The Royal Canadian Rifle Regiment
Encyclopedia
The Royal Canadian Rifle Regiment of the British Army
was raised in 1840 for service in Canada
. Its members were veterans of service in other regiments of the British Army. The concern which led to the creation of the Regiment was the continuing problem of desertion. Soldiers of the British Army in garrison in Canada were often tempted to flee to the United States from which they would not be deported. At garrisons located close the international border such as Fort Mississauga
in Niagara
, Fort Malden
in Amherstburg
and Fort Wellington
in Prescott
, the problem of desertion was epidemic during and after the War of 1812
.
In order to combat this problem, the Royal Canadian Rifle Regiment only recruited veterans of at least 15 years' service in the British Army. These men were thought to be more reliable than their younger counterparts. In addition, the pay of private soldiers in the Regiment was doubled to two shillings per day instead of the normal one shilling per day. They were also offered the prospect of a pension upon completion of 21 years of military service and free grants of land.
Starting in 1840, the Regiment was spread out in detachments from St. John's
in Newfoundland to Winnipeg in Manitoba.
Another unusual feature of the Royal Canadian Rifle Regiment was its uniform and tactical employment. While most infantry in the British Army wore redcoats into the 1880s and 1890s and fought with smoothbore muskets into the 1850s, during the Napoleonic Wars the Army had experimented with regiments of rifle-armed infantry who wore green uniforms in an early attempt at camouflage. Deployed as skirmishers, these men of the King's Royal Rifle Corps
, the 60th Regiment, and the 95th Regiment, performed sterling service throughout the Peninsular War
and the Waterloo
Campaign in 1815.
After the War of 1812, the Duke of Wellington
opined that light infantry and rifle-armed skirmishers would prove of great value in any future campaigns in North America. Taking this advice, the British Army elected to embody the new, veterans' regiment as a rifle regiment rather than a more traditional infantry regiment.
The initial weapon of the Royal Canadian Rifle Regiment was the Baker rifle
, which had been introduced into service in the British Army during the Napoleonic Wars. While beloved by its users and quite sophisticated in design, it was a flintlock weapon and therefore liable to malfunction in rain or wind. In 1841, the Army adopted a percussion lock rifle called the Brunswick rifle
which was intended to retain the Baker rifle's better characteristics with a more reliable mechanism.
The result of this change was unfortunate. The Brunswick Rifle was an inelegant rifle which suffered from a severe recoil when fired. In addition, the inherent problem of loading rifled ammunition down the barrel of a muzzleloading rifle remained to be solved. Where a smoothbore musket could be fired at least three times per minute in experienced hands, a Brunswick or Baker Rifle required a full minute to reload. While accurate to a range of approximately 300 yards rather than the 100 yards of the musket, the slowness of reloading proved a dangerous liability on the battlefield.
Fort Wellington is a national historic site operated by Parks Canada
and depicts the period 1846. At this time, a company of the Royal Canadian Rifle Regiment was in garrison at the Fort and visitors can see guides in the uniform of this Regiment as well as a restored barracks.
The Royal Canadian Rifle Regiment was disbanded on 30 September, 1870 at Kingston
.
Fort Wellington National Historic site: http://www.pc.gc.ca/lhn-nhs/on/wellington/index_e.asp
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
was raised in 1840 for service in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Its members were veterans of service in other regiments of the British Army. The concern which led to the creation of the Regiment was the continuing problem of desertion. Soldiers of the British Army in garrison in Canada were often tempted to flee to the United States from which they would not be deported. At garrisons located close the international border such as Fort Mississauga
Fort Mississauga
Fort Mississauga National Historic Site is a fort along the shore of Lake Ontario, not far from the Niagara River in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario. The fort today consists of a box–shaped brick tower and historic star–shaped earthworks—the only one in the country...
in Niagara
Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario
Niagara-on-the-Lake is a Canadian town located in Southern Ontario where the Niagara River meets Lake Ontario in the Niagara Region of the southern part of the province of Ontario. It is located across the Niagara river from Youngstown, New York, USA...
, Fort Malden
Fort Malden
Fort Malden is a fort that stands on the remains of Fort Amherstburg in Amherstburg, Ontario. The original fort was abandoned by the British/Canadians in 1813 when Southwest Ontario fell into American hands. The Americans began building a smaller replacement fort on the same site, but this was...
in Amherstburg
Amherstburg, Ontario
Amherstburg is a Canadian town near the mouth of the Detroit River in Essex County, Ontario. It is approximately south of the U.S...
and Fort Wellington
Fort Wellington
Fort Wellington National Historic Site is a historic military fortification located on the north shore of the St. Lawrence River at Prescott, Ontario...
in Prescott
Prescott, Ontario
Prescott is a town of approximately 4,180 people on the north shore of the Saint Lawrence River in Leeds and Grenville United Counties, Ontario, Canada. The Ogdensburg-Prescott International Bridge, 5 km east of Prescott in Johnstown, connects it with Ogdensburg, New York...
, the problem of desertion was epidemic during and after the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
.
In order to combat this problem, the Royal Canadian Rifle Regiment only recruited veterans of at least 15 years' service in the British Army. These men were thought to be more reliable than their younger counterparts. In addition, the pay of private soldiers in the Regiment was doubled to two shillings per day instead of the normal one shilling per day. They were also offered the prospect of a pension upon completion of 21 years of military service and free grants of land.
Starting in 1840, the Regiment was spread out in detachments from St. John's
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
St. John's is the capital and largest city in Newfoundland and Labrador, and is the oldest English-founded city in North America. It is located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland. With a population of 192,326 as of July 1, 2010, the St...
in Newfoundland to Winnipeg in Manitoba.
Another unusual feature of the Royal Canadian Rifle Regiment was its uniform and tactical employment. While most infantry in the British Army wore redcoats into the 1880s and 1890s and fought with smoothbore muskets into the 1850s, during the Napoleonic Wars the Army had experimented with regiments of rifle-armed infantry who wore green uniforms in an early attempt at camouflage. Deployed as skirmishers, these men of the King's Royal Rifle Corps
King's Royal Rifle Corps
The King's Royal Rifle Corps was a British Army infantry regiment, originally raised in colonial North America as the Royal Americans, and recruited from American colonists. Later ranked as the 60th Regiment of Foot, the regiment served for more than 200 years throughout the British Empire...
, the 60th Regiment, and the 95th Regiment, performed sterling service throughout the Peninsular War
Peninsular War
The Peninsular War was a war between France and the allied powers of Spain, the United Kingdom, and Portugal for control of the Iberian Peninsula during the Napoleonic Wars. The war began when French and Spanish armies crossed Spain and invaded Portugal in 1807. Then, in 1808, France turned on its...
and the Waterloo
Battle of Waterloo
The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815 near Waterloo in present-day Belgium, then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands...
Campaign in 1815.
After the War of 1812, the Duke of Wellington
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS , was an Irish-born British soldier and statesman, and one of the leading military and political figures of the 19th century...
opined that light infantry and rifle-armed skirmishers would prove of great value in any future campaigns in North America. Taking this advice, the British Army elected to embody the new, veterans' regiment as a rifle regiment rather than a more traditional infantry regiment.
The initial weapon of the Royal Canadian Rifle Regiment was the Baker rifle
Baker rifle
The Baker rifle was a flintlock rifle used by the Rifle regiments of the British Army during the Napoleonic Wars. It was the first standard-issue, British-made rifle accepted by the British armed forces....
, which had been introduced into service in the British Army during the Napoleonic Wars. While beloved by its users and quite sophisticated in design, it was a flintlock weapon and therefore liable to malfunction in rain or wind. In 1841, the Army adopted a percussion lock rifle called the Brunswick rifle
Brunswick rifle
The Brunswick rifle was a large caliber muzzle-loading percussion rifle manufactured for the British Army at the Royal Small Arms Factory at Enfield in the early 19th century.-History:...
which was intended to retain the Baker rifle's better characteristics with a more reliable mechanism.
The result of this change was unfortunate. The Brunswick Rifle was an inelegant rifle which suffered from a severe recoil when fired. In addition, the inherent problem of loading rifled ammunition down the barrel of a muzzleloading rifle remained to be solved. Where a smoothbore musket could be fired at least three times per minute in experienced hands, a Brunswick or Baker Rifle required a full minute to reload. While accurate to a range of approximately 300 yards rather than the 100 yards of the musket, the slowness of reloading proved a dangerous liability on the battlefield.
Fort Wellington is a national historic site operated by Parks Canada
Parks Canada
Parks Canada , also known as the Parks Canada Agency , is an agency of the Government of Canada mandated to protect and present nationally significant natural and cultural heritage, and foster public understanding, appreciation, and enjoyment in ways that ensure their ecological and commemorative...
and depicts the period 1846. At this time, a company of the Royal Canadian Rifle Regiment was in garrison at the Fort and visitors can see guides in the uniform of this Regiment as well as a restored barracks.
The Royal Canadian Rifle Regiment was disbanded on 30 September, 1870 at Kingston
Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post...
.
External links
Encyclopaedic history of the British Army: http://www.regiments.org/regiments/na-canada/inf/840rcrr.htmFort Wellington National Historic site: http://www.pc.gc.ca/lhn-nhs/on/wellington/index_e.asp