The name of Fraser, as connected with the military
annals of this country, must be familiar to all who are conversant with
the history of the two wars on the continent of America. Connected
always with honour and a military name, and remembered with feelings of
respect, founded on the coincident opinion of friends and enemies, the
examples shown by those two corps, the Fraser's Highlanders of the Seven
Years' War, and that of the American Revolution, afforded a gratifying
proof of the influence of honour, derived from moral principles, on the
minds and actions of men, uneducated in the general acceptation of the
word, but with an education that served every purpose of more formal
instruction.
With the recollection of the name and character thus
obtained, when the youth of the nation were called to arms at the
commencement of the last war, the clan Fraser did not forget how their
kindred and clansmen had obeyed the call in former times.
The then Chief of the clan Fraser, the youngest son of the last Lord
Lovat, and brother of the late General Fraser, being advanced in years,
Letters of Service were issued to James Fraser of Belladrum, the head of
a respectable branch of the family, and who had served under his Chief
in Canada during the Seven Years' War. The orders were dated in the
latter end of 1794; and in the following spring, Colonel Fraser,
supported by Lovat and the principal gentlemen of the clan, completed
his regiment. On the 14th of June 1795, the whole were inspected and
embodied at Inverness. Of the soldiers, 300 bore the name of Fraser, and
were chiefly from the Fraser's country, the districts of the Aird and
Stratherrick. The others were from the neighbouring districts, except 30
Lowlanders and 18 English and Irish, old soldiers, enlisted by some
officers to fill up their complement.
The uniform was the usual Highland garb, with belted
plaids and philibegs of the Fraser tartan, but without broad swords,
which, as I have already noticed, were laid aside at the commencement of
the American War.
The regiment was marched south in July, and, crossing
over to Ireland, landed there on the 1st of August. In that country,
"the general character of the corps was excellent: they had a high
degree of the esprit du corps; were obedient, active, and trusty;
gaining the entire confidence of the generals commanding, by whom they
were always stationed in the most disturbed districts, previous to and
during the Rebellion. Many attempts were made to corrupt them, but in
vain: no man proved unfaithful. The men were not in general large, but
active, well made, and remarkable for steady marching, never leaving any
stragglers, even on the quickest and longest marches." Such is the
character given of this corps by an able and intelligent officer, who
knew them well. [Major Fraser of Newton.]
In November 1797, Colonel Fraser of Belladrum resigned, and Simon
Fraser, the younger of Lovat, was appointed colonel. Soon after this
period, the disturbances which had so long agitated Ireland began to
assume a more formidable appearance; and Government found, that, in
attempts to keep down the spirit of disaffection and disloyalty, some of
the troops showed symptoms of the same disposition. In this situation,
full confidence was placed in the Fraser Fencibles. When invasion was
attempted by the French, and a landing effected at Killala, this
regiment, along with others, was pushed forward; and, in the unfortunate
rencounter at Castlebar, they were so circumstanced, that a just opinion
of their conduct cannot well be formed, farther than that they were the
last to retreat.
In Musgrave's History of the Rebellion, the following
instance is given of intrepid execution of duty intrusted to "a Highland
Fraser sentinel, whom his friends desired to retreat with them, but he
heroically refused to quit his post, which was elevated, with some steps
leading to it. He loaded and fired five times successively, and killed a
Frenchman at every shot; but, before he could charge a sixth time, they
rushed on him." If all the soldiers at Castlebar had behaved with equal
firmness, the French invasion would have ended on that day.
This corps remained in Ireland till the conclusion of
the war. In barracks, their conduct was uniformly good, and, except in
such cases as I have had frequent occasion to notice, corporal
punishments were equally unnecessary and unknown, and in this respect
there was no deviation till the reduction of the regiment at Glasgow in
July 1802.
