Combat motivation in the eighteenth-century British army

Abstract

Battle has consistently been the most dangerous collective human activity. In battle, human beings risk serious wounding and even death. Consequently, the study of the motivation of soldiers in combat is important to Military history. Combat motivation in the army of eighteenth-century Britain merits study, since the subject as it pertains to pre-industrial armies has at present received little attention.

The soldiers of Hanoverian Britain received motivation from several sources. Basic training in the eighteenth-century British army laid the foundations for certain relationships among military personnel which contributed to combat motivation. One such relationship was a network of primary ties among soldiers. The relationship between soldiers and officers was also important. The relationship between individual soldiers and the military institution as a whole also contributed to combat motivation. These relationships created a set of standards to which to army expected soldiers to react. When they reacted correctly, they were motivated to face the dangers of combat.