197:, a force liable for service anywhere in the country. The members of these units were recruited by requiring one man to be provided for service by each man who owned ten or more horses (those who owned fewer horses were collected into groups which were each required to provide one man). Later in 1797 an amendment was passed by parliament which removed the requirement to raise a Provisional Cavalry unit in counties where the Yeomanry already amounted to 75% of the strength required by the Provisional Cavalry Act. This proved to be the case in the majority of counties owing to the strength of the Yeomanry which was a more popular option for the country gentry.
26:
34:
50:
42:
249:
unit in South Wales, in which the enlisted ranks were filled by the workmen and the officers were drawn from the clerks and foremen. Such units, made up of working-class men, became more common in the late 1790s and early 1800s due to the increased fear of invasion. Indeed, there was at least one
204:
caused an increase in volunteers. Further recruits were brought in by Pitt's appeal for volunteers in 1798, which came as
Britain was facing the loss of Europe, failed peace negotiations, manpower shortages in the army, financial problems and potential rebellion in Ireland. At its height more than
205:
300,000 men were members of the Corps and other volunteer units, a number matched by the regular army and militia only at the very end of the
Napoleonic Wars. The success of the volunteer corps partly enabled Britain to avoid the costly and unpopular measure of mass conscription.
253:
The
Volunteer Corps were occasionally used to keep the peace in Britain but proved unreliable. One unit in Wolverhampton refused to act against food rioters and several volunteers in Devon actually led riots directed at farmers and millers in the winter of 1800–01.
286:
despite his frail health. The
Volunteer Act and Provisional Cavalry Act were allowed to lapse by the government in 1806. They were disbanded again during 1813, except for the Yeomanry who were retained in case of civil insurrection.
106:, began to receive "a great number of Letters", from people living in coastal areas, requesting arms and equipment so that they could defend their localities against any French incursions. The government firmly rejected proposals from
165:
The lords lieutenant were tasked with organising committees and obtaining subscriptions from wealthy donors, to raise and support the
Volunteers. Local companies or "corps" of Volunteers fulfilled three roles; to man
58:
190:
875:
885:
870:
865:
131:
267:
159:
436:
810:
880:
860:
691:
462:
150:
for approval in
February 1794. On 14 March, the "Plan of Augmentation for the Forces for Internal Defence" were circulated to the
488:
271:
779:
757:
250:
case of de facto conscription, in which a factory-owner decreed that all his workers must join the corps or else be sacked.
274:'s government had planned for, and there were initially insufficient weapons and equipment for them. William Pitt, then in
103:
676:
400:
730:
767:
660:
633:
606:
579:
830:
73:
was a
British voluntary part-time organization for the purpose of home defence in the event of invasion, during the
840:
306:
139:
17:
780:
The
History of Parliament – Members 1790–1820 – PITT, Hon. William (1759–1806), of Holwood and Walmer Castle, Kent
701:
130:
without any official sanction. Dundas had also received more practical proposals for volunteer forces from the
742:
440:
147:
99:
95:
238:
437:"Loyal Volunteers Living History Society – BRITAIN'S VOLUNTEER MOVEMENT 1794 – 1815 by Steve Tamplin"
372:
245:
caused the expansion of the corps, including the formation of workplace units such as the 863-strong
189:
The government became concerned that there were too few
Volunteer or Yeomanry Cavalry and passed the
74:
348:
171:
155:
829:
237:
tended to be from the lower middle classes (for example shopkeepers and publicans). The failed
328:
123:
135:
791:
492:
334:
270:
became a serious threat. By the end of 1803, more than 340,000 had enrolled, far more than
8:
246:
242:
201:
194:
466:
825:
796:
554:
527:
376:
310:
226:
16:
This article is about the force extant from 1794–1803. For other volunteer forces, see
763:
731:
The
Scottish Military Research Group – Robert Burns and the Royal Dumfries Volunteers
697:
656:
629:
602:
575:
324:
167:
489:"THE CITY AND COUNTY OF BRISTOL – BRISTOL during the Revelutionary War of 1793–1802"
550:
523:
275:
119:
262:
The infantry volunteers (but not the Yeomanry or artillery) were disbanded at the
25:
715:
650:
623:
596:
569:
263:
214:
151:
78:
57:
222:
62:
854:
813:
Some Scottish Sources on Militias, Fencibles and Volunteer Corps: 1793 – 1830
380:
352:
318:
234:
362:
356:
296:
230:
143:
338:
541:
Cookson, J.E. (1985). "British Society and the French Wars, 1793–1815".
514:
Cookson, J.E. (1985). "British Society and the French Wars, 1793–1815".
835:
314:
111:
744:
The Inner and Middle Temple: Legal, Literary and Historic Associations
49:
41:
717:
The English Master of Arms: From the Twelfth to the Twentieth Century
366:
33:
300:
200:
Initially recruitment was slow but the invasion of Belgium and the
183:
175:
127:
115:
146:, to formulate plans for volunteer forces, which were sent to the
114:
to form "military associations" but similar bodies were formed in
279:
179:
283:
218:
154:, who would have a central role in creating the new forces.
342:
107:
213:
The Volunteer Corps typically drew its members from the
886:
Volunteer military formations of the United Kingdom
824:
876:Napoleon's planned invasion of the United Kingdom
871:Military units and formations of the British Army
866:Military units and formations established in 1794
852:
844:. Vol. 52. London: Smith, Elder & Co.
266:in 1802, but reformed the following year when
463:"Buckinghamshire – Provisional Cavalry 1797"
365:, Quartermaster and Secretary of the Royal
543:Australian Journal of Politics and History
516:Australian Journal of Politics and History
331:, Bloomsbury and Inns of Court Volunteers
29:A 1798 caricature of volunteer infantrymen
678:The British Volunteer Movement, 1794–1814
431:
429:
402:The British Volunteer Movement, 1794–1814
158:'s government ensured the passage of the
790:
56:
48:
40:
32:
24:
713:
652:Revolution Debate: Britain in the 1790s
625:Revolution Debate: Britain in the 1790s
598:Revolution Debate: Britain in the 1790s
571:Revolution Debate: Britain in the 1790s
540:
513:
217:. Officers were usually members of the
853:
426:
162:through Parliament in the same month.
693:William Pitt the Younger: A Biography
681:, Oxford University Press, pp. 28–32.
648:
621:
594:
567:
405:, Oxford University Press, pp. 26–27.
290:
881:1794 establishments in Great Britain
861:Units of the British Volunteer Corps
720:. Taylor & Francis. p. 216.
655:. London: I. B. Tauris. p. 64.
628:. London: I. B. Tauris. p. 72.
601:. London: I. B. Tauris. p. 62.
574:. London: I. B. Tauris. p. 61.
142:. All this led Dundas together with
13:
831:"Sheridan, Richard Brinsley"
555:10.1111/j.1467-8497.1985.tb00326.x
528:10.1111/j.1467-8497.1985.tb00326.x
170:batteries, to augment the regular
14:
897:
800:. 9–13 August 1803. p. 1005.
747:Methuen & Co., London. p. 261
841:Dictionary of National Biography
89:
18:Volunteer force (disambiguation)
818:
804:
784:
773:
750:
741:Bellot, Hugh Hale Leigh (1902)
735:
724:
707:
684:
669:
642:
615:
588:
45:A Westminster cavalry volunteer
762:, Cambridge University Press,
561:
534:
507:
481:
455:
417:
408:
393:
257:
208:
1:
61:An infantry volunteer from a
37:A Southwark cavalry volunteer
759:Jane Austen: A Family Record
387:
355:Volunteer Artillery and the
191:Provisional Cavalry Act 1796
53:A Hackney infantry volunteer
7:
811:Professor Arnold Morrison,
268:Napoleon's planned invasion
193:. This act established the
10:
902:
282:of the Volunteer Corps at
182:troops, which were called
100:Secretary of State for War
96:War of the First Coalition
84:
15:
756:Le Faye, Deirdre (1989),
373:Richard Brinsley Sheridan
369:Volunteer Light Dragoons
349:William Pitt the Younger
156:William Pitt the Younger
714:Aylward, J. D. (1956).
351:, colonel of the Royal
690:Haig, William (2004),
132:Marquess of Buckingham
66:
54:
46:
38:
30:
649:Evans, Chris (2006).
622:Evans, Chris (2006).
595:Evans, Chris (2006).
568:Evans, Chris (2006).
243:invasion at Fishguard
60:
52:
44:
36:
28:
335:Edward Austen Knight
239:Expédition d'Irlande
225:were members of the
94:At the start of the
75:French Revolutionary
675:Gee, Austin (2003)
469:on 23 February 2014
399:Gee, Austin (2003)
247:Cyfarthfa Ironworks
202:1794 Treason Trials
195:Provisional Cavalry
140:Sir William Erskine
826:William Fraser Rae
797:The London Gazette
696:Harper Perennial,
377:lieutenant colonel
311:lieutenant colonel
291:Notable Volunteers
215:propertied classes
178:role, and to form
160:Volunteer Act 1794
67:
63:Temple Association
55:
47:
39:
31:
341:), captain, East
299:, private, Royal
168:coastal artillery
893:
846:
845:
833:
822:
816:
808:
802:
801:
788:
782:
777:
771:
754:
748:
739:
733:
728:
722:
721:
711:
705:
688:
682:
673:
667:
666:
646:
640:
639:
619:
613:
612:
592:
586:
585:
565:
559:
558:
538:
532:
531:
511:
505:
504:
502:
500:
491:. Archived from
485:
479:
478:
476:
474:
465:. Archived from
459:
453:
452:
450:
448:
443:on 26 April 2012
439:. Archived from
433:
424:
421:
415:
412:
406:
397:
152:lords lieutenant
901:
900:
896:
895:
894:
892:
891:
890:
851:
850:
849:
823:
819:
809:
805:
789:
785:
778:
774:
755:
751:
740:
736:
729:
725:
712:
708:
689:
685:
674:
670:
663:
647:
643:
636:
620:
616:
609:
593:
589:
582:
566:
562:
539:
535:
512:
508:
498:
496:
487:
486:
482:
472:
470:
461:
460:
456:
446:
444:
435:
434:
427:
422:
418:
413:
409:
398:
394:
390:
383:Volunteer Corps
359:Volunteer Corps
293:
272:Henry Addington
264:Peace of Amiens
260:
223:junior officers
211:
92:
87:
79:Napoleonic Wars
71:Volunteer Corps
21:
12:
11:
5:
899:
889:
888:
883:
878:
873:
868:
863:
848:
847:
817:
803:
783:
772:
749:
734:
723:
706:
683:
668:
661:
641:
634:
614:
607:
587:
580:
560:
533:
506:
480:
454:
425:
416:
407:
391:
389:
386:
385:
384:
370:
360:
346:
332:
322:
304:
292:
289:
259:
256:
235:enlisted ranks
231:middle classes
210:
207:
91:
88:
86:
83:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
898:
887:
884:
882:
879:
877:
874:
872:
869:
867:
864:
862:
859:
858:
856:
843:
842:
837:
832:
827:
821:
815:
814:
807:
799:
798:
793:
787:
781:
776:
769:
768:0-521-82691-8
765:
761:
760:
753:
746:
745:
738:
732:
727:
719:
718:
710:
704:(pp. 519–520)
703:
699:
695:
694:
687:
680:
679:
672:
664:
662:9781860649363
658:
654:
653:
645:
637:
635:9781860649363
631:
627:
626:
618:
610:
608:9781860649363
604:
600:
599:
591:
583:
581:9781860649363
577:
573:
572:
564:
556:
552:
548:
544:
537:
529:
525:
521:
517:
510:
495:on 5 May 2013
494:
490:
484:
468:
464:
458:
442:
438:
432:
430:
420:
414:Gee pp. 24–25
411:
404:
403:
396:
392:
382:
378:
374:
371:
368:
364:
361:
358:
354:
353:Trinity House
350:
347:
344:
340:
336:
333:
330:
326:
325:William Grant
323:
320:
319:Inns of Court
316:
312:
308:
307:David Erskine
305:
302:
298:
295:
294:
288:
285:
281:
278:, became the
277:
273:
269:
265:
255:
251:
248:
244:
240:
236:
232:
228:
224:
221:(though some
220:
216:
206:
203:
198:
196:
192:
187:
185:
181:
177:
173:
169:
163:
161:
157:
153:
149:
145:
141:
137:
133:
129:
125:
121:
117:
113:
109:
105:
101:
97:
90:Establishment
82:
80:
76:
72:
64:
59:
51:
43:
35:
27:
23:
19:
839:
820:
812:
806:
795:
786:
775:
758:
752:
743:
737:
726:
716:
709:
692:
686:
677:
671:
651:
644:
624:
617:
597:
590:
570:
563:
546:
542:
536:
519:
515:
509:
497:. Retrieved
493:the original
483:
471:. Retrieved
467:the original
457:
445:. Retrieved
441:the original
419:
410:
401:
395:
363:Walter Scott
357:Cinque Ports
337:(brother of
297:Robert Burns
261:
252:
241:of 1796 and
227:professional
212:
199:
188:
164:
144:Lord Amherst
138:and General
136:Arthur Young
104:Henry Dundas
93:
70:
68:
22:
836:Lee, Sidney
792:"No. 15609"
339:Jane Austen
258:Termination
209:Composition
855:Categories
702:0007147201
549:(2): 196.
522:(2): 194.
423:Gee pp. 28
381:St James's
345:Volunteers
321:Volunteers
315:Bloomsbury
303:Volunteers
276:opposition
233:) and the
112:Chichester
388:Footnotes
367:Edinburgh
124:Lindfield
828:(1897).
447:23 April
301:Dumfries
184:Yeomanry
176:infantry
128:Penzance
116:Brighton
838:(ed.).
329:captain
280:colonel
180:cavalry
174:in the
172:Militia
85:History
770:p. 140
766:
700:
659:
632:
605:
578:
284:Walmer
219:gentry
98:, the
834:. In
499:2 May
473:2 May
764:ISBN
698:ISBN
657:ISBN
630:ISBN
603:ISBN
576:ISBN
501:2013
475:2013
449:2013
343:Kent
317:and
148:king
126:and
110:and
108:Kent
77:and
69:The
65:unit
551:doi
524:doi
313:,
229:or
120:Rye
857::
794:.
547:31
545:.
520:31
518:.
428:^
379:,
375:,
327:,
309:,
186:.
134:,
122:,
118:,
102:,
81:.
665:.
638:.
611:.
584:.
557:.
553::
530:.
526::
503:.
477:.
451:.
20:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
