17th Regiment of Foot, 1757-1763

17th Regiment of Foot, 1757-1763 Sailing from Cork, Ireland in May 1757 the Regiment arrived in Halifax harbor, Nova Scotia in July, for the aborted attack on Cape Breton.

Formed by volunteers in 2024, the 17th Regiment of Foot 1757-1763 portrays the unit and its followers as they appeared during the Seven Years War in North America between the years 1757 to 1763. Upon the cancellation of the campaign the Regiment was dispersed to winter quarters garrisoning the Hudson Valley. By the fighting season of 1758 the regiment would return to Nova Scotia and finally see ac

tion at the siege of Fortress Louisbourg. After the surrender on 26, July, the Regiment sailed to Boston, and again marched for the Hudson Valley and Fort Edward, taking up winter quarters.

1759 would see the Regiment march, and sail, with General Jeffery Amherst to capture the (albeit ruined) Forts Carillon, and Sainte Frederick, and begin work constructing the fortifications at Crown Point. By Mid-1760, the Regiment sailed down Lake Champlain with the 2nd Division under Brigadier William Haviland and forced the French from Ile-aux-Noix, before marching on French settlements and Montreal itself. On 8, September Pierre de Rigaud de Vaudreuil surrendered the city, and all of French Canada, to General Amherst. In 1761 the Regiment marched from Montreal and the surrounding settlements to New York, where it was encamped on Staten Island for two months until October when the Regiment embarked for service in the Caribbean. After participating in the reduction of Martinique, and finally the siege of Havana. From 1763 to 1767 the Regiment was engaged in garrison duties in North America, until it was recalled to England, where it arrived in September.

05/24/2026
Great view!
05/23/2026

Great view!

04/14/2026

As we all emerge from Winter Quarters it's time to brush up. Don't let the Corporal catch you sloughing, he'll tell the Sergeant!

03/22/2026

A good section of an overall great program!

02/16/2026

Morris to Forbes, Albany, 15th Feb 1758

“I think it my Duty to acquaint you, that Genll: Abercromby on Monday last, informed me, that Major Darby with 300 Men of the 17th, were to go on Detachment; & that I was to stay in Albany with him; On further enquiry I found most of the Lt Cols: going on that Duty, and as I imagined it might be thought my turn I desir’d I might go on that Service, & would chearfully undertaken it; the Genll: & Lord How who was present, told me that Lord Loudoun had determin’d it otherwise, and that this was an extraordinary Affair, not in the regular turn of Duty, & few people equal to this fatigue especialy in my Situations; I press’d the thing in as strong terms as I thought I ought, until I was told, that the Service might suffer by my persisting in undertaking a Duty & Fatigue I could not go through: My state of health of late no doubt has been but indifferent, & this Climate not favourable to me, however find my self of present better, and am in hopes I may yet be able to do all the Duties I am liable to, with the approbation of my Superiors, as well as to my own Satisfaction."

From The Forbes Papers, transcribed by Will Tatum, III PhD, and held at the National Archives of Scotland.

Things are afoot!
01/03/2026

Things are afoot!

'Tis the season! Members of the 17th hope to also be getting some kit underway.
12/13/2025

'Tis the season! Members of the 17th hope to also be getting some kit underway.

Beautiful shot of the fortress covered in recent snows!
11/25/2025

Beautiful shot of the fortress covered in recent snows!

The old British Forts in Crown Point this morning.

A portion from the Month of August in a "...letter from Major General Amherst to Mr. Secretary Pitt, dated Crown-Point, ...
08/05/2025

A portion from the Month of August in a "...letter from Major General Amherst to Mr. Secretary Pitt, dated Crown-Point, August 5, 1759." As published in The General Evening Post (London.) The Edition of 8 September to 11 September, 1759.

(Re-typed for clarity.)

In July, 1758 while Major General Abercrombie was retreating from the disastrous attack on Fort Carillon, Major General ...
07/10/2025

In July, 1758 while Major General Abercrombie was retreating from the disastrous attack on Fort Carillon, Major General Amherst was investing the Fortress of Louisbourg, and on this day the 17th Regiment of Foot would lose the commander of the Grenadier Company, Captain Dondonald:

"[July] 9th About 12 o'clock this night, just as we had began a Battery on the right of our first parallel near the Sea Side, the Enemy made a sally from black Point, & by the negligence of our out + Parties, whom they passd, got as far as out trenches, & fir'd on our workmen before they were perceived; they were repuls'd by some companys of Grenadiers. Captn. Lord Dondonald was kill'd & about 30 Men kill'd & Missing; they had 1 Captn. & 17 Men kill'd on the spot & a few taken Prisoners. the Party that made the sortie were upwards of 800 Men & all in liquor. +The out Parties were provincial Troops & the French told us they were asleep under their Blankets & that they trod on them, but they did not rise up."

The Journal, now attributed to Lieutenant William Bamford of the 35th Regiment of Foot, is available online in it's original form, or as published by John B. Hattendorf available from Helion Press.

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Fort Edward, NY

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