Half-pay facts for kids
Half-pay was a special payment given to officers in the British Army and Royal Navy a long time ago. It was like a salary they received when they were retired or not actively working. This system was common in the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries.
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Half-Pay in the Past
United Kingdom
How Half-Pay Started
In the English Army, the idea of half-pay began in the late 1600s and early 1700s. At this time, officers could also buy their ranks and promotions. Officers could choose to go on half-pay if they wanted a break. They could also be forced onto half-pay if the army didn't need them. In both cases, they could be called back to duty if there was a sudden need. For example, during the Jacobite rising of 1715, all officers on half-pay were called back to the army.
Avoiding Hard Service
After the Napoleonic Wars, the British Army was much smaller and had a long period of peace. The half-pay system became a way for officers to avoid tough assignments overseas. Rich officers who bought their promotions could transfer to the half-pay list. This happened if their regiment was sent to places like India. They could then buy new positions in regiments that stayed in Britain. The Secretary at War had to approve these transfers.
Half-Pay as a Reserve
In the 1800s, armies and navies used the half-pay list like a modern reserve force. Officers who were retired or not needed for active duty received half the pay of active officers.
Dealing with Problem Officers
The half-pay list could also be used to remove officers who weren't doing a good job. These officers might have had too much political power to be fired completely. So, they would be put on half-pay and never called back to active service. During long wars, the half-pay lists became very expensive. This was especially true when officers could also sell their half-pay positions.
United States
Half-Pay for American Officers
The Continental Congress started the half-pay system in 1778. This was to help keep officers in the Continental Army. Their regular pay was very low, making it hard to keep them. Officers were promised half-pay for seven years after the American Revolutionary War. Later, this was changed to a lifetime benefit.
Problems After the War
After the war, the Congress under the Articles of Confederation voted against paying these benefits. So, only officers from certain state regiments received half-pay. These states had their own half-pay lists. After a lot of effort from retired officers, Congress agreed in 1783. They allowed officers to receive their full pay for five years, paid by the United States Department of War.
Changes to the System
Having many older officers on half-pay became a problem for the United States. In 1855, the United States Secretary of the Navy was given the power to remove officers. This was done to control costs and bring in younger officers. Officers with 40 years of service were soon allowed to retire voluntarily. In 1889, half-pay retirement was also given to enlisted personnel. They could get it after 30 years of active service.
France
After Napoleon's Defeat
After Napoleon's final defeat in 1815, the French army was broken up. Many officers were seen as disloyal to the new government. They were suspected of supporting Napoleon or wanting a republic. Because of this, many officers were put on demi-solde (half-pay). Some were replaced by officers who had left France during the revolution.
Strict Rules for Half-Pay Officers
These officers were removed from active service but still kept their ranks. They had to be ready to serve the military at any time. They were still under strict military rules. They had to ask for permission to marry or travel outside their town. Their mail was opened, and they had to report to the police.
Life on Half-Pay
The idea of a demi-solde officer always plotting to bring back Napoleon is mostly an exaggeration. Some were involved in anti-government plans, but most returned to normal life. Many became farmers, business owners, or traders. Some were later called back to the military when it grew again. Others moved to places like the Americas. In 1815, there were 20,000 such officers. By the July Revolution in 1830, only 3,000 remained.
Modern Usage
Half-Pay as Punishment
In the modern US military, "half-pay" can refer to a punishment. It means losing half of your pay and benefits for minor offenses. The official rules don't use the exact term "half-pay." Instead, it's a common way to describe losing pay. The rules for how long this punishment can last are in Article 15 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
For officers, this punishment can't last more than two months at half-pay. For enlisted personnel, the punishment depends on the rank of the commanding officer and the person being punished. For example, a higher-ranking officer is needed to punish a noncommissioned officer for a longer time. Officers below the rank of O-4 (like a Major or Lieutenant Commander) can only take away up to seven days' pay. Higher-ranking officers can take away half a month's pay for two months.
Half-Pay for Retirement
The term "half-pay" can also mean the retirement pay for members of the US Armed Forces. They get this pay if they retire after 20 years of service. They can technically be called back to active duty if needed. So, the legal term is "retired pay" (less pay for less service) instead of "pension." This retirement system was started after World War II. It helped the military compete with civilian jobs and keep experienced officers and non-commissioned officers. It also helped care for the many service members leaving after the war.
In Fiction
The adventure novels about Horatio Hornblower are set during the Napoleonic Wars. In these stories, Hornblower and other naval officers often fear being retired and "stranded ashore on half-pay." They see this as their worst nightmare. Even full pay was often barely enough for an officer and their family to live on. Besides permanent retirement, peacetime cutbacks meant many officers were put on half-pay. They would then wait for new assignments, which might never come.
