Army - The French Wars 1793 - 1815 Flashcards
What state was the British army in before the French wars? (3)
- Poor state defeated by America
- Low in morale
- Smaller than French conscript army
Why is the French army smaller than the British army?
The British did not partake in conscription unlike the French because they believed it crossed Brits’ freedoms
Compare the pay of soldiers to farm workers:
It was much lower, but the army did offer food
Between 1793 and 1815, how many soldiers died?
Between 16000 and 24000 casualties
What kind of families were recruits for army from?
- Poor families
- Considered to be on same level of common criminals
What was discipline in the army like and give an example of this?
- Brutal
- Flogging was most common punishment varying from 25 to 1200 strokes
What were the 2 different types of artillery and cavalry?
- Horse and foot artillery
- Heavy and light cavalry
What is the difference between heavy and light cavalry?
Heavy cavalry consisted of large men mounted on big horses, whereas light cavalry consisted of troopers riding smaller mounts
Typically, how did the French and British attack?
French attacked in columns, whereas the British attacked in lines
What was the weakness of attacking in columns?
Only its first 2 ranks could fire effectively, whereas the British in lines could fire constantly
What formation would infantry take when being attacked by cavalry?
- Form squares
- Outer rank would kneel, holding musket butts on ground at an angle to deter horses
Strength and weakness of forming squares:
+ Rare for cavalry to break it
- Vulnerable to enemy artillery and infantry attack
What corps was developed against French light cavalry?
Experimental Rifle Corps
Who was victorious in the Peninsular War and why?
- Britain under the command of Wellington
- Napoleon left Peninsular battles to his generals
Describe the 3 impacts of the French Wars on the British economy:
1) British industry grew in several key sectors like coal, iron
2) Trade embargoes imposed by Napoleon were unsuccessful - smuggling was rife
3) Cotton exports rose
Give 3 aspects of Wellington’s character:
1) Attention to detail, esp in picking battle locations
2) Keen eye for slackness among officers
2) Distant and strict disciplinarian
By 1805, who had Napoleon defeated, what did he want to do and why couldn’t he?
- Austria, Prussia and Russia
- Wanted to invade Britain
- But Nelson was victorious at naval Battle of Trafalgar
As a result, what did Napoleon turn to and how did he anger his ally?
- Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal)
- Replaced Spanish King with his bro Joseph
What happened in 1807 and why?
- French army moved into Portugal
- To prevent British navy using Portugal’s ports (Portugal and Britain were allies)
When did Wellington arrive in Portugal and how many forces did he have?
- July 1808
- 5000 Portuguese and extra British troops commanded by Sir John Moore
Where had the British defeated the French?
Battle of Vimeiro where French were led by Marshal Junot
What happened soon after Battle of Vimeiro?
Wellington was superseded by newly arrived commander-in-chief Sir Hew Dalrymple and Sir Harry Burrard
What deal did Dalrymple and Burrard agree on, which made Wellington so annoyed that he returned to Britain?
Convention of Sintra, allowing French troops to be evacuated in British ships and to keep all their loot
When did Wellington return to the peninsula but what was different this time?
- April 1809
- He was in sole command
What happened to Moore during the evacuation of British survivors by the navy, where, why and when did this happen?
- He died
- Corunna
- He was outnumbered and Spanish allies had routed
- Jan 1809
Describe one way in which Corunna was a setback for the British:
Returning troops were demoralised and half-starved
Describe the way in which Wellington came out victorious from the Peninsular War:
- War of invasion and retreat against experienced generals (Massena, Marmont and Soult)
When did Wellington go on the offensive again and invade France and how did the campaign end?
- 1813
- Ended the campaign in 1814 when Soult yielded the city of Toulouse
Give 2 reasons for Wellington’s success:
1) Used Iberian geography and his local allies eg Portuguese and Spanish army, Spanish guerrillas
2) Often chose rearguard action over risking defeat
What was Wellington’s preferred tactic for defeating the French? (3)
1) Position army on reverse slope of hill, out of sight and w/ protection from cannon fire
2) This meant French had to run uphill into volley musket fire from British infantry, while rifle-firing sharpshooters shot them from sides
3) When attack faltered, British infantry w/ bayonets and cavalry could advance to complete the rout
Describe the British army’s weaponry:
1) Standard musket ‘Brown Bess’ - 4 shots a min
2) Baker rifle, handled by skirmishers - 2 shots a min but more accurate over long distance
Compare the French and the British’s supply lines in Portugal:
- GBR: Secure lines of supply from Lisbon, w/ navy support
- FRA: Long supply lines across rugged terrain, at risk from Spanish guerrillas
Whose army did Wellington rely upon more: Portugal or Spain and why?
- Portuguese
- Spanish army were very weak
As a result, what support was provided to this army?
Retrained by Viscount Beresford and later integrated into British army in 1810
What were the lines of Torres Vedras?
- Massive fortification works across N of Lisbon
- Army could be supplied at sea
Give 3 reasons why the lines of Torres Vedras was created:
1) Army could be supplied at sea
2) Wellington knew French would be unable to bring up siege train/have enough men to break through
3) Protect his supply lines
As the British withdrew, what policy did they adopt?
- A scorched Earth policy
- Removing or destroying what food and other supplied remained in countryside
What happened on 3 May and why?
- French army attacked Wellington at Fuentes de Oñores, a village S of Almeida
- Because Wellington had moved into Spain trying to besiege Almeida, which the French under Massena were now trying to relieve
How long did the battle at Fuentes de Oñores last and how did it end?
- 3 days
- Bayonet fighting
- French slipped most of their troops out of Almeida
What border fortresses did Wellington attack in 1812, what did both assaults involve and how many men did he lose as a result?
- Ciudad Rodrigo and Badajoz
- Siege work
- Aftermath of victory involved rape, murder and wild looting
- Lost 5000 men
What tactics did Wellington use at the Battle of Salamanca and what was the impact of this?
- Used hills to shield his army, which took French by surprise
- French were scattered w/ heavy losses
- Allies entered Madrid
By summer of 1813, where had the French retreated to, how did the British attack and what were the consequences of this?
- Wellington attacked from both front and rear
- This finished the war in Spain and French retreated
What happened in 1814?
Wellington invaded Southern France
Why did the Hundred Days War happen?
- After Napoleon’s forced abdication in 1814 when France was invaded, Napoleon escaped exile in Feb 1815 and entered Paris as emperor once again
- Britain, Russia, Prussia and Austria declared war
What countries were part of the coalition that Wellington led?
British, Belgians, Dutch and Germans
What 2 battles happened on 16 June 1815 and what happened at each?
- Quatre Bras –> Wellington was attacked but held position
- Ligny –> Prussians and Wellington withdrew, after the former lost to Napoleon
When was the Battle of Waterloo fought and what was most significant about it?
- 18 June 1815
- It was the battle that ended the French Wars
How many men and guns did both Napoleon and Wellington have at the Battle of Waterloo?
- W: 68000 men and 156 guns
- N: 72000 men and 246 guns
What advantages did Wellington have geographically in the Battle of Waterloo?
- 3 strongpoints eg Chateau at Hougoumont and farm of Papelotte
- Hedges and hummocks to provide cover
What 3 issues did Napoleon face on the morning of the Battle of Waterloo?
1) Unwell and unable to sit on horse for long
2) His men would be attacking uphill (location chosen by Wellington)
3) Ground was waterlogged
Describe the events of the Battle of Waterloo: (7)
1) Initially battle was very much balanced
2) Napoleon left the field ill, leaving Ney to command
3) Ney mistakenly believes Wellington is retreating when he is actually just moving his troops out of artillery range and sends all French cavalry in pursuit
4) Allied infantry formed squares, firing volleys into French horsemen
5) Napoleon committed his elite guards to hold up the Prussians and the Old Guard veterans to break the British line
6) French columns marched uphill under heavy fire from British infantry
7) British charged w/ bayonets and Old Guard broke
