British Army, Officer's drill book, manuscript in English, 18th century

BRITISH ARMY

Officer's Drill book. Early eighteenth century

manuscript on paper containing "General Observations" for infantry drill with commands, similar list of commands for "Grenadiers exercise", "Directions for Forming of Battalions & Posting of Officers saluting", instructions for field officers, garrison duty, and ceremonial duties, copies of two royal proclamations concerning army pay and benefits (1717 and 1702), copies of letters and orders chiefly by Generals Richard Ingoldsby and Cornelius Wood serving under the Duke of Marlborough including "An account of the men killed and wounded last Campagne, att shellemberg June the 22 and Hoghstad August the 2th 1704 of Lt Generall Ingoldsby Regement", Breda and elsewhere, 1704-6; orders issued under George I including "Orders to be punctually observed by the Officers of Lt: Genll Wills Regement [3rd Foot]" and related notes; "A Catalogue of my Books", inventory of goods, and notes on personal finance, 1730; later note on front endpapers ("The manuscript of Military discipline as used in Flanders"); altogether c.156 pages, plus blanks, in several hands, small 4to (190 x 160mm.), early 18th century, contemporary limp vellum; some loss to binding, one leaf loose, occasional light staining; with, loosely inserted, a typed letter signed by J.H. Leslie, to Lord Cottesloe, dated 1931, noting that "all the drill is practically the same as that given in Bland's Treatise of Military Discipline, 1st edition of 1727"

A SERVING OFFICER'S NOTEBOOK, including instructions for drill, standing orders, and copies of letters, relating to service in the Low Countries in the French wars of the early eighteenth century.