This is a list of British fencible regiments. Fencibles (from the word ) were military units raised in the British Empire for defence against the threat of invasion during the Seven Years' War, American War of Independence and French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. The units were typically composed of local reservists commanded by British Army officers and their role was usually confined to garrison and patrol duties, freeing up regular units to perform offensive operations.
The article is broken into two periods the first list is for the fencible regiments raised during the Seven Years' War and the American War of Independence the first was raised in 1759 two years after the start of the Seven Years' War and the last was disbanded in 1783 when active hostilities with the America colonies ended and the British recognised the de facto existence of the United States of America to be formalised by the Peace of Paris (1783).
There is a far larger list for the French Revolutionary Wars and the Irish Rebellion of 1798. The regiments were raised during a time of great turbulence in Europe when there was a real fear that the French would either invade Great Britain or Ireland, or that radicals within Britain and Ireland would rebel against the established order. There was little to do in Britain other than garrison duties, escorting and guarding prisoners as happened at Edinburgh Castle and some police actions. In Ireland there was a French supported insurrection in 1798 and British fencible regiments were engaged in some minor pitched battles. Some regiments served outside Great Britain and Ireland. Several regiments performed garrison duties on the Channel Islands and Gibraltar. A detachment of the Dumbarton Fencible Regiment escorted prisoners to Prussia, and the Ancient Irish Fencibles were sent to Egypt where they took part in the operations against the French in 1801.
When it became clear that the rebellion in Ireland had been defeated and that there would be peace between France and Britain in 1802 (The preliminaries of peace were signed in London on 1 October 1801) the Fencible regiments were disbanded. The final ratification of the Peace of Amiens was concluded in March 1802. When hostilities were renewed with France during the Napoleonic Wars the British used alternative methods to defend the Home Nations (see for example the Additional Forces Acts 1803) and with the exception of the Royal Manx Fencibles (third corps, 1803–1811) no more fencible regiments were raised for home defence.
Several fencible regiments were raised in the early 1800s in Britain for the defence of Canada, some of these saw active service during the Anglo-American War of 1812 (see the section (Further information).
List of fencible infantry regiments raised prior to 1793
The total number of British fencible infantry regiments raised during the Seven Years' War and the American War of Independence was nine, of which six were Scottish, two were English and one was Manx.
lo-calNameUniformCommanderRaisedDisbandedNotesSHKey: SH, Scottish Highlands; SL, Scottish Lowlands; En, England, Mx Isle of Man.Argyll Regiment Highland dress. Facings yellow All the fencible regiments raised prior to 1793 were required to serve only in the country in which they were raised, except in time of invasion. All the Scottish ones, except the South Fencibles, wore the full Highland garb .Colonel John Campbell, 5th Duke of Argyll.July 1759March 1763When embodied was 1,000 strong. Quartered in different parts of Scotland until the peace of Paris (1763), when it was disbanded in Glasgow. SHSutherland RegimentHighland dress. Facings yellowColonel William Sutherland (1735-1766), 18th Earl of Sutherland.July 17591763Raised July 1759, but the officers' commissions were dated in August. 1,500 men assembled within nine days after his Lordship had arrived in the north with his Letters of Service, but the authorised establishment being only 1,000 men, the remainder had to be rejected. Permission, however, was afterwards given to augment the strength to 1,100 men. This corps was remarkable for the fine appearance of the men, as well as for their peaceable, domiciliated habits in quarters. After doing garrison duty in various parts of Scotland it was disbanded. SHArgyll, or Western Fencible Regiment or Western Regiment of Fencible Men.Highland dress. Facings yellow Colonel Lord Frederick Campbell. Lieut-Colonel Sir James Campbell Bart.February 1778April 1783Embodied at Glasgow. Volunteered to extend its services to any part of the world where their country required them. This offer was accepted, but their services were not required abroad. Served in Scotland, and disbanded at Glasgow.SLSouth Fencible Regiment or Southern Regiment of Fencible Men.Facings green Colonel Henry Scott, 3rd Duke of Buccleuch. Lieut-Colonel Sir James Pringle, 4th Baronet.10 April 17781 April 1783 Embodied at Edinburgh. Called out in 1779 to deal with a mutiny by elements of Scottish regiments. Offered to serve in any part of Great Britain. Served in Scotland. Disbanded at Dalkeith. SHDuke of Gordon's North Fencibles or Northern Regiment of Fencible Men.Highland dress. Facings Yellow Colonel Alexander, 4th Duke of Gordon. Lieut-Colonel Lord William Gordon.May 17781783Embodied at Aberdeen. Served in Scotland. In 1781 three companies under Major Mercer were deployed to engage with muskets and cannon a French privateer, the Fearnought engaged in taking two privateers (the Hazard and the Liberty moored at Aberdeen. The Fearnought escaped with both vessels, later setting fire to one. Disbanded at Aberdeen. SH2nd Sutherland RegimentHighland dress. Facings Yellow Colonel William Wemyss of Wemyss.January 17791783Embodied at Fort George. Were stationed principally in the neighbourhood of Edinburgh. Distinguished for "the sobriety, probity, and the most scrupulous and orderly attention to duty" of its men. cites General Stewart of Garth In November 1780 a party of Sutherland fencibles held off an attack by boats from a privateer, Rohan Soubife of Dunkirk, on a Brig they had driven into Portlethen. The fencibles drove off the privateers, killing and wounding a number without loss to themselves. Disbanded at Fort George. EnLord Fauconberg's Regiment or Fauconberg's FenciblesLieutenant-Colonel Henry Belasyse, 2nd Earl Fauconberg Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas Dundas (1780)17791783Raised in 1779 in Yorkshire. Confined to garrison duty in England and disbanded in Yorkshire in 1783, (described as Lord Faunconberg's Regiment of Yorkshire Volunteers).EnNorth's Fencibles or Cinque Ports Battalion of Fencible Infantry. Lieutenant-Colonel the Hon. George Augustus North, son of Hon. Col. Cinque Ports Lord North17791783Raised in 1779, in the Cinque Ports. Confined to garrison duty in England and disbanded in 1783.MxManx Fencible Corps17791783First corps. Raised in 1779 in the Isle of Man, consisted of three companies of infantry, disbanded in 1783.
List of fencible cavalry regiments raised between 1793 and 1803 The British cavalry and light dragoon regiments were raised to serve in any part of Great Britain and consisted of a force of between 14,000 and 15,000 men. Along with the two Irish regiments, those British regiments that volunteered for service in Ireland served there. Each regiment consisted of eighteen commissioned officers and troops of eighty privates per troop. The regiments were always fully manned as their terms of service were considered favourable. The reduction of Fencible Cavalry was announced to take place on the 25th March, 1800. Early in 1800 all of the regiments were disbanded.The only commissioned officers who received half-pay, were the adjutants; and the quarter-masters were given a stipend of two shillings per day