‘Manifesting their Zeal’ : The Raising of the Staffordshire Yeomanry Cavalry
‘Manifesting their Zeal’ The Raising of the Staffordshire Yeomanry Cavalry [1] George Granville Leveson-Gower, Earl Gower Sutherland First Colonel of the regiment 1794 was a somewhat tetchy year. The developing French Wars; demands, all things considered, for a little bit more democracy in the body politic and the developing upset of the Industrial Revolution had caused the government to look to its own defence. The initial plan was issued by Whitehall, in a circular to Lord Lieutenants, on 15th March. Item 3 indicated that troops of 50 to 80 men Fencible Cavalry were to be raised. With a proper regard to economy it was made clear that, while the government would provide the equipment, the levy money would have to come from local supporters, the commissions were for the war time only and half-pay afterwards was not to be a thing. Some thought was given to units above troop level. Anyone raising two troops was to be given the temporary rank of major, four t...