What Made a Good 18th Century Drill Sergeant?
October 16, 2025
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22:46Now PlayingWhat Made a Good 18th Century Drill Sergeant?
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~~Video Description~~
The modern image of drill sergeants is, for better or worse, rather ubiquitous. Shouting, angry, and impatient of the stupidity of their recruits! To be sure, young army recruits have always been known to have a 'clownish, auckward' manner about them (to quote Cuthbertson!) but, what about the Drill Instructors? Have they always had the reputation we give them today? Or were certain other values held up in the 18th century for them to follow?
~~Sources & Further Reading On This Topic~~
Alongside all of the books used in this video, which you'll find at , you may find these videos interesting
How recruits were trained in this time period
A playlist about the organisation of, and role of officers & NCOs in, the British Army in the late 18th Century
I briefly allude to the story of John Robert Shaw at the end of this video. My friend Chris has a great video on his narrative
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~~Timestamps~~
Intro 00:00
The Proper Qualifications 02:57
The Reality on the Ground 14:15
Guests & Subjects Covered
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