71st Regiment of Foot, Fraser's Highlanders - Deployment To America

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 convoy 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.