Sir Alexander Fraser of Philorth's Firelocks

A little reorganisation of the storage boxes vacated some space for my Army of the Solemn League and Covenant. Here's the second of two new units.

A return to painting after a very Scottish-centric focus for most of last year, sees a Covenanter commanded shot unit come to life: Sir Alexander Fraser of Philorth's Firelocks. Philforth's served in the Bishops' Wars and on the Preston campaign in the Second Civil War.

Sir Alexander Fraser was born in 1604, the grandson of  Alexander Fraser of Philorth, founder of Fraserborough. Sir Alexander inherited his grandfather's estates in 1624, to the exclusion of his father. He was known as the 'younger of Philorth' until his father died in 1636/7.

It is doubtful whether Sir Alexander was an enthusiastic Presbyterian, or whether  he had any strong objection to Episcopal government of the Church, but he seems, like many others, to sign the Solemn League and Covenant when it was  brought to Aberdeen by Montrose in 1638. He was also a member of the  General Assembly at Glasgow in 1639.

Fraser's Firelocks have embryonic roots in a regiment that was raised in Buchan, Aberdeenshire in May 1639 as Fraser's Retinue. A contingent of about 200 men joined the expedition against the castles of Kellie and Gight, before they occupied Aberdeen for a few weeks before being disbanded on the 5th of June. They would be raised again in April/May 1640 when they would once again occupy Aberdeen.

By 1644 they were garrisoned in Philorth Castle, before joining Argyll at Dunottar Castle. Believed to have taken part in the battle of Aberdeen, probably as part of Lord Fraser’s Highland Levies.

They would be disbanded again, although precisely when is not known.

Fast forward to 1648 Fraser was commissioned as colonel to a new regiment equipped with firelocks. These men were originally intended to be under the command of  William Forbes the Master of Forbes. As Forbes declined to serve the Engagement, command passed to Sir Alexander Fraser of Philorth. Furgol suggests that they may have have formed the artillery guard of Hamilton's army.

Muche honored,  —The Maister of Forbes haveing quit his employment as ane Colonell in the present levey, and wee being confident of your affection to the publict service, have nominat yow to be Colonel, in place of the Maister of Forbes, and to have that division of the shyre of Aberdein allowed to him. These are therefore to desire yow, vpon receipt heirof, to goe about the leveying of that Regiment quhilk formerlie fell to the Maister of Forbes. Quherin expecting your care

Strength of the new regiment was intended to be 800, but only 150 men would march south to fight in the Preston campaign where many were taken prisoner at Warrington Bridge. 

Charles II had been proclaimed  King of Scotland in 1649, and was desperately trying to raise funds for his warchest, requesting two hundred pounds from Sir Alexander:

Laird of Phillokth,—I am so confident of your good affection to me, and  the aduancement of my affaires, that I doubt not but you wilbe willing to  furnish me, for my present occasions, with the summe of two hundred pounds  sterling, which I pray you to deliuer either to my selfe, or to the bearer  hereof, my seruant, who shall bring you to me; and I shall not only take it  as a testimonie of your affection, but shall also repay the same to you, and acknowledge it as an acceptable seruice done to me.

The regiment would be raised anew to support Charles II fighting at Dunbar and marching south to Worcester. At Worcester they would either die on the battlefield or be taken prisoner. Those taken prisoner would be transported to the new world in slavery, only two of their original number ever returning to their Scottish homes.

Family tradition reports that Sir Alexander is said to have been left for dead at Worcester, and was only  saved by his faithful servant, who, on finding his  master's body, perceived that life still lingered therein, and was fortunate  enough to be able to convey him to a place of concealment, where he recovered from his wounds.

After the Wars Sir Alexander spent his remaining years bogged down in numerous litigations surrounding the ownership of various family estates. He would die on the 11th August 1693.

Only two headswaps here, the rest of the figures are straight out of the bag. I hit a couple of snags with these: firstly Warbases have discontinued the custom casualty markers, but they were happy to make a few for me; and secondly one base took repeated nosedives into my PVA glue container when I was basing them - thankfully I was able to salvage it without having to resort to stripping and repainting.

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