The State of the British Army in 1793

The British Army in 1793:

Losing the War of Independence put a blot on the reputation of the British Army. In the decade between the end of the US War of Independence in 1783 and the start of the French Wars in 1793, the army did not improve. Discipline was poor, there was a lack of system and the number of men pitiful. By 1815, the army was the best of its time, being the only military not to have suffered a major defeat at the hands of Napoleon.

Recruitment.

Due to the use of conscription, France was able to field hundreds of thousands of men. Britain did not have such a system and only held an army of 40,000 in 1793. Conscription was seen as a violation of British values and there were no press gangs that worked on behalf of the army. It was particularly difficult to fill the ranks due to the poor conditions:

Pay.

Soldiers received a smaller wage than farm workers. The army did however offer food, shelter, loot and adventure. A bounty of £40 was awarded on joining, but after equipment was bought and alcohol paid for, there was very little money left over.

Marriage.

Soldiers could marry, but this was a practice that was frowned upon. Those who had married had to house their families in the barracks and the only form of privacy was a hanging blanket. Few wives were allowed with the soldiers and lots were drawn for the privilege.

Mortality.

In 1794, 18,500 soldiers died on active service. In the following two years, 40,500 were dismissed for wounds or infirmity. Throughout the wars, the British casualty rate was roughly 16,000-24,000 casualties per annum.

Drill.

Being in the army was largely dominated by drill. Strict manoeuvres were practiced time and time  again in an extremely repetitive and dull fashion.

The average soldier.

The large majority of servicemen were of poor descent. Socially, the army was level with criminals and some men even were that. A choice was often offered to men between prison and joining the army. Wellington famously said the army was “composed of the scum of the earth…fellows who have enlisted for drink – that is the plain fact.” While partially true, this was an exaggeration.

Discipline.

Flogging was the punishment for most crimes in the army. Sentences spanned 25-1200 lashes, but any sentence over 700 was not common. The man would be whipped before the entire regiment while tied to a post. Some officers, like Sir John Moore, considered it inhumane and thought soldiers treated with respect performed better. This was a minority view and Wellington was of the volition that it was the best way to obtain obedience.

Recruiting.

With a high level of wastage, the army was always in demand of men. Recruiting parties would tour the country in search of potential recruits. A common device was tricking a very drunk man into taking the King’s Shilling.

The militia.

A fifth of Britain’s land forces…