The British Army

Size of the British Army

This section is the strength of the Army and is essentially a summary of the organizations that comprise what we think of as the "British Army". In reality, there was not just one British Army. By this we are not referring to the forces under the command of a particular general as an army, but all of the forces, whereever deployed, who fell under a common administration (and also a single commander-in-chief). Each of these British Armies was also referred to as an Establishment. In 1775 there were the English and the Irish Establishments. During the course of the war, there developed an American Establishment for certain Provincial, or Loyalist, corps.

Establishment (Table of Organization) of a Regiment of Foot

The size of a regiment and its organization are generally referred to by the term: Establishment. This was set in broad terms by the Mutiny Act and given more details from time to time by Royal Warrants and directives from the Secretary of War or Adjutant General.

Articles of War of 1762

The Articles of War were the basis of military law.

Royal Clothing Warrants of 1768

The uniforms of the army were regulated by Royal Warrants which were issued from time to time. The Royal Clothing Warrant of 1768 regulated uniforms of the regiments of foot and was in force during the American War of Independence.

Paying the Army

Suffice it to say that the process and bookkeeping behind the pay system were positively Byzantine and that a private in a regiment of foot receive almost no money at all. To quote Samuel Johnson, "A soldier is paid as little as a man can get."

Excerpt from General Howe's Maneuvres for the Light Infantry

Major General Sir William Howe introduced new maneuvres for the Light Infantry in 1774. This new method was taught to several regiments in a training camp and then disseminated through the rest of the army by the regiments that had attended the camp.