The British Army 1783-1815
Kevin Linch
Pen & Sword Publications (2024), hardback
ISBN 9781526737991
286 pages and 11 colour illustrations.
Knowing the specialised knowledge Dr Kevin Linch possesses on the organisation of the British Army of the Georgian period, its culture and its place in society, I looked forward to reading this book and I was not disappointed. It has to be said, that given the author’s pedigree, this is a thorough analysis and therefore at times quite a complicated expose – Georgian Army organisation and the political offices affiliated do not make for an easy read – but Kevin ably guides us through this convoluted path – for example I now fully understand the difference between the Secretary at War and the Secretary of State for War!!
The book is divided into nine chapters, looking at various aspects of the whole, many of which inevitably drift into one another, all being parts of the greater whole. The chapters cover:
- A composite Army – how the various different forces were established and organised, not only the Guards, Line, Militia, Reserve Army, Fencibles, Volunteers &c, but also the multinational components of it.
- Global Army & Conflicts – discusses the global demand for troops and how it was administered.
- Authority and Control – covers the regulatory frameworks, financial controls and political management.
- Waning and Waxing – discusses the various methods utilised to recruit for an ever-increasing military force.
- Numbers – Looks at the increasing strength of the forces, the workload which drove this increasing demand and the early attempts to record losses via desertion, casualties of war or disease.
6 & 7 cover the men and officers and look at the various paths into the military, life in the services and behaviour.
- Covers the Training systems put in place to make soldiers
- Covers the army in society and the changing attitudes to the military force at home.
There are four fascinating appendices (or tables) which double the value of this work in my humble opinion – showing the numbers of troops deployed to each theatre by year; the principal administrative offices and the people who held these posts; the structure (how many new units were recruited or disbanded each year) and finally the numbers of recruits raised and the losses each year.
It would however not to be a thorough review if a few minor niggles were not mentioned. The first is the numerous simple errors of grammar left in the script, it is a pity that either the editor or author had not done one last thorough read through to eradicate them – however thankfully they do not detract excessively from the work.
Another is the perfectly correct warning given – regarding the use of later memoirs as sources, where they are obviously heavily edited and ‘improved’ by editors; but then following this by utilising the memoirs of Charles O’Neil 28th Foot as a primary source, when his memoir has been shown to be full of falsehoods and in fact it appears from the records that he was NOT at Waterloo at all, but on recruiting service in Armagh – but that doesn’t make for good copy!
Overall, however, this is a thorough analysis of the convoluted organisation that ran the British Army – in all its various facets – by a master of the subject. For anyone who really wants to get a full understanding of this multi-tentacled beast and the associated pressures of a creaking system, then this is the book for you. An exceptional read, highly recommended.
Gareth Glover
June 2024