British Army Redcoat Composition

If anybody knows, would they kindly tell me the English percentage, Scottish percentage, and Irish percentage of British redcoats, infantry, rougly in the years; 1810, 1830, 1850, 1880. I know it is a stretch, but if anybody knows, could they please tell me. Thanks.

Some info-

1776-1783:

(exempting hessians etc)
60% English
24% Scottish
16% Irish

Officers of same period:

42 % English
27% Scottish
31% Irish

1830:

42% Irish
13% Scottish
45% English

Essentially, the British Army got more and more Irish up until the great famine of 1846 when emmigration reduced it's composition to about a third Irish. By 1870 it was closer to 15% irish.

Thanks for the speedy reply. Where are some good sources about the Redcoats. Many thanks again, and I wish I could give you more, but +rep.

I got that info from Richard Holmes' Redcoats. As for sites I don't know but if you need any other info that might be in the book just PM me!

Originally Posted by King Edward III of England

Thanks for the speedy reply. Where are some good sources about the Redcoats. Many thanks again, and I wish I could give you more, but +rep.

I would recommend Wellingtons Army by Michael Glover as a good resource for information on the British Army of the Napoleonic Wars.

The percentages of men from different nationalities is actually quite difficult to quote precisely simlpy becuase many men deliberately lied about their nationality on enlistment, it also varied according to where the regiment was serving and thus where the British Army was fighting. For example the number of Spaniards rose rapidly during the fighting in Spain, and the number of American's during the fighting in America.

It was also affected by changes in the Ballot Acts of 1802, which drafted Englishmen in to the militia and made them exempt from army service, and the Additional Forces Act 1803 which raised a Home Defence Army also raised by ballot from the English countries, exempting the men from service in the Army.

It was not until 1805 that these acts were reversed to allow the army to draw on trained English recruits from the Militia, but even then the tendency was for these volunteers to chose the most popular regiments leaving the rest to be filled with Irish, Scots and other foriegn recruits.

The percentages were also skewed by the option to chose between 7 years service and Life. The choice Life affecting the size of the bounty and thus appealing much more to Irish recruits who tended to choose life in almost every case, thus gradually dominating the regimental lists as the English and Scots completed their term and retired.

13 battalions were entirely recruited in Ireland being almost totally Irish.

In 1809 it is reckoned that 34% of 57th Foot (West Middlesex) were Irish; 19% of the 29th Foot (Worcestershire) but this rose to 37% by 1811; 3% of the Gordon Highlanders were Irish in 1807 rising to 6% by 1813.

The percentage tended to be higher in regiments serving in the America's as it was an unpopular posting due to desease and regiments had trouble recruiting if word got out that they were heading there, as a result these regiments often stopped off in Ireland to recruit en-route and make up their numbers with more desperate Irish recruits. Even the Scots Greys had one squadron in Ireland for long periods, and would no doubt have recruited Irishmen in the process.

Many thanks! I'll see if I can get that book, I have heard it is rather good.

I'd say about 30% irish in 1810, 55% english, 15% scottish.