Returning to England in the winter of 1772, he passed the usual examination at the Navy Office; and in June 1773, was ordered on board the Royal Oak, of 74 guns, at Spithead, where a fleet had been assembled, and was then to be reviewed by his late Majesty. Not having the good fortune to be in the number of the successful candidates for promotion, which took place on that occasion, Mr. Fraser remained in the Royal Oak till the Autumn of 1774, when he again went to America, as acting Lieutenant of the Scarborough, a 20-gun ship.
When hostilities with the colonists broke out, it was thought fit to destroy some of their seaport towns; and the late Captain Henry Mowat, in the Canceaux, being entrusted with the execution of this service, for which he had a small squadron, and 200 additional marines embarked, Mr. Fraser was ordered on board the Canceaux as Lieutenant. The town of Falmouth, the inhabitants of which had opposed with violence the loading of a mast ship, being the first object, Mr. Fraser was sent on shore with a flag of truce, offering to spare the place on the condition of the rebels delivering up all their artillery and small arms; this not being complied with, the squadron opened a heavy cannonade, and in a short time destroyed 130 dwellings, 278 store and warehouses, a large new church, the. court-house, and public library; to complete the demolition of the town, a large body of seamen and marines were landed under Mr. Fraser, who set fire to such parts as could not be destroyed from the ships; in effecting this, he was a good deal annoyed by the Americans from behind hedges, &c.; but being covered by the squadron, he reimbarked the whole party, having only a few wounded.
During the ensuing campaign of 1776, Mr. Fraser was constantly employed in the flat boats at Long Island, New York, &c. (See Sir Andrew S. Hamond), and particularly at the taking of Fort Washington, where he led one of the divisions of boats in which the light infantry were embarked, and which were exposed to a very galling fire of grape and musketry, while waiting for the flowing of the tide to proceed up the creek; on this occasion he had 2 men killed and several wounded in his own boat. At the latter end of the same year he returned to England in the Bristol, with Lord Shuldham,
