Over the last few issues there have been various articles. letters, etc., which have refuted the superiority of the British soldier over his opponents, particularly in the Napoleonic period. May I say at the outset that though I may sound to some like a flag-waving, xenophobic jingoist, I hope the question can be considered impartially. Firstly, it is quite true that the British Army in the Peninsular War was far from being a model of good discipline, and incidents like the sacking of Badejos are inexcusable by any standards. But when it cam to action, I firmly believe that no other army in the world could have achieved what the British did. In the latest edition of the "Newsletter" there is a quotation from Welling - perhaps the most mis-quoted line in history. Wellington had (perhaps rightly) no high opinion of his soldiery until it came to action; and the correct quotation was as follows: "They are the scum of the earth and it is really wonderful that we should have made of them the fine fellows they are. With such an army we can go anywhere and do anything." To mis-quote this does not do justice to either Wellington or his men. But this is not just my opinion; below are those of more qualified persons: "The English...stand by one another, and after often seen to die together. They are spirited ... and have plenty of boldness ... if things are going in favour of the enemy, they preserve good military discipline." --Robert Flud 1617 "I must ... do right to all the officers and men I had the honour to command. Next to the blessing of God, the good success of this campaign is owing to their extraordinary conduct." --Marlborough 1704. "Have particular attention to that part of the line which will endure the first shook of the English troops." --Louis XIV to Villeroi 1706. "I have seen what I never thought to be possible - a single line of infantry break through three lines of cavalry ranked in order of battle, and tumble them to ruin." --Marshal de Contades on the Battle of Minden 1759. "There is no beating these troops, in spite of their generals. I always thought they were bad soldiers; now I am sure of it. I had turned their right, pierced their centre and everywhere victory was mine, but they did not know how to run." --Marshal Soult on the Battle of Albuhera 1811. "The British infantry is the best in the world; fortunately it is not numerous." --General Bugeaud 1812. "The British are always in a desperate hurry to fight." --Amarsing Thaps 1814 "Once the British Army has agreed to do something, it is done." --Marshal Cenrobert c. 1855. "The soldiers of other armies may bring knowledge and discipline into the field, and may comport themselves sternly and stubbornly from an enforced obedience. But have any of these men the moral force of the British soldier?" J.H.Stoqueler. "The world has no stauncher fighting men than the British soldier." Archibald Forbes 1894. "If ever a people or a nation exemplified the phrase 'brave to a fault' it is the British. If they had been less brave, there would have been many fewer faults and more victories. Caution they have not; they just bunt ahead and take the consequences." --Captain Slocum, U.S. military observer in the Boer War, 1902. "The Guards Brigade was practically a living embodiment of the ... qualities of the British soldier. An extraordinary bravery and toughness." --Rommel 1942. These comments made mostly by observers with hostility or at least impartiality toward the British, must convince even the most sceptical that the British soldier, in action, is something better then the rest. Victory in the Peninsular War cannot be explained away solely by the undoubted genius of Wellington, for he was not always present - for example, Albuhera, and look what Soult said about that! And what effect did the Duke's skill have in a simple "pounding match" like Waterloo? As Napoleon said on that very occasion, "How beautifully these English fight! But they must give way." But they didn't! Nor is it true to say that they were always opposed by bad troops; true, in some cases their enemy was very poor, but the Grande Armee was a very different matter. And frequently British forces were victorious in spite of, rather than because of, their commanders. The basic character of the British soldier - ignorent, drunken, blasphemous vagabond that he sometimes was - was the vital factor. He was never a plaster Saint; the social background from which he came and the conditions under which he lived prevented this; but in action the British soldier, and his descendents throughout the world, has never had an equal. To those who disagree, and to those who denigrate the British soldier for reasons best known to themselves, I would say: look at the facts, and, more important, the unbiased views of those whom the British have fought; I think they will come to the right conclusion. I think it only right that someone should defend the ordinary British soldier, who cannot now defend himself. Why not tell some of these people to read some of your excellent books before writing letters and articles of this nature!!! Back to Table of Contents -- Wargamer's Newsletter # 126 To Wargamer's Newsletter List of Issues To MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1972 by Donald Featherstone. This article appears in MagWeb.com (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other articles from military history and related magazines are available at http://www.magweb.com