Composition Of Army (1700-1850) Flashcards
What was the size of Britain’s standing army during this period?
50,000
What was the overall trend for the size of Britain’s standing army?
Slow growth, with leaks during war time
What was the dominant part of the army during this period and how much of the army did it make up in 1700?
Infantry- 75%
What happened to the proportion of infantry in Britain’s army as the period went on?
Grew from 75% to 80% by 1850
What proportion of the army was cavalry in 1700?
20%
What happened to the proportion of cavalry in Britain’s army as the period went on?
Shrank from 20% to 15% by 1850
What proportion of the army was artillery throughout this period?
5%
How were cavalry used in the early 1700’s?
As shock troops
Why did the number of cavalry decline throughout the period?
They were too vulnerable to muskets
What was the cavalry’s role by the end of the period
Scouting and small skirmishes with enemy cavalry
What was the overall British strategy towards war?
Limited warfare
Give three reasons why Britain pursued a tactic of limited warfare during this period
New weapons meant big losses of men which Britain could not afford
Britain’s main form of defence was the navy
Transport and communication was poor
