The Royal Fencible Americans was a Loyalist unit raised by the British in Nova Scotia in 1775, that successfully withstood an attack by Patriot forces under Jonathan Eddy at the Battle of Fort Cumberland.
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They included naval forces known as "River Fencibles", made up of boatmen on the Thames and other southern English towns and cities, as well as Sea Fencibles, who, among their other duties, manned small commercial vessels converted to coastal defense.
The Riding School built for the Rutland Fencibles by the MP Gerard Noel Edwards now houses the Rutland County Museum.
In 1798 watermen and other groups of river tradesmen on the River Thames voluntarily formed associations of River Fencibles.
Supported by the newly appointed Commander at Fort Mackinac, Lieutenant Colonel Robert McDouall, McKay (who now held the local rank of Lieutenant Colonel) mounted a scratch expedition of Fencibles, voyageurs and Indians which recaptured the post at the Siege of Prairie du Chien.