Warfare: 1700-1900

Question 1

Weapons: 1700-1900

Answer 1

.Industrial revolution 1700-1850 enabled iron industry to grow-
(1855 Bessemer process mass-produced steel. Impacts on weapons).

•Little change 1700-1815.

•Accelerated change 1850 onwards.

.Muskets & bayonets (Brown Bess 1720-1850) (flintlock).

•Rifles since c.1850 (Enfield)

•Percussion cap firing mechanism invented 1820.

•Pistols.

Artillery (Bessemer process from 1850s. Cast from solid steel 18605)

.Swords

.Machine Guns (from 1884).

Question 2

Composition of Armies (number, type and tactics of combatants): 1700-1900

Answer 2

.Cavalry (20% of army in 1700 & 15% by 1850) Charge of the Light Brigade 1854 demonstrated its limitations. 1850 = useless as a form of shock attack).

.Infantry the major proportion of the army (75% of army in 1700 & 80% by 1850.Rifle men from 1850).

Artillery (an increasing number).

Question 3

Recruitment and Training of Combatants: 1700-1900

Answer 3

• Cavalry from social elites-purchase system.

• 1757 Militia Act overhauls Assize of Arms system. Protects from invasion & could boost army in War.

Infantry professional paid soldiers (service period typically 21 years, 12 after Cardwell Reforms 1868-1871), but low pay.

Drill training important for infantry. From 1800, some officers trained at the Royal Military College (Sandhurst). More so by 1860.

Question 4

Experience of Civilians: 1700-1900

Answer 4

.Few / No wars on British soil.

• Civillians provided shelter and food to troops, but less so as barracks were built.

•Taxes increased to fund wars, especially early 1800s e.g; income tax, window tax.

.Received news (and photographs) of foreign wars more quickly due to improvements in communications (electric telegraph during Crimean War).

.Impact of the Newspaper hindered by illiteracy rate of 30% of men & 40% of women in 1850s.