Waterloo Association Study Day

Home defence in the French Revolutionary Wars

Speaker: Rory Butcher

For those not enlisted in the regular army, facing the French (or fever) during countless expeditions across the globe, the experience of warfare in the 1790s was largely shaped by their day-to-day lives within Britain and Ireland. Many, however, still wanted to serve their King and Nation, and so sought to join one of the branches which did not promise service overseas. This paper will examine the various elements of this network of defence, ranging from the civilian, part-time Volunteer and Yeomanry corps to the ‘compelled’ county militias, to the regular-esque fencible regiments, and consider how these forces interacted with each other throughout this unsettled and oft-overlooked period in history.

No sinecure: A regimental colonel in the Napoleonic Era

Speaker: Dr Andrew Bamford

By the start of the 19th century, regimental colonelcies in the British Army were in many cases seen as a recognition of good service and a source of income. However, plenty of opportunity remained for an active colonel to make a real difference to the effectiveness of his regiment if he so desired. This talk uses the extensive correspondence of Sir James Steuart - successively colonel of the 12th Light Dragoons and 2nd Dragoons - to explore just what regimental colonels did and the impact that their interventions could have on the effectiveness of the regiments entrusted to them.

Britain's spymaster: William Wickham and the French Revolutionary Wars

Speaker: Carole Divall

Clausewitz may have written that politicians cause wars, while soldiers have to fight them, but both politicians and soldiers need information. In this respect, William Wickham played a vital role in the Wars of the First and Second coalitions. Based in Switzerland, he created a spider's web that received and sent information which influenced the decisions of politicians and soldiers alike.

The French cavalry sword: From Klingenthal to Waterloo and beyond

Speaker: Reverend Dr Paul Wilcock

The presentation will cover the history and development of the French cavalry sword 1792-1815 including its production and the types of swords deployed.

The iconic nature of these swords has led to their adoption by other nations and latterly many reproductions. The examination of markings will highlight how some of these may be identified.