My Great Great Grandfather, Isaac MacDonal Cooley, served as a Pathfinder Cavalry Scout
in the 1st Arkansas Cavalry Regiment (Dobbin's) Company K
My Avatar flies his Unit Guidon to Honor his Service.My Credo is a simple one ... Unit before Self with Honor above ALL else.
I know this is going off topic but...
Only 10% of British officers at the time where promoted from the ranks. Majority never got past Cpt because they where very poor company leaders. Good Sgt's usually made bad officers.
The one who beat the French, Wellington, would never have risen as high had he not purchased his Colonels commission. He ended up become field marshal and was never defeated in battle because of this system.
41st Pennsylvania 1stLt C.O / 41st Ensign.
You continue to read around my comment and see only what you want.
I mentioned nothing about men rising from the ranks, as much of a fan I am of "Sharpes Rifles" I do know that it was rare. I already stated that thankfully you had a "Handful of Senior Commanders with Experience" The Duke of Wellington included, and I never stated that they didn't purchase their commissions. That is just one man though, how about the 'hundreds of thousands' of men that died foolishly because they were lead by some rich upstart that purchased his rank but had no prior experience in leading men in battle, and worried more about their honor, dignity and reputation than the welfare of their soldiers. How about the Royal Scots Greys and the rest of the Household and Union Brigades that were cut to pieces at Waterloo because as your Wellington said "Our officers of cavalry have acquired a trick of galloping at everything. They never consider the situation, never think of maneuvering before an enemy, and never keep back or provide a reserve". That is a direct reflection of the poor leadership ability of those senior officers that purchased their commissions. Those good sergeants hopefully stayed good sergeants for those men where, and still are the backbone of the Infantry, and other branches. So again I state the obvious fact that your battles were won off the backs of the Private Soldier, and not off the brains, or leadership abilities of all the purchased Commissions, but off the very few men that had the mind to wage war in that period of time.
I now return back to your previous comment on my post: Example A.
"thank god we did away with buying rank irl we all know how well that would turn out nowadays)"
I can't believe I'm going to be so much of a nitpick on this but...
The system of purchasing ranks is what allowed the British army to beat the French and thus ended 20 years of war in Europe :/
I'm sorry.
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As you see I stated that (We know how well that would turn out nowadays). By saying the word "nowadays" I was obviously referring to the present time, and if any man thinks that some Joe Snuffy who happens to have some money could buy a commission, and lead men on the Modern battlefield is in the sense of the word an absolute idiot and should probably go suck start a pistol.
So your petty attempt to be critical and 'Nitpick"/"Go off topic" serves no other purpose then to do as you say and bring this conversation off topic.
I hope this clears up any of your remaining confusion of this and that we can now bring this topic back to bear on the subject it was meant for. Which is not for this chaps petty argument about the purchasing of commissions.
Last edited by 1st LT. Martin T.; 07-04-2017 at 09:26 PM.
Pvt. Martin Brockenbrough's Battery A, I Corps
In honor of:
Sgt. Benjamin J. Martin
15th Alabama Infantry, Company E.
Southern Cross of Honor Recipient
Personal Service Record
U.S. ARMY SSGT. 11B20/2B/B4/5U
6 Years Active Duty
x2 Combat Deployments in OEF
1-12 INF, 4th/2nd IBCT, 4ID