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

[Orvis]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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