Olde 78th Fraser Highlanders

History of the 78th Frasers     Of Norman ancestry, the "frasiers", or strawberry farmers emigrated to Scotland and became the Fraser clan. In 1757, members of the clan formed the 78th Fraser Highlanders regiment to serve King George II in North America during the Seven Years' War (1757-1763). They played a major role in this conflict between France and England, from the siege of Louisbourg in 1758 to the battle of the Plains of Abraham in 1759. Disbanded in 1763, many of the soldiers married into French Canadian families and settled along the shores of the St. Lawrence where many of their descendants still live today.	Photo: Corporal Batty proudly carrying the regiment's Colors as they are trooped through the streets of Fortress Louisbourg during its 1999 Grand Encampment.
Photo: Three different ranks of soldiers posing with their regiment's Colors. As seen here, the Sergeant Major along with a Corporal to his right and Private to his left.	Re-enactments of this variant force in Canadian history continue to be portrayed to this very day. Since 1965, to the haunting skirl of the pipes and the beating of the drums, the Olde 78th Fraser Highlanders add another historic dimension to live events held at Ile Sainte-Hélène's Old Fort, located directly across the St. Lawrence River from downtown Montreal.
The David M. Stewart Museum Fort, Ile Sainte-Hélène     Built in 1824, this military complex is the home of The Stewart Museum dedicated to the discovery and the exploration of New France and North America. On display, unique artifacts take you back to the life and times of another era, when bold new discoveries were opening vast new frontiers and changing the face of the world. The collections include artifacts, from kitchen utensils to firearms, ancient maps, scientific instruments, navigational aids and historic documents.      A varied program of exhibitions and living history interpretations put on at the Fort throughout the year, helps to bring this period to life.	Photo: Seen here are Pipe Major Neil Foster (right) and Corporal/Pipe Sergeant Graham Batty (left) after a long day on the battle field.

    The fort itself is a fortified arsenal built by the British to defend the city of Montreal from potential attack by the Americans. It was strategically situated to command access to the Old Port across the water. As you step through Fort Sainte Hélène's imposing stone archway, you'll return to those days of muskets and cannons, and get a taste of the harsh life of centuries past. Certainly a wonderful historical attraction worth visiting.

For further information, check out these links:

The David M. Stewart Museum - Fort, Ile Sainte-Hélène

Canada: A People's History

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E-mail: Graham@bagpiping.com