38th Regiment of Foot

38th Regiment of Foot

The 38th Regiment of Foot was a line infantry regiment of the British Army raised in 1705 that served across Europe, North America, Africa and Asia until its 1881 amalgamation into the Dorset Regiment. It saw action in major conflicts including the War of the Spanish Succession, the American Revolutionary War, the Napoleonic Wars, and numerous Victorian colonial campaigns such as the Crimean War and operations in India and South Africa. The regiment produced officers and soldiers who later appear in records connected to figures like Wellington, Napoleon, Jefferson, Gordon of Khartoum, and administrators tied to the East India Company.

Formation and Early History

Raised in 1705 during the reign of Anne and initially numbered among regiments attending the War of the Spanish Succession, the unit recruited men from counties associated with Dorset and surrounding shires. Early deployments linked the regiment to garrison duties in Britain, expeditionary service to Flanders, and operations alongside formations such as the Royal Navy-supported amphibious forces and allied contingents under commanders connected to the Duke of Marlborough. The regiment’s early officers interacted with staff from the Board of Ordnance, the Horse Guards, and other line regiments during reforms instigated after the Blundell reforms and administrative changes echoing concerns raised in debates in the Parliament of Great Britain.

Service in the American Revolutionary War

In the 1770s the regiment deployed to North America amid escalating tensions following incidents like the Boston Massacre and measures such as the Tea Act. Engaged in campaigns tied to commanders including General Thomas Gage, William Howe, and later actions where units fought in the Siege of Boston, the Battle of Long Island, and operations around Charleston, South Carolina. Elements of the regiment were present during inland expeditions opposing forces aligned with leaders such as George Washington, Benedict Arnold, and Horatio Gates. The 38th experienced the logistical challenges of campaigning against militia and Continental forces supported by allies like France under the strategic context shaped by the Treaty of Alliance (1778). Prisoner exchanges, colonial insurgency, and strategic withdrawals mirrored episodes involving the Saratoga campaign and the diplomatic consequences culminating in the Treaty of Paris (1783).

Napoleonic Wars and Peninsular Campaign

Reform and reorganization in the late 18th century positioned the regiment for service during the era of Napoleon Bonaparte. The 38th deployed detachments to the West Indies and later fully took part in the Peninsular War under the command structures associated with Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington coordinating with Spanish and Portuguese forces led by figures such as Marshal Beresford and Silveira. Actions included sieges and set-piece battles connected to campaigns around Cadiz, Badajoz, and engagements during the broader struggle that encompassed confrontations with marshals of the French Empire including Marshal Soult and Marshal Masséna. The regiment’s service intersected with logistical networks linked to the Duke of York’s reforms, staff officers from the Adjutant-General's Department, and allied liaison with the British Portuguese Army.

Victorian Era Deployments and Colonial Service

During the Victorian era the regiment rotated between home service and overseas postings aligned with imperial commitments to places such as India, China, and South Africa. It contributed detachments to operations that connected with events like the First Opium War, policing actions during the aftermath of the Indian Rebellion of 1857, and imperial policing during confrontations with local polities and Boer forces linked to figures such as Paul Kruger. The regiment served under colonial governors and military commanders associated with the East India Company transition to Crown rule after the Government of India Act 1858. Service in garrison towns and expeditionary columns required coordination with components like the Royal Engineers, Royal Artillery, and colonial militia units. Honors, casualties, and veterans’ pensions from this period feature in records alongside contemporary discussions in the House of Commons about army reform and the Cardwell and Childers measures that reshaped force structure.

Amalgamation and Legacy

Under the Childers Reforms of 1881 the regiment was amalgamated to form part of the Dorset Regiment, ending its independent identity while preserving traditions in regimental museums, rolls and battle honors displayed alongside artifacts linked to Waterloo-era and Victorian campaigns. Former officers and soldiers appear in correspondence with statesmen including William Gladstone and military reformers such as Edward Cardwell, and veterans participated in commemorations connected to monuments in Portsmouth, Dorchester and regimental memorials in garrison churches like St Michael's Church, Chester Square. The regiment’s lineage continues through successor units and is remembered in regimental histories, archives held by institutions like the National Army Museum and county collections associated with Dorset County Museum.

Category:Infantry regiments of the British Army Category:Military units and formations established in 1705 Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1881