American Revolution
Scottish 71st Regiment Payroll

During the American Revolution
December 25, 1780 through February 23, 1781, Revolutionary War Date, Choice Extremely Fine, 9” x 7.25”, 1 page, written in brown ink on watermarked, fine-laid paper.
This “Account of Subsistence for the 2nd Battn., 71st Regim. Commencing 25th Decem. 1780 and Ending 23rd Feby 1781”, lists the amount paid to different levels of rank. It lists 40 Sergeants, 40 Corporals, 22 Drummers & Pipers and 500 Privates. Deductions are listed which included 1 Sergeant, 5 Corporals, 3 Drummers and 107 Privates which were held as “Prisoners with the Rebels” during the pay period. The total paid to the 71st was £ 840.5.6. The 71st Regiment, known as Fraser’s Highlanders, was the only new regiment to be formed by the British to help fight the American Rebel’s. During the period listed by the Payroll, 263 men of the 71st were helping fight the Battle of Cowpens, South Carolina. Age-toned with a minor smear on bottom center of document; not affecting the text; aesthetically pleasing. An amazing document that captures the British attempts to suppress the Rebels by bringing back the Scottish to fight! (A printed background history of the regiment is included with the document.)
The 71st Regiment was first raised in Glasgow, Scottland in 1757 to fight in the French and Indian War. Once the war was over many men stayed in Canada, only later to return to fight the American Revolution. The 71st was once again commissioned in Scottland in 1775 by the British to fight the Rebels. The Second Batallion was sent to Wilmington in 1777 and returned to New York later that year and fought at Little Egg Harbour, New Jersey in 1778. Much of the regiment was taken at Yorktown in 1782. A year later the 71st was disbanded in Scotland.