It's persistently portrayed as if Colonel Lennox has exclusive personal control over the disposition of the soldiers, for example being able to leave town at a moments notice to escape debts. In reality, the regiment would arrive and leave at the command of superior officers based on the military security needs of the state and not based on an individual Colonel's preference.
It's said that the shop keepers have no legal recourse when the soldiers skip out on the bills they have run up. In reality, the British government would be on the hook for expenses which the regiment ran up.