Industrial Period (1700-1900) Flashcards
Was 1700-1850 a period of continuity or change?
Continuity
How did the size of the army change from 1700-1850?
Standing army (permanent and paid. Around 50k during peacetime and grew slowly up to 1850.
What section of army continued to dominate in 1700-1850 and examples?
Infantry. Made up 75% of army in 1700
How was the composition of armies divided in the British army during the Napoleonic wars (1808)?
170k infantry, 30k cavalry and 14k artillery
What was the basic infantry weapon from 1700-1850?
The ‘brown bess’ musket - effective up to 100m and could be fit with a bayonet
How many brown bess’s were made in 1700-1850?
8 million
What two ways did cavalry fight in 1700-1850?
Either used swords or dragoons with firearms to dismount to fight
How were artillery used in 1700-1850?
500m cannons against walls and large groups of infantry
What caused light field artillery to change from 1700-1850?
Industry and technology
Why weren’t cannons suitable for battle at the start of the period?
Weighed over a ton
What did Britain go through from 1700-1850?
Industrial Revolution leading to growth
What was mainly benefitted from the Industrial Revolution?
Iron industries grew and it became more common and cheap, allowing iron to be experimented as a use for artillery
What did John ‘Iron-mad’ Wilkinson do?
1740s - made thinner cannon balls
1774 - made cannons lighter, more powerful and accurate
How did light field artillery benefit armies?
Could be pulled around battlefield by horses
What materials were cannons later made of to make them lighter?
Bronze
Why was limited warfare the norm from 1700-1850?
Rulers sometimes led armies so couldn’t risk death
Muskets and artillery too deadly for battle
Transport and comms were slow
What is evidence that muskets and artillery were too powerful for battle?
24,000 men on British army died in Battle of Malplaquet (1709)
What is evidence that comms were poor in 1700-1850?
First new of British victory at Battle of Waterloo (1815) arrived in London via pigeon.
How did British army protect from invasion as they tried to keep their army small?
Relied on English Channel and Royal Navy
What infantry tactics were used in defence from 1700-1850?
Columns and lines
What infantry tactic was used from 1700-1850 in defence?
Squares
Musket fire improved, what did this allow for musketeer tactics?
To use two-deep lines rather than four, with bayonets for when they reach the enemy
What is a British example of good squares use?
From Duke of Wellington’s army at Battle of Waterloo (1815)
What did more complex tactics allow for commanders?
More witty thinking
How were lighter guns ideal for artillery tactics from 1700-1850?
They were versatile as they could be moved infront of infantry, onto a hill, inside a square etc.
How many guns did Wellington have at Waterloo?
216
How were cavalry used from 1700-1850?
For scouting and harassing, too dangerous against muskets
What is an example of cavalry being used as shock troops in early 1700s?
Duke of Marlborough
How did social attitudes slow change?
Due to the fact armies were kept small and government couldn’t afford larger armies, the government would enforce numbers which doesn’t allow human rights
How did political attitudes slow change?
Brits saw the French Revolution (1789) threatening power of upper classes, causing Britain’s ruling classes to be nervous of change
How did individuals sometimes affect change from 1700-1850?
Duke of Wellington was a succcessful general but refused to modernise the army
How long was it till industry had a big impact on warfare?
Around 1850
Who were the officers of armies in 1700-1850?
Young men from wealthy families
Why were highest ranks of army often from nobility between 1700-1850?
These ranks were higher prices
Why was quality of recruitment unreliable from 1700-1850?
Officers often bought commisions for the status and lifestyle
What was short and life enlistment of other ranks of army from 1700-1850?
Short (8-12 year)
Life (21 years)
Why was it difficult to recruit good numbers in 1700-1850?
Despite pay supposed to be main incentive, was only 8d per day which is less than labourers pay and conditions at war were poor.
How did the army try to recruit more people from 1700-1850?
Bounties - usually £3 paid to entice people
Enlisted ‘under the influence’ (drunk)
Criminals released early during wartime if joined army
When did we see criminals released early to fight in army?
In war of American Independence, three regiments were recruited like this
What kind of troops did 1700-1850 methods of recruitment produce?
Bad troops who often deserted, requiring discipline to control
What was the governments solution to the fact that the pulic didn’t like the idea of expanding the army from 1700-1850?
They paid large lump sums to senior officers to recruit and equip regiments
Why did officers tend to create cheap regiments?
To make profit from money given by government to recruit
What was the 1757 Militia act?
Advancement to the Assize of arms. Every parish in England and Wales made a list of men aged 18-50 who were randomly selected to serve 5 years in the local militia
What did the Militia do?
Protected country from invasion and boosted army
How many men in militia by 1798?
118,000
What book was released in 1708 to show tactics but not really used?
New Exercise of Firelocks and Bayonets
When was Royal Military Academy established and what for?
1741 to teach gunnery in Woolwich
What improvements were brought in from the 1790s wars against France?
Standard drills for manoeuvring and use of weapons issued but resisted by independent-minded officers.
1800, Royal Military College established at Sandhurst to improve training of officers
How did attitudes in society prevent changes in training from 1700-1850?
Officers believed training could be taught themselves
Hiw could impact of warfare of civilians from 1700-1850 be summarised?
Not serious or changing much
Why were civilian deaths minor from 1700-1850?
Navy and English Channel protected civilians from invasion and there was little fighting on British soil.
How was it clear that the militia system was disliked a lot?
There were riots in 1757
How did requisitioning work from 1700-1850?
Army had no own transport and requisitioned wagons and animals
How did army accomodation change from 1700-1850?
1700 - no barracks and soldiers had to find lodgings at home. As army grew, rowdy soldiers disrupted businesses in towns and cities for lodgings but stopped around 1800 as more barracks were made.