History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery, Vol. 1 Compiled from the Original Records

"History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery, Vol. 1" by Francis Duncan is a historical book from the late 1800s. The book tells the story of the Royal Artillery, from the first cannons in England to the peace in 1783. It looks at how artillery changed during different wars, pointing out important people and events that molded the group. The author starts by showing the tough times of early artillery soldiers, like John Hawling, a gun expert who needed help, demonstrating how hard their job was. Duncan also talks about the Board of Ordnance and how the Royal Artillery became more organized, while also showing the problems that slowed its growth in the past. He explains why it is important to have a collection of historical events of the Royal Artillery, for cohesion and so future soldiers understand where they came from.