The Armies
Barry Hilton - During the Glorious
Revolution period infantry were known as Foot. They were organized
into companies varying in strength from 50 to 100 men. Several
companies formed a battalion. Some regiments had a single battalion
whilst others had several. Early in the period pikemen were still
present in some numbers within each battalion in a ratio of around
1:5 with musketeers. Some evidence suggests that as late as 1704 the
English had some units equipped with pikes in a ratio of 1:2 with
musketeers. This was more to do with money than tactics and pikes
would have been present in insufficient numbers to have affected army
level tactical doctrine. Muskets were expensive, pikes were not. As
time progressed, most armies phased out the pike. Regiments in
several European armies fielded more than one battalion. This was
very uncommon in the British and Dutch armies except in Guard units.
There was epic level fraud committed by unit commanders because
regiments were normally raised, funded and administered by their
colonels. Monies were granted by Treasuries for maintenance and of
course it would be in the interest of some avaricious and
unscrupulous colonel to inflate his muster role by a significant
percentage and pocket the difference. Recently I came across some
information about a certain officer called Mr Harbord whose ‘troop
of Horse’ appeared to be the guard for the Williamite army payroll
in Ireland during the campaigns 1689-1691. It seems he may have
appropriated the equivalent of £40,000,000 in modern money and got
away with it! Move over Ronnie Biggs for the Great Wagon Trayne
Robbers!
Foot almost universally
operated in close order and their tactics were simple and linear.
Movement was very slow compared with later periods. As training and
drill were rudimentary and the line predominant, Foot tended to
approach each other at a rate between 20 and 60 paces per minute.
Prescribed rates were faster but the absence of cadenced march
(movement to the beat of drums) and the constant need to dress the
lines slowed everything down. The impact of
evolving fire control doctrines amongst the different protagonists is
the subject of continuing debate. Almost universally in the period
units deployed in formations of up to 6 ranks. The favoured firing
method was to discharge muskets by rank. As time progressed this was
perceived by some armies as less efficient. It is interesting that
France, the strongest military power of the age persisted with the
older ways throughout the period. This should cast at least some
doubt over the perceived efficacy of the alternatives. The French put
more faith in the use of the bayonet than some of their opponents.
The much discussed ‘platoon firing’ method (a
favourite wargaming pet of Marlborough’s many fans) is thought to
have been perfected by the Dutch and English during the War of the
Spanish Succession. Its effect was considered more deadly than the
systems used by other nations. Its basis was a
continuous rippling fire delivered by different groups discharging in
sequence but from varying positions in the battalion line. It
required thorough training and competent officer control. Often
battalions using this doctrine deployed in fewer ranks and thus
longer thinner lines.
During this period cavalry
were collectively known as Horse. This term covers the traditional
sword and pistol armed cavalry of most armies. Some nations retained
breast and back armour and occasionally lobster tail helmets. Certain
regiments were equipped with a breastplate only. The vast majority
however were dressed much as the Foot in a knee length coloured coat,
broad brimmed hat with the addition of heavy riding boots. The French
fielded only one or two regiments of cuirassiers at did the Dutch.
The English after the 1680’s did not field cuirassiers. Often in
Germanic armies all cavalry with the exception of mounted dragoons
were cuirassiers (Kürassier).
The French cavalry of the line were known as chevau-léger
(light horse). In the 17th
century this was a distinction in name only. It dated back to
medieval times when lighter armoured sergeants were equipped
differently to the heavily armoured gens
d’armes (men at arms) they were tasked with
supporting. Horse were expensive to arm and maintain but between 1660
and 1721 were numerous on the battlefield and often constituted up to
one third of an army’s total strength. The basic organizational
element was a ‘troop’ comprising of between 30 and 90 men.
Several troops would make up a squadron and usually, several
squadrons would make up a regiment. English regiments were small and
would sometimes muster no more than 200 men. In contrast, Austrian
cuirassier regiments often fielded 6 to 8 squadrons.
The tactics used by Horse
varied between armies. They also went through phases of development
and popularity dependant on which commanders were in charge at any
given time. Those trained to charge at a rate between fast trot and
gallop tended to use their swords as the primary offensive weapon.
These would have higher momentum on contact. French 1679-1698,
English & Dutch 1700 – 1715 and Jacobite Horse 1689-1691 were
likely to have operated in this fashion although often it was down to
the individual whim of the colonel how a regiment conducted itself in
battle. Horse trained to advance at a slow trot almost to contact at
which point they would discharge pistols constituted the balance.
They would then close with the sword or other hand weapons. Through
1688-1697 English, Dutch, Danish and German Horse are likely to have
operated this way and French from 1700 to1715.
The role of dragoons was
evolving during the period. Theoretically they were mounted infantry
who rode forward and dismounted to fight. Often they would take and
hold a position until reinforcements arrived. Increasingly they were
being used in the mounted combat role. Often possessed of inferior
horses and frequently not trained in the cavalry tactics of the day,
they could for a limited time, stand up and be counted against Horse.
When fighting mounted they formed in squadrons along the same
principles as Horse. On foot they formed in battalions like the
infantry.
This period saw the use of
grenadier battalions which were ad hoc formations drawn from the
grenadier companies of various units. Each infantry battalion usually
possessed a grenadier company. In theory, these men were the biggest
and bravest and consequently received the most dangerous jobs such as
assaulting prepared defences. They would lob or bowl underarm their
sputtering, fused granadoes (grenades) kept in a large pouch slung
over the shoulder or attached to a waist belt, then charge forward.
Many were equipped with hand hatchets to chop down defence works.
Units of grenadiers would be extremely colourful because of the wide
variety of coat and facing colours which appeared in each composite
unit.
This period saw the
beginnings of professional artillery corps which would come to
dominate the battlefields of the world from the late 18th
century onwards. At this stage however the fledgling formations were
limited in their scope by extremely heavy guns which were not served
with an efficient support network. A few professional technicians
directed operations and utilized a large quantity of untrained
strong-backs to do the manual work. Artillery was not fully
militarized and so its use was somewhat restricted.