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A British army, as it was,--is,--and ought to be : $b illustrated by examples during the Peninsular War; with observations upon India; the United States of America; Canada; the boundary line; the navy; steam warfare, &c. — John Shaqi

History

A British army, as it was,--is,--and ought to be : $b illustrated by examples during the Peninsular War; with observations upon India; the United States of America; Canada; the boundary line; the navy; steam warfare, &c.

Name: A British army, as it was,--is,--and ought to be : $b illustrated by examples during the Peninsular War; with observations upon India; the United States of America; Canada; the boundary line; the navy; steam warfare, &c.
Author: Campbell, James

Campbell, James

Great Britain. Army

But as I wish to bring the subjects I intend to discuss, candidly
and fairly before the reader, I must beg leave to transcribe what
Sir George Murray lately said at a great public meeting in London,
as taken from "the Times." "The British Army did not consist of the
constrained conscripts of arbitrary power, but of citizens voluntarily
in arms to defend their country, to obey and respect her laws at home,
and to resist and repel, with their utmost energy, every effort of
her foreign foes, &c. &c." Sir George Murray, as the world knows,
and as the British Army in particular knows, is a most able and
accomplished Quarter Master General; but as such he could not have had
much to say to the maintenance of discipline, for that comes under the
Adjutant-General; yet still he will no doubt be looked upon as good
authority in such matters, so much so, that I have been induced thus to
give what may be considered as his opinion, and which the sequel will
still more show to be contrary to mine: indeed, if I were not borne out
by the evidence I have even already adduced, my attempting to do any
thing towards improvement in our army would seem to be unnecessary and
uncalled for.

An intelligent writer observes, that the French campaigns of 1792,
93 and 94 astonished military Europe. At first the French armies
had neither discipline, nor order, and but little instruction. The
regiments were without organization. National intelligence put in
motion by exalted feeling, for the moment did every thing. The
conscription had brought more knowledge into a single French regiment,
than there was to be found in a whole enemy's division. This was
certainly the case, but I am very far from wishing to establish a
conscription in Great Britain like what exists in France; but the
times, we may depend upon it, will compel us, and that too before long,
to think of getting, with greater facility, another description of men
into our armies; if it were only to enable us to meet our enemies in
the field on fair terms; and I would, therefore, at once beg to propose
to overturn entirely the present system of enlistment for regiments
of Dragoons, Artillery, the Line, and the Marines; and in its stead,
a plan could be introduced for calling forth those warlike energies
of the people of Great Britain and Ireland, which they so eminently
possess; but for safety to our liberties, which we ought ever carefully
to cherish, I would still keep the powerful means I have in view, under
the control of Parliament both as to men and money.

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

A British army, as it was,--is,--and ought to be : $b illustrated by examples during the Peninsular War; with observations upon India; the United States of America; Canada; the boundary line; the navy; steam warfare, &c.

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