5. He Had a Passion for Reform
Growing up as a student of war, Wolseley wrote a book called The Soldier’s Pocket Book, which was published in 1869. It detailed his theory about needing to prepare for war, even in times of peace.
In 1871, once he acquired his first job at the War Office, Wolseley set into motion a plan to modernize the British army, and wanted support for his reforming agenda. His goal was to instate shorter terms of service, push for reforms between regular and auxiliary forces, and create other fundamental changes.
But the Victorian army relied upon its ideals of superior moral character, insisting that a strong spirit and was the key to victory. Wolseley never claimed to disagree with this notion, but he thought that shorter service didn’t need to conflict with one’s fighting spirit and that other factors were necessary for achieving victory as well. His outsider perspective brought about conflict with others in the establishment.