General Simon Fraser
(1729-7 October 1777,
Saratoga, New York) was a British general during the
American Revolutionary War who was killed in the
Battle of Bemis Heights.
Early life and military service
Simon was a younger son of
Alexander Fraser of
Balnain,
Highland, by his second wife Jean Mackintosh and was born in
Scotland in 1729.
He fought with the
Dutch army at
Bergen-op-Zoom in 1747, and joined the
British Army as a
Lieutenant in 1755.
Fraser came to
Canada with the British forces in the
French and Indian War. At the siege of
Louisbourg, he was called
Lieutenant Simon Fraser, Jr., since he was the younger of two lieutenants with the same name. He was promoted to Captain before taking part in the
Battle of Quebec (1759). At that battle, he was in
James Wolfe's boat crossing the St Lawrence. It was his reply, in
French through the fog, that enabled the party to sneak ashore before ascending to the
Plains of Abraham.
Fraser served in
Germany,
Ireland, and
Gibraltar between wars. In 1768, he became the Lt. Colonel of the
24th Regiment of Foot.
American Revolutionary War
In 1776, the 24th was transferred to Quebec in response to the
1775 American invasion, and Governor
Guy Carleton promoted him to Brigadier General, but
in America only. When
John Burgoyne organized his
Saratoga campaign in 1777, Fraser was chosen to command the advance unit. Fraser was much loved by his men; he often argued against Burgoyne's misguided plans, but the overconfident commander ignored him.
Ticonderoga
At the start of the campaign, the advance corps had about 1,000 men. Besides his own
24th Regiment of Foot, he had the
grenadier battalion, the
light infantry battalion, and a company of marksmen, along some Canadian
militia and Indian
auxiliaries. Fraser's command was in the vanguard during the
taking of Fort Ticonderoga, and Fraser was early in pursuit of the retreating Americans.
Hubbardton
On July 7, 1777, Fraser's corps caught up with the American rear guard at the town of Hubbardton in the
New Hampshire Grants (now
Vermont). Though the British captured more than 200 Continental soldiers, the Americans
fought well before being scattered, although they kept the main force intact to fight the later battles at Saratoga.
Freeman's Farm
Daniel Morgan's riflemen wiped out Fraser's advance party at
Freeman's farm on September 19, and began to inflict casualties on his column before they could form up in the open. Morgan's men charged, and Fraser fell back on the main column, under General
Hamilton. As Morgan and
Benedict Arnold regained control of the
Continentals, his column also took some casualties from friendly fire. The British finally took the farm, but the cost was high.
Bemis Heights
Early in the
Battle of Bemis Heights on October 7, Fraser fell to rifle fire from a rifleman named
Timothy Murphy.
Benedict Arnold, the opposing commander, specifically ordered Fraser to be targeted, as he was vigorously directing and supporting his troops. He was carried to a nearby house and placed in the care of Baroness Riedesel, where he died that evening at age 48. He was reportedly buried in a nearby redoubt, but the exact location is uncertain. In her diary, the Baroness noted that he was "...buried at six O'clock in the evening, on a hill, which was a sort of redoubt."
His passing is noted by a memorial plaque in the Saratoga Battlefield National Park.
See also
Category:1729 birthsCategory:1777 deathsCategory:People from InvernessCategory:British Army generalsCategory:British military personnel of the French and Indian WarCategory:British Army personnel of the American Revolutionary WarCategory:Clan FraserCategory:Articles lacking sources (Erik9bot)Category:British military personnel killed in the American Revolutionary War
