Concerning light infantry

[Humbugged]

How did light battalions like the 43rd or 52nd work. This is in the real world now, not game mechanics. They had ten companies like an ordinary line battalion would but were all the companies, effectively light companies? Would they still have had a grenadier company?
In battle would they have fought in line with the tenth company, the light company in loose or skirmish order like a line battalion would do?

Or was it just that they all had the training to fight as skirmishers whereas in an ordinary line battalion only the light co would?

Also, a painting question. Looking to get some of those lovely new Victrix Cacadores. Would the officers have had red sashes like the British officers. Couldn't find any pictures of officers as a reference.

[hawkinspikeman]

the 52nd 43rd 71st were part of crawfords light division along with the ,they were formed to be just that division of light infantry troops ,they would be used as skimishers. the first part of there training was in the standard line infantry dundas drill (this go's for the 95th rifles as well ) only once they had mastered the line drill could the then move on to the light infantry part of there training (part of the dundas line drill for line regiments also included a section on skimishing ) its is this light infantry training that made then different from standard line regiments .they did not have a grenadier company as they did not need one ,there is also a myth that some companys of the 43rd were equiped with the baker rifle ,this untrue the baker rifle was tested by every regiment in the british army (indeed the 33rd foot sent theres back broken ) but was never issued on mass to any other british regiment other than the 95th .there was another light infantry regiment at the time the 68th durham light infantry ,and every regiment of the line generally had a light company but these did not fight independently of there regiment .

neil

[Guest]

Hi humbugged..Hawkins pikeman seems to know his stuff(well as much as a white coated southern Royalist regiment would know)...

I think that the whole light infantry battalion COULD skirmish , if required,which i think is your original question.In most cases, I suspect that they would throw out a Companie(s) to skirmish and keep the rest of the battalion in line for support, adding to the skirmishers if needs be, but always keeping a strong reserve.

It doesnt mean that they WOULD of course.As wargamers we (me) put anything that can skirmish , into skirmish order... and it often ends in tears...

The second Battalion 95th Rifles, the ones NOT by the sand pit and La Haye, were on the right center at waterloo, and they stayed in line, and square all blooming day... no skirmishing for them It seems...

I think that the cacadores officers did have red sashes, and if they didnt , they should have,,,,

cheers john s

[Greenjacket]

Hi Humbugged,

The 43rd and the 52nd were trained as light infantry to skirmish, but skirmish tactics envisaged that a substantial portion of the battalion would be held further back in close order to act in support of the skirmshers, and in many cases the light infantry acted as line infantry anyway.

The light infantry companies of line battalions were in practice usually brigaded together with the brigade rifle company to form either "brigade pickets" or else a divisional "light corps" battalion. Some details can be found in Stuart Reid's 'Wellington's Army in the Peninsula' (Osprey) or Philip Haythornwaite 'British Infantry Tactics of the Napoleonic Wars' (Osprey).

Cazadore officers had red sashes.

I hope that helps

Paul

[Humbugged]

Am wondering what Stardicus & Greenjacket had to say. Seems to be taking a while to approve their posts?

[James Manto]

I thought the 60th were rifles too?

[hawkinspikeman]

60th rifles were originally Americans but by the time of the peninsula war they were mostly Germans ,when ever any of the french German allies defected to the British they ere generally sent to the 6oth rifles or any other German unit serving with the British army ,like the kings German legion who also had a rifle company , but the 95th were the only British regiment to issued with the rifle (incidentally it was never called the baker rifle by the British army ,baker only designed the original weapon it was know as the british infantry rifle in service )

neil

[Humbugged]

The 5th to the 8th battalions of the 60th were equipped with Rifles and Green jackets. The 1st to 4th had rifle companies but had Red jackets with blue facings.
Just to confuse it a little more, the 5th battalion, 60th Royal American, comprising mainly of Germans, was raised on the Isle of Wight!