List of British fencible regiments


This is a list of British fencible regiments. The fencibles were British Army regiments raised in the United Kingdom and in the colonies for defence against the threat of invasion during the Seven Years' War, the American War of Independence and French Revolutionary Wars in the late 18th century. Usually temporary units, composed of local volunteers, commanded by Regular Army officers, their role was, as their name suggests, usually confined to garrison and patrol duties, freeing the regular Army 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.
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 and some police actions, but 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 Fencible regiments were disbanded. The final ratification of the Peace of Amiens was concluded in March 1802. When the Napoleonic Wars resumed the British used alternative methods to defend the Home Nations and with the exception of the [|Royal Manx Fencibles] 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.

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.
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NameUniformCommanderRaisedDisbandedNotes
SHArgyll RegimentHighland dress. Facings yellowColonel John, Duke of Argyll.July 17591763When embodied was 1,000 strong. Quartered in different parts of Scotland until the peace of Paris, when it was disbanded.
SHSutherland RegimentHighland dress. Facings yellowColonel William, 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 RegimentHighland dress. Facings yellowColonel Lord Frederick Campbell.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.Facings greenColonel Henry, Duke of Buccleuch.10 April 17781 April 1783Embodied at Edinburgh. Offered to serve in any part of Great Britain. Served in Scotland. Disbanded at Dalkeith.
SHDuke of Gordon's North FenciblesHighland dress. Facings YellowColonel Alexander, 4th Duke of Gordon.May 17781783Embodied at Aberdeen. Served in Scotland. Disbanded at Aberdeen.
SH2nd Sutherland RegimentHighland dress. Facings YellowColonel William Wemvss 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. Disbanded at Fort George.
EnFauconberg's Fencibles17791783Raised in 1779 in Yorkshire. Confined to garrison duty in England and disbanded in 1783.
EnNorth's Fencibles17791783Raised 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. At the beginning of 1800 all of the regiments were disbanded.
locNameUniformCommanderRaisedDisbandedNotes
First RegimentColonel The Honourable John Villiers. 14 March 1794Early 1800
Ancient British RegimentColonel Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn14 March 1794Early 1800Served in Ireland.
Lancashire Regiment .Colonel Thomas Peter Legh.14 March 1794Early 1800
Rutland Regiment Colonel Noel Edwards.19 March 1794Early 1800
Somersetshire Regiment Colonel John, Earl Poulett.28 March 1794Early 1800
Norfolk Regiment Colonel William Harbord.10 April 1794Early 1800
Cinque Ports Regiment Colonel Robert, Lord Hawkesbury.1 May 1794Early 1800
Windsor Foresters or Berkshire Fencible Cavalry Red with blue facingsColonel Charles Rooke.1 May 1794June 18005th Regiment of Fencible Cavalry from 1798
Surrey Regiment Colonel George, Lord Onslow.1 May 1794Early 1800See also the [|Loyal Surrey Regiment]
Hampshire RegimentColonel Thomas Cooper Everitt.13 April 1795Early 1800
Cornwall Regiment Colonel George, Viscount Falmouth.14 April 1795Early 1800
Loyal Essex RegimentBuff facings.Colonel Montague Burgoyne.20 April 1795Early 1800Served in Ireland.
Berwickshire CorpsLieutenant-Colonel Sir Alexander Don21 April 1795Early 1800Served in Ireland.
Cambridgeshire RegimentColonel Robert Jones Adeane.25 April 1795Early 1800Served in Ireland.
Lanark and Dunbarton RegimentBlack facings, bonnet and trews or kilt.Colonel William Hamilton.2 May 1795Early 1800Served in Ireland.
Dumfrieshire RegimentColonel Michael Stuart Maxwell.4 May 1795Early 1800Served in Ireland.
Fifeshire CorpsLieutenant-Colonel Comm. J. Anstruther Thomson.8 May 1795Early 1800
Warwickshire Regiment .Colonel George, Earl Warwick.19 May 1794Early 1800
Lothian RegimentColonel John Hamilton.29 May 1795Early 1800
Lothian RegimentWilliam Earl of Ancram.29 May 1795Early 1800Served in Ireland.
Sussex RegimentColonel Sir George Thomas13 April 1795Early 1800
Princess of Wales's Regiment Colonel William, Earl of Darlington.14 April 1795Early 1800Served in Ireland.
Pembrokeshire CorpsLieutenant Colonel Comm. Henry Davis.18 April 1795Early 1800
Oxfordshire RegimentColonel Thomas Parker.20 April 1795Early 1800
New Romney RegimentColonel Cholmely Dering.20 April 1795Early 1800Served in Ireland.
Roxbrough and Selkirkshire RegimentColonel Sir John Scott.21 April 1795Early 1800
Princess Royal's own RegimentColonel Andrew McDowall.1 May 1795Early 1800
Perthshre RegimentColonel Charles Moray.29 May 1795Early 1800
Ayrshire RegimentColonel Andrew Dunlop.19 June 1795Early 1800

locNameUniformCommanderRaisedDisbandedNotes
First Regimentfur-crested Tarleton helmets, dark blue jacket, with white cord and lace, and white britches.Colonel Robert, Viceroy, Jocelyn.18 July 1795
Second Regimentfur-crested Tarleton helmets, dark blue jacket, with white cord and lace, and white britches.Colonel Edmund, Lord Glentworth.18 July 1795

List of fencible infantry regiments raised between 1793 and 1803

Scottish fencibles

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NameUniformCommanderRaisedDisbandedNotes
SHPrincess of Wales' Regiment.*Highland dress. Facings yellowColonel Sir James Leith.25 October 179411 September 1803Raised 25 October 1794. Embodied at Aberdeen. Disbanded in Ireland, 11 September 1803.
SLAngus VolunteersFacings Buff, or facings yellow, and bonnet and trews Major-Commandant John Fraser.27 September 17941799Strength, two companies.
SLAngusshire RegimentFacings yellowColonel Archibald Douglas.20 October 179419 July 1802Had a good many Highlanders from the Highland borders. Served in Ireland. Disbanded at Perth.
SH1st Argyllshire RegimentHighland dress. Facings yellowColonel George, Marquis of Lorne, Afterwards George, 6th Duke of Argyll.2 March1799Embodied at Stirling. Its services were confined to Scotland.
SH2nd Argyllshire RegimentHighland dress. Facings BlueColonel Henry Mord Clavering.25 October 179424 July 1802Served in Ireland. Disbanded at Ayr.
SH3rd Argyllshire RegimentHighland dress. Facings yellowColonel Archibald Macneill of Colonsay.15 June 17983 July 1802The name of Argyll did not properly apply to this corps, as the number of Argyllshire men was very small. Its service extended to any part of Europe, and in 1800 was sent to Gibraltar. Ordered home at the peace of 1801. Disbanded at Dumbarton.
SHBreadalbane RegimentHighland dress. Facings yellowColonel Earl of Breadalbane.2 March 179328 July 18023 Battalions
Breadalbane Regiment — 1st BattalionLieutenant-Colonel William Maxwell Morrison.2 March 179318 April 1799Embodied at Perth. Volunteered for duty in Ireland, August 1798, but its services were not required. Remained in Scotland. Disbanded at Fort George.
Breadalbane Regiment — 2nd BattalionLieutenant-Colonel Andrew Macdouall of Logan.8 March 179318 April 1799Embodied at Perth. In 1798 the greater part of this corps volunteered for service in Ireland, and landed at Carrickfergus in September. Returned to Scotland in March 1799. Disbanded at Paisley.
Breadalbane Regiment — 3rd BattalionLieutenant-Colonel John Campbell of Achallader.9 December 179428 July 1802Served in Ireland. Disbanded at Ayr.
EnLoyal British RegimentFacings BlueColonel Sir Robert Stuart, Bart.24 October 17941802
SHCaithness Legion.The bonnet and tartan pantaloons. Facings yellow.Colonel Sir Benjamin Dunbar of Hempriggs.15 November 17941802Served in Ireland. Disbanded at Enniscorthy.
SHRoyal Clan Alpine RegimentHighland dress. Facings Blue.Colonel Alex. Macgregor Murray of Napier Rusky.21 September 179824 July 1802Raised for general service in Europe. Embodied at Stirling. Served in Ireland. Disbanded at Stirling.
??Duke of York's Own RegimentThe bonnet and truis. Facings probably yellow.Colonel Andrew Hay of Mountblairey.26 July 17981802This regiment had a number of Highlanders in its ranks. Garrisoned Gibraltar.
SHDumbarton Fencible RegimentBlack facings, Highland dress, or trews Colonel Colin Campbell of Stonefield.14 August 17945 October 1802Embodied at Dumbarton. Served in Guernsey, and afterwards in Ireland during the rebellion, where it was actively occupied and employed as a light infantry corps in the mountains, under Sir John Moore, who kept it constantly near his person. "By the recommendation of General Moore, a detachment of the regiment was ordered as a guard to 400 rebel prisoners sent to Prussia, with directions that 'the detachment should consist entirely of Highlanders, as the service required confidential, trustworthy men'.". Disbanded at Dumbarton.
SLLord Elgin's Regiment.The bonnet and truis. Facings greenColonel Thomas, Earl of Elgin.28 November 179415 October 1802There were about 300 Highlanders in this corps. Served in Ireland. Disbanded at Linlithgow.
SLFifeshire FenciblesFacings yellowColonel James Durham of Largo.20 October 179411 April 1803Served in Ireland. Disbanded at Kilkenny.
SHFraser RegimentHighland dress. Facings blackColonel James Fraser of Belladrum.29 November 179412 July 1802Embodied at Inverness. of the soldiers, 300 bore the name of Fraser. Served in Ireland. Disbanded at Glasgow.
SHGlengarry or British Highland RegimentHighland dress. Facings yellowColonel Alex. Macdonnell of Glengarry.14 August 17941 July 1802Raised as a Catholic corps. According to General Stewart, more than one-half of the men in this regiment were enlisted from the estate of Glengarry. Of the thirty-two officers, twenty-two were Macdonnells or Macdonalds. Served in Jersey, Guernsey, and in Ireland, where they were actively employed during the rebellion, earning for themselves the sobriquet of the "Devil's Bloodhounds". Disbanded at Ayr, after which the greater part of the regiment emigrated, together with their families and relations, to Canada, settling in a district to which they gave the name of their native glen.
In February 1812, a regiment known as the Glengarry Light Infantry Fencibles was raised in Canada, a proportion of which was made up of soldiers of the former fencible regiment or members of their families. The colonel of the regiment was E. Baynes and a major in the regiment was George Macdonnell. It was disbanded in August 1816.
SHRoyal Inverness HighlandersHighland dress. Initially buff facings, became blue facings when they became the Duke of York's.Colonel John Baillie of Dunean.21 November 179425 August 1802Embodied at Inverness. Served in Ireland during the Irish Rebellion of 1798, and after its suppression the designation of the corps was changed to "The Duke of York's Royal Inverness-shire Highlanders" as a compliment to their good behaviour. In 1801 the regiment voluntarily offered to serve in any part of the world, but owing to the preliminaries of peace having been signed, their services were not required abroad. Disbanded at Stirling.
SHRegiment of the Isles, or Macdonald FenciblesHighland dress. Facings yellowColonel Alexander, Lord Macdonald.29 May 179826 July 1802Embodied at Inverness. Served in Scotland and England. Disbanded at Fort George.
SHLochaber FenciblesHighland dress. Facings blackColonel Donald Cameron of Lochiel.15 June 179826 June 1802Embodied at Falkirk. Served in Ireland. Disbanded at Linlithgow.
SLNorth Lowland RegimentFacings green.Colonel Thomas Balfour.November 17946 August 1802There were a number of Highlanders in this corps. Served in Ireland. Disbanded at Dundee.
SLWest Lowland Regiment.Facings Green.Colonel Earl of Eglinton.2 March 179326 March 1799Disbanded at Musselburgh.
HSPrincess Charlotte of Wales' or Loyal Macleod FenciblesHighland dress. Facings blueColonel John Macleod of Colbecks.15 June 179811 June 1802Embodied at Elgin. Served in Ireland. Disbanded in England at Tynemouth Barracks.
HSThe Northern or Gordon FenciblesHighland dress. Facings yellow.Colonel Alexander, Duke of Gordon.3 March 17931799Embodied at Aberdeen. Its services were confined to Scotland, but the men having volunteered to extend it, the offer was accepted, and in 1794 the regiment moved to England. "When quartered in Kent, the King, who had never seen a Highland regiment, ordered them up to London, where they were reviewed in Hyde Park in the presence of His Majesty, who expressed himself highly satisfied with their appearance". Disbanded in Scotland.
SIOrkney Battalion.Facings yellowMajor-Commandant Thomas Balfour.20 April 17931799Strength, three companies.
SHPerthshire HighlandersFacings yellow.Colonel William Robertson of Lude.20 October 179427 February 1799Embodied at Perth. "Although called Perthshire Highlanders, this was a misnomer, as the number of Perthshire Highlanders, or Highlanders of any county, was very limited". Disbanded at Preston.
SLPrince of Wales' OwnThe bonnet and truis. Facings yellowColonel Sir William Johnstone, Bart.15 June 179821 May 1802Served in Ireland. May have garrisoned Gibraltar. Disbanded at Plymouth.
SHReay Highland RegimentHighland dress. Facings light grey-blueColonel Mackay Hugh Baillie of Rosehall.24 October 179413 October 1802Embodied at Elgin. Served in Ireland. Was present at the battles of Tara Hill and Ballinamuck. Disbanded at Stirling.
SHRoss-shire Highland RegimentHighland dress. Facings yellowMajor-Commandant Colin Mackenzie of Mountgerald.20 November 17941799Strength, two companies. Although a small corps, the men were noticeable for their "exemplary character and physical capacity. No man was punished; none died during its service".
SHRoss And Cromarty RangersHighland dress. Facings yellowColonel Lewis Mackenzie, Younger of Scatwell.8 August 179827 July 1802Raised for service in any part of Europe. Embodied at Inverness. Served in Scotland and Ireland. Disbanded at Inverness.
SHRothesay and Caithness HighlandersHighland dress. Facings yellowColonel Sir John Sinclair of Ulster.2 Battalions.
Rothesay and Caithness Highlanders — 1st Battalion.Lieutenant-Colonel James, Earl of Caithness.7 March 17946 May 1799Embodied at Inverness. Remarkable for the size of its officers, twenty of whom averaged six feet in height, and who were consequently known as "Thier-nan-more" or "The great chiefs". Served in Scotland and the north of England. Disbanded at Bruntsfield Links, Edinburgh.
Rothesay and Caithness Highlanders — 2nd Battalion.Lieutenant-Colonel Benjamin Williamson.19 November 1794July 1802Embodied at Forfar. Served in Ireland for two years, where it was distinguished for its exemplary conduct. In 1797 this battalion volunteered for service in any part of Europe, but was not called upon to go abroad. Disbanded at Glasgow.
SIShetland BattalionFacings —Major-Commandant George Malcolmson.8 February 17981802Strength, two companies.
SLSouthern Regiment.Facings Light grey-blueColonel James Hope-Johnstone, 3rd Earl of Hopetoun.2 March 179312 April 1799Served in Scotland. Disbanded at Linlithgow.
SHGrant or Strathspey RegimentHighland dress. Facings green.Colonel Sir James Grant of Grant.2 March 1793April 1799Embodied at Forres. Served in Scotland. Disbanded at Inverness.
SHSutherland Regiment.Highland dress. Facings yellowColonel Major-general William Wemyss of Wemyss.2 March 1793March 1799Embodied at Fort George. Extended its services to Ireland in 1797. Disbanded at Fort George, many of the officers and men transferring their services to the 93rd Sutherland Highlanders, raised by General Wemyss on a letter of service dated 16 April 1799.
Loyal Tarbert Regiment.Facings blueColonel Sir Edward Leslie, Bart.27 July 179819 June 1802Disbanded at Plymouth.
The Loyal Tay Regiment.Facings blueColonel Sir Robert Anstruther, Bart.25 October 179428 June 1802This regiment had a good many Highlanders from the Highland borders. Served in Ireland. Disbanded at Stirling.

The Scottish Fencibles raised in 1793 had eight companies each, except the Orkney, which had three.
Those raised in 1794–1802 had ten companies, except the 1st Battalion Rothesay and Caithness Regiment, which had eight, and three others — the Angus Volunteers, Ross-shire and Shetland Fencibles — which had only two companies.
Of the total number of Scottish corps raised from 1739 to 1802, independent of Colonel Macneil's Argyll, Colonel Robertson's Perthshire, and the Ross-shire Fencibles, the total number of Fencibles raised in the Highlands, and considered as exclusively Highland, amounted to twenty-six battalions Some of the other Scottish Fencibles, however, although not nominally Highland, had a number of men from the Highlands in their ranks, and this fact is noted in the above list under the regiments concerned.

English fencibles

NameUniformCommanderRaisedDisbandedNotes
Royal Lancashire Volunteers.Blue facings?Sir Thos. Egerton, Bt.17791783This regiment's services were confined to garrison duty in England.
Royal LancashireLord Grey de Wilton.16 October 17941801–2Ten companies. Served in Ireland during the rebellion
NorthamptonBlue facings red collar.John Manners Ker.20 October 17941801–2Ten companies. Served in Ireland during the rebellion
Loyal EssexJohn E. Urquhart.20 October 17941801–2Ten companies. Served in Ireland during the rebellion
Loyal NottinghamGreen facings.James O'Connor20 October 17941801–2Ten companies. Served in Ireland during the rebellion
SuffolkJohn Robinson20 October 17941801–2Ten companies. Served in Ireland during the rebellion
Loyal SomersetYellow facings.W. F. Forster20 October 17941801–2Ten companies. Served in Ireland during the rebellion
YorkHon. G. A, C. Stapylton20 October 17941801–2Ten companies. Served in Ireland during the rebellion
Devon and CornwallRobert Hall15 November 17941801–2Ten companies.
Prince of Wales' LeicesterMajor Parkyns15 November 17941801–2Ten companies. Served in Ireland during the rebellion
CheshireCharles Courtenay17 November 17941801–2Ten companies.
Loyal DurhamGreen facings.Barrington Price26 February 17951801–2Ten companies. Served in Ireland during the rebellion
Northumberland FrancisBlake28 February 17951801–2Ten companies.
NewfoundlandSkinner25 April 17951801–2Ten companies.
ScillyCaptain Henry Gudgeon19 April 17961801–2One company.
Loyal Surrey Regiment.Colonel George Augustus Pollen.179918001794: formation as the [|Surrey Cavalry], From 1800 became the [|Loyal Surrey Regiment of Rangers].
Royal Canadian Volunteers.1799The regiment was posted to Nova Scotia
Fauconberg's Fencibles.1799
North's Fencibles.1799
Loyal Surrey Regiment of Rangers, or Pollen's FenciblesColonel George Augustus Pollen.18001802Ten companies. Previously the [|Loyal Surrey Regiment of Fencible Infantry]. In Nova Scotia.

Irish fencibles

Welsh fencibles

Manx fencibles

Further information

Three other Fencible Corps may have been raised between 1795–1798, which were disbanded in 1801–2 viz.:
In 1803 four Fencible Corps were raised for service in Canada. They were:
They were all disbanded in 1816.
Besides the established regiments there were seven regiments for which Letters of Service were issued, but which never appear to have been formed. Five were to have been raised in Scotland and two in England, with a strength of ten companies each:
Date of letter of service or Order of raisingColonel or CommissionerNotes
20 October 1794Lieutenant-Colonel Morison
15 November 1794David Hunter
15 June 1798Dunbar
20 July 1798Dunlop
31 July 1798Alex. McGrigor
10 August 1798Tyndale
10 December 1798James Kann

The total number of fencible infantry corps embodied 1793–1802 was thus 61 battalions of which 29 were Scottish, 15 were English, 4 Irish, 1 Welsh and 2 Manx. "Most of the Fencible Corps," writes Sir John Fortescue "were created either in 1794 or 1798, and to judge by the old Monthly Army Lists of 1799, the greatest number of them in existence at one time in Great Britain was 31 regiments of cavalry and 45 battalions of infantry. But by March 1800 the greater part of the cavalry had been disembodied, so that it would not be wise to reckon the Fencibles as exceeding, at their highest figure, twenty to twenty-five thousand men".
The preliminaries of peace were signed in London on 1 October 1801. The final ratification of the Peace of Amiens, however, was not concluded until March 1802. Fortescue writes "most, if not all, of the fencible infantry were disbanded in May 1801, before the signature of the preliminaries of peace", but Ian Scobie states that this was not so, as the greater number were not disbanded until late in 1801 or early in 1802, and that many of the Scottish fencibles, were not disbanded until some time after the Peace of Amiens had been signed.
The disbandment of the fencibles in 1802, and "the establishment in that year of a permanent Scots Militia, rendered unnecessary any further organisation on a large scale of this more ancient but partial system of national defence".