The First British Army 1624-1628

Book excerpt: Although the concept of 'Britain' dates back to the Roman period, it was James I that founded Britain in the modern sense. With his accession to the throne in 1603, for the first time Scotland, England, Wales and Ireland were united under one monarch - with James bestowing on himself the title of 'King of Great Britain'. Before James' accession, Scotsmen and Irishmen may have served in the English Army as mercenaries, but it was known as an English Army - but after 1693 a British flag flew over the castles and forts throughout the Countries. The army raised by Charles I in 1625 for the war against Spain, and subsequently with France, is most famous for its failure. However, it is one of the best-documented armies of the early seventeenth century. Using archival and archaeological evidence, the first half of the book covers the lives of the officers and men serving in this army - as well as the women who accompanied them. The author discusses the origins of officers and why they decided to serve in the army - and how the men from England, Scotland and Ireland were recruited, as well as how they were clothed and what they ate, their medical care, and the tactics used by the army. It also covers the hidden asset of the tailors, armorers and merchants who helped to put the army into the field. The second half of the book covers not only the expeditions to Cadiz, the Île de Rhé and to the siege of La Rochelle, but also their effect on an England who feared a Spanish, and later a French, invasion. Also covered are the campaigns of Count Ernest von Mansfeldt's and Sir Charles Morgan's armies, which fought at Breda, Dessau Bridge and against the forces of the Holy Roman Empire. The final chapter looks at what became of the soldiers and their widows once the army had been disbanded. Overall, this book will be essential reading for anyone interested in this period of Early Modern History, including the English Civil War and the Thirty Years' War. The publication of this new fully revised edition has enabled the author to add some eight years of new research on the subject and the inclusion of specially commissioned artwork depicting drill postures from the period.