An English Cadet in the Austrian

Tucked away in the periodical literature of the late 19th century lie many articles containing nuggets of gold relating to the armies of Europe during the mid-19th century.

This is one such article (or series of articles), reprinted from the "Cornhill Magazine", 1867.

The author, who chose to remain anonymous, was an Englishman who joined the Austrian army in the mid-1840s, leaving it in the early 1860s.

He served in a Jager Battalion, and whilst he did see active service during the 1848/49 campaign in Italy, his account is most valuable for the light it sheds on the daily life of an officer in the Austrian army during this period.

This type of information is very hard to come by, making this account extremely valuable.

The author makes interesting comparisons between the Austrian and English service, and is never less than readable.