AKULA's - A Very British Revolution - 1863 - Pg2 The Volunteers Force - Research

[Aethelflaeda was framed]

Are those 25mm or 28? I have some similar i picked up from Brigade which i believe were North Star… big 28s. They work but would love some female figs, and some mostly unarmed civvies and personalities, maybe some middle class types as opposed to gangsters.  I remember seeing some nice ones on a website for NZ/ Māori wars but I can’t remember where.

[AKULA]

Thanks everyone for your words of encouragement - I'm glad that the "What-if" seems to have struck a chord

An addition to your fine account and set up could be to have Ireland also rise in another attempt at independence causing even more problems for the crown and diverting much needed British troops from the revolution in England.

Its certainly a possibility

Fascinating scenario. Like Inkpaduta, my mind also goes to how this might affect events outside of England.  Would there a rising in Ireland, recovering from the great famine and with rise of groups like the Fenian Brotherhood and the IRB?  What impact on the American Civil War, especially if British regiments are recalled from Canada to the home islands?  Would any elements of the British Army be recalled from India, and what effect might that have on British rule in the aftermath of 1857, or might the Tsar find this an opportune moment for a southwarion expanion of the Russian Empire in Asia, possibly reaching to Afghanistan, Persia or (gasp!) India?

Again all good ideas...it certainly has the potential to cause some major ripples elsewhere in the world...for now though I'll be more focussed upon the "home front" but I don't rule out some overseas fallout 

Like the idea and the historical context. Pushing the dates along a tad for no better reason than shameless megalomania, the situation could escalate into a civil war prompting an expansionist and opportunistic Prussia to invade. The US, having just come out of their civil war, could offer to assist Britain with an expeditionary force.

Nothing wrong with a bit of shameless megalomania in my book 

would love some female figs, and some mostly unarmed civvies and personalities, maybe some middle class types as opposed to gangsters.  I remember seeing some nice ones on a website for NZ/ Māori wars but I can’t remember where.

https://www.empressminiatures.com/maori-wars-7-c.asp

 

[Matakakea]

I'll be keeping eye on this project. I've long been considering some Alt-History based around the Invasion Scares, although principally the New Zealand scares of the 1880's. The loss of both Queen and heir is an interesting twist.

[Ruire]

I'd have to second the suggestions for a look at Ireland, as after all the Young Irelanders 'rebelled' in '48 (to be charitable) and the IRB was founded in '58 and was very active in the Irish Brigade of the Union Army. You could have Thomas Francis Meagher agitating for Irish soldiers in America to return home (though I can't imagine the Federals would be too happy about that).

[carlos marighela]

Have a look at Artizan's VSF range. It includes a number of Dickensisan character figures that can be made to work as civvies or rioters. They are sufficiently clothing agnostic to be used a couple of decades earlier, which is the time frame of the relevant novels up to the 1860s.That is what I have them in mind for: 1830s/1840s era Chartists and 'trouble at Mill' types.

https://www.artizandesigns.com/list.php?man=24&page=1

Perry has some armed ACW rioters and civvies that could work with your setting.

https://www.perry-miniatures.com/product-category/metal-ranges/american-civil-war/page/3/

[Jemima Fawr]

Have a look at Artizan's VSF range. It includes a number of Dickensisan character figures that can be made to work as civvies or rioters. They are sufficiently clothing agnostic to be used a couple of decades earlier, which is the time frame of the relevant novels up to the 1860s.That is what I have them in mind for: 1830s/1840s era Chartists and 'trouble at Mill' types.

https://www.artizandesigns.com/list.php?man=24&page=1

Perry has some armed ACW rioters and civvies that could work with your setting.

https://www.perry-miniatures.com/product-category/metal-ranges/american-civil-war/page/3/

The Perry ACW rioters are great!  We used them (or conversions thereof) for our Fishguard 1797 game.  My favourite figure is the lady lobbing the contents of her gazunder (as featured on my blog header). 

[carlos marighela]

Well travelled then those ACW rioters. From Fishguard all the way to Newport.  That's the length and breadth of Wales.

[AKULA]

Thanks everyone - keep the comments coming, it all helps 

I'm currently researching the Volunteers, which make up a significant part of the fighting...on both sides.

The Volunteer Force
Reserve forces in England, Wales & Scotland were the responsibility of each counties’ respective Lord-Lieutenant.  While the mounted Yeomanry force had proved effective in supporting the civil authorities against civil unrest (such as during the Peterloo massacre 1819), the Militia forces were well-below their theoretical paper strength.

With the Regular army stretched by the Indian Mutiny, and fears mounting in 1859 about a potential French invasion, the Secretary of State for War, Jonathan Peel used the provisions of the Volunteer Act 1804 to authorise the creation of additional volunteer forces.  The establishment of new units was only to occur with the recommendation of the Lord-Lieutenant, under whose control they would be placed (until 1871 when they began to be integrated with the Regular Army). 

These Volunteer forces were local-service, many formed around local rifle clubs, and embodied  "in case of actual invasion, or of appearance of an enemy in force on the coast, or in case of rebellion arising in either of these emergencies.”  Volunteer units were able to choose their uniform (grey & rifle green were both popular choices), but while recruits had to pay for their weapons, these were standardised by the War Office. Unlike regular units, Volunteer corps, at this point in time, weren’t authorised to carry either a standard or colours, although some were presented unofficial colours by the women of their local community.

Each volunteer Rifle Corp was initially intended to consist of approximately 100 men under a Captain, although a smaller sub-division of 30 men under a Lieutenant was also common.  Over time a number of corps could be amalgamated to form a Battalion.  Artillery corps were established to help man coastal fortifications, and in some limited cases, additional mounted ”light horse” or “mounted-rifle” units were also formed.  From 1860, a number of Volunteer units also established their own Cadet Companies, and some public schools also began to form independent cadet units.

According to a Royal Commission, as of April 1862 the Volunteer Force had a total strength in excess of 162,000, consisting of:

134,096 rifle volunteers, of whom 48,796 were in 86 consolidated battalions and 75,535 in 134 administrative battalions
24,363 artillery
2,904 engineers
662 light horse
656 mounted rifles

Overall, two-thirds of this number were rated as "effective".

Following the Volunteer Act 1863, some progress was made to improve the quality of drill instructors, and where possible for Volunteer units to exercise with Regular forces.  There was also a greater degree of commonality of uniform within each County.


I've found the following books to be useful reference materials

"A guide to the Volunteers of England: 1859 - 1908" (Ray Westlake)
"The Territorial Battalions: 1859 - 1985" (Ray Westlake)

   


Also, given much of the action of my own campaign is likely to centre around my local area (Yorkshire), I think I've struck gold with the following two (both in the post as we speak):

   

[Jemima Fawr]

I can also recommend the five volumes of Bryn Owen's History of Welsh Militia & Volunteer Corps for your reading list (if anyone wants to expand the 'period' outside Yorkshire, that is). 

[AKULA]

I can also recommend the five volumes of Bryn Owen's History of Welsh Militia & Volunteer Corps for your reading list (if anyone wants to expand the 'period' outside Yorkshire, that is).

Thanks for the recommendation - I've started a list on Page 1 of reference materials, and I'll add your suggestion 

[Jemima Fawr]

Thanks for the recommendation - I've started a list on Page 1 of reference materials, and I'll add your suggestion 

Excellent!  I'll have a read through to see if there's anything that might be relevant to you, as I've not really read the post-Napoleonic chapters.

Re the Militia being understrength; Why was that?  The Militia units were meant to be filled by ballot (i.e. conscription in all but name) and the Supplementary Militia Act of 1796 substantially increased their strength.  What changed after 1815?  I'm guessing that the Supplementary Militia Act was repealed after the end of the war?

That said, the 'Embodiment' of the Militia (i.e. mobilising it as a full-time force) was always hugely unpopular and required a huge threat, allied to strong political will.  They didn't even embody the Militia during the 1840s, when the regular Army and Yeomanry were being run ragged by the Rebecca and Chartist Riots in south and west Wales.  During the Napoleonic Wars, the Embodied Militia were almost always sent well away from their home county except when old drafts were being discharged from service and new drafts being raised and trained.  This was to prevent split-loyalties.  The three west Wales regiments (Pembrokeshire, Cardiganshire and Carmarthenshire) consequently spent their Embodied service as far afield as Carlisle, Felixtowe, Rye, Portsmouth and Ireland. 

In your scenario I could see a situation where the embodiment of the Militia could cause additional unrest, with locally-raised Militia proving less than loyal and disgruntled units from elsewhere proving to be even more brutal than the regular Army.  (E.g. Welsh Militia, Yeomanry and Fencible units in Ireland were renowned for their brutality)

[AKULA]

Re the Militia being understrength; Why was that?  The Militia units were meant to be filled by ballot (i.e. conscription in all but name) and the Supplementary Militia Act of 1796 substantially increased their strength.  What changed after 1815?  I'm guessing that the Supplementary Militia Act was repealed after the end of the war?

From my reading, it looks like the Militia tended to appeal more to casual labourers (working either on farms/mines) that could dip in and out of their usual work to attend the required number of days per year with the militia that they were effectively “contracted” to upon their formal enlistment. Many officers also saw it as a back door into a Regular Army commission.

The Volunteers raised after the invasion scare of 1859 were generally from slightly better off backgrounds, as they had to purchase much of their own equipment (so there was a financial hurdle at the outset). Unlike the Militia, the Volunteers could quit with 14 days notice (unless they’d already been called up/embodied in time of war).

Reading between the lines, the Militia was probably seen as a paper tiger because many of those serving were there to top up their normal pay, while those that were more enthusiastic about army life, would have been snapped up by Regular Army recruiters…particularly to replace the losses through war and mainly disease. Given the Indian Mutiny, it’s possible that the Militia had been hollowed out of the better recruits to replace overseas losses?

I wouldn’t include the Yeomanry in with my comments about the Militia - the mounted Yeomanry appear to have been used on a regular basis in the 19th Century to quell unrest.

[Jemima Fawr]

From my reading, it looks like the Militia tended to appeal more to casual labourers (working either on farms/mines) that could dip in and out of their usual work to attend the required number of days per year with the militia that they were effectively “contracted” to upon their formal enlistment. Many officers also saw it as a back door into a Regular Army commission.

The Volunteers raised after the invasion scare of 1859 were generally from slightly better off backgrounds, as they had to purchase much of their own equipment (so there was a financial hurdle at the outset). Unlike the Militia, the Volunteers could quit with 14 days notice (unless they’d already been called up/embodied in time of war).

Reading between the lines, the Militia was probably seen as a paper tiger because many of those serving were there to top up their normal pay, while those that were more enthusiastic about army life, would have been snapped up by Regular Army recruiters…particularly to replace the losses through war and mainly disease. Given the Indian Mutiny, it’s possible that the Militia had been hollowed out of the better recruits to replace overseas losses?

I wouldn’t include the Yeomanry in with my comments about the Militia - the mounted Yeomanry appear to have been used on a regular basis in the 19th Century to quell unrest.

I don't know if it was still the case by the mid-19th Century, but during the Napoleonic Wars, Militia were conscripted by ballot and service was for five years, almost all of which was spent away from home if embodied (which it was for virtually the entirety of the wars).  This could drive families into poverty, though men could be exempted from the ballot if they were the sole breadwinner or if they had a trade vital to the community.  They could also be exempted if they could find a 'second' to take their place and large sums of cash changed hands, sometimes with the second doing a midnight-flit with the cash!

The Volunteer Infantry of the Napoleonic Wars were pretty popular, primarily as six months' good service would permanently exempt the volunteers from the Militia Ballot.  The Volunteers (like the Yeomanry) were often paraded on market days, as a threat against the civil disorder that tended to kick off on those days.  However, despite good service by a couple of Volunteer units at Fishguard in 1797, the Volunteers were of limited military value, often being seen as ill-disciplined, armed social clubs.  This started to change in 1804 and 1807, with the Volunteers eventually being brought under the command structure and strict regulation of the county Militia Regiments (being classed as battalions of those regiments) and being used as an excellent source of recruits for the regular Army. 

I don't know much about them, but it does seem that the new wave of Volunteers in the mid-19th century 'Volunteer Craze' were more like the 'ramshackle hullaballoo' of the 1790s than the well-ordered auxiliary to the Militia that they became after 1807.  This of course, is enormous fun from a wargames perspective!

[AKULA]

I don't know much about them, but it does seem that the new wave of Volunteers in the mid-19th century 'Volunteer Craze' were more like the 'ramshackle hullaballoo' of the 1790s than the well-ordered auxiliary to the Militia that they became after 1807.  This of course, is enormous fun from a wargames perspective!

I sense that it was a bit more formalised than maybe it sounds (or perhaps I've made it sound) - the Lord-Lieutenant of each County had an effective veto over the establishment of a new Volunteer Corps, with minimum numbers agreed, and while volunteers had to pay for their weaponry, the calibre etc was standardised by the Board Of Ordinance.  The Volunteer Act of 1863 (that date again) formalised a set of agreed standards for drill etc after the initial period of "ramshackle hullaballoo", and the Regulation of Forces Act 1871 placed them under the control of the Secretary of State for War.  Finally, with the 1881 Childers Reforms, the Volunteers (along with the militia) began to be more formally attached to specific regular Regiments (a process which finished by 1908).

That's not to say, of course, that I won't enjoy some of the more ramshackle elements for my own project ... and the "loose cannon" potential of the Volunteers will definitely play a part in events   


Some more on the Militia (from the Green Howards website):

"The militia was considered to be inefficient and did not have a good reputation. There was difficulty in recruiting enough men and there was low attendance at training. A number of reforms changed the organisation of the militia. In 1868 the militia reserves could be drafted into the regular army, and a number of Acts over the subsequent years allow volunteers from the Militia to serve abroad."

..and this interesting excerpt on wiki (which is taken from Spiers "Army & Society" ).

During the Crimean War the East York Militia was embodied from 4 February 1855 to June 1856. However, once peace returned only 250 out of the 900 men due to turn out for annual training in 1859 actually appeared, and there was a shortage of young officers. This was a year in which there was a new invasion scare, which saw the emergence of a new Volunteer Force. The Volunteers usurped much of the Militia's public support, as well as part of its role in home defence.

[Aethelflaeda was framed]

Have a look at Artizan's VSF range. It includes a number of Dickensisan character figures that can be made to work as civvies or rioters. They are sufficiently clothing agnostic to be used a couple of decades earlier, which is the time frame of the relevant novels up to the 1860s.That is what I have them in mind for: 1830s/1840s era Chartists and 'trouble at Mill' types.

https://www.artizandesigns.com/list.php?man=24&page=1

Perry has some armed ACW rioters and civvies that could work with your setting.

https://www.perry-miniatures.com/product-category/metal-ranges/american-civil-war/page/3/

Very nice and useful.  Now if i can find some regency garbed!

I remember seeing some nice ones on a website for NZ/ Māori wars but I can’t remember where

https://www.empressminiatures.com/maori-wars-7-c.asp

Yes, these are the ones! thanks.