lilacstarflower

I decided that one of my characters starts out in the British Army serving in the East Indies (around 1770s). He joins with no rank as such but within a few years he becomes a colonel or a brigadier. Does this mean that he would have to get promoted up through the ranks from private...colonel? Because according to my research he would have to be promoted 11 times to go through all these ranks. Was that possible at this time, considering there was not an actual war being fought?

Any advice appreciated

Sam Winchester

You don't become a Colonel in a few years, no matter how good you are. It takes as many as fifteen to twenty years to become a fully-fledged Colonel. Firstly, it takes about two years to become Lieutenant, four to five for Captain, ten for Major, around fifteen to become Lieutenant-Colonel, and then as many as twenty before you become a Colonel. I'm not sure what the time-frame would have been back then, but I'm sure it would have been something similar.

Sam.

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Non Serviam

In the British Army in the 1770's, he could do it by starting as an ordinary soldier, then somehow becoming very rich and purchasing an expensive commission.

(Officerships were rarely awarded on merit. They were bought and sold. By idiots, quite often.)

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Born naked, helpless, unable to care for himself and completely open-minded, Non Serviam has subsequently surmounted all these difficulties and gone on to become a decently-clothed, self-sufficient, close-minded sod.

Katastrof

NS is on the money. The rich were often the officers of the British Army and the commoners were the non-commissioned men. I think its highly unlikely for a common person, unless exceptionally heroic and smart, to become an officer in the British Army during the 18th century.

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Read:

When The Man Comes Around

"Carpe Diem, quam minimum credula postero"
(Seize the day put no trust in tomorrow.) ~ Horace

lilacstarflower

Thanks for the input everyone