The British Army before 1815 Flashcards
How large was the British Army by 1793?
40,000 men
Why did the army struggle with recruitment?
- no conscription (not to infringe on individual freedoms)
- no impressment (unlike the Royal Navy)
= relied on volunteers, yet army life wasn’t particularly attractive
How did the army try to increase recruitment?
- ‘bounty’ = £40 signing fee motivated recruits (usually spent on drinks or kit)
- ‘taking the King’s shilling’ = recruitment parties would often get a man drunk and slip him a shilling, then claim that he enlisted
How many yearly casualties were there in the army between 1793 and 1815?
16,000 - 24,000 yearly casualties
What had the Duke of Wellington famously said about the men who enlisted in the army?
it was “composed of the scum of the Earth…fellows who have enlisted for a drink”
What was army life like for a wife?
lived in a communal barrack with only a blanket hung up for privacy
–> only a few were allowed to accompany their husbands overseas
What was the ‘militia’?
home army / restricted to home defence operations
–> recruits were selected by ballot and had to serve for 5 years unless they paid for a substitute
What was the ‘KGL’?
the King’s German Legion
–> after 1714 the King ruled Hanover
–> other European soldiers joined too
Army divisions (biggest to smallest)
Division –> Brigade –> Battalion/Regiment –> Company –> Platoon
Other reasons for enlisting in the army? (4)
- patriotism
- prospect of adventure
- travel abroad
- appeal of heroism
What was the background of most officers like?
- few received formal training
- most from the landed gentry
- commissions could be bought (rich fathers often bought their son’s ensign)
- by 1815, most officers were of the professional classes, no longer from the officer class
- ordinary soldiers could be promoted to officer…
(a) if they enlisted 40 militiamen
(b) as a result of bravery in action
How was the purchase system not that fair?
- vacancies first offered by seniority, only if no one within the regiment accepted then it was sold
- promotions in the Royal Artillery and the Royal Engineers couldn’t be purchased
- the Duke of York initiated reforms where officers had to serve 2 years before they could purchase a captaincy, 6 before purchasing a major
Why was there usually a shortage of soldiers available for offensive action?
As there was no police force yet, soldiers were sent to maintain law and order
What was discipline like in the army?
- constant drill practice to make actions reflexes
- flogging used for most crimes (25-1200 strokes)
–> performed in front of the entire Regiment
–> tied to an iron frame and whipped using the cat-o’-nine-tails
–> Sir John Moore didn’t believe in flogging; treated his soldiers with respect and kindness
Artillery division (4)
- divided into horse/foot
- each gun pulled by 8 horses
- administered by the Board of Ordnance
- given thorough training
Why could the artillery division only expand at a limited rate?
there was a lack of trained gunners to be employed (thorough, long training given)
- economic resources to produce artillery not a limiting factor
Cavalry division (2)
- divided into heavy/light
- all carried a sword or sabre and a carbine
Infantry division
- regiments had territorial designations
- while one battalion in a regiment was abroad, the other was at home
- used the Brown Bess/flintlock musket
How many guns did British batteries usually have?
6
- 1 howitzer (lob projectiles)
- 5 cannons (flat trajectories, most 4/6 pounders)
What projectiles were used?
- most common = round shot
- canister; small cast iron balls in a metal canister that disintegrated
What about other advances in weaponry?
- the new shrapnel shell was invented by Major Henry Shrapnel
- Congreave’s rockets were rarely used due to low accuracy
What was the ‘Royal Wagon Train’?
the supply and transport branch of the British Armed Forces –> responsible for the movement of supplies
–> neglected by the government
How did Wellington deal with the government’s neglect of The Royal Waggon Train?
hired local mules and wagons in Spain and Portugal
What was the difference between the light and heavy cavalry?
heavy = large men on large horses, straight swords, used for shock action
light = troops on smaller mounts, sabre, intended for missions (reconnaissance, escort, pursuit)
What was a ‘carbine’?
a long gun; short-range, not very accurate
What helped shape the manoeuvres of the infantry?
David Dundas’ 1788 book ‘Principles of Military Movements’
What were the shortcomings of the flintlock musket/’Brown Bess’?
- discharged with a loud bang, clouds of smoke and a vicious recoil
- could only fire up to 3 shots per minute
- only accurate to 100 yards
–> therefore, the best tactic was for troops to fire simultaneously in a volley, sending hails of bullets to the enemy
What did ‘bandsmen’ do?
stood behind two rank lines of the infantry in a defensive battle and acted as stretch-bearers
What were the shortcomings of the French column formation?
- only the first two ranks could fire effectively
- rarely broke through a British line
What were the shortcomings of the British square formation?
it was vulnerable to enemy artillery and infantry attack
What was the 95th regiment? (5)
- designed to counter the large number of French light infantry / trailleurs
- troops trained in sharpshooting and using cover
- usually scouted, held positions ahead of the army, fought in the rear in a retreat
- wore dark green uniforms
- used the Baker rifle (accurate up to 200 yards, difficult to load)
How did the British treat their POWs compared to other European powers?
relatively humanely
–> system of exchange ensured they were freed quickly
What was Wellesley/Wellington’s character?
- known for his attention to detail
–> picked battle locations that gave him an advantage - strict disciplinarian
–> keen eye for slackness among soldiers and officers
–> ensured his men were always fed and equipped - Believed the army should be supplied with British things, not live off the local land
–> used the navy to transport supplies from Britain
–> could alienate local populations - aloof
Wellesley promotions
- 1806, conservative MP for Rye
- 1807, Chief secretary for Ireland
- 1809, given command of British forces in Portugal by Castlereigh
- 1809, became Viscount
- 1814, became Duke of Wellington
- 1828-1830, served as PM
- 1851 died
