One of my g-grandfathers is a bit of a cypher... David Dewers (or Duers). Before his marriage to Deborah Sherman of Dartmouth, Mass. in 1770, there is no record of him. And his activity during the War is a mystery. He and the Sherman family eventually settled in Albany, NY. His father-in-law, Henry Sherman, was in the Albany Militia. David either died or "disappeared" before 1790. Now, I did locate a David Dewer(s) on a list of Loyalist officers for the 71st Regiment. Could this be him? He was a lieutenant. Hoping someone might be able to shed light on this mystery-ancestor. Best, John "Letter writing is the only device for combining solitude and good company." - Lord Byron (1788-1824) "One more shot for the honour of Down!" - Rollicking Rollo (1766-1814) Hero of County Down, IR __________________________________ Yahoo! Mail Mobile Take Yahoo! Mail with you! Check email on your mobile phone. http://mobile.yahoo.com/learn/mail

John -- > Now, I did locate a David Dewer(s) on a list of > Loyalist officers for the 71st Regiment. Could this be > him? He was a lieutenant. I am suprised that he is listed as a "Loyalist officer" because the 71st Regiment of Highland Foot was a "regular" army regiment comprising two battalions. Kmown as "Fraser's Higlanders" the regiment was formed in Scotand in 1775-1776 and departed Greenock for America in late April 1776, bound for Boston which had been evacuated by that time. Of the approximately 2098 officers & men, 160 womenm and 16 servants of the 71st Regiment who departed in 22 transport ships, about 500-550 were captured at sea by US forces. A few over 100 men with another 100+ men belonging to the 42nd Regiment ("Royal Highlanders" -- now known as the Black Watch") taken at the the same time ended up dispersed throughout the jails of western Virginia. The other 400+ POWs of the 71st Regiment were interred throughout Mass. The 71st was stripped of its flank companies and its 16 remaning infantry companies were involved in the Long Island, Philadelphia, Savannah, and "Southern" campaigns. The 71st had one battalion captured at Cowpens and the other battalion surrendered at Yorktown. Of the flank companies, one company was captured at Stony Point. In Oct 1777, replacement recruits just arrived at New York were park of the storming of Fort Clinton where they performed in exemplary fashion with heavy losses. I am not aware of any Colonialists being allowed to purchase commissions in the 71st Regiment although I know that some of the commissioned officers of the 71st Regiment commanded Loyalist units. If memory serves, one was a cavalry troop called something like the Georgia Light Horse. Commissions in the 71st were by purchase. The only Dewar holding an army commission as of 30 June 1780 was David Dewar, an Ensign in the 1st Battalion, 71st Regiment with a date of rank in the regiment of 02 Nov 1778. He next held a commission as Lieutenant in the same regiment with a date of rank of 05 Nov 1780. Again if memory serves, David Dewar's first date of rank (02 Nov 1778) found the 71st enroute from New York to the Savannah River; however, it may have been a day or two prior to the departure. This suggests that David Dewar was already with the regiment serving as a "Cadwt" or "Volunteer." Of course, David Dewar could have purchased his commission in Scotland and didn't join the regiment for quite sme time. Bob Brooks