Richard Lambart (or Lambert), 6th Earl of Cavan was born sometime around 1722 (presumably in County Cavan, Ireland) and died in 1778. He is credited with writing A New System of Military Discipline Founded Upon Principle, a work similar to those of Simes and Cuthbertson, but much more daring in that it discredits much of what is outlined in the Royal Warrant of 1768. Instead Cavan proposes that a variety of alterations and changes be made in the soldiers' clothing, accouterments and maneuvers (perhaps the reason why the title page names the author simply as "a General Officer"). Cavan's New System is remarkable in that several of the changes he suggests (cut-down coats, for example) were actually implimented to some degree by the British Army then serving in America. In fact changes similar to those outlined in his book were officially made late in the century, so that the British soldier of the early 1800s looks much like what is described by Cavan in 1776. Whether this trend was inspired foresight by Cavan or simply the way the British Army normally operated during wartime, with Cavan simply put current trends down in print, is unclear. Whatever the case, Cavan's work stands as evidence that the British Army during the period of the American Revolution was not as set in its ways as was once believed.

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