Could You Survive in the Duke of Wellington's Army?

[@HistoryHit]

Hope you enjoy guys! Which unit of Wellington's army would you rather serve in? 🤔

[@MarquisVincentBissetdeGramont]

Could you, for a change, evoke the great French victories against the British throughout history? 🧐

[@frcprc4022]

None: 2:54, pekingese peed on my backpack, I'm out...

[@poil8351]

the foot guards or even better horse guards better pay better rations, better living conditions in general.

[@eamonnclabby7067]

As an Irishman...probably, Sharpe and his chums...😅😅😅😅

[@eamonnclabby7067]

PS ,generation upon generation of Irish and Scots took the King, s shilling..still do...Declan McManus aka Elvis Costello sang about it in Oliver, s army...dedicated to his Grandad...😊😊😊

[@hernerweisenberg7052]

Those green jacketed riflemen were so good of an elite unit, Sean Bean playing one of them didn't have to die for once :D

[@kiely4561]

I always wanted to be a chosen man of the 95 rifles when I was a kid lol

[@Blue13GBG12]

​@@kiely4561 same lol

[@Kmobful]

still, got shot almost every episode :P

[@NetVoyagerOne]

He did have his first wife die and life's savings stolen by his second wife, though.

[@robertpage3195]

Can't believe this I've just binge watched Sharpe. It's still great. Might have a go at Hornblower next week

[@7bootzy]

Wow. This gave me such nostalgia back to television when I was a kid and there were actual history programs, not "Hitler's Aliens and Pyramids." The time and effort that must've gone into making this is truly incredible. That intro sequence of the foot marching to the rifles appearing through the bush is something else, man. The reenactors are awesome!

[@andydougy4347]

I'm literally 60 seconds in and can already tell this is going to be better produced than anything that's been on TLC or the History Channel in the last 20 years.

[@curtiswebb8135]

I owe you a beer or two. We'll said.

[@kristoferpearson1537]

Those shows are so bad they make Sharps Rifles seem like a documentary.

[@HistoryHit]

Thanks a lot! No aliens on this channel 😀

[@richardpiper6265]

In 1972 we marched to “There’s no use in looking down, there’s no discharge on that ground.” How true that was!

[@timholder6825]

My half sister, when she married, was gifted 3 bottles of Champagne by her father. Looted by her great, great, great, grandfather at Badajoz.

[@ddc2957]

That’s the least of the crimes at Badajoz but Police will add it to their list. Detectives’ 8x grand children are still combing through the scene.

[@mogaman28]

Imagine welcoming your supposed allies liberating you from the French invaders only to be looted and pillaged by them.

[@macstrong1284]

@@mogaman28 yeah and they called napoleon uncivilized because of his sanctioned looting. hypocrites

[@seanhenderson3791]

As an Ex-Rifleman of The Rifles it’s great seeing the core values and traditions of the 95th still being instilled into the Rifleman of today.

[@dave8323]

Also having been in the Rifles, it is clear to me that youre talking absolute shite. apart from a faster march and nonsense rhetoric, they are identical to every other infantry regiment

[@japhfo]

​@user-bu4is9ii7u Tall cap and bolt action rifle. Devil soldier from the future!

[@fordwk]

Awesome...you served in a GREAT unit!

[@csvickers151]

Over the hills and far away. 🇬🇧🇬🇧

[@MadTrapper1]

Black and green , the finest colours ever seen.

[@mikebrase5161]

Im an American US Army vet. I was doing my Genealogy and im thankful the UK record keeping is so good. I found the pension record for my 6th Great Grandfather he served in the 2nd Dragoons from 1799 to 1816.

[@dylancoombes]

You can still join these regiments today

[@mikebrase5161]

@@dylancoombes for me it's cool as I had a 6th GGF in the British 2nd Dragoons a 3td GGF served in the 6th Michigan Cavalry under Custer and when I served my first unit was 1st Battalion 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division. It's like I was fated to be in the Cav and didn't know it. I retired in 2011 and I wasn't until 2021 I started researching the Kennedy side of my family.

[@zennathanielyuzon3177]

@@mikebrase5161 Damn the Cavalry Units were used to turn the tide of a battle, mad respect to the lads who would charge into column of musket fire with no show of fear but courage and determination.

[@uncletiggermclaren7592]

It is so interesting to think of the various family members of yours, what hand they had in the history of both Nations, what lead some of them to boarding ship for the 1- 1.5 month voyage to the Colonies. And what their lives were like.

[@mikebrase5161]

@@uncletiggermclaren7592 Oh it's even crazier, on my Fathers mother's side I had 3 relatives who fought in the German side in WW2 all the while her future husband my Grandfather was in the US Army and landed on D-Day.

[@sirandrelefaedelinoge]

My 7th great grandfather, Giles Edmonds, served in the XIV Hussars in Spain... he served from November 1808 - July 1814, when he was pensioned out due to injury and became a Chelsea Pensioner... he lived out a good long life with his fifteen children.

[@Zamiroh]

Your great grandfather was alive during those times? Four generations spanned over 215 years?

[@sirandrelefaedelinoge]

@Zamiroh what's your problem?

[@sirandrelefaedelinoge]

@Zamiroh some people such as yourself are just "Internet Victims" incapable of believing anything. I'm not prepared to give you his discharge papers because you'd refuse to believe they're real. But, I don't believe YOU'RE Real.

[@animeyahallo3887]

@@Zamiroh I think they meant their "great great great great great great great grandfather" when they said "7th great grandfather" so 10 generations over 200+ yrs.

[@CarterWedge]

​@@Zamirohlearn how to read

[@ExUSSailor]

So, basically, recruiters talked as much BS then, as they do now.

[@Hillbilly001]

I think even a Roman Legionnaire heard a recruiter's crap. LoL. Scares the Jesus out of them if you tell them what you're doing there. LOL! Cheers

[@vectorbrony3473]

Pretty much. “Join the Royal Navy he said, see the world he said” buuull sh-t I say

[@pilsplease7561]

@@vectorbrony3473 lol I am american always wished I was british but even I wouldnt serve in the Royal Navy.

[@zaeroses1096]

@@pilsplease7561 As a Brit, I don't know anyone who would

[@pilsplease7561]

@@zaeroses1096 I would serve in the british army if i was british though. Nothing wrong with the army.

[@Splodge542]

The food, the drink, the flies, the heat, the mosquitos, the marches, the weather, the wives and the French. How did any of them come back?

[@EzekielDeLaCroix]

Did they have anything to come back to in the first place?

[@maxfoster4141]

Definitely a snow flake free zone.

[@ddc2957]

A better question would be could you survive in Blücher’s army? French across a bridge? Attack. French on a fortified hill? Attack. French outnumber us 7-1? Attack. French have split the atom & devised a nuke? Attack.

[@FelixstoweFoamForge]

I like the fact you put the French last. Natural place for Johnny Crapaud! (Joke, obviously).

[@zachall101]

By putting one foot in front of the other and repeating that 😂😂 it’s really that easy lol

[@gjallarhorn6663]

Surviving in Old Nosey's Army? Now that's soldiering.

[@jamesmc1600]

The ability to make it through a 51 minute video on the peninsular war without mentioning sharpe… now that’s soldiering

[@pinkushatejar]

Old Wellington, he scratched his bum. He says, "Boney lad, thee's had thee fun. My riflemen will win the day, Over the hills and far away!

[@thehomie_mr.c]

damn right thats soldiering

[@rc59191]

Now I gotta go back and rewatch Sharpes Rifles all over again lol.

[@davidsparkes4377]

Two of my Ancestors were in Wellington's Army. One Richard Rowe who served in the 2nd Foot Regiment for nearly 14 years.. He was at Vitoria. The second one William Taylor was in the 11th Dragoons and was at Salamanca and Waterloo.. William was in this Regiment for 15 years, both were Chelsea Pensioners in 1851.

[@GazalAlShaqab]

One ancestor of mine served in Polish troops of the French army and fought against Wellington's army in Spain, maybe our Ancestors fought against each other… God, there is A LOT of fighting in Europe's history! As far as I am able to go back in time through my "family tree", I am only the second generation that wasn't in a war, before that every single generation had to fight at some point (at least for us, the Poles, this is so).

[@matthewlo55]

Any proof mate?

[@iceberg789]

how did they survive for so many years ?

[@davidsparkes4377]

@@matthewlo55 I have the discharge papers and medal awards. Also the 1851 census records 😁

[@davidsparkes4377]

@@iceberg789 just lucky, my Ancestor Richard Rowe was in the West Indies for 5 years 8 months. 250 of his regiment died of yellow fever..

[@FelixstoweFoamForge]

"But it is wonderful what fine fellows we have made of them" , People always forget that bit of Wellington's statement. Which, to be fair, he made for the first time after the battle of Vittoria in 1814, when his victorious troops, after winning a decisive battle against the retreating French, stopped to plunder their baggage train, depriving Wellington of some much needed money, (Intended to actually pay the men with!), and allowing the French to escape to fight again in the Pyrenees. What with Gout, interferences from Whitehall, occasionally insane generals, and a rank and file who, (at least some of them), would drink anything liquid and nick anything not nailed down, I can kind of excuse Wellington's outburst a little bit. And let us not forget; Wellington may not have LIKED his soldiers, but he certainly tried to not throw their lives away.

[@Rich.L-J_KZN]

As usual, the gold is in the comments

[@throwback19841]

Suddenly I'm thinking of the interaction between wellington and the plundering soldier in the movie Waterloo "do you know what the punishment for plunder is?" "Uh, stoppage of gin sir?" "Damn your eyes, it's death"

[@FelixstoweFoamForge]

@@throwback19841 And then he says to the officer next to him "I don't know what they'll do to the French, but by God, they frighten me!". Christopher Plummer was a brilliant Wellington. Underrated film.

[@007ndc]

Don't forget that back then the British Navy and Army were often alternatives to jail or imprisonment, others joined simply for a square meal and shelter not to mention food.

[@Ukraineaissance2014]

​@@FelixstoweFoamForge if you like Waterloo, watch the soviet version of War and Peace made just a few years before. It was the same director (Bondarchuk) and the battle scenes are incredible, Waterloo was also made with nearly all russian extras and soviet backing.

[@stevemarshall5266]

My 3rd great Grandfather was in the 33rd Foot at Waterloo. He joined in 1811, when he was 16 years old, and had just gone 20 in June 1815. Out of 516 men of the regiment there were 280 casualties. Luckily fate was good to him and he survived to serve another 10 years in Ireland, Canada and Jamaica. He was honourably discharged from the Chelsea Hospital in 1824 and lived to 1853. He received a Chelsea Pension. All the survivors got 2 years service added towards the army pension along with the Waterloo medal.

[@vancouvervixen4253]

Amazing, thanks for sharing

[@RP-ks6ly]

I have enjoyed the Sharpe series of books from Bernard Cornwell. They discuss and illustrate this period with great accuracy and excellent stories with some historical latitude. It is great to see what Sharpe would have work as regular leg infantry and as an officer in the rifles. Thank you very much for your presentation, excellent resource.

[@michaelhawkins7389]

Did you ever watch the TV show?

[@RP-ks6ly]

@Michael Hawkins I have seen bits and pieces, but never watched the series, I want to though.

[@kiely4561]

I used to absolutely love the sharpe series as a kid

[@andrewpestotnik5495]

Now that's soldiering

[@jasoncoker1625]

🤘💯

[@anthonystevens8683]

Another top video guys this time showing a clear difference between the "Red Coats" and the "Rifles". along with the use case differences between the musket and the rifle users. It was also good to get an insight into the harsh life of the two regiments. Once again a great educational video guys. Many thanks for sharing. We still need to learn why we keep on fighting each other even now but I guess that is an issue that unfortunately I doubt will have a resolution and in my lifetime.

[@HistoryHit]

thanks Anthony!

[@stonedog5547]

Scalpel or Sledgehammer? Both are good at what they do..... Use the right tool for the job

[@christinemcdonald8705]

I luv these guys as hosts. How they split up and you get to see both sides a bit more in-depth than one normally would. Then when you see them again on the next adventure, they trade classes

[@Trazyn_the_Infinite_40K]

Putting out a documentary on what it was like in Wellington's Army? Now that's soldierin'.

[@michaelstirling3782]

I served 12 years with 3 royal green jackets,my ancestor sgt. Samuel humble Lawson of the 95th rifles led the forlorn hope at badajoz and was promoted to lieutenant.We still own the only existing forlorn hope medal as only 4 were issued,his GSM with forlorn hope bar,and his crimea medal and star as he was a adviser to the Portuguese. I also had an ancestor in the artists rifles and my grandfather was a rifle brigade officer in both world wars.

[@ryanhook9655]

S&b

[@terencefairweather6535]

Wow! Impressive! I served with 2 RGJ.

[@aaoaoaoaoaa]

bros ancestor was sharpe

[@michaelstirling3782]

@@aaoaoaoaoaa ??

[@terencefairweather6535]

@Stanly Stud Any ex servicemen who says derogatory remarks about any other regiment, is the knob. You need to grow up mate and have some respect for your fellow soldiers!

[@martinevans9757]

That was really well done! Balanced, informative, and genuinely enjoyable to watch. Will be back for more.

[@HistoryHit]

thanks Martin!

[@MattFieldPhoto]

the fuller on the bayonet is not a “blood groove” - popular misconception. its function is to simultaneously lighten and stiffen the blade

[@hand587]

I think that 'fact' about the canteens not containing water but beer is also a popular myth. There were plenty of wells (or streams) with perfectly drinkable water, in almost every village

[@HUMPTYNUGGET]

I was told that the blood channel in the SLR and SA80 bayonets was to counter the suction from the victims body as bayonets without this channel would get stuck

[@MattFieldPhoto]

a classic case of Fudd Lore@@HUMPTYNUGGET

[@suburbia2050]

​@@HUMPTYNUGGETyeah I would imagine it had that functionality as well, maybe it's a bit of both

[@redclayscholar620]

​@@hand587modern canteens however are more likely to contain dip spit. 😂

[@greasyflight6609]

I could not survive in our local Boy Scouts Troop let alone the Duke Wellingtons Army

[@mrbearbear83]

I've been in boy scouts, it's Lord of the flies stuff

[@charlesc.9012]

Unlike the French army, the British army was mostly made up of slummers. They grew up living the ghetto life (without food), and would earn a dollar a day for most of their life, in today's money. The army would actually be a step up: Food was guaranteed, you travelled abroad, and the drippy uniform was unattainable in their childhood. Their lives were cheap anyway, so didn't always have to be impressed into the army. If Harlem didn't have food, that would be equal to East London in 1803

[@greasyflight6609]

@@mrbearbear83 lol

[@Lucius1958]

*"They may* (or is it 'may not'?) *frighten the enemy, but by God they frighten me."* - attributed to Wellington

[@roughrider6129]

And yet he's also quoted as saying "When other Generals make mistakes their armies are beaten; when I get into a hole, my men pull me out of it." so I'd wager he felt they had their qualities as well.

[@zulubeatz1]

What incredible people recreating this unique history. I thoroughly enjoyed this video. Great work. I have wanted to know more about the armies of this time and found this very informative and entertaining. The British army although not the originators developed the light infantry concept into one of the widest accepted standard infantry practices in history. Even modern divisions still have similarities with the force make up from this time.

[@tonycoke2676]

Great program guys. It was good fun and an honour to take part in the filming and to meet you guys. I hope we get to do other projects with History Hit in the future...😎

[@jaymac7203]

As a huge fan of Sharpe and military history in general, this was fantastic. Definitely my favourite video yet from this channel 😊👍

[@joebloggs5318]

Thought they might have included something about floggings seeing as they happened on a daily basis

[@MySmokingToaster]

"The French system of conscription brings together a fair sample of all classes; ours is composed of the scum of the earth - the mere scum of the earth. It is only wonderful that we should be able to make so much out of them afterwards." Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington

[@ddc2957]

From serfs, to soldiers…& back to serfs.

[@treatitlikeaboardgame3508]

Plowshares to swords and back again

[@ddc2957]

What a noble cause. Remind me who the villain(s) is again in the Napoleonic Wars?

[@Blisterdude123]

@@ddc2957 History rarely offers us black and white answers. A million different answers, a million different perspectives, heroes and villains depend upon who you ask.

[@ddc2957]

That’s true. I can only judge the situation through my own moral compass. Britain were the worst of a very awful bunch of nations in this conflict where France fought for a grand cause. But opinions of course differ.

[@dinkburns6883]

"We'll grind your bones to bake my bread" goes the nursery rhyme. And the DID!! Harvested the bones from the battles - ground it up for fertilizer in UK, until a group said it was ungodly. Still rewatch Sharp's War. - thank you Bernard Cornwall, and incredible cast. WONDERFUL research History Hit.

[@Zippsterman]

The carbines used by the French light infantry did have the significant advantage of rate of fire over the British rifles due to the tight fit needed for roundballs to engage the rifling. The later development of the Minie ball - which had a hollow back and therefore could be loaded loosely (and easily in fouled-up blackpowder barrels) while still engaging the rifling when the pressure expands the skirt outward - is what made the mass adoption of rifles practical for line infantry as seen in the American Civil War. Rifles had been around for a long time by the Napoleonic wars, but there's a reason why they still chose to equip mainly with smoothbores (there's also the cost of manufacturing at scale)

[@rhysnichols8608]

The French tended to prefer rate and fire over accuracy, which is a valid point because Napoleon was able to consistently beat most armies he fought against, the French usually deployed swarms of skirmishes who preferred to keep up higher rate of fire which gave better suppression value and psychological affect. There are merits to both methods of skirmishing, in my opinion it would be best to have 75% of your skirmishers armed with higher rate of fire carbines and have 25% with rifles who can more easily snipe high value targets whilst under cover from the higher fire rate out put, but I don’t know if this was ever the case

[@timothybrady2749]

Excellent, informative and well produced presentation. The reenactors are wonderful!

[@johnclarke6647]

My 3rd great grand uncle served in Bluchers Prussian Army at Waterloo. He was wounded there and died several years later from his injuries. Since I survived Parris Island over 50 years ago I believe I could survive being in Wellingtons Army.

[@brucewindsor5257]

One consideration is that many more soldiers died of disease and from wounds because surgeons did not practice sterile techniques. Even WWI had high death rates from the misnamed Spanish flu. So you might have survived combat but not these other threats

[@johnclarke6647]

@@brucewindsor5257 yes, however more soldiers died of common diseases than wounds in battle. A lot of doctors were also incompetent and a lot more did not know anything about germs and common sanitation. I remember a quote from John Wayne in the movie, Horse Soldiers, when he told a colonel that coffee would taste a lot better if the latrines were built down stream from where they got the water for the coffee. Now, we take these common sanitation principals for granted but not so a couple of hundred years ago, especially before the enlightenment of Louis Pasteur.

[@Art-is-craft]

@@brucewindsor5257 The field surgeons did not have the resources to create sterile environments the real game changer was antibiotics.

[@charlesc.9012]

@@Art-is-craft Even before antibiotics, it was discovered that operating quickly and cleaning the table with soap and water, as well as washing hands with chlorinated lime massively increased the survival rates

[@Art-is-craft]

@@charlesc.9012 None of that changed the landscape like antibiotics.

[@scottreid1028]

Ive said it once and I’ll say it again.. I’M ADDICTED TO THIS SERIES!!! Keeeeep them cominggggg history squire! 🤓💙

[@GazalAlShaqab]

GREAT, great video! BIG thanks to all the guys who keep those beautiful traditions ALIVE!! 🤩

[@kathyastrom1315]

I’m trying to pin down if a 5th great granduncle George Goodwin from New Brunswick, Canada fought at Waterloo. I’ve been able to prove that he and his brother Benjamin were in the 104th New Brunswick Regiment and fought in the War of 1812, as family legend said they did. The legend then said that they both fought at Waterloo, but I did prove that Benjamin, at least, did not-he stayed in Canada through 1817. George, however, was transferred to England in November 1814. I have lost him at that point, but have found that a George Goodwin was in the paybook for the 23rd Light Dragoons from December 25, 1814 through the end of 1816, and did fight at Waterloo. I really need to find the paybook preceding that one to see if that George Goodwin is in it. If so, then he is not my relative. If he isn’t, then at least that man could be him. The only other option I can think of is seeing if he had an obituary published when he died in 1849, but I haven’t found one yet. The fact that the family legend is a long-lasting one, first published in 1900, does boost my confidence in it, but that’s not proof.

[@eamonnclabby7067]

Hi ,Kathy parish records, Catholic and protestant might be a useful source, a few Goodwin's and Godwin's here on Merseyside, and Dublin..??.. I hope you succeed, best wishes from the wirral peninsula ,bounded by the mersey and the Dee and the Irish sea...geography and rhyme😊😊😊😊.

[@kathyastrom1315]

@@eamonnclabby7067 Thanks! I do know that George and Benjamin’s father Daniel was from Plymouth, England. He had emigrated to Massachusetts in 1754 and enlisted for the French and Indian War in 1755. He served until 1762 and settled in New Brunswick after the war, not far from where he had fought. My 1900 published source for the family legend also talked about Daniel’s military service, reinforcing my hopes that the legend for George’s Waterloo service is also based in fact.

[@notabandaidgaming479]

"...70 yards, then the vets start hanging a bit back because they aren't so sure about this." Man, what an insane thing to feel.

[@Daveluvutube]

It’s crazy how so much has changed but yet so much is still the same. Pair fire and manoeuvre is still very present today.

[@_Davepocalypse]

I put this in to fall asleep to. Ended up watching the whole thing fully engaged. This was really well put together and a fascinating insight into the military at the time. Also a good bit of context for my viewings if Sharpe 😅.

[@NickMullet]

Very underrated channel. Things like this are the reason I no longer have a tv subscription.

[@wmr9019]

My fourth grade grandfather Lawrence Stevens, BORN 15 April 1792 ,was a soldier in the 4th foot regiment 1st battalion, was awarded a medal for the battle of Waterloo , ended his days in the royal hospital Chelsea where he finally passed away in march 1872 aged 79 yrs and is buried in the Brompton cemetery, RIP, , THANK GOD YOU WENT MADE INTO DENTURES!!!! In the 20th century both my brothers went on to serve in the royal green jackets 1 and 3 RGJ, I have a long military history in my family covering all conflicts since 1800s, with various ancestors awarded medals in various campaigns both in the army and the navy

[@rechnin6680]

I might get shot for saying this, but, I always liked the line from Sharpe "You won't see a battle, but you'll bloody hear it!"

[@Uajd-hb1qs]

I never even knew of the green coats, that is really cool. It’s such a fascinating form of warfare cuz it’s one that us in the modern era can’t really comprehend with the fact of just standing and kneeling in an open field just firing at large ranks of the enemy. In modern warfare, no one would survive but then we’re not restricted to a few rounds a minute.

[@raychumon]

Love this duo & series! So many knowledgeable reenactors, makes you want to go out there and experience it for yourself. I definitely wouldn't survive being in either unit haha

[@thequintanashow5058]

I love how the Brown Bess didn’t even have a sight. The manufacturer’s were like, “come on, who are we kidding…”😂

[@ianmacpheat9064]

My G.G.G.G Grandfather Joseph McFate, 72nd Seaforth Highlanders, was attached to the Experimental Rifle Corps at its formation in 1800, as Quarter Master Sergeant. His son, born in Hampstead, was named Stuart Manningham McFate, after the Colonel’s of the Regiment.

[@nledaig]

My Great great grandfather Murchadh was a soldier in the Freicaidean Dubh, eventually with Moore and afterwards with Wellesley in The Peninsula where he lost his arm at the siege of Burgos. Brought to the rear he was placed on stable doors on trestles in the rain in a farmyard, given rum and a belt to bite on. Orderlies lay on him and a cigar-smoking surgeon in high-hat and butcher's apron amputated the shattered arm and chucked it in the pile. Lots of men did not survive such amputations. Murchadh did.

[@munteanuiulian7427]

Saw these 2 regiments of reenactors in april at Moira Furnace. Entertaining seeing them drill and shoot.

[@tonycoke2676]

That is where this was filmed...it was a good event.

[@robertfreeman6082]

Great video and nicely explained the differences between the line infantry and the rifles.

[@secretagent86]

around the 19 minute mark.. see the young soldier... what a youthful look, and probably just the same as many who served, fought, and died in battle. RESPECT to those who serve(d)

[@gerardhogan3]

My great great grandfather joined the 40th of foot as a boy, and served on the Peninsula under Wellesley then New Orleans in 1815 then Waterloo and then as an occupational force in France. He died at aged 96. They made real bloody men then. Lest we forget

[@JaEDLanc]

The 40th of foot was one of the regiment’s that became the regiment I served, The Queens Lancashire Regiment. Quebec was a unique battle honour which the 40th took part in under Wolfe and we still celebrate it every year.

[@Freddy19677]

Never forgive , never forget British imperialism and colonialism and the hundreds of millions of massacred indigenous peoples.

[@stephenhowell5509]

Lucky hero surviving that lot

[@stephenhowell5509]

@@Freddy19677 biased

[@Unpseudopascommelesautres]

certains vous vous inventez des vies c'est incroyable.

[@beachcomberbloke462]

Thank you so much Luke and Louee for bringing history alive, rather than kept in a dark and dusty corner of a museum .After watching this i have to re watch Bernard Cornwell,s Sharpes Rifles starring the brilliant Sean Bean.❤

[@Hardrada88]

Very interesting! Learned a lot and well shot. One of my great (however many) granddads went through the peninsula campaign, Austria, Russia and Waterloo and retired into similar conditions as those he left. Last record he appears in a workhouse type thing in cholet aged in his 80s..so a good long life!! With many stories to tell.

[@xlprop6687]

It was great seeing this online. Makes me still proud so have been a Chosen Man from the RGJ. S&B fellow Rfn near and far.

[@tonycoke2676]

First in the field and last from the fray...

[@matthewdavies4818]

This was absolutely brilliant! And the 95th Sargent was brilliant! He played the role and had all the information. I bet they had a great time.

[@flashladderacrobat]

I went to Waterloo on the 200th centenary and saw the reenactment and it was wonderfull , especially the camps with all the soldiers from different regiments and nationalities .

[@DumbAraya]

Love this series, can always depend on the brits to produce banger docs!

[@LivingHistoryUK]

Great video chaps, turned out great! Was awesome to host you at the Living History UK Festival. See you next year!

[@HistoryHit]

Thanks so much - we'll be back!

[@timothybrady2749]

Thank you for the outstanding presentation. All of the reenactors were fantastic. I learned a great deal!👍👍

[@bouse23]

Particularly in regard to recruits from ireland. many were from spalpín fánach class. The wandering labourers this was a a class of men who would have wandered the irish countryside from place to place seeking agricultural. employment.sleeping In barns or outhouses if lucky or in ditches if unlucky. To men like this the army even with all the harsh discipline of military life may have been a relatively attractive option.

[@thesnoopmeistersnoops5167]

I suppose terrible food and low pay beats no food and no pay.

[@aetius7139]

​@@thesnoopmeistersnoops5167 more like "beats the alternative". With the navy press gangin means you have no choice at all. At least with the army you choose to volunteered.

[@bouse23]

@Aetius the only people ever press ganged by the navy were civilian sailors. A guy who had never been to sea before was useless to the navies of the time.

[@AtheAetheling]

Yep. Ireland had something of a large population for its size at the time and combined with an economic downturn this drove a lot of Irishmen to the army. A third of the army was Irish, which of course was second only to England, which provided half, in terms of sheer numbers. One of the popular songs at the time spoke of 'twining the shamrock with the rose' and ending up with the best body of fighting men in the world as a result of the recruitment from both countries. Scotland and Wales too of course!

[@Martin-tn5lm]

The Duke of Wellington knew Ireland well - he was from Ireland.

[@user-vi6wf4gh9x]

Since watching this I have a really strong urge to go back and read all the Sharpe novels again. Now that's soldiering!

[@gmnotyet]

Wow, I always wondered why Sharpe wore a green uniform! Thanks for the explanation.

[@francisfisher328]

Not to ,mention the brown trousers

[@samsignorelli]

@@francisfisher328 Now that's soldiering..

[@samsignorelli]

I believe some US Civil War snipers (Union side) also wore green.

[@andreslinares6429]

He literally makes a point of being a rifleman...

[@andreslinares6429]

​@@samsignorelliyou haven't seen Sharpe haven't you?

[@gybod9166]

Brilliant video, that opening sequence was phenomenal. Great work.

[@reecedignan8365]

Great video guys and brining more light to my favourite period of history. Would love to see you guys maybe return to these boys one day if they are doing a proper reenactment against the frogs across the pond and showing your training out to use. But also. We have to admit here, these two ain’t your average working class day millers. No, these two are your middle class semi-gentlemen lads. Get them out of the infantry and get em into the cavalry sir and see they provide for their own horses too.

[@PokhrajRoy.]

What an interesting time to recreate. Also, this reminds me of ‘The Black Adder’ Season 3.

[@NickMullet]

TEEEAAAAA!!!!!!

[@theghaztguythecarescare6253]

My ancestor Louis Deitz was a young 19 year old in napoleons confederation of the rhine. He was sent to fight in the battle of Leipzig and when the bridge was blown he was taken prisoner. After the war he returned home and raised a family.

[@maxheinrichliebow]

Thoroughly enjoyed this. Very informative.

[@HistoryHit]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@rodblair3705]

In a reenactment of the Battle of Fort Erie in Upper Canada I fired 80 rounds with my musket with no misfires. The flint was almost worn out. People say that the guns were not reliable. I thought I would correct this statement.

[@RichardCrocker-dt4be]

That’s good going my friend. We can achieve that with a modern reproduction musket that is well maintained. But as I am sure you know, the misfire rate comes with bad flints, they are very random in quality, bad powder, damp powder, messing up the loading in stressful battles etc etc, the list goes on. In Napoleonic times the misfire rate was extremely high.

[@marioguidotomasone1265]

A good looked after firelock can allow you that, that's for sure, and that is true now and them. Aiming and hitting your targets with a certain accuracy is a completely different story, and that is the main difference between accuracy and innacuracy to me

[@paulholroyd8515]

I’m a big fan of the Sharpe books so this video really helped to bring it to life❤

[@Philtopy]

This is so mad to think how many people died from disease in that time. Imagine how many young men with hopes and dreams perished after a year of hard training in some field because of disintery, or then on the battlefield because nobody bothered to help the wounded. We just dont know how good we have it now...

[@user-li4sz3jz1b]

This is great,so interesting well done Luke and louee😊😊😊

[@icantellbythemoonvintage]

Loved this! 🤍 As someone obsessed with historical costume and uniforms this was a treasure trove of info and inspiration. Thank you!

[@kinghenryxl1747]

It's sad that there were no good sides in the Napoleonic Wars. Many veterans of Wellington's army ended up destitute and lived out their days languishing in Britain's infamous workhouses, as their pensions were never sufficiently supplemented to keep up with inflation.

[@dynamo1796]

No good sides? What on earth do you mean by that?

[@kinghenryxl1747]

@@dynamo1796 What were British soldiers fighting for? - To prevent Napoleon from replacing Britain’s aristocracy with his own elite, that’s it. British commoners were treated just as horribly as their French counterparts. Lord Wellington made his name India by conquering parts of it, thus subjecting India to a century of brutal occupation and wealth extraction. Wellington did not give two shits about freedom.

[@thesnoopmeistersnoops5167]

​@@dynamo1796 well the French could say they were forced to conquer Europe when all of Europe turned on (and invaded) France for becoming a republic, all to keep the status quo of monarchy power in Europe. It's all not so simple as good Vs bad. I'm English. Not quite a Bonapartist but Iike/try to look at all sides of it.

[@zaeroses1096]

There's never a good side. There are just sides. Each side has a reason. Each side does good things... and each side does many more bad things, as is the nature of war.

[@Kefuddle]

Interesting, inflation was virtually zero back then, but it was higher than in the 18th century.

[@simonjackson7269]

If my name was Sean Bean.... well yes I could!!!😂😂😂

[@matthewwilson5548]

as always great presentation and information about this war

[@damedavidfrith55]

Thanks for another cracking vlog very interesting and informative

[@michaelbevan1081]

I had no idea that the cartridge boxes also had a cleaning kit; I always assumed that they were contained in a soldiers pack, the form of a kit roll for the musket. Now I know. 🤷🏻‍♂️ I wasn’t even aware that the Baker rifle even had a flip sight - despite its effective range.

[@jeremygrant3558]

My great great great grandfather served with the 2nd regiment of lifeguards served in Spain, then at Waterloo where he was shot and received sabre wounds.

[@OldFellaDave]

Outstanding video lads! I really enjoyed it. Quality content!

[@carlthegamerx1186]

I love this sort of thing so I love this video

[@charlottec5802]

Thank you History Hit for bringing out my inner Lydia Bennet - I do love a redcoat 😊 Early 19th Century is one of my favourite periods in history. Mainly for the social history, but hanging around with reenactors has definitely given me a better appreciation of the military side. Also, I spy some of the 33rd Regiment of Foot amongst those redcoats!

[@stonedog5547]

You know why there are so many officers mentioned in the books of the time, because rich young gentlemen would get themselves a Commission in a Militia Regiment (or Yeomanry) so they had a nice uniform to go to parties in. There is also at least one 5th/60th in with the grasshoppers

[@ThatCatLuke]

imagine if they did this but they were in cavalry and artillery regiments

[@TristanWardCoombe]

Wow that formation engagement and charge was awesome

[@unspokendegree]

That's intro was a great little set piece, the transition from redcoats to green jackets was so smooth.

[@akidshistoryandaviation]

Some of my family served for the British army around 1810. Both in Europe and British North America as infantry however I’m not sure which unit.

[@littleblackcar]

Not actually related, but the Union Army Berdan's sharpshooters also wore dark green during the US Civil War, and it was for camouflage--the uniforms often had black rubber (not shiny) buttons. They even tried gray winter overcoats until they remembered that that was a good way to be mistaken for a Confederate and shot by your own comrades.

[@user-li4sz3jz1b]

Hope you guys are still posting , Luke and louee your videos are so good , feels like you have stopped hope you haven't ,if you have you have left a high bar guys 😁😁😁♥️♥️

[@robengl6553]

Fantastic! Great re-enactors.

[@mammamiia08]

"French?! We got a spy in the ranks!" 😂

[@smal750]

cringe

[@dmr8914]

These two handsome men are even more handsome in uniform. Great vid. A great look at the horrific lives these men endured.

[@Falkriim]

Love this video, theres something I love about the uniforms of the times.

[@AYVYN]

Shooting something 300 yards away sounds unbelievable in 1810. Makes me want to go to the range. Always learn something new with your videos.

[@talleman1]

Excellent, as a reenactor many wars, this is well done. I have done the War of 1812 in the US and Canada but would so like to try the Napoleonic Wars.

[@stonedog5547]

Come on over

[@petrairene]

Most modern people used to all the amenities like central heating etc would not survive many pre modern scenarios. They wouldn't survive as medieval farmers either.

[@hunterg24]

I love it when the keyboard warriors get on here and claim that they'd kick ass in the past. All I'm thinking is "Bitch please, you'd be dead of pox before the first week is out." Of course they'd probably die of starvation or thirst before that. Wasn't like you could drive up to a Mac D's for a Big Mac Combo with a large drink.

[@ravenguard0098]

@@hunterg24 There is also the language barrier the lingo we have now would be different then aswell as values and beliefs.

[@ddc2957]

I agree with you both in principle, but to play Devil’s advocate, there is an old maxims “You can do anything, if you have no other choice.”

[@Arkantos117]

Depends on how deep you get thrown in. Many modern people could adapt with a little bit of training as long as they're not thrown into northern europe mid winter in the little ice age or something.

[@vmann8168]

Most of the people from the time had Buckley's chances of survival. The whole idea that people were just built different in the past is wrong.

[@rodeastell3615]

Excellent video. Very interesting and educational ... and excellently presented. Thank you.

[@HistoryHit]

thanks so much!

[@martynroach182]

Fantastic history lesson, thank you.

[@tarablinkhorne9872]

What a great history lesson ,i think all those criticising should think about how much time ,effort ,energy ,enthusiasm and money the re enactors put into keeping the history alive ,and remember that not all history is recorded in great detail ,so portrayed to the best of their knowledge .Maybe try re enactment for yourselves instead of just being a keyboard warrior!

[@rubaiyat300]

While it's a bit of fun and for show I do love how little slack is given to our intrepid historian soldiers here.

[@ultrajd]

I was a reenactor for the American military just prior to the American Civil War. And looking at this really brings back a lot of fond memories. Seeing all the camp accoutrements and everything. I love living history. I’ve actually probably learned more about 19th century combat and sold during through, the years of being a historical reenactor that I did in any book. Not gonna lie part of me wishes that I could move over to Britain or something because I would absolutely love to take part in this kind of a reenactment group. Monetary problems render that an unlikely possibility.

[@Dlugia2]

Excellent documentary. Showing daily life of those from the past is the most interesting documentary which can be made.

[@milesabbott9721]

They were looked after so badly! Despite Welllington’s obsession with logistics it seems they just never got enough

[@rhysnichols8608]

It was the same in all armies at the time, it was the standard due to the technology and logistics of the era

[@milesabbott9721]

@@rhysnichols8608 they managed to feed the navy well enough!

[@japhfo]

@@milesabbott9721 well, at least the wooden salt pork and weevily biscuits were regular.

[@paddy864]

The men of the 95th were not “specially selected”, they were recruited in the same way as everyone else. They were specially trained however, as riflemen, and became the elite of the Army.

[@RichardCrocker-dt4be]

Initially they were indeed selected, most early recruits came from the militia, and were chosen for their skills. Later, you are correct, they were recruited in a similar way. The 95th recruiting poster sells a better life than the life of a redcoat.

[@CaptainBardiel]

They were chosen.

[@gabywaldbuesser6909]

Absolutely well done and historically on target. Well-told, I think perhaps even for those less familiar with things. Thanks!

[@hakaen2119]

Awesome introduction scene!! its even coreographed with the reenactors, very cool to see!