Sutherland Fencibles (1759)

The plan of raising a fencible corps in the Highlands was first proposed and carried into effect by William Pitt the Elder, (afterwards Earl of Chatham) in the year 1759. During the three preceding years both the fleets and armies of Great Britain had suffered reverses, and it was thought that a "home guard" was necessary as a bulwark against invasion.

In England county militia regiments were raised for internal defence in the absence of the regular army; but it was not deemed prudent to extend the system to Scotland, the inhabitants of which, it was supposed, could not yet be safely entrusted with arms because of The 'Fifteen' and The 'Forty-Five' rebellions. Groundless as the reasons for this caution undoubtedly were in regard to the Lowlands, it would certainly have been hazardous at a time when the Stuarts and their adherents were still plotting a restoration to have armed the clans. An exception, however, was made in favour of the people of Argyle and Sutherland, and accordingly letters of service were issued to the George Campbell, Duke of Argyle, then the most influential and powerful nobleman in Scotland, and William Sutherland, Earl of Sutherland to raise, each of them, a fencible regiment within their districts. Unlike the militia regiments which were raised by ballot, the fencibles were to be raised by the ordinary mode of recruiting, and like the regiments of the line, the officers were to be appointed, and their commissions signed by the king. The same system was followed at different periods down to the year 1799, the last of the fencible regiments having been raised in that year.

The following is a list of the Highland fencible regiments according to the chronological order of the commissions:

The commissions of the officers of the Argyle Fencibles were dated in the month of July, 1759. The regiment, which consisted of 1,000 men, was raised in three months. Of 37 officers, 21 were of the name of Campbell. The regiment was quartered in different parts of Scotland, and disbanded in the year 1763.

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