This is an officer’s silver-plated button of the 71st British Regiment of Foot, unofficially known as Fraser’s Highlanders, excavated at Fort Fair Lawn. Fraser’s Highlanders were present at the Siege of Charleston in March 1780, the Battle of Camden in August 1780 and the Battle of Cowpens in January 1781. It next fought at the Battle of Guilford Court House in March 1781 where one officer of the 71st Regiment claimed that “one half of the Highlanders dropped on that spot.” The regiment’s last action was at the Siege of Yorktown in September 1781. Notably, the 71st is not known to have been at Fort Fair Lawn, which means this button was likely worn by an officer who visited the redoubt on some undetermined mission.
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