"RECRUITMENT AND PROMOTION IN THE NAPOLEONIC BRITISH
ARMY: A STUDY OF THE 28TH (NORTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE)
REGIMENT OF FOOT, AN ENGLISH REGIMENT AT WATERLOO" .
APRIL 1999.
Presented as part of the requirement of the BA(Hons) Modular Degree,
Cheltenham and Gloucester College of Higher Education.
DECLARATION.
This Dissertation is the product of my own work. I declare also that the Dissertation
is available for photocopying, reference purposes and Inter-Library
Loan.
//Signed//
John Duncan Ellis.
PREFACE.
This dissertation examines the issues affecting recruitment and promotion in the British Army during the Napoleonic Wars of 1793-1815. This will be done by examining the primary source material which survives for the enlisted soldiers who were present with the 28th (North Gloucestershire) Regiment of Foot during the Waterloo Campaign of June 1815. Chapter 1 examines the historical arguments that exist regarding recruitment and promotion in the Napoleonic British Army, and explains the methodology of the dissertation. Chapter 2 examines to what extent the origin of the soldiers of the 28th Foot reflected the regiment's territorial affiliation, or whether any other territorial or national link is apparent. Chapter 3 examines the influence on promotion in the Napoleonic British Army of such factors as literacy, skill level of previous employment, nationality, length of service and previous military service. Finally, Chapter 4 provides a brief summary and a conclusion of this dissertation's findings.
I would like to acknowledge and extend my grateful thanks for the help, advice and encouragement of both my tutor and mentor Doctor Charles More, and my wife and partner Victoria Kate Ellis.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Chapter 1. Historiography and Methodology |
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Chapter 2. The Territorial Origin of the Soldiers of the 28th Foot, and the Numerical Influence of the Home Forces within their ranks |
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Chapter 3. Promotion within the Ranks of the Napoleonic British Army: A study of the Non-Commissioned Officers of the 28th Foot at Waterloo |
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Chapter 4. Conclusion |
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Bibliography |
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Appendix 1. A typical example of the type of WO 97 material utilized by this dissertation |
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Appendix 2. Data compiled for the 284 Waterloo Men of the 28th (North Gloucestershire) Regiment of Foot |
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Appendix 3. The units which consistuted the British Home Forces during the Napoleonic Wars |