The 82nd Hamilton Regiment

The 82nd Regiment, also known as the Hamilton Regiment, was assembled in 1778 in Scotland. As the thirteen American colonies had decided on independence from Great Britain, the 8th Duke of Hamilton was appointed to form a regiment to reinforce its troops in North America.
Potential recruits from the Lanarkshire district were plied with guineas and port to join the regiment. In addition, a detachment of soldiers enlisted for service in the 42nd and 71st regiments, the Black Watch and the Fraser Highlanders, were ordered into the 82nd. They refused and were convicted of mutiny. King George III pardoned them, perhaps on the condition they serve in the 82nd regiment.
Six companies were raised and set sail for Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Brigadier-General Francis MacLean led the 82nd regiment, with the 74th regiment, to Penobscot Maine to construct a fort and interrupt shipping in and out of Boston, and also provide security for those remaining loyal to Great Britain.
A large force of 3,000 men in nineteen ships and twenty four transports laid seige on the fort unsuccessfully for three weeks. British reinforcements arrived, causing the Yankee force
to flee up river where some ships were grounded, others set fire to, and those not killed travelled over
land back to Boston. The leader of the Yankee forces, Paul Revere, was court-martialled and acquitted after the trial dragged on for three years. As the Penobscot fort was destroyed, the troops of the 82nd were returned to Halifax for garrison duty.
The second and final mission of the 82nd was to assist General Cornwallis free the Carolinas.
They succeeded in capturing Wilmington to keep Cornwallis' lines of communication to the sea open. However the forces capitulated in Yorktown, and Cornwallis committed suicide. Many were incarcerated as prisoners of war.
The war ended , and in October, 1783, the 82nd regiment sailed from New York for Halifax where it disbanded. A tract of land containing 26,030 acres was set aside for the soldiers in Pictou County and it became known as the 82nd grant.

The land was surveyed and divided into lots for the soldiers to draw their number. While some sold their lots without seeing them, others visited the lots and promptly returned to Halifax to re-enlist.
About fifty actually moved to Pictou County.

Sources:
"Pictonians in Arms" by James M. Cameron, and
"History of the County of Pictou" by Rev. George Patterson