Burns, Alexander S. Infantry in Battle 1733-1783

Volume 141 of the From Reason to Revolution 1721-1815 series rewrites the history of 18th-century combat by placing infantrymen and their experiences centre stage. Popular memory and film portray these men as robotic automatons, but they fought in flexible and adaptable ways and shaped 18th-century warfare. In Infantry in Battle, Alexander S. Burns provides a new understanding of fighting in the mid-18th century: the crucial period between 1733 and 1783. The author argues that 18th-century soldiers informally negotiated the authority of their officers on the battlefield by firing without orders, firing at greater distances than their officers favoured, and taking cover on the battlefield. In this process, these soldiers played an important role by enforcing tactical reforms from below. "Infantry in Battle" draws on archival research on the American, British and Prussian armies. However, it also covers the armies of military Europe more broadly and includes writings by Austrian, French, Italian, Polish, Russian, Spanish and Swedish soldiers. It is also the first book in English to use archival material on battles from the War of the Polish Succession in Northern Italy. "Infantry in Battle" is a scholarly monograph, but written for a general audience. Like his mentor, the late Christopher Duffy, Alexander S. Burns has long-standing links with professional military education, wargamers and re-enactors. He breaks through the myth and shows us motivated soldiers who were able to adapt their tactics to the demands of the battlefield, rather than terrorised automatons tightly controlled by their officers.