"The 71st Regiment of Foot " Topic

"Fraser's Highlanders, as the regiment was unofficially known Fraser's Highlanders, as the regiment was unofficially known, were raised by Colonel Simon Fraser of Lovat in 1775 for service in North America. Colonel Fraser, a veteran of the French and Indian War, did, however, not accompany his regiment to America, but a large number of combat-proven officers from the former 78th Fraser's Highlanders did…"

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Amicalement
Armand

Pipers would not wear reversed colors.
They were not considered musicians "on the establishment".
They were uniformed as ordinary men.

Winston,

I think it was up to the colonel…

A close up link

They were not considered musicians "on the establishment".

They weren't necessarily even considered soldiers, rather as "employees".

That's how I'd like to be considered, but my Boss and Big Boss somehow have a different view..

Eric

Of course the painting is for the 26th, a line regiment on Minorca about 1768/9 so they should not even have a piper at all let alone one in reversed colours and wearing a plaid! Not to mention the fifers white bearskin cap. The warrant just says they should have bearskin caps although the grenadiers (on whose establishment fifers were carried) were to have black bearskin caps. But the paining no doubt shows what the regiment was wearing as they were paid for by Lord George Lennox who was the 26th colonel.

The 26th even had a regimental dog:

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This is an extract from the Black Watch at Glasgow Green in 1758, before they became a 'Royal' regiment, so they are still in buff facings – drummers as expected wearing reversed colours

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I searched in vain to find a piper squirreled away on this painting!

Thomas, I guess you know you mean the 25th Regiment, not the 26th, formed in 1689 as the Earl of Leven's Edinburgh Regiment (but shortly to become the Sussex Regiment to suit their Colonel Lord George Lennox who had estates in the county).

Curiously, the battalion commanders when the 71st arrived in America were, respectively Sir William Erskine, 1st Battalion, and Archibald Campbell, 2nd Battalion, neither of whom had experience as infantry officers (Cavalry/ Engineer) and Major Menzies, the officer who was expected to drill the many new recruits, 'raw and irregular' once they had landed, was killed in Boston before he set foot on shore.

The performance of the 71st on Long Island seems to have done them credit but following that phase of the campaign the regiment remained in reserve roles until the advance on Philadelphia in September 1777. They had suffered a great deal from sickness throughout the winter.

I searched in vain to find a piper squirreled away on this painting!

As far as I know, pipers in uniform generally wore red coats until the green doublet was introduced in the mid-C19th.

They weren't necessarily even considered soldiers, rather as "employees".

I am not sure 'employee' is quite the word. Pipers were traditionally considered as valued retainers of Highland chiefs and that status remained attached to them for some time, and the skill of individual musicians greatly respected.

They had suffered a great deal from sickness throughout the winter.

I was aware that the grenadiers were afflicted, as this was the reason that the 4th Grenadier Battalion was disbanded, but I had no idea the whole regiment got caught. Any info on what it was?

It's some time since I was reading about this. My recollection is that it was the usual diseases of the camp on a corps with a high proportion of men recruited from dispersed rural communities and with a low resistance to the relevant bugs. I believe they suffered particularly heavily when crowded into inadequate cantonments in the Jerseys during the winter of 76-77. Despite their having lost only three men in battle, it was necessary to set about recruiting another battalion.

As I imagine you know, they also suffered very badly from fevers after being sent 'Southwards' in 1778, the most notable casualty being Colonel John Maitland at Savannah in 1779.

42nd flanker yes my mistake 25th!

So I just noticed that the piper in this unit is wearing a different tartan. You never know what Tango is going to post, but I'm not sure I would have posted this particular gaming unit for discussion. :-)

[Whispers] – "Deerhound.."

woof