Life in the Red Coat: The British Soldier 1721-1815
Proceedings of the 2019 Helion and Company 'From Reason to Revolution' Conference
Series : From Reason to Revolution 1721-1815 #55
Editor : Andrew Bamford
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Details
General - Pages : 198 | Images : 15 tables
Paperback - Date of Publication : 15th November 2020 | Size : 234mm x 156mm | ISBN : 9781913118945 | Helion Book Code : HEL1221
eBook - ISBN : 9781804511411
The 2019 From Reason to Revolution conference took as its theme the experiences of the ordinary British soldier in the era 1721-1815, from enlistment, through service at home, to life on campaign and the experience of battle. This book presents the proceedings of that conference in full, along with an introduction by series editor Andrew Bamford.
This was an era in which the social position of the soldier began to change, as did the relationship between the Army and society at large. Soldiers saw service against Jacobite rebels in Scotland and anti-Catholic rioters in London. Campaign service overseas stretched from garrison duties in the growing empire to pitched battles in Flanders and the Iberian Peninsula. Lack of indigenous manpower led to the enlistment of foreigners in large numbers into the British Army itself by the end of the period, whereas in earlier days the shortfall had been made up by hiring mercenaries. As the idea of a social contract became embedded, it was necessary to make provision for pensions for maimed or superannuated soldiers, as well as the more obvious need for medical care for the sick and wounded. The nine chapters contained in this volume all address aspects of these topics, drawing upon focussed case studies from across the long 18th century.
"A variety of themes for those interested in the British Army of the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries [...] offers quotations from a variety of personal accounts to introduce readers to 'the wealth of letters, journals and memoirs through which we are able to trawl' to 'glimpse the reality of their experience'." Miniature Wargames
...uniformly interesting and informative. As an introduction to the experiences of British soldiers in the long 18th Century, this little collection works very well. [...] This is an enjoyable and entertaining read for novices and experts alike." Wargames Illustrated
“…Life in the Red Coat provides a valuable means for broadening knowledge of the period, and a series of excellent starting points for deepening understanding in its specific areas. ….this book presents quality scholarship and reinforces the message that those who served in the red coat were closer to the ‘salt of the earth’ than the ‘scum of the earth’. Recommended.” Garry Wills, Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research Vol 99, No 399