The Royal Fencible American Regiment of Foot (or RFA) was a Loyalist battalion of infantry raised in 1775 to defend British interests in the colony of Nova Scotia.

The most notable achievement of the RFA (and its only combat as a regiment) was the successful defense of Fort Cumberland during the Eddy Rebellion in November, 1776, which prevented the revolution in the other American colonies from moving into Nova Scotia.

[3] At that time the approximately 200 men of the RFA comprised a large portion of the total British forces available in Nova Scotia.

[6] Goreham set his men to reconstruction, both the buildings and the earthworks, but work went slowly due to the shortage of supplies and equipment, and lack of assistance from the local population, who were mostly pro-patriot.

The fort was strategically important to the British as it guarded the overland route to peninsular Nova Scotia and also the upper reaches of the Bay of Fundy.

On the evening of Oct. 29 Eddy's arriving force of about 150 men overwhelmed the outpost, with one officer of the RFA, 2nd Lt. Solomon King, killed, and the rest taken prisoner.

[9] Goreham finally became aware of the rebel presence on November 4 when a boat carrying a relief party and supplies for the outpost returned early with the news.

[10] By this point Eddy's force had effectively cut all overland communications from the fort, making it impossible to send reports of the invasion to Halifax.

Eddy's army staged its next coup on the night of Nov. 6/7 when a party of 30 men, led by Zebulon Roe, set out to capture the Polly.

After a difficult approach march over the tidal flats, with the tide rising, Roe's men took the RFA party aboard by surprise and captured the sloop without firing a shot.

Finally as the fog lifted around 7am, the rebels were able to sail and tow Polly out of the creek, followed by cannon fire from the fort, which fell short.

[12] On Nov. 9 Michael Francklin, the former lieutenant-governor, got word of the invasion from residents around the Minas Basin;[13] he passed these reports to Halifax where planning got underway to relieve the fort.

Although the RFA was down to a strength of 172 all ranks, plus some armed civilians,[7] it's unlikely that Eddy was able to persuade more than about 80 of his men to actually participate in any of the following attacks,[15] so numbers were very much on Goreham's side.

[18] Later that morning the entire situation changed with the arrival of the sloop HMS Vulture, including a company of Royal Marines under Cpt.

When the alarm was finally sounded, the Fencibles "gave a loud Huzzah and ran like lions" towards Eddy's headquarters, according to Batt's report to Goreham.

This caused them great hardship in winter, and Goreham permitted them to wear blankets or rugs in lieu of greatcoats when on sentry at Fort Cumberland.