Wearing British clothes as a second-generation aristocrat

41. Asking for resources from superiors

Dugan wasn't opposed to recruiting local Indians into the army.

As a time traveler, he knew more about the history of the future than any British officer of this era.

Throughout the British Indian period, whether it was the early East India Company's private army or the later regular colonial army of the Governor-General of India, the indigenous Indian army trained and built by the British was always known for its formidable fighting power.

Throughout the suppression of rebellions by local Indian princes, the defeat of the princely alliance, and the pacification of large-scale peasant uprisings, the Sipaye troops, composed of local people, have always been the British army's most relied-upon vanguard and backbone force.

But Dugan knew that these Indians were never born brave and skilled in battle.

Originally, the farmers scattered in the countryside, the tribesmen in the mountains and forests, and the poor at the bottom of society were just a disorganized bunch. It was the British who came up with a complete, strict and systematic set of military disciplines and forcibly transformed these undisciplined ordinary people into professional warriors that made the whole of South Asia fearful.

In the past, the troops recruited by Indian princes could hardly be considered a proper army.

They were merely temporary refugees and mercenaries hired for money, with no fixed organization, no military discipline, and no systematic training.

They fought solely on momentary bravado, charging and looting in droves when things were going well, but the slightest casualties or losses would cause their morale to collapse and them to scatter and flee. When supplies were scarce, even soldiers would fight amongst themselves for food and valuables, throwing their formation into disarray, making them utterly vulnerable.

What the British brought was a complete militarization and downgrading of the indigenous soldiers.

First, there was the iron-clad, strict military law, which, like invisible chains, tightly bound everyone's free and undisciplined habits.

Those who retreat in the face of battle or desert without permission will be publicly whipped and displayed to the public once they are caught. Those whose circumstances are serious will be shot on the spot without any leniency.

Standing in formation, no swaying or tilting is allowed. Once a military order is given, even if there is heavy artillery fire ahead or a certain death, one must unconditionally obey the order and move forward without hesitation or retreat.

Rigorous drills day after day were the norm. From basic formation turning and standing at attention to salvo firing in a line, platoon rotation, and bayonet charge, every movement was required to be practiced to mechanical precision.

Year after year of rigorous training has ingrained the principles of strict discipline and absolute obedience into the very bones and blood of every Xipayi.

Even more lethal was the tactical overwhelming advantage.

The Maratha tribes still adhered to the traditional chaotic warfare model that had existed for a thousand years, relying on cavalry charges and individual bravery to fight head-on. Their battles depended entirely on the swarming of people, and they would retreat in droves as soon as their momentum faltered, with no formation or strategy whatsoever.

The British trained Sipaye using standard European line infantry tactics.

Two rows of soldiers stood in neat rows. As soon as the drums sounded, a barrage of lead bullets from rifles rained down like a storm.

The alternating advances and retreats of the firing range created a seamless and uninterrupted firepower connection.

Once they encounter an enemy cavalry charge, they immediately and quickly regroup into a bayonet square formation, making it difficult for even the fiercest cavalry to break through.

Faced with this tactic, individual bravery is meaningless.

The real lethality comes from the coordinated formation, continuous firepower suppression, and formation rotation.

This methodical, coordinated, and disciplined killing style was far more destructive than the Marathas's brute force.

The disparity in weaponry and logistics gave Sipay a significant advantage from the very beginning.

Maratha's ordinary soldiers were equipped with a motley collection of old, malfunctioning matchlock guns, rusted and chipped spears, and crudely made broadswords. Ammunition was extremely scarce, and they would often run out of bullets after firing a few volleys, leaving them with no choice but to engage in close-quarters combat.

The Sipaye, who were incorporated into the colonial army, were all equipped with standard-issue brown bes flintlock muskets.

Even if it was just a local arsenal in Calcutta that mass-produced it, the craftsmanship and design were exactly the same as those of the regular British troops.

Ammunition, gunpowder, and lead bullets were centrally allocated by the British Army's logistics system and continuously transported to the front lines; military rations, tents, medicines, and clothing were all readily available, eliminating any need to worry about basic necessities.

Joining the army is no longer a helpless choice for ordinary people to eke out a living and make a living, but a legitimate profession that allows them to receive their full pay on time, gain social status, and live a stable life under the protection of the military.

The core and soul that supported the entire Xipay army was the British officer in command.

Although the soldiers were all local Indians, the command authority at the company, battalion, and regimental levels was firmly in the hands of British officers.

No matter how chaotic the situation on the battlefield or how intense the artillery fire, British officers were able to maintain clear judgment and issue precise military orders.

The soldiers of Sipayi do not need to think about tactics, analyze the situation, or weigh the pros and cons. They only need to do one thing: strictly follow orders.

Of course, this is also a weakness of Indian soldiers.

History has long proven that as long as the British officers leading the front ranks remain in command and continue to give orders, even if the Sipaye troops suffer more than half their casualties, they will still fight to the death and hold their ground.

However, once the commanding officer is killed or goes missing, the entire indigenous army will instantly fall into chaos, morale will collapse, and they may even collapse and scatter without a fight.

Therefore, British officers were the backbone and soul of this indigenous army.

In addition, the British were very discerning in selecting soldiers.

They never arbitrarily recruit ordinary people from the streets; they specifically select groups like the Rajputs and Sikhs, who are physically robust, have a fierce spirit, and possess an inherent martial tradition and a resilient and tolerant nature.

They already possessed the innate qualities to serve in the military and fight, and after being tempered and refined by European-style military discipline, tactics, and drills, they grew into qualified and even elite professional soldiers.

In addition, through years of fighting in various South Asian states and suppressing uprisings, generations of Sipaye have accumulated solid battlefield experience by fighting amidst gunfire and carnage. They have gradually transformed from green recruits into veteran soldiers who can withstand artillery fire, hold their positions, and dare to charge into battle.

As the thoughts were sorted out in his mind, Dugen had already made up his mind.

Expanding the 108th Infantry Regiment could allow for the recruitment of a large number of local Indians to form the Sipaye Company.

As long as we simply adopt the British army's mature recruitment standards, strict military law, drill training, line tactics, standard equipment, and unified logistics, and send reliable British officers to oversee and command at each level, we can establish rules through military discipline, stabilize morale through military pay, and suppress the opponent through tactics.

Before long, this 108th Infantry Regiment, with British officers as its backbone and Indian native soldiers as its flesh and blood, will surely be trained into a formidable force.

With limited time and a heavy workload, where could we find so many Europeans in India?

Therefore, when expanding the 108th Infantry Regiment, recruiting a large number of Indians was imperative and the only way.

"Sir, I'll handle the infantry and cavalry myself. You just need to provide me with sufficient pay, supplies, and officer positions. But for artillery, I hope you can allocate some for me," Dugan said.

Artillery is a technical branch of the military, so it's more reliable to use Europeans.

Major General Wellesley thought for a moment and said, "Okay, I can give you all the resources you want, but on the condition that you win."

"Yes, sir." Dugen immediately stood at attention and saluted.