411 
MEMOIRS 
HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL. 
THE BEOME-AVALTOH FAMILY. 
r 
OCT 20 l«d3 
BY 
MAJOR AND QUARTERMASTER R. II. MURDOCH, R.A. 
(Assistant-Superintendent of Records). 
Chapter II. 1739-40—1758-9. 
The period wliicli we now approach Avas pregnant with issues of im¬ 
portant and enduring consequences, not only to the Royal Artillery 
but to the Army at large, and worthily constitutes an epoch in military 
history. 
(a.) The wars with Spain and of the Austrian Succession ushered 
in the Seven Years’ War, which was the first act of the drama that 
Avas played out at SadoAva and Sedan—a war which left Eugland 
absolute mistress of the seas, founded her empire in India, and gave 
to her North America. 1 2 
(b.) It ushered in and bowed out the antiquated system of field 
tactics Avhich had subordinated fighting to parade manoeuvres, and 
taught the importance of reserves composed of troupes d’ elite? 
(c.) It gave the first employment in battle to the “ British bayonet ” 
and to the “ iron ramrod gave birth to the regiments of High¬ 
landers and to mounted infantry 3 ; and abolished body armour, the 
infantry soldier’s SAVorcl, the shields of Highland regiments, the halberts 
and field staves of non-commissioned officers, and kettle-drum organisa¬ 
tion. 
( d .) It regimented the corps of Royal Artillery, and assigned to it 
permanent precedence over all dismounted arms ; constituted artillery 
(since Eontenoy, 1745) an indispensable arm of warfare ; gave birth to 
1 Russel’s “ Modern Europe,” Vol. II. Longman’s “ Erederick the Great.” 
2 “Annals of War,” anno 1745, p. 65, bv Sir Ed. Oust. The “Campaigns of the Seven 
Years’ War, by an Officer who served with the British ” (1764 Ed.) 
a Hume’s “ England,” p. 605. 
8. VOL. xx. 
