Rocket Troops:

[AbsntMndedProf]

Here I go again, pushing the envelope of military strategy. I believe that I've read that some of the armies in the Napoleonic wars used rocket batteries:

http://www.rockets.org.uk/mf.nap.intro.html

This page discusses their use by the British. Did either the French or Coalition forces use them? Thanks!

Eric Maietta

[LarkinVB]

From the web :

Rockets: These are items such as the Congreve rocket system. In Europe only Britain and Austria used rockets during the Napoleonic wars. The British army first encountered rockets in India at the battle of Seringapatam (1792). In 1805 Colonel Congreve succeeded in designing the first relatively effective military rockets at the Royal Laboratory at Woolwich, London. Later in 1808 Austria adopted the Congreve rocket system into their army.

[Didz]

Congreve Rockets were introduced into the British Army around 1806. They varied in size from 5 to 32 pounds with different warheads for case, shell or carcass and could either be fired from a wheeled frame (bit like a hospital trolley) or more usually from a copper tripod. They were used at the Battle of Copenhagen and at Flushing with doubtful results.

Wellington stated in 1814 "I do not want to set fire to any town, and I do not know of know of any other use for these rockets."

However, the 2nd Rocket Troop RHA are said to have caused great discomfort to the French at Liepzig where whole French columns were seen to break and scatter, abandoning their equipment when they saw a rocket heading in their direction.

The 1st Troop RHA were allowed to carry rockets onto the battlefield at Waterloo but only on condition that they also brought their conventional guns as well.

Austria in the meantime took the congreve Rocket into use in 1808 developing a double-barrelled 5cm rocket system. The launchers weighed only 19 lbs each, and fired a 6 or 12 pound shell. 24 launchers constuted a battery. So presumably 48 rockets could be fired in one salvo. For seige work 16 and 28 pound rockets were used.

Incidently, I think I'm right in saying that the Austrian army also experimented with air rifles for their Jager Corps and had one unit armed with bows and arrows.