A History of the British Army, Vol. 1: First Part—to the Close of the Seven Years' WarFortescue, J. W. (John William), Sir
History
A History of the British Army, Vol. 1: First Part—to the Close of the Seven Years' War
Fortescue, J. W. (John William), Sir
Great Britain -- History, Military; Great Britain. Army -- History
The infantry, like the cavalry, suffered an alteration in the
regimental establishments after the Restoration. The old strength
of one hundred and twenty to a company was reduced to one hundred,
and in time of peace sank to eighty, sixty, and even fifty men.
The number of companies to a battalion was also altered. The First
Guards began life with twelve companies; and though for a time the
Coldstreamers and newly raised regiments retained the original
number of ten, yet twelve gradually became the usual, and after
the accession of James the Second, the accepted, strength of a
battalion. It must be noted that after 1672 a battalion and a
regiment of foot cease to be synonymous terms, the First Guards
being in that year increased to twenty-four companies and two
battalions, a precedent which was soon extended to sundry other
regiments.
On the accession of James there was added to the twelve companies
of every regiment an additional company of grenadiers. These
were established first in 1678, and took their name from the
grenade,[217] the new weapon with which they were armed. The
hand grenade was simply a small shell of from one to two inches
in diameter, kindled by a fuse and thrown by the hand. Hence
it was entrusted to the tallest and finest men in the regiment,
who might reasonably be expected to throw it farthest. The white
plume, supposed to be symbolic of the white smoke of the fuse,
was not apparently used at first as the distinctive mark of
grenadiers. They, and the fusiliers likewise, wore caps instead
of broad-brimmed hats, to enable them to sling their firelocks
over both shoulders with ease. These caps, which were at first
of fur, were soon made of cloth, and assumed the shape of the
mitre which Hogarth has handed down to us. Another peculiarity
of grenadiers was that they were always armed with firelocks and
with hatchets,[218] and that both of their subaltern officers were
lieutenants.
Another new branch of the infantry was the regiment of Fusiliers,
so called from the fusil or flintlock, as opposed to the matchlock,
with which they were armed. They were, in fact, simply an expansion
of the companies of firelocks which formed part of the New Model
in the department of the Train; they were borne for duty with the
artillery specially, and therefore included one company of miners.
Miner-companies were armed with long carbines and hammer-hatchets
peculiar to themselves, and they had but one subaltern officer, a
lieutenant. Like the grenadiers, the fusiliers did not recognise
the rank of ensign, and their junior subalterns were therefore
called second lieutenants.[219]
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