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Laurence Dundas obtained his first commission as a Cornet in the 2nd
Dragoon Guards (The Queen's Regiment) in 1762. The regiment was disbanded
in 1763 and Cornet Dundas went on to half pay. He obtained his next
commission as a Cornet in 1775, with the 13th Dragoons, promoted to
Adjutant in 1778, Lieutenant in 1779 and Captain in 1783.
In 1794, the 13th Light Dragoons were ordered to furnish two troops for
foreign service in the West Indies. The force was to consist of ten troops
under the command of Lieut-Colonel Hon. George Walpole of the 13th. The two
troops marched from Ballinrobe to Dublin and embarked for Liverpool. At
Liverpool, Captain Laurence Dundas wrote to Thomas, 1st Baron Dundas,
asking for letters of recommendation to procure promotion. This was
successful and Captain Laurence Dundas was duly promoted to Major with the
26th Light Dragoons who had also been ordered to the West Indies. His date
of promotion was 16th September 1795.
Major Laurence Dundas embarked on HMS Dictator at Cove on the 15th
November 1795 with the 26th Light Dragoons which consisted of 5 officers,
199 privates and 11 women. The ship was obviously already infested
with yellow fever and HMS Dictator did not actually sail from
Cork until the 26th February 1796. The conditions on board must have
been unbearable with the ship's log showing that men were dying daily and
that the only men who got off the ship, were the men who were taken by the
daily boat that took their bodies for burial at Spike Island.
Discipline must have been most problematic and again the log book
mentions continuous lashings for the men who tried to desert or for
drunkenness and fighting. Very few men made it to the West Indies and
regrettably Major Laurence Dundas survived for only 1 week after sailing
from Ireland before his death from yellow fever.
Between 1794 and 1796 it is estimated that some 80,000 soldiers were
lost to the service in the West Indies, the great majority of them from the
deadly yellow fever.
N.B The original commissioning papers for Laurence Dundas
in the 2nd Dragoon Guards are amongst the Zetland archives at
Northallerton, Yorkshire. There are also further papers showing that Sir Laurence
Dundas financed Laurence's career in the army. For example:
1. Under reference ZNKX1/1/60, which is dated 13/9/1761, there is a
request from a Michael Bain to Sir Laurence Dundas, for a sum of 40
ducats for "Cornet Child," Cornet LD.
2. Commission as Cornet in 13th Light Dragoons was paid for by Sir
Laurence Dundas, as confirmed by letter (5/8/1776) from Charles Fraser
chasing his brokerage fee for transacting Laurence Dundas' commission in the
13th Dragoons. The letter also mentions the fact that Sir Laurence Dundas
has communicated to Mr Underwood that he wishes to purchase a lieutenancy
for Laurence Dundas.
3. 21/7/1778 - Letter from Major James Stewart to Sir Laurence Dundas
recommending Cornet Dundas for promotion to adjutant. He asks Sir Laurence
Dundas for £400 to purchase the promotion and states that he has taken the
liberty to draw on Mr Underwood for forty guineas for a horse for Mr Dundas
according to Sir Laurence Dundas' wishes.
Also to be found amongst the Zetland account records deposited at
Northallerton Record Office are quarterly payments of £25 to the Dundas
family in Ireland, which commenced on the death of Major Dundas and
continued for two further generations.
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