WARFARE IN THE 18 TH CENTURY

WARFARE IN THE 18 T H CENTURY WAS

DRASTICALLY DIFFERENT

• Unlike warfare beforehand, warfare in the 18th century was

markedly different thanks to how advances in technology, and
the the development of the modern idea of the nation state
• Of course, the developments had occurred in multiple areas,
and the evolution of the armies of Europe, the results of the
major wars, and the possible origin of the nation-state must be
examined.
 NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN FIREARMS

•The 18th century saw the full adoption of Flintlock firearms, which was
preceded by the full adoption of matchlock weapons in the 17 th century.
Warfare had become fully ranged, and swords became mostly used by officers
and cavalry. Along with the complete abandonment of plate armor
 TYPES OF INFANTRY

• Infantry in the 18th century could be broken up into four main groups

• Line Infantry – Standard infantry that operated in line formations

• Grenaiders – Soldiers who were originally intended to throwing gunpowder grenades, but gradually came to act as “strongmen” for charges

• Light Infantry – Soldiers who were equipped with lighter muskets, and focused on recon or as scouts

• Skirmishers/Sharpshooters – Soldiers who dealt with accuracy to mainly harass the enemy from a distance. Essentially a prototype sniper.
Examples would include the german Jaegar, or the French voltiguer.
 TYPES OF CAVALRY

• While Cavalry was mostly used for charges and

recon, it was still an important part of armies in
the 18th century, and like Infantry could be
broken down into multiple categories.
• Cuirassiers – Standard cavalry armed with
swords and muskets. Charged the enemy
when given orders.
• Dragoons – Soldiers who would ride on
horseback to battle, and the dismount to fight.
• Light Cavalry – Like Light infantry, mostly
operated in reconnaissance, and had lighter
weaponry and lighter horses. Mostly
prominent in Eastern Europe.
 LINE FORMATIONS

• Line formations were the most common

tactic for infantry to operate in for wars
in the 18th century.
• Typically consisted of around 800 men per
regiment, and was used to maximize the
amount of fire power via volleys
• Advances would be done with every man
marching in order for a set amount of
paces.
• Were usually 30-200 paces away from the
opposing army
 ARTILLERY

• Artillery in battles were usually situated on

the nearest hillside, or near the
encampments of the defending army.
• Cannons and howitzers were among the most
used weapons, but mortars saw use
depending on what was being defended.
• Two shot types were used depending on the
situation
• Cannister for short range, Round Shot for
Long range
• Were brought to battlefields via horses.
 H O W A B AT T L E I N T H E 1 8 T H C E N T U RY U S U A L LY
T RA N S P I R E D .

• Usually took place in nearby towns, but there was a few chances for both armies to meat each other on a field
• Defenders would use the town’s structres as defense, and both sides would aim to be on high ground.
• Typically dependent on each side for the infantry to advance, and for the cavalry to ambush.
• Battles typically went on until either side had a significant loss in numbers, morale, or other circumstances,
where they would then retreat.
 ORIGIN OF THE MODERN NATION
STATE

• The modern nation state, and international politics as a whole

began with the peace of Westphalia.
• Led to the establishment of sovereignity, and international law
• Late 17th century and early 18th century also saw professional
armies gain more usage, as more and more nations stopped
using mercenaries for conflicts
 R E S U LT S O F T HE F O U R M AJ O R
WAR S O F T H E 1 8 T H CE NT U RY ,
A ND T H E IR I NF LU E NCE

• War of the Spanish Succession – Saw the first rise in

prominence of Britain in terms of international, as well as
the start of the decline of Spain and the Netherlands
• Seven Year’s War – First Global conflict, and saw the
influence of Frederick the Great on strategy and Tactics.
Also saw the decline of French’s first colonial empire
• American Revolution – Saw the start of the united states
of America, and the first usage of modern guerrilla
warfare
• French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars – Saw the
political legacy of the French revolution, as well as the
multitude in changes in strategic thinking to Napoleon’s
victories to Clausewitz publication of On War
 CITATIONS

• Duffy, Christopher. The Military Experience in the Age of Reason. Routledge, Taylor & Francis
Group, 2016.
• Blackmore, David John. Destructive and Formidable: British Infantry Firepower 1642 - 1765.
Frontline Books, 2014.
• Gibson, James N. A War without ... Rifles: the 1792 Militia Act and the War of 1812. Archway
Publishing, 2016.
• Clausewitz, Carl von. On War. K. Paul, Trench, Trubner, 1918.
• Croxton, Derek. “The Peace of Westphalia of 1648 and the Origins of Sovereignty.” The
International History Review, vol. 21, no. 3, 1999, pp. 569–591.,
doi:10.1080/07075332.1999.9640869.
• Hughes, Basil P. Firepower Weapons Effectiveness on the Battlefield, 1630 - 1850. Sarpedon, 1997.
• Black, Jeremy. European Warfare in a Global Context, 1660-1815. Routledge, 2007.
•  All images credit to the uploaders on Wikipedia, or the original authors from other sites.