British regiments were raised by individuals who were paid by the Crown for each soldier they could enlist and keep. Often, the recruiting followed a standard pattern: “By lies they lured them, by liquor they tempted them, and when they were dead drunk they forced a shilling into their fists.” Acceptance of the King’s shilling, whether consciously or not, implied a binding contract and meant a new member of the regiment. Although the recruiting officers may have had to use trickery to fill the ranks, they nonetheless sought good material. Ideally, British units were to be composed of “respectable, docile country lads, brought up by careful, thrifty parents in a decent cottage home.”

The average British enlisted man and company-grade officer had ten years’ experience. He had usually served in the same regiment during this time and was imbued with a strong corporate spirit towards his fellow soldiers. Usually, a British regiment was composed of ten companies of about 80 men each. One of the companies was of the elite grenadiers, one of the light infantry, and eight companies were soldiers of the elite, who provided the mass and firepower in the traditional European-type battle. (JJG)