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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.Campbell, James

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 let us imagine such troops as these, in a high state of discipline,
and properly supported by our splendid heavy dragoons and artillery,
charging an enemy sword in hand, in the manner I have before alluded
to, and it may be readily allowed that the fate of a campaign, or even
that of a kingdom, would be decided in a single battle; for the enemy's
troops, thus closed with, could not well escape from the field; and
we should no longer be incredulous when we read of the consequences
resulting from a charge of Roman legions. It has pleased Divine
Providence to form the men of the British empire for such a kind of
warfare; having bestowed upon them daring hearts, and powerful arms to
execute whatever may be required of them.

If ever the plan of calling out men by ballot is adopted, I would beg
leave to suggest, that a certain number of battalions of the regular
army, from adjoining districts, should be permanently considered a
division; and when a force was wanted in any part of the world, either
the division, or a brigade of it, should compose the whole or a part
of that force; and would not thus an esprit du corps be established in
such a division, like what was found so admirably calculated for mutual
support amongst the battalions and brigades of the light, 3rd, 4th, &c.
divisions under the Duke of Wellington; and which induced them readily
to make any effort, or any sacrifice, to aid each other in battle. And
how often have I witnessed this feeling prevail, to a great extent,
among the officers and soldiers of the 45th, 74th, 88th regiments,
and 5th battalion, 60th, which composed the brigade to which I was
so long attached as brigade-major. I can never forget one instance
of this kind in particular, which occurred at the battle of Fuentes
d'Onor. After a long and dreadful struggle in that village, between
the British and a large body of the French Imperial Guard and other
troops which supported them, the right brigade of the 3rd division was
at last brought up to take the place of the fatigued regiments so long
engaged, under a heavy fire, without any decided advantage being gained
by either party, the French holding the lower and our troops the upper
part of the village. The 88th, supported by the 45th, was ordered to
charge into it and drive out the enemy. They soon did so in the usual
style of the 3rd division. But I shall ever think with pleasure, of the
extraordinary eagerness evinced by the 45th to advance to the help of
their old friends the Rangers, who on that occasion wanted none. This
feeling, however, between these two corps in particular, was always
most strongly marked throughout the whole war; and I have no doubt
would be revived, if they ever met again in presence of an enemy.

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

Opening the text

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.

Campbell, James

Great Britain. Army

But let us imagine such troops as these, in a high state of discipline,
and properly supported by our splendid heavy dragoons and artillery,
charging an enemy sword in hand, in the manner I have before alluded
to, and it may be readily allowed that the fate of a campaign, or even
that of a kingdom, would be decided in a single battle; for the enemy's
troops, thus closed with, could not well escape from the field; and
we should no longer be incredulous when we read of the consequences
resulting from a charge of Roman legions. It has pleased Divine
Providence to form the men of the British empire for such a kind of
warfare; having bestowed upon them daring hearts, and powerful arms to
execute whatever may be required of them.

If ever the plan of calling out men by ballot is adopted, I would beg
leave to suggest, that a certain number of battalions of the regular
army, from adjoining districts, should be permanently considered a
division; and when a force was wanted in any part of the world, either
the division, or a brigade of it, should compose the whole or a part
of that force; and would not thus an esprit du corps be established in
such a division, like what was found so admirably calculated for mutual
support amongst the battalions and brigades of the light, 3rd, 4th, &c.
divisions under the Duke of Wellington; and which induced them readily
to make any effort, or any sacrifice, to aid each other in battle. And
how often have I witnessed this feeling prevail, to a great extent,
among the officers and soldiers of the 45th, 74th, 88th regiments,
and 5th battalion, 60th, which composed the brigade to which I was
so long attached as brigade-major. I can never forget one instance
of this kind in particular, which occurred at the battle of Fuentes
d'Onor. After a long and dreadful struggle in that village, between
the British and a large body of the French Imperial Guard and other
troops which supported them, the right brigade of the 3rd division was
at last brought up to take the place of the fatigued regiments so long
engaged, under a heavy fire, without any decided advantage being gained
by either party, the French holding the lower and our troops the upper
part of the village. The 88th, supported by the 45th, was ordered to
charge into it and drive out the enemy. They soon did so in the usual
style of the 3rd division. But I shall ever think with pleasure, of the
extraordinary eagerness evinced by the 45th to advance to the help of
their old friends the Rangers, who on that occasion wanted none. This
feeling, however, between these two corps in particular, was always
most strongly marked throughout the whole war; and I have no doubt
would be revived, if they ever met again in presence of an enemy.

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.

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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