British Allies: Scots Highlanders from Argyllshire and Inverness. 3,000 men
In 1776, over 3,000 Scots Highlanders were recruited for British regiments. They boarded ships and sailed from Greenock Scotland, landing in Boston. They formed parts of several regiments and marched to assigned theaters of war.
500 were taken prisoner in Boston and dispersed through Massachusetts towns to be billeted and watched
217 were taken prisoner in Virginia and dispersed through Virginia counties especially those on the Southside
300 were taken prisoner in New York and dispersed through the Hudson Valley counties, where Scottish troops had served during the French and Indian wars
___were taken prisoner at the Battle of Moore’s Creek in North Carolina and dispersed through North Carolina counties.
Scots had settled in clusters in many Colonies. The British hoped that these prisoners of war would be billeted in places where they had no relatives. George Washington, Commander of Chief of the American forces, deliberately selected places to house and guard these prisoners where they already had family members and relatives from the same Scottish locations. For example, the Scots who settled the Cape Fear River in North Carolina from 1735-1755 included many families from Argyll. With the same surnames as the captured soldiers carried. For those troops who were not captured, General Washington hoped they would desert the British Army, lay down their arms, and apply for the generous bounty lands he offered anywhere land had not already been filed on.
Did your Scottish ancestor come from the Highlands? Did your Scottish ancestor come to America as a mercenary to fight in a British regiment? Did your Scottish ancestor give his parole and settle in Massachusetts towns, Virginia towns, North Carolina towns were he already had family members?
You won’t know until you look.
Here’s where you look for evidences that your ancestor was a mercenary:
- Church records–especially marriages. Church clerks often identified the groom as a soldier or a prisoner.
- Tax rolls–they got the land as a bounty for laying down their weapons. They usually were not tax free.
- Local town minutes–homes and areas for billetting the prisoners were often assigned specifically.
- County court records–especially with references to women with children living alone.
- Probate records–watch for references to prisoners in wills, probate minutes, estate divisions and settlements.
- Private account books–payments made for prisoners assigned to make musket balls and cannon, forge iron bars for the war effort.
Your favorite genealogist, Arlene Eakle http://arleneeakle.com
PS Remember: Reason says, “Go with the Well-Known.” Instinct says: “Go with the Know-How.” (GrantThornton.com)