"Silly question regarding reading British OOB" Topic

I am reading some historical OOBs to try and figure out what scale I am looking for in Napoleonics, and for the life of me, I can't remember what the first number means for a British regiment when you have like x/[Regiment].

For example, Talavera shows something like:

Brigade: Tilson
l/3rd Foot Regiment (746)
2/48th Foot Regiment (567)
2/66th Foot Regiment (526)
5/60th Foot Regiment (l coy)(52)

The 1/2/5 there means what, the number of the battalion? E.g. "First battalion, 3rd Foot" or "Second battalion, 48th Foot"? As in that regiment had only one battalion present? "Coy" I know means a company (as in "one company from the 5th battalion of the 60th Foot")

So if it doesn't have a number preceding the unit's name (e.g. just "29th Foot"), does that mean the regiment was there with its full strength (which would be how many battalions)?

Also then, cavalry units don't get split in that way (as none of them ever show the x/Regiment designation)? Are they always full strength then unless specified otherwise?

Dumb question, I know :) but I am drawing a total blank.

Thanks,

Wayne

Yes, the number before the slash is the battalion number while the number after the slash is the regimental number. When a regiment only had one battalion, such as the 68th (IIRC), then you just have the regimental number. The only divergence from that are British Guards regiments where sometimes you see 1/Coldstream Guards or 1/Irish Guards instead of the number.

Cavalry regiments only have a regimental number or regimental name.

Unless otherwise designated, such as your example for the 5/60th Foot (1 coy), the infantry battalion would have all of its 10 companies present.

If in an OB listing there is only a regimental number, then most likely that regiment was only one battalion strong and did not have multiple battalions.

Jim

Makes sense, thanks! I was having a complete blank trying to remember that!

Thanks,

Wayne

As a slight aside, it is rare to see two battalions of the same British infantry regiment together in the same brigade. If you do, then you can bet that by the time of the next OOB the 2nd battalion will have disappeared, its men transferred to the first to make good losses, and a cadre sent home to recruit.

I don't know about the British, but I believe many of the Austrian regiments were made up of 3 battalions. 2 of these could be on active service and might even be present at the same battle (though there was no requirement for them to operate together).

The third battalion would be a "depot" battalion, based in a home territory and responsible for recruitment (perhaps training and local policing as well?).

Or something like that.

If you think Napoleonic nomenclature is complicated, wait until later mergers and splits give things like 7th/11th Hussars (combined) and 2/2 ***Rgt (the second Bn split into two).

PS I may have made these up, but you know what I mean !!

and 2/2 ***Rgt (the second Bn split into two).

Besides the cavalry mergers (all post-WWI), the "fractional" numbers are for Territorial units. After the 1908 Haldane Reforms, when a TF battalion or Yeomanry Regiment would go on active service it would create a duplicate 2nd Line, typically for home service, depot duties, etc. In those cases where the 2nd Line were activated, a 3rd Line would be created, and so on.