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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

Having proposed to do away with regimental pioneers, to make up
efficiently for them, two men of good character should be enlisted--but
that only for service in the field, to take charge of and lead a
bat-horse each, to carry on well fitted pack-saddles a few of such
useful tools as might be required for ordinary military purposes.
The surgeon, at such times, also requires a man and a horse of this
kind for his instruments and medicines; and so do the pay-master and
adjutant, for the conveyance of money, books, and various indispensable
papers and returns. These ought always to march in the rear of the
corps to which they belong. Thus, by doing away both with generally
indifferent musicians and misappropriated pioneers, I would save to
each regiment about thirty soldiers, or about half the effectives of a
company of the present day.

It will surprise those who know nothing of war, and even many
military men, when I mention how many soldiers are lost, I may say,
to the service, taken out of the ranks of corps to be employed as
non-combatant clerks, servants or bat-men, horse-keepers or grooms,
&c. The head-quarters and staff sweep off numbers in this way beyond
belief. The general officers and staff of divisions and brigades,
including engineer officers, staff surgeons, commissariat, &c. if
allowed, quite as bad. Then come field officers and regimental staff,
and perhaps forty captains and subalterns per regiment, all of whom
must be supplied; a few with two, for taking care of their chargers
and pack-horses or mules, and all with at least one each to look
after pack-horses for the conveyance of baggage; most of it probably
indispensable, if it is expected that these gentlemen are to be kept
efficient. But there is another demand of a man per company for the
care of pack-horses for the carriage of tents, &c. as wheel carriages
for such purposes ought never to be allowed upon the line of march.

For these various occupations, I have no hesitation in saying, many
hundreds of soldiers are taken away from where they should be, and
corps are thus deprived of their best men, and greatly weakened before
they come into contact with 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

Having proposed to do away with regimental pioneers, to make up
efficiently for them, two men of good character should be enlisted--but
that only for service in the field, to take charge of and lead a
bat-horse each, to carry on well fitted pack-saddles a few of such
useful tools as might be required for ordinary military purposes.
The surgeon, at such times, also requires a man and a horse of this
kind for his instruments and medicines; and so do the pay-master and
adjutant, for the conveyance of money, books, and various indispensable
papers and returns. These ought always to march in the rear of the
corps to which they belong. Thus, by doing away both with generally
indifferent musicians and misappropriated pioneers, I would save to
each regiment about thirty soldiers, or about half the effectives of a
company of the present day.

It will surprise those who know nothing of war, and even many
military men, when I mention how many soldiers are lost, I may say,
to the service, taken out of the ranks of corps to be employed as
non-combatant clerks, servants or bat-men, horse-keepers or grooms,
&c. The head-quarters and staff sweep off numbers in this way beyond
belief. The general officers and staff of divisions and brigades,
including engineer officers, staff surgeons, commissariat, &c. if
allowed, quite as bad. Then come field officers and regimental staff,
and perhaps forty captains and subalterns per regiment, all of whom
must be supplied; a few with two, for taking care of their chargers
and pack-horses or mules, and all with at least one each to look
after pack-horses for the conveyance of baggage; most of it probably
indispensable, if it is expected that these gentlemen are to be kept
efficient. But there is another demand of a man per company for the
care of pack-horses for the carriage of tents, &c. as wheel carriages
for such purposes ought never to be allowed upon the line of march.

For these various occupations, I have no hesitation in saying, many
hundreds of soldiers are taken away from where they should be, and
corps are thus deprived of their best men, and greatly weakened before
they come into contact with 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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