In Wellington's Army who was responsible for the supply of ammunition?

David & John = That definitely gives me some idea on how the ammo was distributed. It was something I never looked into before.

Thanks!

Bob

My area of interest is the 100 days, and my library reflects that unfortunately. However, it appears that each division has a Conductor or Clerk of Stores of the Ordnance Field Train. Those named in Stephen Summerfield’s book as with the army are confirmed on the Waterloo Medal Roll (page 101) They should be aware of holdings and locations and be able to make returns to the CRA’s staff. As the Ordnance was a separate department with it’s own field train rep at divisional level, I doubt they went through AAG’s of AQMG’s. On the 19th June Frazer was able to comment on ammunition expenditure, indicating that it was probably tracked by artillery commanders directly (Page 123 Waterloo Archive vol IV). The use of reserve troops in ammunition resupply is confirmed by Capt Courtney Ilbert in a letter to his wife from Brussels dated 17th June1815 “I am ordered to remain here with the part of my company that is here (the remainder was a Vilvorde assisting in fitting out 18pdrs) and assist in forwarding ammunition to the army, Hutcheson’s company is on the same duty about 4 miles in front of this”. (Waterloo Archive vol III page 195) From division forward or local holdings is a little less clear. The popular story of Pte Brewer (or Brewster) heroically driving his ammunition cart into Hougoumont points possibly to The Royal Waggon Train from 1802. (myths page 175). They reportedly had 8 Companies in 1815 (along with 4 Companies of the Foreign Waggon Train). They were awarded the battle honour “Waterloo” as well as “Peninsular” . 11 Officers 19 SNCOs and 245 Other Ranks are listed on the Waterloo Medal Roll. Sadly, no Pte Joseph Brewster or Brewer appears there though, but Waterloo storytellers rarely let evidence get in the way of a good story!. Certainly carts and tumbrils were reported on the ridge, including at least one struck and blown up. Frazer reports them being concentrated at the road junction. However, as we saw at La Haye Sainte with 2nd Lt Bn, ammunition resupply can be problematic. So I scanned the Notes of General Sir James Shaw Kennedy. Plain Capt James Shaw on the day of Waterloo, you have probably met him as ADC to Crauford 1809-10. He was on the QMG staff of 3rd Division. His take on it was thus (page 123): “The arrangement for the brigades getting their spare ammunition was, that each brigade should communicate with the guard over the ammunition, and then order forward what was wanted.” It therefore appears that rather than husbanding a Divisional swerve, as an allocation was made (presumably by the aforementioned Clerks of Stores) of ‘spare’ ammunition was issued and the controlled by each brigade, presumably by guards drawn from each battalion. As we saw earlier from Frazer in his conversation with Picton, there was a concentration of presumably Ordnance Field Train or possibly also Royal Waggon Train assets which could be drawn on at need. Shaw criticises Baring for not ordering up suppliers earlier. However, the fracturing of a chain of command with the kind of officer casualties at Waterloo played a big part too. Also, desperate officers like Seymour grabbing the first waggon that comes to hand, even if it might have been allocated elsewhere, did not help either. That’s why I love Waterloo, as probably the most written about battle in our era many fine researchers have done the hard yards, so I can reap the rewards of their hard work. I don’t think we’ve filled in all the blanks, but I think we are getting there? Yous ever, Sources: ‘Notes on the Battle of Waterloo’ General Sir James Shaw Kennedy, Spellmount 2003 ‘Waterloo, Myth and Reality’ Gareth Glover, Pen and Sword 2014 ‘Waterloo Archive’ Gareth Glover Frontline Books 2011-12 vols III & IV ‘The Waterloo Medal Roll” Anon Naval and Military Press 1992 ‘Battle Honours of the British Empire and Commonwealth Land Forces 1661-1991’ Alexander Rogers Crowood Press 2003

As a general overview, the Royal Artillery was responsible for small arms ammunition stocks, transported and stored en masse in the Artillery Park; from that point, supplies of ammunition would be sent forward in one-horse carts or 'tumbrils' (drivers from the Royal Wagon Train?) to brigades where Brigade Major should arrange for individual casks of ball-cartridge to be laden on mules (supplied by the Commissary Dept) to be delivered to battalions where it would be stockpiled- still in casks- behind the firing line. The Quartermaster and QM sergeants, as well as other NCOs would be involved in delivering rounds to soldiers' pouches. Should the ammunition mules fail to make it forward 'from brigade' -not always a clearly defined place in the order of battle- then it might be necessary for soldiers to be sent back to locate the tumbrils and if necessary bring ammunition forward without waiting to transferring casks to mules, as happened at Hougoumont on 18th June 1815 General Orders 20th June 1810:

The commanding officer of the artillery will attach to the new divisions of infantry the same proportion of musket ammunition and flints for their numbers as is attached to the other divisions; and he will make a requisition upon the Commissary General for mules to carry it.

William Surtees (25 Years in the Rifle Brigade):

After a considerable quantity of ammunition had been expended by my battalion, it became my duty to look out for a fresh supply. I accordingly posted off to the rear, where I expected to find some mules which had been attached to us, with ammunition on their backs; but on my way thither, the ground was actually ploughing up on all sides by the enemy's large shot, and their musket balls falling very thick; so much so, that some of our mules far to the rear had been wounded, and the others had dispersed... Some ammunition for our rifles was, however, found in a one-horse cart belonging to the artillery, and out of it those whose ammunition was expended were replenished.

Richard Henegan (Seven Years Campaigning):

At Vittoria, each infantry soldier, on entering the field, had sixty rounds of ball cartridge in his cartouch box for immediate use... As near as possible to the divisions of the army, were brigades of small-arms ammunition to feed the expenditure; and from the commencement to the close of the engagement 1,350,000 rounds of ball cartridge were issued by the Field Train to the troops.

John Cooper (Rough Notes of Seven Campaigns):

The colonel put his hands on my shoulders and said "Serjeant Cooper, go up the hill and tell the brigade-major to send down ammunition immediately, or we must retire." This was necessary, as our men were taking cartridges out of the wounded men's pouches. I scrambled up the steep, and performed my duty with difficulty, as my legs would hardly obey me. I then dragged a Spaniard with his mule laden with ball cartridge down to my company.

Browne of the 40th Foot mentions following at Waterloo

'Boxes of ammunition were placed at intervals along our rear, from about fifty to a hundred paces from us, so that the men could help themselves when they required it.'

Siborne's 'Waterloo Letters' No. 176

Cooper of the 7th refers to re-equipping the unit with casks of cartridges unloaded from a mule.

Macready of the 30th mentions following at Waterloo~

'Our ammunition decreased alarmingly-at length our artillery waggon 'galluped' up emptied two or three casks of cartridges into the square and we were comfortable.' (Notes compiled from answers to my question on a thread on the old 'Napoleonic Wars Forum.')

Aloha Dave!

Great stuff! So if I read it correctly the chief-of-artillery was responsible for the artillery ammunition and possibly the musket ammunition.

So the next question is. . . if Captain Ross who commanded a RHA Troop attached to the Light Division in 1810 needed to replenish his ammunition what would be the chain that the request goes? To the Through the Light Division if so the Assistant Adjutant General? The Assistant Quartermaster General? The Assistant Commissary General? Or direct to the chief-of-artillery?

Thanks!

BOb

In ‘Waterloo Logistics’ Ken Trotman 2018 Dr Stephen Summerfield in Table 4 on page 54 has responsibility for transporting “Weapons, ammunition, greatcoats” to the Ordnance Field Train, for both Army and Ordnance units. On page 56 Table 6 gives Col Sir George Adam Wood as CRA the responsibility within the headquarters, along with his Assistant and Train Inspector. Furthermore, on page 60 he refers to William Stace reporting 77 Field Train Officers and 94 Articifers serving with the army. In table 9 on page 59, the 4 Clerk of Stores and 2 Clerk of Stores attached to the divisions are named, along with the Assistant Commissary and 4 Conductor of Stores with the reserves of the field army are also named.

“And if I am an artillery commander, whom do I submit the request for ammunition?” Commanding The Horse Artillery Sir Augustus Frazer in a letter of 26th April 1815 (page 336) “Many troops got on shore yesterday and amongst other people, to my great joy, our Commissary-General Stace, to whom I had been writing in the morning about many deficiencies in his department, which his presence will supply. He is accompanied, or will be followed by a dozen officers of his department, who are the very people we want” It seems likely that the special ammunition natures that Ordnance retained the supply train for artillery ammunition. However, cartridge and ball as seem to have been passed to Divisions. In a letter of 22nd May (page 347) “A fifth and sixth division of the army have been formed. Generals Cole and Picton will have them” “Three batteries of 18-pounders (four guns each) will be ordered up immediately. The reserves of musket ball cartridge will be sent to join the several divisions immediately.” June 18th, quarter-past 9am (page 368) “All quite on both sides, all getting into order. Ammunition on ours, and doubtless on the enemy’s side, coming up.” June 20th, 9am (page 374) “It was necessary to find the duke, from whom I had been for a little time separated in assuring some guns which were about to be abandoned from a momentary want of ammunition” “Sir Thomas (Picton) told me the line was ordered under arms, and that we were to be attacked. I told him generally how the artillery were disposed, and to what points (principally the intersection of the paved, a little to the right of Braine l’Aleud) the reserves of musket ball cartridge carts were directed” “Judge, however, of our surprise on learning that, by some misapprehension of orders, Lloyds’s ammunition waggons had been sent to the rear. To be vexed was vain: one waggon was borrowed from Sandham’s battery, and an officer sent to the rear for Lloyd’s waggons.” June 22nd 8am (page 380) “It was feared that whilst our chief attention had been paid to re-equipping our troops and batteries, and sending them forward, and to getting up the battering-train and small arm and gun ammunition, the Prussians had run away with the trophies of our victory” June 24th 9am Mons (page 384) “These are of all kinds, an officer of sergeant attending from every brigade in the country. We hope to arrange app, and to return to Cateau tonight. But horses, waggons, and ammunition of all kinds must arrive, as I have no doubt they will. Dickson is at Brussels, and is forwarding them” June 26th 5am (page 387) Mons “The Duke is impatient and wants ammunition, so off Stace and I scamper”. We are to find, and to send to the army 4,000,000 musket ball cartridges and a double supply of gun ammunition for every piece (112) in the field.” June 28, 8am (page 390) “about half a million of musket ball-cartridges will come from Vilvorde to Brussels, and by tomorrow or next day we have every hope that our four millions of musket ball-cartridges, and a double proportion of gun ammunition for every piece in the field, will be on its route” All taken from ‘Commanding Wellington’s Horse Artillery’ Edward Sabine republished by Lenaur 2018, from which the pages refer. I don’t think anything here directly answers your question, but might help set the scene?