1809-1814 king's own (royal lancaster regiment) - 4th foot

[emjsw]

My 4th great grandfather William Langley b1783 Binfield, Wokingham, was a corporal in this regiment and lost his right leg St Jean de Luz peninsula War Disch'd. WO 97/263/73.

1841 census Rose St, Wokingham HO107/28/15 folio 11 pg 17
1851 Rose St HO107/1693 folio 217 pg 19 William head mar 68 Chelsea Pensioner b. Binfield.

I just wondered if anyone might know how life was for a corporal in the army at this time please? I watched Sharpe to get an idea!!! It didn't tell me what I wanted to know!! William was not rich as far as I can tell so would be of been able to rise up through the ranks?

Best wishes Emma

[MaxD]

Might be worth starting by reading the history of the 4th Foot in the years he was with them to see where they were.  https://ia800109.us.archive.org/8/items/historicalrecord55391gut/55391-h/55391-h.htm

Inevitably, the record and programmes like Sharpe concentrate on the periods when the army was on campaign.  The history will show when they were in UK or in some far flung part of Empire on garrison duty, far less exciting and hence not much written about.

https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=books%20on%20soldiers%20in%20the%20peninsular%20war&qs=n&form=QBIR&sp=-1&pq=books%20on%20soldiers%20in%20the%20peninsular%20war&sc=0-39&sk=&cvid=D8616F3074DE44E79F062E4105D04A4F

has a number of suggestions for books about soldiers in the Peninsular War, you could try to choose one that looks to be more about the soldiers than the war which is what you want I think. 

Interesting stuff here:
 
http://www.warof1812.ca/family.htm

Others will have ideas I imagine.

MaxD

[ShaunJ]

I recommend the Letters of Private Wheeler - a very readable first hand account of an ordinary soldier's experiences in Napoleonic times.

[MaxD]

Splendid specific suggestion ShaunJ.


MaxD

[emjsw]

Might be worth starting by reading the history of the 4th Foot in the years he was with them to see where they were.  https://ia800109.us.archive.org/8/items/historicalrecord55391gut/55391-h/55391-h.htm

Inevitably, the record and programmes like Sharpe concentrate on the periods when the army was on campaign.  The history will show when they were in UK or in some far flung part of Empire on garrison duty, far less exciting and hence not much written about.

https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=books%20on%20soldiers%20in%20the%20peninsular%20war&qs=n&form=QBIR&sp=-1&pq=books%20on%20soldiers%20in%20the%20peninsular%20war&sc=0-39&sk=&cvid=D8616F3074DE44E79F062E4105D04A4F

has a number of suggestions for books about soldiers in the Peninsular War, you could try to choose one that looks to be more about the soldiers than the war which is what you want I think. 

Interesting stuff here:
 
http://www.warof1812.ca/family.htm

Others will have ideas I imagine.

MaxD

Hi,
Thank you so much for the links, it is really interesting to learn about the regiment and where they went. It was really good also to see the uniforms they would have worn, very smart.
I don't know much about ranks in the army. In Sharpe it seems like the officers were from the gentry and may not have known much about war fare at all and the privates etc were from all sorts of backgrounds but many of them were poor and would have probably joined in order to eat. I am not sure where a corporal would have fitted but when he was listed in 1841 he was an agricultural labourer and in 1851 as a Chelsea Pensioner. His sons presued military careers too.
I have really enjoyed reading what you have sent to me. Thank you ever so much

[emjsw]

I recommend the Letters of Private Wheeler - a very readable first hand account of an ordinary soldier's experiences in Napoleonic times.

Hi,
Thank you very much for this suggestion, I have just ordered it from amazon for £2.85 and am really looking forwards to reading it and finding out more about life in the army then. It seems strange that wives and children followed the regiments around!
Best wishes Emma

[Maiden Stone]

Didn't officers generally need to have some money behind them to buy a commission?
A corporal was a private who had been promoted.

[Maiden Stone]

It seems strange that wives and children followed the regiments around!

One of the links from Max made interesting reading on that aspect.

[MaxD]

Had you picked up his occasional appearance in pension records which show he drew the sum of 9d a day from when he was discharged on 1 Sep 1814 to when he died on 19 March 1857. He also appears on the Peninsular Medal roll having qualified for clasps indicating the engagements he fought in viz Salamanca, Vittoria, St Sebastian and Nivelle and that he had served almost 3 years of his time as a sergeant.

MaxD