Transcriber’s Note In the Plain Text version of this eBook, superscripts are represented within curly braces, preceded by a caret symbol, e.g., 24^{th}, and italic text is enclosed in _underscores_. Other notes will be found at the end of this eBook. THE STORY OF THE BRITISH ARMY BY THE SAME AUTHOR MAP AND PLAN DRAWING HISTORY OF BERKSHIRE GEORGE WASHINGTON THE BRITISH ARMY ALSO EDITOR OF GREAT CAMPAIGNS IN EUROPE [Illustration: FIELD MARSHAL THE RIGHT HON. VISCOUNT WOLSELEY, K.P., G.C.B., G.C.M.G., &C., &C. _From a Photograph by Werner & Son, Dublin_ ] THE STORY OF THE BRITISH ARMY BY LIEUT.-COLONEL C. COOPER KING, F.G.S. WITH PLANS AND ILLUSTRATIONS METHUEN & CO. 36 ESSEX STREET, W.C. LONDON 1897 IN TOKEN OF A LENGTHENED FRIENDSHIP I DEDICATE THIS STORY OF HER MAJESTY’S ARMY TO ITS COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF F.-M. THE RIGHT HONOURABLE VISCOUNT WOLSELEY, K.P., G.C.B., G.C.M.G. PREFACE I have endeavoured in the space at my disposal to show how the British Army has grown up. I have tried merely to tell a “story,” and therefore omitted much that might have been said regarding the noble work the Queen’s Army has done. As regards the opinions advanced, I have always, as far as possible, given the reasons for my views and the authorities which induced me to form them. I have adhered to the principle of using the old regimental numbers, for the sake of continuity; though, after the date when these were altered, I have, in most cases, added their present territorial titles. I wish to express my great appreciation of the courtesy of the Colonel and the Officers of the Lancashire Fusiliers (20th), South Wales Borderers (24th), and the Prince of Wales’s Own (West Yorkshire) Regiment (14th), in allowing me to sketch the uniforms of their men from the interesting histories of their respective regiments, and to E. C. Brett, Esq., for permitting me to copy the suits of armour that I have chosen as types from his father’s magnificent volume on _Arms and Armour_. KINGSCLEAR, CAMBERLEY, _March 1897_. TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAP. PAGE I. THE ARMY OF THE PEOPLE--TO 1100 1 II. THE ARMY OF THE NOBLES--TO 1500 14 III. THE PURITAN HOST 35 IV. THE ARMY OF THE KING--TO 1701 55 V. MARLBOROUGH AND HIS MEN--TO 1714 72 VI. THE EMBERS OF THE CIVIL WAR--TO 1755 87 VII. THE ARMY IN AMERICA--TO 1793 107 VIII. THE ARMY AT SEA--TO 1815 128 IX. THE PENINSULAR ARMY: (_a_) ITS MAKING--1793-1808 155 X. THE PENINSULAR ARMY: (_b_) ITS TRAINING--1808-1811 173 XI. THE PENINSULAR ARMY: (_c_) ITS REWARD--1811-1814 191