Seeing he must explain he drew a long breath and said: “That was my brother & this is the first time I’ve seen him for five years. That was an old Latin Hymn he was singing. Mother use to sing us to sleep with it in our old home in the Scottish Highlands. I have thought several times past that you wondered greatly about my past life, and now I will tell you what little there is to tell, for you are the only Friend I have in America.

Our family is an old one in Scotland and have lived at Castle Fraser in Aberdeenshire since the twelfth cen. I’ll pass over my early life to my college days at Edinburg. After I went there I met a Lady who was visiting there and immediately fell in love with her. To me she was the Paragon of the Female sex. We became engaged and all went well till my brother Henry came to the University. He met Margaret, and from that day my hopes were doomed. We are entirely unlike. He is Clever and Witty and with a face as handsome as Appolloes, while I am Quiet as you know. Before many more Weaks Margaret grew colder and colder to me and encouraged Henry more. About a month before I was to graduate She broke our vows. I was insane at losing her and went to Henry and accused him of acting dishonourably toward me. He resented it and said the Lady surely had a right to choose. Other words passed & I was so angry I snatched a pair of rapiers from the Wall and pitching him one, I made a savage lunge at him, piercing his shoulder. At this moment our older brother Sir Francis, who is an officer with Lord Rodney on the Formidable, rushed in and separated us & lectured me soundly. Then came the revulsion of Feeling at attacking my Brother I did not want to see their Happiness & not caring what became of me I packed my Books and sailed the next weak to America & landed at Yorktown yonder 5 years ago. I have Relatives here in Virginia, and went to them till I joined the army in the beginning of the War. I have never heard from across the Sea since I came over here & did not know that Harry was in the army. Falvey stopped and seemed to wander away in thought to some distant place & we rode on in Silence. I tell you all this, My Dear Sir, because I have since learned that the Lady who was false to my friend is a distant cousin of ours—Margaret Lyon of Easter Ogil. News came to-day that Lord Rawton, who was on his way to South Carolina has been captured with some Important papers, by the French fleet.

The People in this Section have been much opress’d by Lord Cornwallice and Tarleton & there is great Rejoicing now that we have the Thieving Foxes in the Den. I hope to be Able to say next Time that the British have Surrendered: they can’t hold out much Longer. With the Greatest Respect & Affection to yourself & my mother 1 am your most Dutiful Son—

Jam’s Lyon.

 

 

Camp before Yorktown,

To Octr 17, 1781.

Jos. Lyon, Esqre
Wester Ogil Manor,
near Baltimore.
My Honourable Sir & Father,—

I beg to inform you that I am still Alive, and that the End is nigh, for my Lord C. sent Us a Flag at ten o’clock this forenoon. All Day yesterday the Guns kept up such a Thunder that it might be thought Jove Himself was waging War; and our Solid Shotes have torn their Works to Peaces. On the night of the 14th: Inst. We stormed and took two of their Redoubts. One of the storming Partys was Commanded by Comte de Deuponts and the other one—my party by Colo. Alexander Hamilton. The darkness was Intense & we carried them with the Bayonete. The Army is much Joyd at the success, but I am sad at heart, and I will tell you why. That afternoon Falvey told me taat he had a presentiment that something was going to Happen. I tried to laugh it off, but I saw him go to his Mare Beauty and caress her for some time. They had the greatest affection for each other I ever saw, and she would rub her nose against his arm and whiney when he was talking to her, just like she understood Him. That afternoon I heard him say: “We have been sweethearts, Beauty, we two.” Then he sighed and added tenderly: “I wish we could go together.” He then put the sadle on and galloped away, and did not come back til Dark. Then after night fell we made ready to creap up on the British. Just before we got to their Sentry I heard the now familiar words of the old Latin Hymn rise full and sweet from behind the Redoubt. Falvey clutched my arm, and I felt him shake like he had a severe chill. In a few moments we wer on their works and fighting hevily. I tried to keep near Falvey & as we climbed the mound of Earth and Barrels I saw him plunge his sword into the Breast of a man that stood above Him and the fellow exploded his Pistol in Falvey’s face. Just then they set off some Rockets and I saw that the man was Lieut’t Fraser. He reeled and dropped his Pistole. Falvey recognized him too and sprung forward and clasped him in his arms and cryed “Harry! Harry! It is I your Brother.” Then both fell to the ground and when I seperated them Lieut’t Fraser was dead and Falvey was unconscious from the Pistole shot.

We carried him back to camp, and when we dressed his wound he was conscious and said to me “I did my Duty Jim but ‘t was hard. Don’t doe too much, I don’t want to get well.” Soon after this he sank into a stupor. About sundown the next Day, the 15th, he roused up and said as he felt my hand “Listen Jim! don’t you hear the old Ave Maria? Its Harry on the way thro’ the Parke to the castle. I must hurry and overtake Him.” He then became quiet again.

About eleven o’clock that evening I was sitting with him; when I heard rapid Hoof beates coming. They stopped before our Tent and I heard Beauty whiney. Slie knew the way for Falvey often left her standing there. After being neglected all Day she had come to hunt Him. He heard her too and started up in Bed saying, “Whoa Beauty, steady sweetheart; I’m ready.” He gropped for the Reigns and his foot was partly raised as though for the stirup. “Go Beauty!” he said and sank back in my arms. When I laid him down he was Dead. The mare had heard his last command & Galloped on. The Hoof beates grew fainter till I heard a Sentry challenge & a shot when they stopped. I knew it was as Falvey wished. He and Beauty went together. I miss Him soe for He was the best Friend I had.

I don’t know where We will go when Lord C. surrenders. May bee up thro’ Maryland and then I’ll see you and my mother. With Respects from your

Aftec’te & Dutiful Son,

James Lyon.

 

 

MEMORIES OF YORKTOWN -letters written by Continental Soldier James  Lyon (about a friend – Continental Soldier Falvey Fraser) to his father Joseph Lyon Esqre.   James Lyon served throughout the war in the Virginia troops, and received from the State a grant of land for his services.

The letters were  found in a ceder chest Mercer County, Ky.

 

 

 

 

Lieut Henry Fraser was an officer of the 71st Regiment of Foot . This regiment, also referred to as the Royal Highland Regiment, was raised in 1775.  The unit served in both the Northern and Southern Campaigns, and participated in many major battles including the Battle of Long Island (1776), the Battle of Brandywine (1777), Savannah (1778), Briar Creek (1779), the Siege of Savannah (1779), the Siege of Charleston (1780), the Battle of Camden (1780), Guilford Courthouse (1781), and the Battle of Yorktown (1781).