Scientia Militaria, South African Journal of Military Studies, Vol 8, Nr 4, 1978. http://scientiamilitaria.journals.ac.za 3 ~ - -S - 4. ~~Y =)~.~: SS ~S I3Y IJURCH4.SE U J (UICK) USUER' the ages of fifteen and eighteen years to produce I have before me a copy of a letter dated 12 May, specialist officers for the Sappers and Miners (En- 1814, written by certain Lieutenant-Colonel William gineers) and for the Royal Artillery. The Academy Fuller of the King's Dragoon Guards to a British Lord, in which is advised that a commission for for future regimental officers at Sandhurst, was not founded until 1812, but it took fifty years before His Lordship's son would cost £735. Further on in it came to be regarded as a career asset to have this article I shall state the prices as they were at the attended there. The Staff College for senior offI- time of the' Crimean War. Only recently did I read cers was established in 1799, but attendance there a book by a very well-known British author who was not insisted upon for higher promotion until the claims that the British army of the 1850's was small, and that the Crimean War was to prove that late Victorian period. it was shockingly organised, but he speaks only Information obtained from the National Army well of the navy of that period. I ask that my Museum in London on the appointment of army readers please bear in mind that in earlier days officers during the early Victorian period is of there was no such rank as second-lieutenant nor interest. Let us regard a regime'lt as being a busi- sub-lieutenant in the British army. The most junior ness company with limited liability, required to commissioned rank in the infantry was that of en- carry out certain government contracts. To view a sign. In the cavalry, it was cornet until 1871, regiment as if it existed as such a company, is when it became sub-lieutenant. merely to give a clearer picture of the situation. The colonel was purely an administrative appoint- Until the year 1849, there was no requirement for a ment made by the government, and he was given a. candidate for a commission to have had any formal large cash amount to commence with, or a yearly education, nor was there any entrance examination. or ten-yearly allowance for clothing, food, weapons, What was required of the candidate was that he be pay and other requirements. As a rule he stayed of suitable social background, possess the private home during the period that the regiment served financial means to pay for the commission and to overseas in building up the Empire. He was re- support his position in his regiment. One must bear sponsible for the carrying out of all government in mind that I am dealing with a period when the instructions, and for recruitment in the United British nobility and gentry were most influential in Kingdom to balance the wastage within the ranks army affairs. The following were not required to of the serving regiment. He was like the managing purchase commissions: director, and the officers below him like members 1. Militia officers. An officer could apply for a free of the board, with shares in the regiment and commission into a line regiment provided he whose dividends depended on the monetary value brought with him a stipulated number of volunteers of their commissions. The lieutenant-eolonel was to serve in the ranks. This usually applied in time the true leader of the regiment in the more prac- of war. tical sense. Any surplus monies at the end of the 2. Sons of officers killed or died serving. appropriate period, was shared out. But many 3. Sergeants promoted from the ranks. .honest regiments used this surplus to provide 4. Officers of the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, schools, medical facilities and pensions for the Royal Artillery, and Royal Engineers. widows and families of the disabled. The Royal Military Academy at Woolwich was esta- • Mr Usher is a free-lance writer and a member of blished in 1741 for the education of boys between the 1820 Settlers' Association of South Africa. 77 Scientia Militaria, South African Journal of Military Studies, Vol 8, Nr 4, 1978. http://scientiamilitaria.journals.ac.za The normal procedure was to apply to the colonel teers to serve in the ranks. As stated earlier on, of the regiment in which the candidate desired this usually happened only in time of war. a commission. If he approved, the colonel would refer the candidate to the regimental agent, who The lieutenant-colonel's responsibilities included al- would receive the necessary purchase money and locating the duties of the officers who served under prepare papers for Royal Assent. If the candidate him, and presiding over the regimental courts had no previous military service, he could only be martial. He had to confirm the sentences of these granted the lowest commissioned rank, that is, courts especially those involving floggings, which ensign or cornet. The newly commissioned officer he and the entire regiment would be required to was not actualy compelled to serve with the regi- witness at a parade. I have a record of the course ment, because with the approval of the followed in Grahamstown, after the arrival of the commander-in-chief he could immediately be re- 1820 British Settlers, when a public military moved from the active list and go onto half-pay. flogging was to take place. The military authorities The term half-pay could create the wrong impres- had a large wooden equilateral triangle which stood sion, as a regimental officer's pay was never de- about eight foot high. Horizontal and upright bars signed to afford him a living, but rather as an hono- joined the opposite sides, so that a large grating rarium. The scale remained virtually unaltered be- was formed. The soldiers to be flogged were tween the reigns of William III and Queen Victoria. formed up alongside and guarded by an escort In many cases parents purchased commissions for with fixed bayonets. Beyond stood the public who their minor children, and when in later years these had come to view the floggings. Three persons children commenced serving in the army, their se- officiated, namely the doctor, the duty officer, and niority was taken from the date of their commis- the man who wielded the cat-of-nine tails, with his sions. Only occasionally was any commission from bucket of salt water. The soldiers to be flogged the ranks granted, and this would happen when a were stripped to the waist, and were tied to the sergeant had shown bravery of a very high standard triangle at the hands and at the feet. Normally the or proved himself to be a leader of an exceptionally sentences were for forty-save-one, which meant high order. As mentioned earlier on, he would not thirty-nine lashes, but there were heavier senten- have to pay for his commission. The Militia regi- .ces. The cat was dipped into the salt water, ments were officered by the squirearchy of the and after the flogging the soldier's back was wash- county and were used mainly to quell local unrest. ed with that saline liquid. A gentleman who had been commissioned into the County Militia, at virtually no cost, could apply for When a regimental officer wished to sell his com- a free commission into a line regiment provided he mission for the rank he held, the theory was that brought with him a stipulated number of vol un- it should be offered to the officers of the next (Photo: Reproduced by {he permission of (he African Museum, Johannesburg) Cape Mounted Riflemen 1850 78 Scientia Militaria, South African Journal of Military Studies, Vol 8, Nr 4, 1978. http://scientiamilitaria.journals.ac.za brevet lieutenant-eolonelcy which was senior in lower rank, in their order of seniority. If none could date to the commission of his own regimental com- afford to buy the commission, it could be offered mander. He could thus be temporarily in command to officers of other regiments, or to officers on half-pay. Should a regimental officer wish merely to of his own commanding officer. exchange with another of equal rank in another regiment, it could be arranged with the approval Earlier on I mentioned that in 1814 a commission of the commander-in-ehief. He could also exchange in the King's Dragoon Guards cost £735. The price with an officer on half-pay. Both these arrange- to be paid for a commission was fixed by the army ments were initiated by private negotiation and depended upon the rank to be bought and the between the officers and in most cases a cash social standing of the regiment. At the time of the adjustment was required. Prior to 1856, if an officer Crimean War, to be an ensign in an ordinary died, his family received no compensation for the infantry regiment would cost £450, and in the Foot cost of his commission. Instead, a free promotion Guards it would cost £1 200. To be a cornet in was given to the next senior officer. As regards the Dragoons cost £840 and in the Life Guards orphans and widows of officers, any support it was £1 260. Promotion from ensign to lieutenant granted them was entirely by voluntary subscrip- in an infantry regiment would cost £700, but the tion. If the lieutenant-eolonel of a regiment died, officer concerned would recover £450 by selling his then the position was 'up for grabs' but the final ensign's commission.