THE ESTABLISHMENT OF SCOTTISH FENCIBLE regiments at the end of the 18th Century was a direct response to the perceived threat of invasion posed by the newly invigorated French Republic. When France declared war on the 1st February 1793, the British Army was caught seriously off guard by the turn of events. In the preceding years, there had actually been a considerable reduction in regular army forces following the unsuccessful war with America (1776-1784). The British Government soon realised that even with a massive enlargement of the regular army (who were usually expected to fight outside the country), there would still be an urgent need for home-based regiments to counter Napoleon’s stated wish to subjugate Great Britain.
The first ‘Fencible’ (meaning defensible) regiments were raised in 1793, and the first commanding officer was the Duke of Atholl, one of seven eventual Colonels of Fencible Regiments in Scotland. The clan system was still strong in Scotland and the natural leaders of these regiments were always going to be the clan chiefs. Consequently, we encounter Fencible regiments with names such as the Duke of Gordon’s Fencibles, Sinclair’s Fencibles and the Sutherland and Campbell’s (Argyll and Breadalbane) Fencibles. Each regiment was made up of a Colonel, Lieutenant Colonel, a Major and five Captains. In each company there was also a Lieutenant, Ensign, four corporals, two drummers and 71 privates. Most Fencible regiments were disbanded by the Peace of Amiens in 1802, when the threat of invasion had receded, although a sizeable number of the original recruits eventually joined the regular army.
The weapons issued to troops of Fencible regiments were similar to those carried by the regular army and in many cases, equipment and arms deemed not serviceable for the regulars were invariably given to the Fencibles. This was not the case for a number of distinctive basket-hilted swords manufactured specifically for members of the Fencibles although initial inspection of these swords highlights their generally inferior quality of manufacture (although some better examples do exist). The metal of the three-quarter basket is surprisingly thin, comprising two sheets of iron welded togther. Cut-out thistle decoration to the side panels and an engraved cartouche with a regimental designation is usually found to the front of the basket.
It is likely that these swords were made in Birmingham as the quality of the hilts is similar to those found on earlier basket hilts supplied to Highland regiments in the 1760’s-1780’s made in both London and Birmingham. The blades of these swords were of single-edged, backsword type and most are thought to have been manufactured by sword makers such as Woolley and Co. (1785-1825).
The Breadalbane Fencibles are also known to have carried these basket hilts and many were engraved with the name of the regiment to the basket. Their force consisted of two regiments and was raised by the Earl of Breadalbane in the summer of 1793. The engraving usually takes the form of a large, enveloping thistle placed below a King’s crown, with the regiment’s name, either engraved in full or just represented by its initials.
© Harvey Withers Military Publishing, 2024
Taken from The British Sword – From 1600 to the Present Day – An Illustrated History by Harvey J S Withers – 12,000 full colour photographs – 884 pages
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