The Michigan Fencibles and Michilimackinac Militia Company |
Above: Captain William McKay, Michigan Fencibles
Brief History
We recreate a detachment of the Michigan Fencibles c. 1813-15 at Fort Mackinac during the War of 1812. The Michigan Fencibles were raised in the summer of 1813, most of the enlisted men were trappers and traders and ex-militia men from the Canadian Volunteers. The first return for the Michigan Fencibles in the fall of 1813 showed:
1 Lieutenant and 50 Rank and File.
Finally on March 85, 1814 the Michigan Fencibles had William McKay of the 5th Bn, Canadian Embodied Militia became the Captain of the unit.
Return for June 1814 .
1 Captain, 1 Lieutenant and 50 Rank and File.
Return for August 18144.
1 Lieutenant and 36 Rank and File.
Return for late 1814 and early 1815.*
1 Captain and a small detachment of men.
*=Last Return for the Michigan Fencibles, disbanded May 1815.
Uniform
When the unit was formed in the summer of 1813 they were "in a deplorable state for want of clothing."5 Finally in October 42 uniforms arrived at Mackinac. The coats are red with black facings 6. The unit probably had plain white lace for all enlisted ranks, plain pewter buttons and blue or greay trousers. They might have had the Belgic shakos for some of the men and the rest with the old pattern. This is all we really know about the uniforms. The uniform probably was similar to the other Militia units in Canada.
Notes
1: Ibid. See also muster roll, March 24, 1813, MPHC, XV, p. 270
2: General Order, March 5, 1814, PAC C1171.
3: Askin Jr, to JB Askin, October 26, 1813, Askin Papers II, pp.770-772.
4: This figure is that for the Michigan Fencibles minus those men sent to Prairie du Chien in June.
5: Bullock to Proter, September 25, 1813, MPHC, XV, pp. 391-392
6: Freer to Roberts, September 3, 1813, PAC, C1221, p. 38
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The King's Regiment of Foot, Fort Michilimackinac Garrison (Rev-War)
93rd (Sutherland) Regiment of Foot (Napoleonic, War of 1812, Crimea, India Mutiny)
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