Change In The Nature Of Warfare 1700-1900

Question 1

There wasn’t a huge amount of war….

Answer 1

….from 1700-1850

Question 2

Size of armies

Answer 2

Standing army throughout the period, similar size throughout. Slow growth in size up until 1850.

Question 3

Composition of armies

Answer 3

Infantry was the dominant part of the army. Cavalry was in a slow decline. Artillery formed about 5% of the army.

Question 4

Weaponry

Answer 4

“Brown bess” musket remained main weapon for infantry. Bayonet still used. Cavalry used swords, dragoons had firearms.

Question 5

Change in artillery

Answer 5

Could fire balls, grapeshot (bags of metal balls) or canisters (tin or wood containers with balls)

Question 6

John ‘Iron-mad’ Wilkinson

Answer 6

Pioneered new methods of building cannons, making them more powerful, lighter and more accurate.

Question 7

Problems with old cannons

Answer 7

-were too heavy (weighed over a ton)
-cannons made of iron were cheaper and lighter
-industrial revolution caused iron industry to grow. Britain produced 25tons of iron in 1720, 70,000 in 1790 and 2,000,000 in 1850

Light field artillery created as a result.

Question 8

Why was limited warfare the norm?

Answer 8

-rulers didn’t want to die
-heavy losses couldn’t be afforded
-transport/communications were slow
-Britain’s navy protected it from invasion so it could keep it’s army small
-Britain paid subsidies to it’s allies so they could raise armies to fight alongside Britain

Question 9

(Changes in tactics) Infantry

Answer 9

-musketeers in longer two-deep lines instead of 4 deep due to improvements in loading times (1760)
-rythmic marching- infantry moved more quickly and precisely
-infantry used lines to attack and squares to defend (to repel cavalry). Wellington used this at Waterloo

Question 10

(Changes in tactics) Cavalry

Answer 10

-declined because they were vulnerable to muskets
-cavalry moved quickly around the battlefield for scouting and harassing the enemy, and for skirmishing with enemy cavalry

Question 11

(Changes in tactics) Artillery

Answer 11

-lighter guns allowed more flexible tactics
-sat in front of infantry to defend lines, withdrew to safety inside infantry squares, moved to highground to bombard the enemy
-wellington used 216 guns at Waterloo

Question 12

(Factors affecfing change) social attitudes

Answer 12

-larger army cost more, meaning higher taxes (unpopular)
- large army considered to be a danger to political freedom

Question 13

(Factors affecfing change) political attitudes

Answer 13

-political attitudes slowed change. Brits saw French Revolution (1789) and saw how changes can threaten the power of the upperclasses.
-Britian’s upperclass became afraid of all change, including those in the army

Question 14

(Factors affecfing change) individuals

Answer 14

-Duke of Wellington, successful general, became in charge of Britain’s army after 1815 and opposed attempts to modernise the army
-John Wilkinson’s work created change

Question 15

(Factors affecfing change) Industrialisation

Answer 15

-caused some change, John Wilkinson for example
-wasn’t until 1850 that industry had a major impact of warfare