"A Killing a Day" Supplying the British Army, 1793 - 1815

In the British army of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars soldiers of many ranks were hungry, dressed in tattered uniforms and slept in the open. This is a contrast with the image of the effective, victorious force that had driven the French from Spain and fought so hard at Waterloo. The army struggled to provide not only food and uniform but also chaplains, medical services and education. This was a failing not just for soldiers but also the wives and families who followed them. This had implications for strategy and heavily influenced planning to oppose a French invasion.