Reading the Regency

Gentlemen's occupations - Army or Navy Officers

An Officer in the British Army

"He farther observed that the army was now the young man's only resource, and, on taking leave, he put into Henry's hands a 50l. note, and an ensign's commission."
[Chapter 8, Patronage, by Maria Edgeworth]

Officer commissions in the British Army were considered suitable occupations for the sons of peers and wealthy gentlemen. Commissions were often bought by fathers or uncles for their younger sons and nephews, and could be traded up to obtain promotions. An army officer was considered a higher status position than a naval officer.

The main requirements for purchasing a first commission were age, (between 16 and 21 years) education, (you had to be able to read and write) and the ability to pay for the position. You also needed a letter of recommendation from an existing officer, of at least the rank of major, confirming your character, education and bodily health.

You could only purchase a commission in a cavalry or infantry regiment. For any other regiment, such as the Royal Engineers or Royal Artillery, you had to attend the Royal Military Academy at Woolwich in order to receive a commission. Promotions there were earned by length of service and experience.

It might seem odd to us today that a man could buy himself an officer's position in the Army without any training, but the thought at the time was that because people invested in their commission it would attract only those who were genuinely interested in a career with the armed forces. If you were killed in battle the purchase price was usually "non-refundable", which encouraged the officers to be mindful of the mortality of themselves and those under their command.

If an officer died as part of an heroic action, the army could gift his widow with a sum equal to the value of his commission, but this was decided on a case by case basis and was by no means guaranteed.

The cost of a commission depended on the regiment, as some positions were worth more than others. The cheapest entry-level grade in the infantry was the Ensign, and it would cost £400 to buy an Ensigncy in a marching Regiment of Foot. The same level in the Foot Guards cost £900.

Glamourous cavalry regiments could charge more for their commissions. The equivalent of an Ensign in a Cavalry regiment was a Cornet, and it would cost £1.102 to purchase a Cornetcy in the Dragoon Guards, or £1,600 to buy a commission as Cornet in the Horse Guards. Although these were the official "fixed" prices, it wasn't unusual to pay more to gain a position in one of the popular regiments.

Once you were either an Ensign or a Cornet you could buy further promotions to improve your position, up to the rank of Colonel. However, you could not buy a promotion whenever you wished. You had to wait for a position to become available, either through death, injury or retirement. There were also army regulations requiring a minimum length of service in each rank before you were entitled to upgrade to the next rank. Three years service was needed to advance to Captain, while you had to be a Captain for at least two years before you could rise to Major. All ranks above Colonel were given on the basis of seniority only.

An Ensign in the Regiment of Foot could pay an additional £150 to become a Lieutenant. It would then cost a further £950 to receive the rank of Captain in the same regiment.

Likewise, a Cornet in the Horse Guards could pay an additional £150 to rise to the rank of Lieutenant. Once there, he would pay £1,350 more to receive the rank of Captain in the same regiment. The Royal Regiment of Horse Guards was one of the most sought after regiments, as it was based in London and tasked with protecting the Royal household.