, as Cornwallis concentrated against the right wing under General Daniel Morgan. On 27 December 1780, American scouts learned of 250 Tories at Fair Forest, who fled when American cavalry was sent to meet them. Pursuing and routing the Tories, Washington continued on to Fort Williams, whose garrison also retreated. Cornwallis was forced to deal with the thread of the American right wing, and so Lieutenant Colonel Tarleton moved across the Broad River in early January. Joining the 1st battalion of the 71st under his command were 3 pound guns and infantry known as Tarleton's Legion. Tarleton was reinforced by Cornwallis, but terrain made quick movement impossible. A lengthy pursuit of the right wing began, while Cornwallis also sent forces to deal with the left wing.
The American forces converged at Cowpens, received reinforcements, and stopped to make a stand on 17 January 1781. As the forces formed for battle, the 71st we left in reserve. Lieutenant Colonel Tarleton was so focused on attacking quickly that he failed to consider the poor position of his reserves and the terrain’s limits on their manoeuvre. This dramatically affected the battle as the 71st was significantly delayed in joining the fight owing because of the deep underbrush on the British left. Although the main field was clear, the surrounding terrain contained thick underbrush which channelled British movement. Additionally, Lieutenant Colonel Tarleton didn’t allow the 71st time to move into a proper reserve position before the opening of the battle; thereby further worsening their position and ability to react.
After the main engagement got underway, and things went favourably for the British save for actions of the cavalry on the left, Lieutenant Colonel Tarleton, believing victory was at hand, signalled for the reserve. The 71st Regiment and some of his Legion were ordered to strike and envelop the American right. Poor positioning of the regiment prior to the battle came into play dramatically delayed the 71st, and as they struggled forward, the American line of battle fired a deadly volley at 30 to 40 paces with devastating effect on the British line. An American charge resulted in a fierce melee. Major Archibald McArthur, supported by his pipers, rallied the 71st, who stood unflinching in musket fire for 10 to 15 minutes. Lieutenant Colonel Tarleton’s Legion abandoned the regiment’s left flank and most of the Fusiliers threw down their guns and surrendered.
with only the 71st Regiment holding against the encircling Americans, the Georgian Militia charged unsuccessfully against the Regimental Colour. Unsupported and surrounded, the 71st begin to retire, and some even attempted to flee the field. American regulars and militia encircled the regiment by this time, and American Colonel Howard offered Major McArthur quarter, the latter accepting his offer.
The detachment of 71st Regiment men left guarding the baggage train destroyed it and fell back behind the fleeing British cavalry, becoming the only 71st men of the 1st Battalion to escape capture.
As a result of the defeat, the 71st Regiment wore no facings on their uniforms for the rest of the war. Additionally, the surviving officers of the 71st petitioned Lord Cornwallis, asking that the Regiment never serve under Lieutenant Colonel Tarleton again; a request that was approved. At the same time, the 71st was consolidated into a Brigade with the Welsh Fusiliers and the 33d Regiment of Foot.
Guildford Courthouse
By the time Cornwallis began to move into North Carolina and Virginia, General Morgan’s force had already crossed the Broad River. Pursuit of the Americans lasted into February 1781 while the Americans retreated towards their supply lines. Skirmishing began in mid-February, as both armies paused to rest. Not wishing to forestall a decisive battle, Cornwallis managed to engage the Americans in a full scale battle on 15 March 1781 at Guilford Courthouse.
General Greene sought to emulate the successful deployments of Cowpens, and put his least experienced and reliable North Carolinian militiamen in the centre of the line, at a fence line, opposite the 71st Regiment. The remainder of the line extended to the tree lines and the flanks were guarded by sharpshooters. This formation forced the British into the open along the fence line. The second line, also of militia units, considered more reliable and better trained, was positioned 300 yards (274.3 m) to the rear. Finally, the Continental regulars were positioned some 500 yards (457.2 m) further to the American rear.
Cornwallis was outnumbered roughly two-to-one, with only 2,200 troops on the ground and was forced to attack over open ground, beyond which were fences and forests which would make control over the troops difficult, followed by more open ground over which the army would have to pass to engage the Continentals.
The 71st Regiment under Lieutenant Colonel Duncan MacPherson began to move at about one in the afternoon as the British line advanced. The British left may have lost as many as a third of its force in engaging the first line of Americans. Captain Dugald Stewart of the 71st said: “One half of the Highlanders dropped on that spot” (Later estimates put the regiment's actual losses that day at about 70 men). After this volley, the British returned fire and drove the American first line from the field with a charge.
The British left then began a contested drive through the second American line and into the open ground in front of the American third. But the British right, including the 71st Regiment, became entangled in a hotly contested skirmish in the woods. This action then split into two, and the 71st were engaged by the Virginia militia in heavy woods, unsupported by any other unit. This was just one of many small battles within the larger battle of Guilford Courthouse where sub-regimental units struggled as individuals and small parties of men without the clearly defined lines which were the convention at the time.
The success of the 71st, along on the British right, now began to support the entire effort. Because the regiment had continued as ordered, they were able to tie-down the Virginia militia in the American second line which prevented them from flanking the British left. Finally, after an exhausting fight, the 71st broke the American second line and the threat to the British flank was eliminated, though the regiment remained in the woods and could provide no support to the main advance on the third American line.
In the end, the day was long and difficult for both sides and neither side could claim a clear victory. The British had swept the field up to the third line, but the Americans succeeded in their goal of inflicting casualties the British could ill-afford. General Greene, believing he had little to gain by remaining, withdrew, leaving the British in possession of the field. The losses at Guilford Courthouse totalled over 500 dead and wounded, of these, the 71st lost Ensign Grant and 11 men killed, with 50 men wounded (including 4 sergeants and 46 other ranks), or a total of 62 casualties.
Yorktown
The battle of Guilford Courthouse concluded, Cornwallis made a strategic decision not to prosecute the war in the Carolinas, but rather to link with American forces in Virginia. The army arrived in Wilmington in early April with fewer than 1,500 men, and continued in late April to Virginia to link up with other forces from New York under Benedict ArnoldBenedict Arnold
Benedict Arnold V was a general during the American Revolutionary War. He began the war in the Continental Army but later defected to the British Army. While a general on the American side, he obtained command of the fort at West Point, New York, and plotted to surrender it to the British forces...
; by 20 May 1781 Cornwallis commanded 7,500 men.
The two Scottish Regiments under Arnold’s service, the 76th Foot (Macdonald's Highlanders) and the 80th Regiment of Foot (Royal Edinburgh Volunteers) were joined with a Highland force they “revered as the elite of the army, who had fought and generally led in every action during the war”. The combined battalions of the 71st by this point numbered only 175 survivors though fairly accurate numbers after the battle of Yorktown put the regiment at over 240 strong.
Cornwallis completed his movement to Hampton Roads in late June and in early July, prepared to evacuate the peninsula at Jamestown and move to Norfolk. General Lafayette attacked Lord Cornwallis’ rear on 6 July 1781. The 71st did not materially participate in this battle of Green Springs, the last mobile battle of the Yorktown Campaign. Lord Cornwallis’ forces prevailed and forced a stalemate, moving to Norfolk the next day.
On 26 July 1781, Cornwallis decided to winter at Yorktown, a quiet port town north of Hampton at Gloucester Point on the York River. The movement to Yorktown was complete in late August and work began on fortifications that would encircle the city from the York River in the south up to Yorktown Creek in the north and then back towards the York River. The 71st Regiment of Foot arrived early-on in the landings, but it took 21 days to complete the movement of the British force to Yorktown.
For the first few weeks at Yorktown, work consisted of foraging and construction of fortifications. The former was moderately successful and the latter was too slow to meet the future needs of the British, due mainly to the extreme heat. The British also received help from a number of slaves who had flocked to the British from the local area hoping to win freedom. Additionally, it appears Cornwallis felt no compulsion to hurry the work since General Lafayette’s forces 25 miles (40.2 km) away near West Point, Virginia were limited in number and showing no interest in a fight. General Lafayette’s American force did not move closer until 3 September 1871, when it moved into Williamsburg.
At Yorktown, a letter was sent from Lieutenant Colonel Duncan MacPherson, commander of the 71st Regiment. It was written in the first days of September and presumably sent to Lord Cornwallis. The letter painted a picture of the enthusiasm of the regiment. It also refers to “these Highlanders,” and thereby possibly the 76th and 80th Regiments as well as the 71st. The letter begins by announcing that his Regiment heard of the arrival of the French Fleet two days before and then states: “nothing but hard labor goes on here at present in constructing and making Batteries towards the River, and Redoubts towards the Land. The troops are in perfect health and if our Enemies are polite enough to give us three day’s grace (we will be ready).”
The letter refers to the arrival of the French Fleet to blockade the Chesapeake. While the British assumed a British fleet from New York would drive off the French, it did not. While he could not know, Lord Cornwallis sea-lanes of communications were permanently cut and the situation at Yorktown would only deteriorate from that point until the surrender.
After the arrival of the French fleet, work on the defences of Yorktown took-on new emphasis. When complete, the defences stretched for over a mile around Yorktown. The York River covered the entire rear of the British position, and Gloucester Point, across the York, was defended by a smaller British detachment.
To the north on the right British flank, the defences were anchored by Yorktown Creek, a swampy very rough barrier that ran through a ravine which was all but impassable. Beyond the Creek, the British placed the Fusiliers Redoubt, just astride the York River, to provide cover against any possible Allied approach in that direction. Inside the York Creek, some 600 feet (182.9 m) towards the town, the main defences ran 1400 feet (426.7 m) through the outskirts of the town. This first line moved inland from the river and parallel to the creek. The line there turned left to parallel the river for 2000 feet (609.6 m), and terminated in a hornwork that faced the main Allied axis of attack. From the hornwork, the defences turned back to the river, for another 2000 feet (609.6 m), ending on the cliffs that protected the port facilities of the town. Two important redoubts protected this last section of line. Redoubts 9 and 10 were located 1200 ft (365.8 m) south of the main fortifications. Redoubt 10 was near the cliffs and Redoubt 9 was inland from the river 800 ft (243.8 m).
These two fortifications played a crucial role in the battle, and Cornwallis knew he must hold them as long as possible. Maybe because of this, both of these key defences were commanded and defended by the 71st Regiment. Major James Campbell and 45 men defended Redoubt 10 and Lieutenant Colonel Duncan MacPherson and 120 men, part of them Hessians, defended Redoubt 9. Lieutenant Colonel MacPherson may have been describing these defences in his intercepted letter to Lord Cornwallis. These defences were well defended and the lynchpin to either side's success.
The Allies prepared their first parallel line beginning on 6 October 1781. The next morning, the parallel stretched across the open fields in front of his line for 2600 ft (792.5 m).
Though the circle closed upon Lord Cornwallis, morale was not low. On 11 October, Lord Cornwallis began to consider abandoning Yorktown and escaping across to Gloucester and breaking-out. But the British commander’s attention was soon turned to the opening of the Allies second parallel, only 300 odd yards from the British defences.
On 14 October, the Allies began bombarding Redoubts 9 and 10. That night, the Americans under Alexander Hamilton took Redoubt 10 in a quick ten minute bayonet charge. Seventeen men and three officers were taken prisoner. The French under Major General de Viomenil attacked the larger redoubt. This attack lasted 20 minutes before the Redoubt fell to the Allies. Once taken, the two earthworks were incorporated into the Allied line. The circle was fully closed upon the defenders.
On 16 October 1781, the British replied with an attack by 350 men, mostly Grenadiers, Royal Edinburgh Volunteers, and Light Infantry, damaging a handful of Allied guns. Later that day, the Allied second siege line opened fire from their new and deadly positions. That night, Lord Cornwallis decided to retire with his best troops to Gloucester Point and break-out and escape. The forces were divided into divisions and movement began but a storm blew in and ruined Cornwallis’ plan.
At 10:00 am on 17 October 1781, Lord Cornwallis surrendered. On the morning of 18 October 1781, the pipers of the Highland units played a final salute, which was answered by the French Deux Ponts Regimental Band. After the surrender at Yorktown, British forces were marched off to prison camps in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia. The men of the 71st Regiment received new kilts while in POW camps, and eventually returned to Perth, Scotland to be discharged in 1783.