1700-1850

• how was there continuity in the composition of the army until 1850?

  • permanent standing army of 50,000 men.
  • decline of cavalry continued - now only 20 percent of the army.
  • artillery continued to form and was now about 5 percent.
• how was there continuity in the professionalism of the army?

  • soldiers still forced into service.
  • marched in bright uniform.
  • infantry armed with muskets and bayonets.
  • support came from cannon.
• how was there continuity on the battlefield from 1700-1900?

  cavalry

  • still important for harassing the enemy, though new weapons left them vulnerable.

  infantry

  • still decisive force.
  • the 'brown bess' musket was used from 1715 to around 1850.
• how was there change on the battlefield?

  from 1760, rhythmic marching to the drum helped infantry move and change formation quickly.
• how was there continuity in training until 1850?

  various efforts were made to improve training but they had little impact due to social attitudes.

  wars against france led to the establishment of the royal military college.
• what changes in weapons occurred?

  industrial revolution allowed britain to produce iron which made cannons cheaper and easier to make.

  john 'iron-mad' wilkinson - he began making thinner cannon barrels.

  this meant the lighter artillery could be transported by horses.
• how was there continuity in recruitment until 1850?

  • officers were young men from wealthy families, this made the quality of officers unreliable.
  • recruitment was difficult as pay was disappointing.
  • men were sometimes enlisted 'under the influence'.
• 1757 militia act


  england and wales made lists of men aged 18-50.

  this happened to pick men from lists to serve five years in their local military.
• impact on civilians - deaths

  little fighting on british soil, due to the english channel and british navy.

  minor effects.
• impact on civilians - taxes

  peacetime

  • cost rose from £1 million in 1700, to £8 million in 1836.
  • burden was small as it was shared between many people.

  wartime

  • cost of war was £550 million.
  • extra taxation.
• impact of civilians - accommodation

  in 1700, there were no army barracks so soldiers often disrupted towns.

  from 1800, barracks became numerous.

  barracks - bases with accommodation.
• impact - newspaper reporting

  in 1815, The Times sold 5000 copies a day and by 1850 it was 40,000.
• the battle of waterloo, 1815 (background)

  • the duke of wellington (english) and napoleon (french)
  • british - 67,000 troops.
  • french - 70,000 troops.
• events - use of battleground (waterloo, 1815)

  • good battlefield for defence as it was only three miles.
  • placed his men behind a ridge to reduce the damage done by french artillery.
  • set 2 positions on the flanks to interrupt french attack.
  • concealed field artillery in a village.
• events (waterloo, 1815)

  • napoleon attacked with infantry columns and heavy artillery.
  • columns were 200 men wide which were big targets and lacked firepower.
  • wellington used 20 infantry squares with muskets and bayonets to hold back french cavalry.
  • the field artillery were protected in these squares.
  • wellingon sent in cavalry and infantry in lines, firing devastating volleys.
• volleys


  number of bullets or arrows discharged at a time.
• the duke of wellington (waterloo, 1815)


  • prepared his defence position well to avoid being beaten before he was reinforced by the prussian army.
  • used squares for defence.
  • switched from defence to attack just in time.
• napoleon (waterloo, 1815)


  • was suffering from piles and irritable.
  • used 33,000 men to slow the prussians but they returned exhausted.
  • delayed the start as he thought it was too muddy.
  • unsuccessful attack used a quarter of his infantry.
• what year was the battle of waterloo?

  1815