According to Colonel H.C. Rogers "NAPOLEON'S ARMY", pages 37 & 38, in 1789 the French Army included 12 Regiments of Chasseurs a cheval and 12 battalions of chasseurs a pieds (foot chasseurs). The 12 battalions of (foot) chasseurs because the nucleus of the "demi-brigades legeres" of the Revolution (raised to 1-5 demi-brigades legeres then to 27 light regiments in 1803)later-in 1803 they became the light Regiments of the Empire. Both chasseurs cheval and foot chasseurs originated from the split of the so-called,LEGIONS, see part 1 of this article.
The origin of the 12 regiments of chasseurs a cheval traced back to the light units reported in Part 1. (E.E. IC issue #22) can be found in NAPOLEON'S CHASSEURS.
We now have to go back to our skirmishers. First how far back were skirmishers-used? According to QUIMBY skirmishers-were already used in the 17th century. Musketeers were already used as such to protect the pikemen usually used in massive columns. ref. QUIMBY page 8. They disappeared during the War of the League of Augsburg and they were absent during the War of the Spanish Succession etc. ref. QUIMBY page 84. They reappeared during the War of the AUSTRIAN SUCCESSION (1740-1748) QUIMBY page 84. Actually swarms of Austrian skirmishers appeared first. Saxe was a very strong advocate of skirmishers. ref QUIMBY pages 69-85.
From the time of the Rengency the use of skirmishers no only reappeared but became very extended. Pickets of Dragoons and grenadiers were sometimes regularly deployed in that fashion. (QUIMBY p.85). There was increased experimentation with them in camps of instructions as early as 1727 and especially at Gray in 1754. At Gray the grenadiers were-used in that fashion. They advanced to fire and retired to the right and left of their battalions to load. At the camp of APREMONT skirmishers alone successfully defended villages. At that, the so-called "feu de chasseurs" (independent. fire) which was very deadly when well aimed, was recommended for the skirmishers by Bombelle, a disciple of Saxe (QUIMBY p. 85). Colin, quoted by QUIMBY, (p.85) reports that the regiment of GRASSIN, a so-called irregular light unit composed of 800 infantry and 400 horse (one of the units described in part I of this article was dispersed along the Wood of Berry at Fontenoy, and there, by their fire, stopped completely the flanking attack of Ingolsby's brigade.
We have seen how such "light troops" were raised and operated. In addition they supplemented the battalion skirmishers. QUIMBY page 86 says: "They were the precursors of the light cavalry hussar) and light infantry regiments of the Army."
The French Army entered the Seven Year War with the Ordinance of 1755 which already permitted the use of several formations: thin line, double line, closed column and skirmishers. ref. Quimby, page 91 from Colin, L'Infanterie au XVIIIe siecle page 69.
Everyone has a tendency to claim that the French in the Seven Year War were usually badly led and often beaten. There is a great deal of truce in that, yet they were some very competent leaders like Broglie. This period is one of the most interesting tactically speaking. During that war all the ideas of the last 30 years were tried: thin lines, columns, skirmishers, battalion guns, divisional system etc.. All that apparently in agreement with the Ordinance of 1755 as related above.
At Minden for instance, the order mixte was even used by Marshall Cantades which ordered each infantry brigade to form its first battalion in column and the others in line. The first battalion in column was not deployed even after the action began. ref. Quimby page 91. At Hastembeck, which was the first major action of the Seven Year War, where the Marshal de Richelieu defeated the Duke of Cumberland, it seams certain that the grenadiers and the pickets sent forward in the wooded heights, have fought as skirmishers.
During the course of the war, the use of skirmishers became general. No actions were fought without skirmishers. ref. Quimby, page 92. At Bergen, several battalions of "Volunteers", that is the light troops described in part I of this article fought as skirmishers and held the advance of the enemy on the left and fought the enemy to a draw there.
We can identify from part I of this article the following light units. Volontaire des Flandres, battles of Haastenbeck and Corbach. Volontaires de Nassau-Saarbruck, Haastenbeck, Hanover. Volontaires de Hainaut, battles of Minden and Margdorf. etc.
Marshal de Broglie instituted to incorporate a company of chasseurs; i.e. light troops in each battalion of the line intending them to fight as-skirmishers. ref. Quimby, page 92. This started a controversy for Broglie was accused of desiring to separate the chasseurs; from their battalions as it was sometimes done with the grenadiers. It is quite obvious that it was not a new idea when the Empire, in 1807-1808 reintroduced such a change by converting one companv of fusiliers to the skirmisher function. Perhaps in 1808-1809, they were called voltigeurs, but the function was the same, that is to be used as skirmishers.
In 1762, the Ministry of War refused to create permanent chasseurs companies in each line battalion. However, the Regulation of 17LI drawn up by Broglie, recommended a section of tirailleurs to be used in front of each column of attack. ref. Quimby, page 92.
to be continued
Note. Almost all the above quotation are from Quimby THE BACKGROUND OF THE NAPOLEONIC WARFARE. I have personally checked many of the references quoted by Quimby such as Colin, L'INFANTERIE AU XVIIIe SIECLE etc. and found them to be accurate. Furthermore all the points claimed by Quimby check very closely with other references not quoted by Quimby. I don't think I have to say anymore on the reliability of Quimby.
More Light Troops
French Light Troops Part I
French Light Troops Part II
French Light Troops Part III
French Light Troops Part IV
Back to Empire, Eagles, & Lions Table of Contents Vol. 1 No. 24
Back to EEL List of Issues
Back to MagWeb Master Magazine List
© Copyright 1978 by Jean Lochet
This article appears in MagWeb.com (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web.
Other articles from military history and related magazines are available at http://www.magweb.com