Wellington
Posted by Ken on January 23, 1998 at 11:26:47:
In response to Wellington's Army, written by Ann on January 23, 1998 at 11:01:46
] I'm referring, once again, to Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe series, where that statistic is mentioned several times in relation to Wellington's army on the continent.
The Union of 1801 had the effect of merging the Irish establishment with the regulars. It is worth noting that when Wellington bought his lt. colonelcy at 24, he had spent most of his mandatory 6 years as aide-de-camp of the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. Unemployment was relatively low in England, but the bounty of 18 guineas--basically a full year's wages--was a powerful inducement to the Irish, according to Rothenberg. Rothenberg also gives a figure of 47,000 in 1792, rising to 160,000 by 1801 and 200,000 by 1809. Between recruiting & merging of establishments, a figure of 1 in 3 Irish is believable.
Keegan has a word or two about religious beliefs/practices on the eve of Waterloo; I'll try to remember to check him.
YHOS,
Snarkhunter
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