The British Military
System and Organization 1803-1815

RAFM'S Latest Publication

by Ned Zuparko, Napoleonic Editor

THE BRITISH MILITARY: It's System and Organization 1803-1815 S.J. Park & G. F. Nafziger. Cambridge, Ontario: Rafm Co. Inc., 1983.119 pp. Illus. Append. Bid. $14.00

Historical Minatures wargamers may not like to admit it, but in spite of their interest in historical research many of their perceptions about a period derive from past wargames. The British Armycluring the Napoleonic Wars is a case in point. We all know how many men were in each battalion at Waterloo. We all know about the superior firepower, two-deep formations, reverse-slope tactics, and column vs. line superiority. We've seen all of this before in our wargames, so it must be true, right? Wrong!

In this excellent book Joe Park and George Nafziger lay out a detailed examination of the organization and structure of the British Army. This is not an operational history of the campaigns nor a list of orders of battle; rather it is a distillation of the best currently available research and sources about the British army. Each branch of the service, including staff and foreign elements are covered. Recruitment, rank, organization, drill and administration are described and listed. Sections on weapons and their capabilities are also included. Some of this information is available in other sources, while some has been collated for the first time; but by putting it all together, the authors have created an excellent first reference source for the Napoleonic wargamer or historian.

Of special interest to the Napoleonic wargamer is an Appendix listing the date each Regiment was raised as well as the Regiment's service honors. Also, a chapter that examines the tactical employment of forces is extremely useful. The detailed discussion of Light Infantry training and tactics will be read closely, as well.

Perhaps the most surprising conclusion the reader might draw from this work is how much is NOT known about the best-known of Napoleon's opponents. One will also find that many cherished assumptions about the British are not true, or, at the very least, are open to debate. The discussion of these topics is conducted in a reasoned manner, and each chapter is followed by notes on sources. The authors go out of their way to poi nt out what is in dispute and what points they are not able to prove one way or the other. (This book was unable to provide much information on the tactical employment of British artillery, but Anglophiles will be pleased to know that British publisher Antony Bird has released OPEN FIRE, by Maj.-Gen. B.P. Hughes, on that very subject. Hippocrene will handle it in the USA).

I recommend that you purchase THE BRITISH MILITARY; the background it provides will be of great use when trying to understand some of the how's and why's that come up when reading about Hellington's problems, or the operational histories of the British Army in the Perminsula. Once again, RAFM deserves the thanks of Napoleonic enthusiasts for catering to their area of interest. Also available from The Courier Supply Depot.

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