Cuthbertson's System, for the Interior Management and Oeconomy of a Battalion of Infantry. A New Edition, with Corrections.

CUTHBERTSON, Bennett.

Edité par Bristol: Printed by Rouths and Nelson, for A. Gray, Taunton; W. Cavel, G. Robinson, Wallis and Stonehouse, London, 1776

A propos de cet article

Scarce Bristol printing: only six copies on ESTC and not listed by Ira Gruber in his comprehensive study. Originally published in Dublin in 1768, this timely provincial revision precedes the first London edition (the stated "Second Edition") by two years. In the aftermath of the Seven Years War, the army required innovative texts on regimental training and discipline. For infantry, "the best was Cuthbertson's. which reflected a deep knowledge of regimental affairs". From 1755 to 1768 Cuthbertson had "served as adjutant in the 5th Foot, thus acquiring through experience most of his considerable knowledge of regimental management" (Houlding, p. 216). Bland's seriously outmoded Treatise of Military Discipline, the most recent edition of which was the ninth of 1762, was the only available text dealing with the management of troops at company or battalion level. "Cuthbertson drew up his work to supply that need; full of admirably organized chapters on all aspects of regimental administration and routine, the book was aimed at the hundreds of subalterns who had no place to find all this material collected together in one place. Included too was a section on the regular exercising and manoeuvring of the battalion which, though brief, was without doubt the best short essay on training to have appeared to date". Cuthbertson was similarly advanced on the employment of light companies and the utility of the bayonet at close quarters. Like many similar professional publications of the period, Cuthbertson's System was first published privately and extremely well subscribed. "More than nine hundred fellow officers, including all who would command British forces during the War for American Independence" supported the edition (Gruber, p. 33). One of Gruber's "Books Preferred", it was in the libraries of both Lord Ligonier and his sometime aide-de-camp Sir Charles Hotham Thompson. ESTC T114996. Ira D. Gruber, Books and the British Army in the Age of the American Revolution, 2010; J. A. Houlding, Fit for Service: The Training of the British Army 1715-1795, 1981. Octavo (201 x 118 mm), pp. viii, 192, [2] (appendix title). Appendix of 16 letterpress tables at the rear, 3 folding. Bound without the errata slip after p. 8, found in some copies. Contemporary speckled calf, spine with gilt fillets either side of five raised bands, red morocco label, gilt scrolling edge roll. Binding professionally refurbished, a few scrapes to covers, paste toning to margins of first and last leaves, scattered foxing. A very good copy.

N° de réf. du vendeur 176679

Détails bibliographiques

• Titre: Cuthbertson's System, for the Interior Management and Oeconomy of a Battalion of Infantry. A New Edition, with Corrections.
• Éditeur: Bristol: Printed by Rouths and Nelson, for A. Gray, Taunton; W. Cavel, G. Robinson, Wallis and Stonehouse, London, 1776