British Army: Campaign Records, 1714-1815

Military Records Information 24

1. The Army

Military affairs were managed by the Secretaries of State through the Secretary-at-War and the senior officers of the Army; the Commander-in-chief, when one was appointed, and the two permanent senior officers, the Adjutant-General and the Quartermaster-General.

2. The Alphabetical Guide

The fullest point of entry to the records is the Alphabetical Guide to War Office and other Military Records (PRO Lists and Indexes vol LIII, 1931: Kraus reprint, 1963). This is an index by subject, name and regiment to the State Papers and War Office records and should be consulted for the period. It gives specific document references. A more general guide is M Roper, Records of the War Office and Related Departments, 1660-1964 (PRO, 1998).

3. The Records

Records of military campaigns for this period are chiefly to be found among the State Papers and the records of the War Office.

State Papers Military: SP 41

These are letters from the Secretary-at-War and the senior officers of the Army and the Board of Ordnance to the Secretaries of State relating to military affairs from 1702 to1782. These are continued by the Home Office: Military Correspondence HO 50 . Out-letters to the Secretary-at-War and others are to be found in Home Office: Military Entry Books HO 51 . The In-letters from the Secretary of State for War (and Colonies from 1801) are in Home Office: War and Colonial Office Correspondence HO 30 .

State Papers Entry Books: SP 44

This class includes copies of King's letters, Secretary's letters, warrants, etc. The class is arranged chronologically by Secretary of State and topically. Military entry books SP 44/176-203 contain the Secretaries' correspondence on army matters and the issue of commissions and warrants to 1782. Some of the later documents relate to affairs in America, and are now to be found in CO 5 (see below).

State Papers Foreign Military Expeditions: SP 87

This is the correspondence between the Secretaries of State and the military commanders in the field, including despatches from commanders, and reports on both military campaigns and diplomatic negotiations. They include the War of Austrian Succession (1740-1748) and the Seven Years' War (1756-1763).

War Office In-letters and Papers: WO 1

These are letters and papers addressed to the Secretary-at-War from 1732 and the Secretary of State for War from 1794. They include despatches and reports of battles and campaigns. They are arranged in three groups; from military commanders, from government departments and general correspondence. Out-letters from the Commander-in-chief are in WO 3 , from the Secretary-at-War in WO 4 and from the Secretary of State in WO 6 .

Headquarters Records: WO 28

These include the records of military headquarters in North America for the period of the American War of Independence (1775-1783) and the Peninsular War (1810-1814). The strength, composition and movements of units and formations of the Army can be found in Marching Orders WO 5 , Monthly Returns WO 17 , Establishments WO 24 , Embarkation and Disembarkation Returns WO 25 , Disposition and movement of regiments WO 379 , and Designation, establishments and stations of regiments WO 380 .

American Rebellion Entry Books: WO 36

These contain orders and returns of the British forces in North America and capitulations and exchanges of prisoners concluded with the American, French and Spanish forces 1773 -1783.

Selected Unnumbered Papers WO 40

These contains in-letters and reports addressed to the Secretary-at-War. This class contains some reports and accounts of campaigns by the British forces in India covering various dates from 1757-1796.

America and West Indies Original Correspondence CO 5

This includes military despatches and reports on expeditions; they relate mainly to fighting against the French and various Indian peoples from 1710-1784.

West Indies Original Correspondence CO 318

This includes military despatches from 1699.

4. Private papers

The records of British Army Headquarters in North America from 1775-1783 are in PRO 30/55 , and include papers of the successive commanders-in-chief; Generals' Thomas Gage, Sir William Howe, Sir Henry Clinton and Sir Guy Carleton. Other private papers (including some official papers) held by The National Archives include:

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