Français  Contact Us  Help  Search  Canada Site Volume 1 (1000–1754) Volume 2 (1755-1871) Volume 3 (1872–2000) CHAPTER 1 The Conquest CHAPTER 2 The Revolt of Pontiac and the American Invasion CHAPTER 3 The Coveted Pacific Coast CHAPTER 4 The Napoleonic Wars and the War of 1812 CHAPTER 5 Demobilization A Time For Defence Cuts The American Threat The Great Fortifications Huge Expenses! The Great Lakes - Neutral Territory Annual Review of the Upper Canadian Militia The Militia of Lower Canada Demobilization of the French-Canadian Militia Political Confrontation and Secret Societies The 1837 Lower Canada Rebellion Saint-Denis and Saint-Charles Saint-Eustache The Horrors of War The Upper Canada Rebellion New Preparations Start of the 1838 Rebellions Napierville The Invasion of Upper Canada The Legacy of the Rebellions The Aroostook War Canadian Politics and British Withdrawal Reorganization of the Militia The 1855 Volunteers In the Maritimes CHAPTER 6 The Royal Navy, Ruler of the Seas CHAPTER 7 A Decade of Turbulence APPENDIX A The British Armed Forces APPENDIX B Daily Life of Soldiers and Officers APPENDIX C Uniforms and Arms APPENDIX D Reference      CHAPTER 5 Demobilization           A Time For Defence Cuts ( 1 page )                     In 1815 a world tired of more than 20 years of conflict welcomed the end of the Napoleonic wars.  Throughout the long period of peace that followed, all the countries involved in these confrontations were relieved to be able to make huge cuts in their military spending, which was swallowing up most of their budgets.  In Great Britain the Royal Navy was reduced from 140,000 to 17,000 men.  Army personnel were cut to 110,000, the minimum required to maintain British garrisons in Great Britain and the colonies.  With the exception of those in India, regular colonial troops were disbanded. Some believed, rightly, that the people of British North America would lose interest in defence matters unless one or more Canadian regiments were kept active.  But Great Britain retained its strict cost-saving measures and applied them rigorously.  All the Fencibles regiments, including the 104th, which had been raised in New Brunswick, were disbanded in 1816-17.  Henceforth all defence would be the responsibility of the home British army sent to the colony.        Last Updated: 2004-06-20 Important Notices