British Army during the Napoleonic Wars

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The British Army during the Napoleonic Wars experienced a time of rapid change. At the beginning of the French Revolutionary Wars in 1793, the army was a small, awkwardly administered force of barely 40,000 men.^[1] By the end of the period, the numbers had vastly increased. At its peak, in 1813, the regular army contained over 250,000 men.^[2] The British infantry was "the only military force not to suffer a major reverse at the hands of Napoleonic France."^[3]

Contents 1 Structure 2 Recruitment 3 Infantry 3.1 Elite infantry regiments 4 Uniform 5 Colours 6 See also 7 Notes 8 References 9 External links

[edit] Structure

The British Army comprised both infantry and cavalry line regiments, as well as the Household Divisions. The regiments of the line were numbered and, from 1781, were given territorial designations, which roughly represented the area from which troops were drawn. This was not rigid, and most English regiments had a significant proportion of Irish and Scots.^[3] The majority of regiments contained two battalions, while some had only one, and a few had more, including the 60th Foot, which had seven.^[3] Commanded by a lieutenant colonel, an infantry battalion was composed of ten companies, of which eight were "centre" companies, and two flank companies: one a grenadier and one a specialist light company. Companies were commanded by captains, with lieutenants and ensigns (or subalterns) beneath him.^[3] Ideally, a battalion comprised 1000 men (excluding NCOs, musicians and officers), but active service generally saw the numbers depleted; the 1st (or senior) battalion of a regiment would draw fit recruits from the 2nd battalion to maintain its strength. If also sent on active service, the 2nd battalion would consequently be weaker.^[3] In periods of long service, battalions were generally operating under strength.^[4] The majority of discharges and death were due to disease, rather than battle casualties.^[4] During the Peninsular Campaign, the army lost almost 25,000 men from disease, and less than 9,000 from enemy action.^[5] Seriously under-strength battalions might be dissolved, or temporarily drafted into other regiments.^[4]

[edit] Recruitment

See also: Recruitment in the British Army

The British Army drew most of its raw recruits from the lowest classes of Britain. Since army life was known to be harsh, and the remuneration low, it mainly attracted those for whom civilian life was worse. Wellington himself said that many of the men "enlist from having got bastard children – some for minor offences – some for drink"; they were, he once said, "the scum of the earth; it is really wonderful that we should have made them to the fine fellows they are."^[4] Almost all soldiers at the time signed on for life in exchange for a "bounty" of £23 17s 6d, most of which was absorbed by the cost of outfitting "necessities".^[4]

Officers ranged in background, also. They were expected to be literate, but otherwise came from varied educational and social backgrounds. 5% of the officers from regular battalions had been raised from the ranks, and, while preferment by purchase was possible, less than 20% of first commissions were by purchase.^[6] Similarly, only a small proportion of officers were from the nobility; in 1809, only 140 officers were peers or peers' sons.^[6] A large proportion of officers came from the Militia,^[6] and small number were gentlemen volunteers, who followed the army until commissions became available.^[7]

Promotion was mainly by seniority; less than 20% of line promotions were by purchase, although this proportion was higher in the Household Division.^[7] Promotion by merit alone occurred, but was less common.^[7] By 1814 there were over 10,000 officers in the army.^[6]

[edit] Infantry

The line formation was the most favoured amongst the British infantry. The line formation offered the maximum firepower to any enemy, about 1000 to 1500 bullets per minute ^[8]. While the French favoured column formation, the line formation enabled all muskets available to fire at the enemy and it also forms a wider front, as in contrast, only the few soldiers in the first rows of the column (about 60) are able to fire ^[9] While line regiments fired in volleys, light infantry skirmishers fired at will, taking careful aim at targets.^[10] Specialised rifle units were armed with the Baker rifle, due to their improved accuracy, but expected difficulty and expense in obtaining sufficient rifled weapons resulted in the standard infantry musket being issued to most troops.^[11] Most of the infantry were provided with muskets, which had an effective range of only 50 yards. 10 yards provided the accuracy of point-blank range.^[12] Although the French infantry (and, earlier, the Americans) frequently used multi-shot and grapeshot in their muskets, the British infantry used only standard ball ammunition.^[13]

[edit] Elite infantry regiments

There were a number of elite regiments amongst the infantry. These included the Foot Guards, a group of regiments from the Household Division. In background and natural attributes, recruits to the Foot Guards differed little from those recruited into other regiments, but they received superior training and were expected to maintain rigorous discipline.^[14]

Also seen for the first time in the British Army during the Napoleonic wars were dedicated regular light infantry regiments. During the early war against the French, the British Army was bolstered by light infantry mercenaries from Germany and the Low Countries, but the British light infantry companies proved inadequate against the experienced French during the Flanders campaign, and in the Netherlands in 1799, and light infantry development became urgent.^[15]

In 1801, the "Experimental Corps of Riflemen" was raised (later designated the 95th Rifles), and a decision was made to train some line regiments in light infantry techniques, so they might operate as both light and line infantry. Sir John Moore, a proponent of the light infantry model, offered his own regiment of line infantry, the 52nd Foot, for this training, at Shorncliffe Camp, where they were later joined by other line regiments.^[11]

[edit] Uniform

See also: Red coat (British army)

The standard uniform for the majority of regiments throughout the period was the traditional red coat. There was no standardised supply for uniforms, and it was generally left to the regimental colonel to contract for and obtain uniforms for his men, which allowed for some regimental variation.^[16] Generally, this was in the form of specific regimental badges, or ornamentation for specialised flank companies, but occasionally major differences existed.^[16] Highland regiments generally wore kilts, although six of these regiments dropped the kilt in 1809.^[4] Light infantry regiments wore tailless coats, retaining the traditional red despite their skirmishing role, but the two rifle corps – 95th Rifles and 60th (Royal American) Regiment – wore rifle green.^[4]

Officers were responsible for providing (and paying for) their own uniforms; consequently, variable style and decoration was present, according to the officer's private means.^[16] Officers generally wore silver or gold epaulettes (depending on regimental colours), with regimental badge to designate rank. An 1810 order stipulated that company officers wore one epaulette, on the right shoulder, while field officers wore one on each shoulder, badged with a star (for majors), a crown (lieutenant colonels) or star and crown (colonels).^[17]

[edit] Colours

Most British battalions carried flags known as "colours": the First, or "King's Colour", and the Second, or "Regimental Colour". The First had the Union Flag with the Regiment's number in the centre, surrounded by a wreath.^[18] The Second was in the colour of the regimental facings with a small Union Flag in the corner; the regimental number took the centre.^[18] The colours were carried into battle for identification, and as a rallying point, in the care of sergeants or ensigns. Attending the colours in battle was dangerous, since they were a target for enemy artillery and assault; due to the symbolic significance of the colours, their loss was a grave issue, and extreme measures were often taken to prevent such dishonour occurring.^[19] The skirmishing and forward positions maintained by light infantry frequently made the bearing of colours inconvenient. For this reason, the newly raised 95th Rifles received no colours, but the converted line regiments retained their existing colours. Some light infantry regiments opted not to carry them in the Peninsula.^[20]

[edit] See also

• History of the British Army
• Timeline of the British Army
• Coalition forces of the Napoleonic Wars

[edit] Notes

[edit] References

• Chandler, David; Beckett, Ian; (2003) The Oxford History of the British Army, UK: Oxford University Press, ISBN 0192803115
• Chappell, Mike; (2004) Wellington's Peninsula Regiments (2): The Light Infantry, Oxford: Osprey Publishing, ISBN 1841764035
• Fletcher, Ian; Younghusband, William; (1994) Wellington's Foot Guards, UK: Osprey Publishing, ISBN 1855323923
• Glover, Michael; (1974) The Peninsular War 1807–1814: A Concise Military History, UK: David & Charles, ISBN 0715363875
• Haythornthwaite, Philip J. (1987) British Infantry of the Napoleonic Wars, London: Arms and Armour Press, ISBN 0853688907
• Haythornthwaite, Philip J. (1996) Weapons & Equipment of the Napoleonic Wars Arms and Armour ISBN 1-85409495-5
• Sumner, Ian; Hook, Richard; (2001) British Colours and Standards 1747-1881 (2): Infantry, UK: Osprey Publishing, ISBN 1841762016

[edit] External links

• Redcoat: Officer fatality lists