The New Brunswick Regiment of Fencible Infantry, 1812-1816
In the opening months of the War of 1812, concerns about the potential threat to New Brunswick and aspirations to resurrect a fencible regiment in the province inspired Lieutenant-General John Coffin, a distinguished veteran of the American Revolutionary War and member of the provincial assembly, who exercised great influence within the province, to petition the Prince Regent to form a new regiment there. Accordingly, on October 12, 1812, the Prince Regent authorized the raising of “a Regiment of Fencible Infantry in New Brunswick for the immediate service in that province and Nova Scotia,”1 with the possible “extension of Service in case of necessity to any of His Majesty’s Dominions in North America.”2
Organizationally, the New Brunswick Regiment of Fencible Infantry had ten companies, each of sixty rank and file, for a total of 673 all ranks. Half of the officers above the rank of ensign were to be drawn from regiments of the line, while Coffin had authority to nominate the remaining officers from those “gentlemen in the country who from their local interest may be most likely deemed to complete the regiment.”3 The pay offered to men agreeing to serve anywhere in British North America was higher than for those willing to serve only in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. The regiment was given authority to recruit men in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Upper and Lower Canada.4
Captain Henry Cooper, described as “an active, zealous, diligent officer”5 and adjutant of the 2/8th Foot, was appointed commanding officer and served in that capacity until early 1814, when Major Robert Moodie replaced him. Moodie held command of the Fencibles until spring 1814, when he was appointed commanding officer of the 104th Foot. Command thereafter devolved to Major Tobias Kirkwood, a veteran of the 101st Foot and son-in-law to Lieutenant-General Coffin.6
Recruiting proceeded slowly, as efforts to man other units had reduced the number of suitable men. Rumours of irregularities, such as the enlistment of unfit men, prompted Lieutenant-General Sherbrooke to order Major-General Sir Thomas Saumarez, the acting administrator and commander-in-chief of the province, to inspect the unit. Saumarez found a number of problems, but was generally pleased with what he found. The “Men of this Corps are in general very stout and make a respectable appearance under Arms,” but the detachment of many of the men on duties around the province during the summer allowed little time for training. Saumarez expected some improvement to be made over the winter as the recently arrived adjutant had “fitted up a large Drill Room” for daily training. A delay in the arrival of clothing from England was overcome by drawing uniforms from militia stores, much of which were new.7
From what he saw of the men, Saumarez believed that the “Recruiting Instructions or the Letter of Service for raising” the regiment had “not been strictly adhered to.”8 In his report, he cited sixteen cases where the physical condition or health of new recruits made it impossible for them to go on active service, or whose age or height made them ineligible to serve. By this time, recruits were indeed difficult to find, prompting the recruiting parties to accept less than satisfactory men to meet their quotas. Difficulties persisted in filling the ranks, and by the end of 1813 only three hundred men had been recruited.9
In May 1815, Major-General George Smyth, who had replaced Saumarez as the administrator and commander-in-chief of New Brunswick, conducted another inspection of the regiment. From an establishment of 570 personnel, 357 rank and file were considered effective. Nearly half of these were British, 21 were foreigners, and 172 were listed as British Americans, proportions similar to those in the fencible regiments previously raised in the province. Unlike in earlier recruiting efforts, however, few men with extensive military experience were found: only one private had ten years’ previous service, while the majority had one year or less in the ranks. The NCOs were “as good as can be expected,” given how recently many of them had been recruited. With this collective lack of experience and the majority of the officers absent on duty elsewhere, disciplinary problems resulted, and the men were found to be “not respectful of their officers and non-commissioned officers.” As a result, between late September 1814 and late May 1815, sixty-eight NCOs and men were convicted of various crimes, including the theft of food and supplies, absence from duty, desertion, insubordination, and “unsoldierlike conduct.” The sentences included corporal punishment — the average penalty was one hundred lashes, although there were three sentences of seven hundred; most of these sentences were reduced in number — a stoppage in pay, solitary confinement, or reduction in rank. These difficulties aside, Smyth found the privates to be “a fine, active and serviceable body of men,” and despite their having “little opportunity for instruction in military drill,” he concluded that the Fencibles were “very efficient for the service of the colonies.”10
During its brief existence, the New Brunswick Regiment of Fencible Infantry garrisoned outposts at Fredericton and Saint John, provided work parties to build roads and improve fortifications, and manned gunboats on the St. John River. Officers also served on detached service in the Canadas, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island. The regiment was disbanded on February 24, 1816.11