Wellington's Peninsula Regiments 2

Wellington's Peninsula Regiments (2) The Light Infantry

CONTENTS INTRODUCTION

3

THE EVOLUTION OF LIGHT INFANTRY

5

• lHlh n:'lllun COlltillental armil', • Expcriclln' in l'orth ,\mcrica • I Ill' Rl'\oluuonan \\'ar.. - Frl'llch lank,MIKE CHAPPELL com.s lrom .n AIde...hot f.mlly wtIh British Army connaoeUons str.tchlng back .....e .. 1 generations. He enUsted .s • t_~ priv.te In the Roy.l H.mpshlre R81Jlment In 1852. o...er the next 22 y..... of Infantry soldiering, m.ny of !hom spent with ttoe GIouc. .ter Regiment, 1M held e.... ry ..nk .nd INIny regimental appointments up to W01 .nd R81JI....nt.1 Sergeant Major. He retired in 1874, as RSM of th.e 1st Battalion The W..... Regiment IRlfle Volunteenl, aner seeing . .rvlceln Malaya, CyPNS, Swaziland, Libya, Germ.ny, Ulster and hom. garrisons. He bet.n painting military sUbJects In 1~8 and since then h.s g..lned worldwide popularity ., • mlllt.ry Ilhnt..lor, Mike has written .nd lIIustr.ted m.ny books for Osprey,

I\ri,.lill·' lIIl'ICl.'llan rl'g:iml'lll'>

BRITISH LIGHT INFANTRY 1800-1808

10

• rhl' lil~1 l.ig:ht Illl;Hlln reg:ill1l'llh • luhn ~IO(lIl' .mel Kt'IHIt'lh ~1,IClo..t'llIit' • Thl' ~It()rndilk ~\ ..ICJll - offin,.-.;tr.tin<.'
THE REGIMENTS: THE 43Ro (MONMOUTHSHIRE) AND 52No (OXFORDSHIRE) LIGHT INFANTRY

17

THE 51ST (2ND YORKSHIRE, WEST RIDING) LIGHT INFANTRY

35

THE 68TH (DURHAM) LIGHT INFANTRY

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THE 85TH (BUCKS VOLUNTEERS) LIGHT INFANTRY

39

SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY

43

THE PLATES

43

INDEX

48

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Men-at-Arms· 400

OSPREY PUBLISHING

Wellington's Peninsula Regiments (2) The Light Infantry

Mike Chappell Sene~ edItor MartIn WinO' lw

Acknowledgements

F..., ~ .. Gr$lII (lnl""'''' l\lOoI by 0Iprty PubIoVoing,

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The speIng 01 the \O/Ofds 'PennsuIaI( otten causes oonIuslOn. The Iotmer IS used in ttws text. as the roo..-'l tonn, In mos' contexts; the adjectlYallorm Wtth a !YlaI 'r' is used in the term . ~ war but rarely elseWhere.

Eoaor Marton WonclIOw DaaqI....... ......., r.oao. by - . Rutt_ OrogonatllCl by Tha Elac1ror-.: Page~, C _ , UK PmtllCl'" C/lonIl ~ WOrld I'ml LId

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Editor's Note

ISBN 1 "176
GoICli5080708

The author w~ 10 thank the loIowlng lor lheIt help in the preparauon 01 ltlis tItle: JeMy Spencer-Smoth end ChnsllOllla Torre 01 the Na\JOn8llvrny Museum, Chelsea; rm Ward end !he staff of the Princ8 Cotlsort's Ubrary, AIdlnhot; Colonel (ReId) J.MArllett and L.Jeutfll'lal'll-Goionel DavId Stanley 01 !he Royal Grew! Jackets and OxlorOshlre and 8uckIngtIarnshn Ugtlt IrlIllI'ttl'Y Musel.ms, Peter Duckers 01 !he StwopsIwe Regmental M~; and

WELLINGTON'S PENINSULA REGIMENTS: THE LIGHT INFANTRY

THE PENINSULAR WAR m: lllSTOII.Y OF BRrnl"S sl~lIlding or J"('gular ;!rlm is ;\ long and honourable one which rcaches !l<\ck mOl"(' than ,hn.'l' cell1mit's to the rotoralion of the English mon;lIdll ill 1660. III thai time iLS regiments have been sent o\'c~as 10 figlll mam war<; in the name of their ling (01' queen), war'S from \\hich Ihe, have t1slI;llh returned ill uiumph. despite often being pool h kd. badh prcp;ll cd and fe\1 in number. The\' continue. quilt' propcrh. 10 10th' Illicit.' in Iho~ b."'lilies A miniature pot1ralt of MaiM Macleod of the "3rd Light Infantry, !.he hero of the o.'enee

of the eoa ero. .l", In Jul, 1810. MlICleod wa. killed at the alonnlng 0' 8adajoo. In Aprll 1812. Note that ••• field offic;.,. he is portJ"lly.cl w . . rtnt ......lr 01 epaulett•• OVer. pair of Light inlantry 'wl",s'. (Author's collection)

from which the\' emerged Ihe victor... COlllllll'IllOl",;llillg their imohcmCIll in the like!> ofMindcn. Qut:bt:c. Alexandria and $al,nll.lIlC3 I}\ marking their anni\·ers.1.ries \\;Ih parades and feasting. There arc episodes. howc\cl: \\hcll thc achk...·cmcnl'i of !hll1.ielilar Ilritish annies so shine from the pages of hi!>IOI"\ th.lt the\ Gill onh be described as glorious. Perhaps tht., IIne"t of Ihese \\';IS Ihe Peninsular War of 180i-H \\·hen. led b\ Sir Arthur Wellesle\. I:ller lSI Duke of Welliugton. a small British force lighting bc!>ide Ponuglle!>C and Spanish allies drove from the Iberian Peninsula the numericalh SU!>CI;or forces of :-"apolcon's Ft"anee. It was a \\"ar of hard lighting mer difficult terrain, ill \\Ilidl both sides suffered terribly from PI;\~ltioll. exhamting marches and an inhospitable climate. As it dC\'c\oped it lied down hundreds of lhous:lIlds of ~apoleon's troop" - wrch needed d'iCwhcre. particularly after the disastrous failure of the emperor's Russian campaign of 1812 - ill altempts to ...uppn'ss ell(' ilHIlITeetion of the peoplc of Spain and to dekat lhe British-Allied force!>, Evcntually thc French were drhcll acro:-s the Pyn~nees anti well into lhe south of their hOIlll'land hefore Napoleon, under pressure dst:wllt:rc by thc combincd forces of Russia, Prussia alld Austria, accepled derc.H, abdicatcd alld went il110 his first exile, Oil Elba, in tIlt.' spring of IHlt!. While ncver aspiring \0 Napoleon's vi~ioll,111' genius, unleashed br the emperor's ah:-ollltt: political pO\\'cr. in terms of professional ~oldicring Wellington \\,;\S argllablv the best commander of his limes; amlulltlcl his leadership the British regimenl'i in the Peninsula aellit'\ cd a SllCcessioll of SHInning \;ctories until it secmed that. wi III him at lheir head. l.he\ were invincible. Mam reaSUll!> Il.I\'e been S, but high on am' list mUSl be Wcllington·... talents as a genel"al combined \\;th British regimcnt...tl isprit tI, (OIP5 - lhat special mixture of faclors that produced within a regimcnt or battalion a 1c\'c1 of morale \\'hich enabled it to ('ndure thc ~hod. of battle and fight on unulthe ellenw broke, At a ume \\hcn wleliers of othcr 'Innie!>

3

!

•

, •

•

o A contemporary map 01

Portugal, Spain and southern France at the time of the Peninsular War. (Author'. collection)

4

:)/J,NY7

sought inspiration from political idealism, the worship of their God and his saints, or the pr'aisc of their emperor, the British soldier looked no further for thal which sustained him than his regimellt. His comrades, his leaders, the n.:gimcntal colours and title were (and still are) langible things, morc suited to a British character which C\"CIl today finds S<1.usfaction and C1-U0}'lllCIll in clubs, pubs and the communal 'support' of sports. However they came by their fighting spirit, Wellington '5 Peninsula regiments served him well. winning 19 pitched banks and inlllllnerable

other combats, laying len sieges and taking four great fortresses, and killing, wounding or caplllring 200,000 of the enemy to bring the duke his honours, position and great wealth. All they asked ill fdurn was for 'that bugger with the long nose' to lead them to further victoJies (especially if these brought them 'the spoils of ,,,';If' - prize 1Il0ney, plunder and dJink). He rdrcl) failed to do so; but the cost ....,LS great. FOrlY thousand of his mcn died during his GlIllpaigns, their bodics thrown naked (since their clothes had "tlue) illlo unmarked graves, rh'ers or p)TeS, or simpl)' left for the .....olves and crows, The account that follows tells the sto....' ofa number oflhe'iC regiments - those convened to light infanl.I)-, a role that found them ever the first into b..'lule,

THE EVOLUTION OF LIGHT INFANTRY ThroughoUl the 18th centu.... , inf:lIItr, weapons and 1:lctics .....ere de e1oped and tested in a series of European wan. that h.'d to the svstelll de e1oped by the Pmssi:m dlillmasters being acloptcd b\ the annics of most of the n:tuons imohed. Their infantn were trained b\' rOle:md harsh discipline 10 march and m:IIl<>eU\Te, shoulder to llhoulde-r, in columnar fonnauons, before deplming inlo linc 10 confrolll the enelll\ .....ith rolling ,·o\ll.")'S of muskeu.... in the ensuing siaugiller of such fireflghts ,iClon' - according Iu theon - went to the ~idc \\'hich could continue 10 mailllain formation as enenH lire look its toll. while itself keeping up sLCad, and regular fire, War wa.<; prepared for on the (hill square. \,'here infanu...' spent houl'S of e\cry dav pcrforming the ('\'olutiono; rC'quircd oflhem in hattie, Alwa}'S umler tlte critical supcnisioll of their onicl'l~ and 1l001<,omlllissioned officers, thcy marched likc clockwork to\~ 10 the orders rclaved to them by dnllllbeal, and tbey handled their hl'a\"\' muskets wilhin the close confinl.'S of r,mks and files as the) pr,lctiscd Ihe 'manual exercise' of loading, filinf.;', and bavonel lhnlSL~. ""loving as pan of a gre:ll machine, Ihe individual soldier was not required to think for him~lf, only co keep his place in the ranks and to listen for the cot1llnands Ihat applied to him. I lis greate<;t motivation was fear of the pllnishnwnt that would follow swiftly and bnltally - any mistakc th;1I he made. The perfenion of such a systelll had been reached ill thc I'russian ArtilY ullder Frcdclick lhe Great (171 ~6), I lis -"llccession of \'iclories in the wars that blighted celllral Europe from 1741 I<) 176~ established him :LS the leading strategist and tactician of his age, and his methods I\'ere ~llIdied and copied widely. I'\llt lht'r(' had beCIl times ,,'hen Frederick's :11"I11)' had lound itsl'lf disa(h~lI11aged by the harassmenl of what history has been pleased to cal1 'guerrillas'. panicularlr lhose opcr:ning in the pay of Ausuia. The Allstro-Ilungal"ian Empire '\'as able lO dr.t.w on the senicc of numerous bands of irregulars recruited among peoples acclLStomed to the usc of arms ill lhdr e\'el)'da) lin,:'s for hUllling, prOlccting their herds and \il1age-" from marauders. and pursuing Olher aco\ities oftell oc)'ond thl' law, To face the earliest of Frederick's incursions the Ausuiam summoned 'the Trans)'l"anians, Croates, and other irrCJo~ular and undisciplined corps, - ~larshal $a."e appointed Ch\;ms,
5

, .}

I

This print, sher Men.z.I, -.tly typifl.s tn. opinion 01 light tToops h.ld by IOtOst 0' Europe" military . ."'bll......... t In In. 18th c.ntury, It s.howw • Prvul.n ch.pl.ln 01 th
•

II

raised - called

Li~hl Tmop~', Al~o

pressed into border troops who had kept AII~tria'~ Mluth-ealotenl fi'ontiers ah",insl Ihe inClll....iom of lhe TlIl'k.~. becoming in the proct"lo) experl ill the .ms of ~kinnilohillg and ~oUling, Although di~lIIi'\scd as thic\'e~ and • muH!cre.... b\ Iheir eJl(~mic~. Ihe~e 'light' forccs mad\:" .1 ,ufiicierllh \,llll.tb1e contributiun Ihal olher natiom fdl cUlllpelled to r;liloe similar units to combat Ihem, h W:\l> 1O\\~lr(h hunter~ ,md g;:lmcl..ecpers thai Prussia and her allie<; IUnwd to rcemit their units of liglll Iroop~. naming tlll'm jiigel"S and. in the French locl"\ice. Chas)Cur~ - both terms mean 'hunlCrs', Skilk'd in marl..5lllan~hip. obser\'ation and concealment. the~e nll'll brought with them the green clothing th.it \\.b to become the ul1ifonll of mo,t light tr()op~. and Ihe hunting horns thc\ would Illol' to COllllllUl1icall' orders. Thilo pl"Olifcl~Hion of light infant .. \\~tio witne~ed by the I\rili<;h anni(', that GIIllI>'"ligned on the Contill(,Ilt, particularh during the &'\'el1 'ears' \\'ar (I i56--(3). \'0 hell the\ \\ere l.tl'gch (OlltcnlLO depend on the light troops of their ('oenn;1Il allies - t"xcepi fOI r;li~ill!{ two li!{ht mfant.. regiments. Keilh's Ilighl,mdefS ,md C,llnplX'lr) II ighlanders. I\m it \\~LS campaigning against the French, the nati\'es and e\"entuall\" Illl.' rebellious colonists in America that brought home the need for Ir;lined light infantn in the Brilbh l>cryi(t~, At fir"t small groups of colonists and Indians \\'el"(' paid to prO\ide :.coming and illldligellce l>eryiccs; but in I i55 a 62ml (RO\l>ilit'l> in the 1110S1 t.:ommodioLls manner'. III addition to Lltt' regulars of the 60th. bodies of '1~lIlge...;· wert' r.lised from among tht' Inc,,) colonisls. 1 • Like LIlt, Austrian Empire, Ilritain 100 had a regioll of hilb ;md mOlllllains poplliated by l1erce, hardy and independent \\len versed in anllS. It W adapted to prO\ide a more comfOltlblc and Icss conspicuolls costullle, and equipm('1H was either disC.trded or adapted to aIIO\\' frec..-dom uf Ino\ "lIIelll. Knapsacks were carried in the manner of Indians, from wholll the light troops copied items of drcss such as leggings and moccasins and weapons such as tomahawks. ~i11libr ~cr\'icc wcrc

I s..MM3Il3, Cc*noI-.e- T _ ISIo-I1Uf:!}

lhe

hlllosar~ and

Aftef tbe Sc\'ell Years' War light companies were ordered to be disbanded: and although they were r~sta.blished in 1771, they wert: found to be lacking in the fonner skills during the first skirmishes with the rebellious AmeriCOlll colonists in 1775. Still a frontier people, the Americans readilv found hunters and woodsmen within their ranks who wcn~ already expert at seoming and skinnishing. Many were also adept in the use of the rilled musket, a skill brought to the New World by German seulers and de\'e1oped br Nnclican gunsmiths and rinemen, It ....'as soon apprcciafCd that rcd coats, pipe-claycd belts and close fonnations prO\ided C;is) targets for Nllerican rifles. As the Amelican Re\'Olution wore on a Ilumber of units of light u'oops were raised, including the 'legions' ofC.oloncis Tarleton and Simcoe, \-arious 'ranger' units, and at le~iSt OIlC unit of riflemen under a C.'pl.,in Ferguson, Light companit..'S of Line regiments \,ere grouped into 'light infallln battalions'; and the C.cnnan Illcrcenar) units hired b\ the Blitish go\'enlmelll added their light troops, During the campaigns of this st:\'en-\'ear war a hal'(l-\,:OI1 expertise in light infantn operntions W;:IS built lip once ;'gain, 'Inl' British annil"S in Americ;:\ were C\'enllLalh forced 10 la\ dO\"1 their anns - in ()lIe C"dSe. to 'an ull, to dcclinc in stl'('nglh and dliciency, while those of her fUlUre enemies massed. From the oUlbreak of the French Re\'olmion in I i89 lhe Ikitish go\'crnmcnt viewed eV('lll.. acl'OSS the English Channel with growing apprehension, as it made enorL~ LO repair the neglect its army had sunered following the American Re\'olution. These enorts had barely begun when I'~lr broke nut in 1793, and it hecamc necessan' to send an cxpedition to Flanders to COUlller the French :muies menacing the Netherlands, The poor showing of ulis force revealed the dismal statc ofthc British f\nny at a time when such manl>o\,'er as it could mllSlCI' \\';"LS dispersed around the globe in places as di\'erse as the l\lediteffillle;III, U1e West Indit.."S and India, .....ith a large force guarding Ireland from a LhrC:llened invasion by the French, The Frellch Arm\' had developed ne\\' and potelll l..acLics since the RC\'olution. gre;nl" incre'iSing the strength of light infant~' in order 10

P.'ntlng by E,D.ya of • m.mlMr of the lliht com~ny of the 2nd Foot Gu.rd., 17112; com~'" ttd. ~dter of the COld.t....'" wtti'\ PI.te .<\3. le_rtay the Tnltlt_. of the N.tlonel Army MUHum)

7

harr)' all enem), as ncvcr beforc prior to
\

8

2 8M MM 3211 :US, EJn.g,W 1 F'""'fIII T _ .. sm..tI s...c. (1J: 11'93- 1802,

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18Q)-I5

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the first German rifles. In 1797 400 men of Ilompesch's ~IOUllled Rifles and 500 of Loewenstein's Chasseul's were dr.lftl't! (forcibl\' transfelTed) to fonn a 5lh Battalion of the 60lh (Roval Americ.m) Regiment, Raised on the Islc of Wight under LieUlenam-C.olonel B.aron de Rout'nburg, this regiment of Germans bcc.mw (he first regular light infantf" unit of the British Anll\' :mel the first to be anned completclr with riflt.-s -lhe weapons ....ith \\hich its parem c0'1)s wt:re armed. Two }earl> later, a 6th ilml a 7th Baltalion were added to the 60th Regilllt:llL Again the men were mostl), Germans, but with some fonn('r pri~onen,.. of·war of Dutch, Swiss and I-Iung.lrian origin. Of tIll.' 800 l71nk and file thaI made up each of these battalions. 640 were classified as 'light infantrymen' and 160 were :.l11l1ed \\;th riflel>. It is worth noting that the Gennans, \,ith cOllsider:lble l'X!X"liellce of riglll infallln' fighting, usually chose to esl:lbli~h a l>Unnish line that .....LS a mi.xllIre oflilkmen (who could shoot \\;th accurao up to about 250 \'ants). and the much f,lMerlo:tding IlIUsl..ctl'ers 01' 'c....bineers· (\\ho were able to protect till: riflemt:n from ellCIII\ nlshes '\hile the' \,'ere Iaborioll~h reloading), TIle "ing's German Legion, I~.i~d in 1803, orgalli~'d its rillcmell ill detachments: al1;, a~ wcre the riflemen of lhe Brumwick Ods J~lgen. and the POrltlh'lle,e C:lladores.3 Although milch fame eame the \\~Ir of the three ballalions of the British 95th Kifles in lilt:; I'enin;;ub, it should lx' relllemberl'd thaI much lIlore lead \"IS shot at Frcnchmen bv German and l'onugueSt." riflemen, "ho greallv oUlIIulTlbcred the men of the gallant 95th. When ongoing refonm hrought about the publicnion ofa regulation dlill 1ll,lIIl1•• 1. this SCi stand.lrm for Blitish Une infantn', but included fe,\ instructions for the operation of Light infantn - the"e was little to guide ollkl'r<; of the light cOlllpam that each b:lIIalion ....0;:15 required to field. ~\'Ill\ :-.t"lIior ollicer~ still considered the 'light bobs' to be little beller than irregulars, holding tlwlIl in simihu regard III lhat hcld b~ a latcr f.;clH'r;uion of regular... for Commandos, With little guidance or esperiencc, the light companies of mOSI l.inc regiments wen' light infanlry ill title and dress onl\'. They lacked the :-.kills of their French counlerpart.s, and sllilered badly when the\' came into COil tact with them during the FI:ulder~ call1paign. Uv IIw closing ,cars of the centll .... the potenC\ of French light infant" opermions had Ix,t'n aen'pted, and " skirmishers - al.....a~'S assuming their leaders knew .....hat these were, I\UI thcre .....as still resistance at the highest levels to lhe expamioll of light inl:lTltn in the British Army bevond Ill(' k...·e1 of one cOlllp:tm pt:r Line battalion. A cI~.ck in this imransigence appeared with the suggestion that an increase in light lroOpS might be effected by ha\ing four of e;lch 3 see MM , 87, Bn.ns....,~ Troops 1809-1~. _ MM 346, The PoflugcMM """" of l1>li ~ w~ I2J

1

A dr. wing of Sir John Moore .fte. the p.lnttnlil by L.wrenc:., IAutho." colle<:tlonl

0PP0$lTE Opposing the British Skirmish linn In the P8nln.... t. ••re tho.. of the Frenc:h Anny, This .... t ....n ...,..binl.r of • batt.11on ollnfanr.rle ~re wa. deplc:ted mueh later In the eentury by OetaUle, but folio•• eontemporary aoure••, Hit uniform I. darll btu. wtth whtte plptnlil tnd touch•• of K.r1et, making no more conc:...lon. 10 hit skirmishing ""- tnan w ..

I'"

in Briti.h Lighl Inf.ntry. Unll orpni..tion differed .....n I... !Tom the standard Une mod.l: uch Fr8f'IC:h battalion h.ad four centre eompanles 01 elNl...u,.., _ light eompan, of l'OftIpeUfS, and _ heavy Hen

company of ...,..binle,.., equivalent to Line grernlldl.,.. and Ilkewl.. w••ring unlfo.m. wtth red .paulett•• and other ambelltshmenllt, (Author'. eoneetlon)

•

ball.alion's tell

cornpal1ic~ acting

in the light role

instead of JUSt one; arid it was simultaneoLlsly proposed lhal certain n'gillwllls - particularly ...he llighlandcrs - be lntnsforlncd clllin:ly into

TYpical 0' the Irregulars In the

servlc. 0' AUltria I, thl. oHlcer of the Styrla" Fr•• Corp__

'Wunn..,'.' - In 1703, the

~llllr

the unit wal ,.Ind In Sla..,onl. on the Turklah frontier. It fought against the French In AI..CI before belnll dllb.ndltd In 1801. The uniform

w" d ..... bl... with

Light infantry, An argulllent l":.i:.cd against such ideas b\' mall\' nrili~h onicers \\~IS thai the light lroop~ of Fr,lllcc \\cre irrcgulan - mobs of 'ciuLcm; nu beller lhan gang!> of brigands. wilh alarming rl'\'ohnionan id(·a!>. and certainl\" no modd to be aped by Ur;tbh Mlldicrs. A J>hootillg .lIId then running away' was cOlldun Lhoughl reprehensible b\ mOSI Brilhh onicef'S. ~Iallers were mo\cd foru IU1JlllatlOllS Jor Ih, ExnriY oJ RiJlnnm and I.ighl InJantry. which was 10 1)(' the manual for Ikiti:-.h light infanl1"\ operations. ~Iuch di:'>Cussioll followed O'er the mallner in ....·hich LO cre:ue a British corps of Light infanuT at be.. t. or light units at least. II ....':lS fulh appreciated. ('\'en b, tho:-.e \1 ho opposed its fonnaLion. Lhat the on Iv cfTenivc \\':1\ 10 raise such troops \\"as b\" the sek'<:tion of ILt and illlelligelll officers and Illell befol'e lr.lining them in units larger than companies. The old expedient of fonning baualions of light companies ,,'hen necessary b)' taking them from LillI..' regiments ....':lS proposed :lS an emergency measure. and resorted to in the expedition to Ilollall(l in I i99. With the newl)' r.li!>ed 6th Battalion of the 6(hh Regimcnl. these inadequalcl)' Ir':lined light troops clashed with the French Chasscllrs and Timil1cllrs, and rcceivcd a drubbillg from all cnem)' who made much beller use of cow:r and the firepower of their Cilrbines and rilles. Al the landing alonc lheir fire killcd tl\'O licllicnant-coioncis ,IIHI 50 mcn and wounded a liculcllalll-gelH::I':tl, fivc fidd otl1cers and '100 olhers. [I was the sccond time lhal the Duke of York, commanding the expedition. had received a dCITlOl1Su':ltion of Ihe cOeniveness of French light infantry and the weakness of his own. Hc determined 10 set mailers to l;ghL~.

red IKlngs, and hi. peakl•••

shako bears tha cockade of

Auatria and the MUon.' field alII" of • aprl9 0' oak I........ Weapons Include a rifle, pl.tola, dagger and aword.

(Author's coll.ctlonl

10

BRITISH LIGHT INFANTRY, 1800-08 Ilad Britain continued 10 have free access to those are:lS of the ContincllI. particularly the German states, from ....·hich it had reCl"llited mel'cenaq corps of riflemen and light troops. it is probable that no British Rifle or light Infallll1' corps would l....·cr have becn fOllned.

IlowcYcr, following thc 1799 dcbaclc in Holland an expansion of French control increasingh isolatcd Britain from these recnliting grounds. Those foreign light troops \\'ho had laken British pay since 1793 had nearl\' all been sent abroad, especiall)' to the West Indies, where man}' died of !>ickne!>s in the inhospitable climate. B)' the end of the centu",' the suni\'orllo were mostl> dr,lfted imo one or other of the battalions of the 60th (Royal American) Regiment. and only thc light and rifle units of tilt: Dutch Emigrant Brigade - some 3,000 mcn c'tablbhed as a unil of the Line in Febru.II'" 180 I.' In late 1802. the General Officer C..ommanding forces in wutht'l1I England. John \Ioorc:, ordered this billlalion of riflemen 10 a nc\\'h established camp of instnlctiun for lighl infant!... at Shorndi(fe in Kent. Ilerc, it \\ coming of the \":,u' 1803 the Ite\\ coq}.'> gained lhe titJe of9jlh or Rille Regiment: and lhe hl'Sl units of the Line were brought to Shorndi(fe 10 be lr.lined and cOll\ertcd inlo Light Inrant!.... rq.,';mcnl..s, 'I h(" cOlnmander-in 10 have tJH.·se, and in the courlloe of correspondence Gene ..,l \Ioore had .'>uggl'sled that his 0\1'11 regiment, the :,2I1d (Oxford~hire), mighl bt, tht' linn, achising thaI il ,hould be traim:d w act ill the Ught role whell required to do so, while ret;tilling its abilit)' to fight a~ a rq;:il1lellt of tlte l.ine, Thlls, the Ill'W Light Infallll"y n:gilllellL' \\'ere 1101 10 plar a wholly separ~lle part on lhe ballletil'ld, hut to ha\'e a dual purpo.'>e, \Ioore, \\110 ha.lo passed illlo history as the founding father of the nrili~h light regimclllS. had enuugh conscn,.li"lll in hi.. make-up 10 draw back from copying compleleh lite example oflhe French Iigll1 inf:lllin . • s.. w.riot ." 115l1_r1l.S

8nlzJh ~

An Ilh,•• tr1ltion trom _ 01 the m,ny light lnl,nlry INInu'lt, In Ihlt e'. . d,tlng fTom t804. It thows , "ltem,n pel10nnlng In. mo"ementt to get trom the

'-.dY'nc:e ,rmt' to the 'trllll

'nn". (AutlKl..... eollectlonl

11

The 'N_ und Pattern Ught Infantry Musket'. Of the ...me uUb,.. a. the India Pattern-

0.751" - the Light In'.ntty' mll5ket ,••tured • browrMod (dulled) tJ.rrel, • notclted bKbight, and • tcrolled trtn-r lIuard In the shoal" of • ~loI "rip. All of the. . _AI IIYP'POM'd

to ,"harte. accurxy end make It • auperiot' _spon tor .....lnnisl'llng, a role in wt\k:h Indivkll.lal INIMI_Mhlp ••• much !nOn Impon.nt 1M" In Ilnnf tKtle.. Although It . . . . ~ In 1803, u-.ulnty persists ove. when the ",.apon actually caltMl Into . .rvk:•• (National Amw Musevm)

In January 1803 his ideas I,'ere approved. Bv now there "'lS no shorL.'tge ofpubliCiuions on Ihe lmining of light inf.-mtr.'. for in addition 10 Baron de Ronenburg's manual there ,.ere Jilrn's hu/me/iOIlS (ona.,.."illg tlv Dlllm of Ligh' Infimtr')' '" Ih, Fi,ItI. and l\lanninghalTl's own Ivgula/jom jor Rifl, C0I1)$. Ttl<' lllcthods and ideas the, recommended 1\(:1(' \ludied and di..cu.»ed bl unicefs "Ilu lool their profe~ion K'noush. and ignorerl b\ those who diet not: bUI al leaSI there was b\' now no excusc for ignorance a.<; 10 Ihe proper role and conduci ofliglu infanln in war. ~l;Yor-e.cner.l1 John ~Ioore had I)(.'(·n the colond of the }2nd Regiment since 1801. It W<\5 a regimclH \\'ill) IWO h;malions: and in J:muan 1803 orders were issued tr.lIl~forming the 2 52nd illlO the 96th Regiment. and the I 52nd into a 'COil» of Lighl Infant ..... ·. Officers and men were cross-posted to ensure lhal lhe filleSI \\enl to Ihe 52nd, which lIIarch('(1 imo camp in ShornclilTc in Juh. and formed a brigade under the command ofGcnerall\loore wilh lhree l.ine regimcnts and the 95th Rille ReginH::nt. 1101001"1': 'expl
12

Colonel l\-lackenzie had bcen a soldier for 2~ years, during which time he had scn'ed as a light infallll1' olliccr in the West Indies and in various parts of Europe. Hejoined Ihe 90th 'Perthsllire Light Infafltry' ill I i94, and Jed it in Portugal in I i96 and on ~'1inorca. lie also Jed it on the cxpedition to Egypt in 1801 when his brigade cOl11mander was John Moore. On his return to England he was called to the 52nd by ~'Ioore, who later arranged for Mackenzie 10 command ehe ballalion. There is 110 doubt that Moore recognised 1Iolackemie's talenl.S as a leader of light troops and his abilities as a trainer of men. There is also suflicient e\"idence to belie\'e Mackemie 10 be lhe onicer who. in turning Ihe .52nd into a lighe infanll1' lInie that became lhe lIlodel for those lhal came after, also devised the drills and taetiC:II trailling which hislOry has :lSCribed to !\loore. Mackenz.ie beg<1Il 'b)' assembling the oOlccl'S and telling them that thc only way ofh,l\ing a rCbriment in good order was bv e\'el)' indhidual thoroughly kno\\;ng and perfonning his dllt\": and that if the officers did not fully understand Iheir dUl\', it would be quiee illlpo~ible 10 expect that the men could or would perfolln theirs 'LS the)' aught:

therefore the best and surest method was lO commence b\' drilling the whole of the officers, and when Ihey became perfectl)' acquainted with the system, they could teach the men, and by their leal, knowledge and, abo\'e all, good temper and kind treatment of the soldier, make the regiment Ihe be:.! in the sen;ce,' ro.'lackenzie's was a seriousl\' radical altilllde at a time when few officers look their profc~sion sedousl)', being cOlllent when on parade lO ha\'e a sergeant whisper the nexI word of command to them or to rcad il on' a crib-sheet. The 'kind treatment' of the soldier was certainh contrail to common praclice in the liritish Arm\'. ~Iosl officers belien~d the lash to be the mOSI cfTecti\'e instnllllent of discipline a\';.lilable to thcm, ....;!h the firing squad an ultimate dClelTent. Yet the tHO light inf'lIlu' officers relished ~Iackenzie's method~, Qne from llie 43rd Lighl Infalll .... wrole that: 'When an officcr elHcred this cOlllS it was ;UI im'lriable cuStom 10 send him 10 drill \\;th ;1 squ;ld, compo"t-,
1

\

Crou·uetloon ,nd drewlng of the ~ n 'lJl.JeUhot and HII' c:.rtridg
D.-.wlnSl of th_ FrerM:h 'Abot' mu,k_t loael containing ~ht pl.c_, of Mlot In • wood_n m,triJ, R,mlned down on top 01 , ,t,ndard cartridll_ ,mt ball,

th_ wooden ..bot .pUnt_red on fIring amt th_ ,hot apre,d like a mlnl,lure c,nl,t_r ch,rg_, (Author" drewlnSl)

13

Weapons and ammunition A\I~IV

A print .ner Cherie. H.mllton SmI1tl of an offk:er and priv.te

S<>!dl.... of tM !l2nd (Odordahlre) Light Inl.ntry ,Idrml.hlng, c,1812 - not. th. 'fiI.' 01 two m.n In th. background, Although. fin. rep,...nt.tlon of the unltorm Of the tim. th.r. I. much In the d.t.it which connlct. with wh.t i, known 01 regul.tlon .nd prectlc., (Author', COllection)

froll1 the drill field. \lool'c\ llnil'i ,,'erc accu\toll1t'd to thc hardships of mutc marching b\ doing a lot of it. alwavs in full cquipmt.·llt. Taeticaltr.lining included pmctising outposts, patroh-, ad\'allce and rear guards, and 'i>hooting with ball ammunition'. This last pr.lctice "~LS c.lrricd out wilh lhe sland.lrd infallln mlblet of lhc time - the O,7Sin 'India !'anern' -umil beHer \\eCC'"imilar 10 lhat used b\ the Ausllian lroops shall be prodded for the purpose of co\ering and prott.'eting tl1(' bUll and lock of each pit'Ct,', 1~1Il the 'ipt'cification for the 1It:\\ llluslt:t. The gllllmaker I !em, Noel produced loOUle lIlusket.>, for thc 52nd adapled to this paltem, hut tll(' regimclltal historv records them to havc been 'defcetiyc', ami thc)' Wt'n.' replaced in 1806 bv a new loct 01 arms 'made on an impro\ed plan'. Whatever the pattern, these wcapon.; \\'('I"C 'imooth-IXlre muskcts firing the ~tandard ball ammunition, [I i'i knol\'n that Illulti,shot arl1lllllllition wa~ ll:-ed with gre;ll cllect at sllort I~lngt: b)' certain irregulars: tltat the Uniled SlaieS Arm)' had a combined ball-'lIl(l-bIlCk.'\hol cartridge by the 17Ws: thal the Frcnch used a ,l{1'aPCShOI 'salXlt' in l1luskeL~; and that shot \\~lS cOIlll1lonl)' uSt:d for shooting Wlllle world-wide - nevcrtheless, no c\idencc exists that TllultipkY;llot atlllllllni, ion \"~IS llicd or used by thc Ikitish Army other than in anillcr}'- Its mlu(.' ill light infamr)' skirmishe~ \lenl unproved. The skirmishing line

14

Skinnishing \'':IS the main pllfJXht: of light infantl."" and \\",1.'> extcllsi"e1)' pmctised b)' MackenLic's men. From a baltaliOIl ill line one or morc companies would mO\'e forward to form a fighting line of pairs or 'fiIcs', each lJlall covering the OtilCI' "hill" he reloaded, never firing himself lIntil his co\'ering file was once more read)' to firc. Unlike the musketI''' of lhe Une, \lhich simph produced a rolling screen of missiles in front

of a regiment, lhat of the skirmish line was aimed fire, each light illl~lIltn'll)all cardully seleCling his target and shooting at it \'1th care, Behind the engaged skit"mish line the rest of the battalion remained in reserve - r;....c1y le:;s than half the LOtal strength. The deploymellt of the skirmishers \,"ould depend upon the cO\'er a\..Hable, with best usc being made of hedgerows, ....·QO(ls, buildings and embankments, Ordel1i werc passed to them bv voice, bugles and ....,histles. Bugle sounds wert' complicatcd ,lIId m,lIIy, and ....·ere preceded by regimental and compam calls. It took much timc and much sounding-off b~ bugh~11i until C\'cn'olle in a battalion could reCOb>11isc ordel1i issued in this .....1\'. The aim of skinnishing was. of COUfsc. to neutralise the light troops of the enell1\' and to harass his line. Describing a banle of 1813. a subaltern of the 85th l.ight Infant.., .......OIe: 'Troops scm OUltO 'ikimlish. adv,mce or retin': in filc'i: e,lch file of men keeping about ten \
'\'

A print by ~nl &. Booo. published In 1812 .net .howl"ll (right to leltl • prlv.t. of the 43nl Ught Inl.ntly, • dr-eoon of the 23nl Ught 0"900n•• nd • rln..n.n of the i1So. Rln••• The 43nl .nd the i1!1th HNed t~ther throYthcKlt the P-..In.ut.r W.r, but the 23nl

Light Dn9oon. we,.. sent

~

.ner • dlw.trou. c:h8• •t the tNlttl40 of T.t. In 18Oi1. Unlfon'll 6e18I ,.. from • time .....r.1 ye.... urtler then 1812, prt>b8bty when .11 0.,...

...,lmenb we... MrvW>g ......... WellJ~on,

(N.tlonel Amty

MUMum)

. 15

of a }"ill with a .'>(:"r.;o: tllu... kt,! at ,I greater r;lI1ge. \\'e 111.1\ dcducc, l1wrd(Jf(~, that firellghl." bClw('t.'1l <;kirmish line... \\L're carried out at

r;lIlgt::... of 50 \'ards or

le~.

Alas. not all skirmishers \\ere hi '1\(' .lIld bold. Rillclll,lli 11.IITis tell..

from rank man ... SCCJ1ll'tl inclined to hang bad" ,lIld oTlce or Ill' piece I 5\'On' tlM\ if he did nOi keep his ground. I \,ould \hool him dt:ad 011 the ... pot', ho"

'Ill'

n,'ict:' IUllIed round in 1m (,ICC - porting: When

It C;II11C

10 the mailer of c1u)()<;ing a SUi';lblc 1I1lifol111 in \Ihieh

tht, lin' Ugh! Infanu", rcgilll(:nt..'i would hghl. cono;en:tti..m ',ollihe da\. The 95th Rilles had been pcrmilted to .Idopt the green clothing <md black leather equipmcllI of the German rcgimenlS in BJitish \Crvice: but the 5211d and ..he ollwl" l"Cgillll'lll5 cOIlH.'ru·d to the lig:ht role were ordered to confonn to the regul,lI..iom, ill existence fur light cump,lIIies of Line n'gimcllls. nUKle-horn badge'i and 'wings' ,ll the ~holiiders 1lI,lll-cd their role; hut the} were condemned to skirmi,h in the Iwdges. c1ilChe'i and woods in their' red coats .Ind pipc-cb)ed equipmcnl a costlilTH: prodding as ('xc('lknt a Illark for lhe Fn'nch Chas'ieur as it had fur lhc American riflelll;lll.

• • •

,.

111 .Jill), 180;1 a second rCg'im(·l1l. tht' "~rd (~lolllll()llthshin'), Wl.'rc onkred 10 1x:come Light Infantn .•11 riving at Shorndint' in .11111(' 1804, L1.ter ordered to raise second batt,tliolls, the 52nd and lhe 13rd Light Illf:lIlu1 rcmained the only units of their 1\1)(' for a numher ofvear... The continuing \\'ar with Fr,lIIce blHllght inlo the I~!ili:,h 'ie.....in· 'ic\cr:llncw foreign liglu infamn corp:., 1l0l;lhh the Light Hall.llioll' (If thc King's Gcnn'lIl Legion, the Chassclll"s I\!it;lllniqucs, and later 1111: Hnllls\\ick OebJigcrs. Ho\\e\er, fl"l)1Il 1808 further regiments 01 llu.' Uritlsh Lim' wcre comerled to Light Inf,l1lt...... including the 51st (2nd 'orbhire, We'it Riding), the 68th (Durham), th(' 71st (Glasgow, llighland) ,ltId the 85th (Buclu. \'olullleers), (The sto..... of the Scouish ilsl ma\ be IOld in a later tide.) Colonel Macken/ie sun-ered seriOU'i inju..... resulting from a fall frolll his hOI'\(' III No\'('mber 1803. and did not ..etum to .'Je.....;ce until 1811 \\hen he took command of the light infanu1 tmining harracks at Brabollrnc l..cc.'J. JJt~,lr Ashford. Kent. It was there thaI mall)' of the convened rcgimen\.'; underwcnl training in Iheir new rolc, as wcll as i\lilitia and drafts. (A prcvious commander al I\rabollrnc Lees was I~aron de ROltcllburg.) IlrOlllotcd 10 mS of R(.'\'olutionaf) and :-\,Ij>oleonic Fmnce. lllis was opposed b\ those thcOIisLS \\ho felt that regiments oflighllToops on

R.nk-.nd_fite b..... ahoulder belt plat., 52nd Llilhl Infanlry, Said to h..... been In use from

1788 to 1812,It _llkety d.t. . from the time of the regiment" con...erMon 10 Ughl Infantry, wn.n tJlilhUy bro;Id.r ahoulder ~Ia "" ordered. (National Arm, Mu m)

the French model should be pan orthe Brith,h Arlm. Thl' (umpl Omi\l'l\ - the most innuential group - bclie\'ed thaI Line legillH'I1L\ could lx' organised and trained to act as light troops \lhl'1I 1('C1uireel 10 do ~o, rcvening 10 the role of Line infantn aftcrw;.mLs. The l,lel lhat the twO roles might be incomp..'ltible if a unit was 10 be ('fficient at either <;c('ms nOI to ha\"e mattered to them, The comprumi~en; l'\entualh lIon till' da~. II is therefore to the ulllhing credit of the rcgilllell~ re\"icllcd hal' Ihat lhe\' fought with great distinction in thc Penill~llia \1 halc\"{'f till' role the\ werc C'dlled lIpon to pht\.

THE 43RD (MONMOUTHSHIRE) & 52ND (OXFORDSHIRE) LIGHT INFANTRY

Offic..... ahako, 52nd Ught

In'antry, worn fNm 1803 to 1815. Hote the ~ I r fHume worn by the otfl<:... 01 the 52nd; the corOed cockede (mining a ..-g1......taJ bu«on al Ita cent,.); and the ornate bYgle-hom becIge worn al thla lime. Contemporary palntlnga Indicate that a 8 ...n band or turtlan was sometlmea worn around the crown. (Hatlonal Army MUHum)

The hisLOr'\ of these reKimenLS wa.o; in(Teasin~h clllwined from the I('ar 1803. Ilhl'n the' became Light Illl.lIlu.... H..ltl.llion... of thl' 43rd and :)2nd ..ened together under ·B!ad. Iloh' Cr:tllfurd in the f,llnulI'" Light Di\i<;ioll in lhe Penill'iu1a: in the Carelwdl mfant .... rl'fonn~ of 1M1 thl" were united ,tS the Oxford...hile Li~ht Infant .... (bl'CUlIllllg III 1905 the O~forelshire & Blld..inghatmhirt> Light Infanu...,); ,mel ill 1958, dUlill~ onc of lilt' J>eliodic infant .... rerlu('lion<; lh:u IM'(' r1ng-J!;<'d the I~rili~h .\nm !>illce 191j. the rl'gilllelit bel.IIIlt' thl' 1\1 n,lltalion The (.1'('('11 JacL.el$ (13rrl & 52nd). brig:ulcd once again ,,'itll Ihl' lcgimellt \lIlich had Ix'en Ihe 93th Rille, al lh(' time of the Penimnlar \\';11: Their senice in thaI \I~dr i... Ix·... t relie\\ed Juilllh. (·\pt'll,llh 'IOIll the lime Ilhen Wellington eSlablished the Light Di\i~ion. Vimlero and Corunna

The 13rd r('(Ti\('d tilt' unlet 10 II grl'dth ;l'i"istt'd 1)\ Ihe model "l'J lor them b\ lhl' 52nd Light InLmln, ,md hl' tht' 1I";'1ll~ler of l)(',....ol1n('[ from thai Icgillll'lll. In ItlO-1 ordt'l"\ Ilt're i.-.:.ued raising ~eco1J(1 ballaliul1~ IlJI' bUlh regimenl.... In AugU~1 1806 the 1/4:\rd ami lht, ~/52nd took pari inlltt' expl'ditioll ll' CO]Jt'nhagl'1l ullder the command 01 1\lajOl·.C('11Cral Sil Anhur Welk'o;lc\. Ihe IUlllre Duke ofW{'J1in~loll and <;0011 to Ix· lheir commander ill till' I'enin!>ul of the 2 52nd, po<;tcd wi III Ih(' aChallC(' gll,nd, clashed first with the enelll\: till' 2 1:lnl lalc'f cng;:lged them in a despc:-'r.:lte hand·to..h,lIlci light in the \;nc...arels oUL~iel(' thl' \;Ilagc:'. \fter the d('feal of

17

otflce..... shoulder belt plate, 43rd Light Inlantry; gllt wIth b"'lll.-hom, numer.ll and

.ll".r

0".1, It I, of th. typ. . . .n In • portrait of a major 01 the 43rd

c.1803-08. s.. Plat' Ht. IN,tloMl Ann)' Museum)

18

th<.' French. Serge'lIlt Armourer I';llrick '\';.t.'i found dead lx-~ide all cnCIll\ soldier 'still grasping the lIluskets with the b;nonclS driven through each Ixxh from breast 10 hack'. Patrick wa.'i one of six officers and 113 men lost m the 43rd thaI da\. The British liClD!) at Vimciro "'IS nOt cmnpkled by a pursuit of the ocaten enCIll\. bLH b\ it ridiculous game of military lIlusical chairs .... hell Wellesle} was \uperseded. on grolll1d~ of ltClliorit)' alollc. first bl Sir Ham' BmT;m! and . .hen by Sir I lew Dalnlllpk. Within ten dOl", the\ had signed the Cotwcnlioll of eimra. br \\hich lhe French agreed 10 leal'c Porlug;.ll willl their arms and acculnlllal('d 1001. to be lransponcd home in I\riti ..h vessels. The scandal that followed resulted in all three l>t:ing recalled to England to face a COtirt of enquiry. while command of the Bdti~h Ann)' in Ponug'loore, bringing the strength of his :mny to 25,000 men. With il he admnccd deeper into Spain in SCil1"C!t of the French; bUl he found to his dismay that an enemy army 200,000 strong, led by the Emperor Napoleon himself, had defeated the Spanish, elllercd Madrid, and was now marching upon him. Ill' decided 10 fall back on his base at Corunna, intent on embarking his army and rCLlIllling il to POrll1gal. The retreat W'IS conducted in fearsome \\;nter weather. over almost impassable mOlullain roods, ....;th the pursuing French Gwal ..... kept al b.."l\ b\ !.he rearguard prO\;dcd bv !.he Reserve Di\;sion. (nlis included Craufllrd's l-lank Brigade as far as lloorillas, from where it marched \\;th other light trOOps 10 Vigo and embark::nion.) An incident that occurred on the nighl of 26 Decemher exemplifies the ha7d"lrds of rear-guard dudes. Two pJi\"c!,;.scd the training of the first Light Infantry regiments, both of which had bau.alions in the combal that was 10 be his last balLle. With the French checked, f\'!oorc was

buried in the citadel while his arnl)' embarked, its destination 110 longer Portugal bUI England, The Coa, Bu ••• co and Sabugal, 1810-11 Both battalioll'i of Ihe 43rd were quartered in Colchester on their retum frolll Spain. \\ith both i),atlalions of the 52nd at Deal. Little time elapsed before the 1 43rd, together \\;th the 1/52nd Light Infant.... and I 95th Rifles, emlXlrkcd and s:.liled again for Portugal. The\' fonned what was termed a 'light bJil§ulc' under the command of Roben Craufurd, which reached Lisbon on 29 June 1809, and imlllediateh set out to join the Blitish am1\' in Spain - once again commanded b, Sir Arthur \\'('lIcsle\, Despite a Sp~clacular final forced march the bligade reached Tala\'cld 100 latc to partidpale in thc bank' fouglu there on 2i-28July. TIle\ were soon ioll compli;,cd tw'O bligadcs: tilt' 1 43rd. 3rd Ql7..:1dol"es. and fOlIl' companies of the 95th Rines in the bJigade COlllmanded b, LieUlell,lIll-Colonei Bed.with of the 95th: and the I 5211d. I~I C.....7adol'e.. and another fOllr companies of the 95th in the other. commanded b, Lielltcnalll..('..olond l~arcl:1\ of Ihe 52nd. The di\ision W:l'> supported b\ Ihe \ix guns of c.... pt.."l..in Ross' 'Chestlllll Troop· of Rm'al Ilorsc Artillery. and the whole was under Ihe command of Craufllrd, still a

MlljOf'-Oe_rel Robert CrIlufurd, con.lder.cI 10 be _ of WelllngtOft's be.t te... rIll•. 'Black 8otl' commanded a 'light ~e' and then the famous light DlvI.son until hi, "..th In ectJon Oft I a J.n....., 18 t 2. Short, brooding .nd blttar.

h"

.tyIoe of com.... nd w.. the opposIt, of that of M-. and MeckefWe; he lmpoHd dlsclpll... by the laM 'or the rIlM-.nd-fUe .nd with the laM of Ill, tona_ 'or Ill, offlc:.....

0' •

w.'

CrIluturd _thlng 'book told.... who wrol. copIovt and "'talled .tandlng ~ for the hid .nd In.l.teel on 1t>eIr being ob. ...-d to the ~. He w •• certainly 'OftUnflt. to be 1I1.. the eltcenenl .-g1_1s th.t formed lit. com.... nd•• and wtllcll .uffered no dbocemitM drop In .tand.rd. aner Ill. pa. .lng. IAuttlor's collection)

,n

brigadicr-gellcl~ll.

Wellington had begun the construclion of a \'asl fonilication before Lisbon known as Ihe Lines of Torres \'cdm~. inlU \\'hich he intended to wilhdraw if lhr('al('I1('d Iw a superior Frellch force. In the llLl'alllillle he hdd lhe li'olllier of Portugal with the Lighl,Di\'i,ion pushed well forward, The role or Craufurd'~ cOlllmand was 10 obsel"\'lc" and repol"l. falling back upon Wellington's main position in the l'\'Clll of an enelllyadvance. l.illll' happened llntil.lllly 1810 when. in Ihe fact· of a French 011'11I)" a(h~ll1cing on the border fortfes!> of Alnleicla. the Light Division was ordered 10 fall back arro~s lhe River Coa. Exhibiting either ,llap,e ofjlldgelllcllI or a surfeit of confidence, Cfaufunl failed to do sO ullLil the enemy 1\~IS upon him. and he was faced I\;th the problem of getting his baH'llions 10 s:.lfet' o\"er a single bridge. 'Then Ihe Briti~h regiments. with singular illlclligcnce ;'lnd discipline, exuiC:llcd thcllIsches from this perilous situalion. Falling back slowh and stopping 10 fight whene\"er oppol"lllnil' offered - the' retrealing troops

"" ,.

Officer'. shako, 43rd Light Infantry, c.1814. An Inleresting

.umpl. 01 the laler pattern 'stovepipe' shako with. leather top, this cap has had II number of Itema added, including a green turban and cords, ehlnsealea and bosse'. and II

rosette _ the l,tter Is a leather rank-snd·flle hair omament of the type disellrded in 1808. (National Anny Museum)

20

approached the rh'cr - but the left Willg', haret pressed and hadng the shortest disl'U1CC, arrin:d while the bridge was cfO\,"dcd I\,jlh anillery and cavalry - I\l'tior fo.ladeocl of the 4~rd instantly rallied foufcompanies orhis rcgirnt:l\l 011 a hill to CO\'(,I" the line of passage. lie was joined by some riflemen, ;Ind al 'he same time the [brigade] m:tiol Rowan pO~Lnl two companies 011 a hill to til(' left - the French. gathering in great llllmbers, made a rush, forcillg lhe I\rilish companies back - bm fo.lacleud - tumed his hurse, called on the lroops to follow, waved his cap and rode with a ~houl lowards the cnemy - Ihe soldiers rushed after him, cheering and charging as if a whole army had heen al their hacks; Ihe enerny's skirlllbhers - stopped short, and before their surprise was over the 52l1C1 passed the river. and 1\lac1eod follmn;d at speed: il was a fine exploit!' Dis;Lsler had bcen an:ned, 'General CnHlfurd wanted glory, so he Slopped on the wrung side of the river, and llOW Ill' is knocked O\'cr 10 Ihe right side,' quipp<;d 011(' of the privales of the 43rd who had helped ~ave his general's bacon. WdlingLOn, whose orders Craufurd had disobeyed, was 'displeasl"d', Falling back upon the defences of lhe Lines of Torres Vedras, he decided 10 Illrll and oITer baltIc to tht: French along the Hussaco ridge, On 27 Septelllbt:r 1810 the Light Division held pan of the Ilritish posilion abon~ the village of SuI, in which Cmufurd had established all advanced guard of the 1/95th Rifles and the 3rd Cazadores, The French struck lilt: British CcJllrt.' first, ac!\".lIIcing in lhe morning miSIS up the rugged slopes of the Bussato ridge. only to be bloodily repulsed. They ncxl strurk al lhal pan of the British Idi held by the Lighl Division, pressing Cnlllfurd's rillelllen back up thc slope from Sui as they 'fired al](1 retired' to rejoin the di\1sion 's line beyond the crest. The oncoming French now came under fire from the guns or the Chest nUl Troop as they climbed to the C1'cst of the ridge, which appeared to them to be held only by the liflemen, gunners and a single horseman, The horseman was Craufurd, waiting urltilthe French had reached the crest. A captail\ 01 tilt: I/52nd de~cribcd whal happened next: , lie turned round, came up to the 52nd, and called out. "Now, S2nd, revenge the death ofSir.lohn ~'loore! Charge! Charge! Illlua!": and waving his hat in the air, he was answered by a shout thai appalled the enemy, and in one inst,,1.nt Ihe brow of the hill bristled \,·ith tWO thousand bayonets wielded by steady English hands, which soon buried them in the bodiesorthe l1eryGaul!' BOlh Ihe 1/43rd and Ihe 1/5211d poured a murderous fire inlO the French before they closed with the baronet, and drove them back down the slope in complete rout. Some 1,200 Frenchmen were killed, wounded or capllln:d. includillg a general and 61 other officers; the Lighl Division's casualties amouuted to 132 all ranks. By mid-day all French attacks on the ridge had been repulsed, and the baltIc fizzled out in clashes between skirmishers, The

French had 10~1 some 5,()()() men compared to Wdlington's 1,300 casualties. The next (tl\ he ',;Ihdn,'\\ from the BuS&tcO po~ition and resumed his march illlo Ihe Line~ of Torres \'edra.s, Ill(' I.ight lJi,;sioll forming the rearguMd. The constnlclioll of the \a~t WSlem offonifications had been GIITied out in 'i('cre("\. rhe Frellch came upon the \\"ol"l.>.s, spent a month Ix·fore them. and thell retired e,l.'lt\l rt'infc)rccmc:nts joined. A !lowil/er was taken, around which no fewc:r th,lll 300 c:nc:rn\' dead Il'cre cUllntl'd "ltc:r the com hal, which las1l'(\ hardy all hour. Wellington later wrotc:: '1 consider that the action that was fought hv the Light Division. by Colonel Bcckwith's brigade principally, with tile whole of tht' ! Frcnch 1 2nd Corps. to bc one 01 the 1110St glorious that Ikitish troops Wl'I'(' ever cngagc:c1 in. The 4:lrcl. uncleI' Major Patricksoll, IXllticularl\' distillguished thclIl,;cl\'t's.'

A almlt.r ....ko 0' the 52nd Ugh! 'n'.ntry, -ea1n. the embelll.hmem. ...." to M'" been IId6e
I,n Pitttoc:k)

Fuentes d'Onoro, 1811

Lca\'ing ;:1 lj"J.rristlll ill Ihe fortress 01 Almeida. the French then left Portugal. The I.ight Di\'ision lOok up outposts along the line of the River Agueda. Irolll which the\ ",
21

Ibe maze of houses and allers Ihat formed the hilbide village. The Lighl Did:.ion \\~ts po:.I("(1 as a f(:'wr...c umil the moming of 5 !\Ia\', when a C1itical mOlll<:llt in the fig:hling:occurred on the Brili:.h right '\;llg. This \\,lS the cdebr::ued occasion \\hen 'TIll' French [Gwall"\] - with 0Ill' ,hocl drme in all the outguards, cut ofT ~orlll,1II R;:lIn'lO.I\·:. b.1.!ten 01 horM:' ani lien. and C;ll11e swt.'('ping in upon the resenes ;md tht, 71h Di\;"ion. Their leading "quadrons, ;lppro.lChil'g in a loose m;lIIller, \\ere partialh cheeled b\ Ihe British. and Ihen .1 great COIllmotion '-'IS obsen:ed in their main lxxl... Kalll~a\ burM forth :.word in hand at the Iltc-ad of hi" battery - the 14th Dr·agoolls. in\talilly J.{allnpcd to hi" aid with a squadron - the main bod} Glllll' forward lent into the \'iIIaKe as a reinforccment. and as night fdl the fighting ceased. 011 i Ma\ lhe Frellch g;1\t: up the anempt IU re,lch Almeida and \\;thdr{'w. (The g.uTlson of the fonress later bk\\ it UI) alld brole through to their 0\\11 line... ) L.lrh JUI,e found the LiKht Di\·i.liion once more manning 0I11poSLS on the Coa, from which Ih('\ marched and coullIennarchcd 10 conform 10 th(' 1II0H'mCllt of the French ff'lr the reSl of the vcar of I AII.

•

A print _ probably aft.r a drewing by Tl\omes Heaphvof a privat. aoIcIier 01 the 43rd Ught Infantry, c.1815. Although many contemporary portreits ",..t, especlatly by H.aphv. of the offlc.... of Wellington's P.nlnsula annv, tho. . 01 m.mbers of the rank.and-Ilt. are rare. Eltl>er tne artist or hi, 'IIira".t ha"e been carel... with uniform d.talls of this anonvmous h.ro _ perhaps a P,nlnlula ",t.ran? Let uS hope that al le..t thev captured hll liken.... (National ArmV Museum)

22

eludad Rodrigo, BadaJoz, and the winter retreat of 1812

011 8j.lllual..,' l812lhe I.ighl Divisioll marched 10 bCKil' Iht' ill\'eSlmellt and "icg(' of lhe fonrc~s of Cilldad Rodrigo, Afler niglllfall Colonel Colborlw 01 the :12nd led l('n companies forward,' amI captllred the Fr:.lI,ci~co redoubt with a slcahlw approach followed by;, charKe. Then I)(:gan the lediol!" task of rliggil1g Irenches in a series of parallels, nearer ,md Ilearer to the IOrlress, allll1e lime under tile fire of its defenders. By 13 j.lllua.... Wellingtoll ':. siegle" balletics \\'ere beginning Ihle" business of breaching the \\'alls. On Ihe 17th the brarrison rdu:.ed the ofTer of sUn'('ndcr. and preparations were made 10 Sloml the fOl1re"S: fOllr COIUIIIIlS \\ould be deplO\ed, 011(' of which was found from the Light Di\;sion. All were in position at 7pm on lhe evening of the 19th \\Ilell Ule word was passed. ,md lhe silclll columns rose from their trenches and commenced the stonning of Rc)(higo. TIle Light Dh;sion approached lheir allOlled breOich from the CO\'cr of the walls of the convent of San Fr.mcisco, where thcv had been addressed b}' GeneTal Cr:.tufunl who exhorted thclIl to be stead\', cool

Hilt end .-bNrd deglll of In otft<:......"",ord, 52nd Ll9ht InllnlJ'y, c.I805. Lster ."",ord. to ttlll regiment hltd • bugle ttom bsdg4l on the gnp - ... Pt.ete H3. (N.tlonel Army Museum) RIGHT FUll ",Ie"", 01 the !I2nd ."",ord. Note ho"", little the blade cU"'.I, making It an .fficl.nt "",.apon for both cutting and thruatlng, unllk. the 're.plng hook' blade. of 10m. light Infantry '..brei'. (Nlltlonlll Army MUI.um)

and finn. It "'as to be the last occasion he \\Ould .'>pcilk to them. The 300 'stonners' of the Light Ohisioll ran up the gliicis.lcapt illto an II-foot ditch and clambered up the rubbll' leading to their breach. The ~ilencc which had preceded the storming \\~.lS broken as the defenders began pouring a ~tonn of musketry and grape on their attackers. but Ihey were O\'erpo\\ered alld the breilch was carried. The ,.cgilllenL~ following pas~ed through it and began to flght their W,I) along the nlrnpa"L~ and illlo the fOrtfess. Its capHlre look barcl)' half· an-hour. but the slaughter thai had taken place in Ihat short time was horl'endOIlS: the French lost 300 dead and 1.500 prisoners. while the British and Portuguese lost 1.300 killed and wounded. That night Rodrigo was s;tcked. according to the rules of war. Amongsl Ihe wounded was Major-General Robert Cnwfurd. who had been shot through the bod)' at the beginning of the actioll. lie lingered in great pain for fivc days before d~ ing on 24 Januan. and \\~lS buried in the breach that thc men of his division had taken at such cost. Lea\1ng Ciudad Ro aroulld Fon Picurina. "hich "'as stormed on 25 March. Siege ballencs were then established in and around the ron to commence their bomb.."\rdment, and ten davs later the breaches made were judged 'practicable' ror a~lllil.

23

This took place Otl the night of 6 April 1812. alld proved to be one of tlw bloodiest operations of its kind. The Light Divisioll were ordered to storm the breach in the bastion of S"llla Maria. and at 10pm their ~tonller~ advanced UpOIl it led by the 'Forlorn I [ope'. the band of \'oIUlltt'crs \\'110 would be first into the breach and who therefore ran the gn'atest risk ofdealh. The French allowed them to get into the ditdl below it. and then exploded a huge mille concealed there, Ilundrt:ds of the atlackers were instantly killed or wounded. hut those who survived pressed on ill the teeth of the fire now poured down on them. Fireh' along towards the breaches, their bugles announcing thcir progress. At lhis Wellingtoll orckred the breaches to be atlempted again, and this time the} were carried. By 2am on the morning: at 7 April Bad.yol was in British h;mds - and there began a three-day orb')' uf drunkenness, looting. rape and murder that went far beyond even the licence thell universally accepted under the anciellt customs of I,'ar.~ British casualties at Uac\;yo/, \,'ere exceptionally heavy: uver 5.000 onicer~ and men were killed or wounded including fin: genel"'ilk The battalions of the 43rd and 52nd lost 39 oflicers and nearly 700 lllen belweell thenl, including Lieutt:llallt-ColoneJ \lacleocl of the 43rd. who had so valiantly l"'illlied his men in the aClion before the Coa bridgc. [t was at this time that the ~/!j2Ild \\'a:. reduced. No sooner was Ibd~jol in his hands than Wellington 1ll;lrcl1cd north to COlllltCr a French arllly thrt:atcning Almeida and Ciudad Rodrigo once again. The French ,,·ithdrew and Wellington followed. with the Light Division in the \"'iUl of his army. By mid:.llllle they Captured by a French arttst were approaching Salamanca, about which citr there took plaet' almost in 1815, this offtcer of the continual marching and countcrmarching ;lS both armies sough I the 52nd light Infantry wears ad\.lIltage of the grollnd, like wn'stlers circling each other befor(' one the regulatton uniform of altacks. Wellington's opportunity came on 22July whcn he observed tllat the time but has opted for a gap had opened in the French line. The attack that he ordered started the conventional sash and the stratght sword of an officer a bailie which resulted in the French being soundly beaten and dri\'en of a line regiment - atbelt wtth from the ficld, losing between 12,000 and 14.000 men and 20 gUlls a watst bett and sword sUngs, (Author's collect ton}

(((H!I"'lIffl oil/mgt' JJ) ~ _ III AIcIenII>ol in Itle lIIte 19t~ cernl.KY. lhOW ",,_I tile town w_ called 'WeIlIngton~' and ~ n~ alterlllll-.nout 'fIcton..: one ouch w,," 'Bad...,. 8 ..... ""~1' As a omaU lx>y lhe present author remembers being told thaI ~ was a plece 01 tile Army's t1<sl.,..,. best forgan"". Some 130 yeers after It>I evenl, moIiIary foll
5 When pooITNI*1I bamIcks

24

UGHTTAOOPS PRE-l803 1: Private, Hompesch's light Infantry, 1196 2: Private,6I8Oth (Royal American) Reginwnt, 1799 3: PrlYate, light Company, 1.t Foot Guard., 17tl3

A

SHORNCUFFE. 1803-08 52nd (Oxlordshlrel Light Inlantry; 1: Subaltern officer

2: Sergeant 3: Private 4: Major-General Moore

, ,•

2

\ I~

B

UGHT INFANTRY OFFICERS, c.l808 1: Captain, 52nd (Orlord$hi..l Ught InlanlJ'y 2: Ueuten8nt. 52nd (Orlordshirel Ughtlnlllntry' 3: F.eld olfleer, O'd (Mon~) light Inlantry

i'e ...

H.

2

c

SKIRMISHING. C.1811 43rd (Monmouthshire) U"htlnI8nlry: 1 • 2; Privates

3: F"1Oid offic:er

D

SPAIN,1812 68th (Durham) Light Inlantry:

1: Bug'" 2: Field oflic:... 51st (2nd Vortls, West Riding) Ught Inlantry:

3: Subahern otIle... 4: Corpora'

• I -

",

E

SPAlN,1813 85th IBUI;k. VQlunteersllJghl lnf.nlry; 1: Suballern orne... 2: P,;"tt.

3: P,;"tte, Celebri... Fretl Corp. 4: P,;"tte, I1.llli.n levy

"

.,

.~j,;. "' n'

...

.

\

t • F

•

FRANCE,1814 1: Colour Serg.ant, 52nd (Ollfordshll1ll light Inlantry 2: Tlredor, Portugu... 3rd Cazador. . 3: Privat., 5 tit (2nd Vork,hil1l, West Rlcling) Ughl Infantry

•

J

G

INSIGNIA,1803-14 see text commentary tor detail.

H

in lhe process. Duling lhis action the Light Di\isioll remained in rese e. marching the follo ing Illoming in pursuit of the retreating French. Bv mid· August Wellington and his arlllY had cmcrcd ~bdrid 10 a tumultuous welcome. 1kre the Light Division stayed. while Welling:lOtl un~lLccc"sflllly laid siegl' 10 tht" f(lI"ln:ss of Burgos ulIlii latc October; he' \,,:lS thcll obligcd to withdraw illlo Portugal \et again in the face of the French annies then uniting to allack hi~ di~pc~d forces. In ~Iadrid the Ugill Di\ision took lip positions to sncen the withdr.I\\ of the l.ight Dh;~ion moved into ,,;nter quarters. DurinK the next few months reinforcements were rl'{"('lH·d. ne\, clothing I\.tS issued. and C\en opponunit\ was tilken to rcla), .lher lhe arduous campaigning of 1812. Regimental histol;l"S 1II.lke note of lhe elllenainlllcnlS el-Yo\"cd. which included a 'Light Di\;,ion TIWiltr('·. The leading lights in this enterprise mil} be supposed b) lhe following: 'The 43rd wcre a g;tv set - Ihe dandies of the arlll\": the great cllcolll':lgers of dr~lInaljc pcrformanCl". dinner partics. :md balls. of whi("h their headquaners was the pi\"ot. The 52nd wen: hiKhly gel1tlel11;lIlh 111en. of a sleady aspect: they mixed lillIe with olher corps. but allClHled the lheatricals of the 43rd wilh circumspect good hUlllour. and now and thell rel;L'l:ed, but were soon again the 52nd. The Rille Corps wert' skinnishcrs in e\'en' sense of the word, a ~on of wild sponslIlcll, and up to C\en description of fun and good hUlllour.· VIUorla, and Into France B\ April 1813 preparations for campaigning were well underwil\". Wellington had laid plans 10 drh'c the French from Spain once and for all. and as he crossed lhe horder he turned in his saddle .Ind cried OUL ·Adiell. Ponugal!' Iii.. am1\' marched nonh-east. pasl Salamanca and the abandoned fortf(:,~ of Burgo~, and b\ mid:Iune was approaching Villoria. l!cre the French had decided 10 stand and gi\c bailIe. \,'ith their army deployed before lhe cit)', denying Wellington lht., pilssage of the River Zadora.

Ii. pIlJntlng depicting

M~or

Maeleod of lhcl 43rd Light 'n'.nlry le.-dlng hili men Into the breaeh In the Dlliltion 01 Sante Marl• •t the IItormlng 0' Badajoz, II April 1812 hili last fight. It provide. a ,.••on.bly convincing Imp"lIIIlon of s\>Ch aelJonll. (Author" collection)

33

Rank-and·tlle .hOl.llder belt plale ('b,....tpl.I.') Of the 43rtl Light

lnlantfy, INIrty t9ttl century.

tAllttIor'8 collection)

The banle began on lhl' morning of 21 JUlie with the Light Di,;~ion in the Cellln: of \\'ellington 's line, within 200 >~\f{1s of the bridges of Villodas and Tres Puellles. The skirmish lines of both sides \,'ere active. with the riflemen of the Light Division keeping up a telling fire on the French guns cm'ering the bridges, At about midd:n, hearing that the Tn:s Puentes bridge was then unguarded. Wellington ordered Kempt's Brigade of the Light Di\;sion to SCilC il. to cross the ri\·er. and to deplo\ before the French cemre. Shonh aftel'wards Vandeleur's Brigade of the Light Division nLShed the Villodas bridge. crossing behind Kempt'<:,; a..~ part of Ihe general adv;:lIlce that w:a.'!o b\' then taling place. the brigade carried Ihe heights of ~Iargari(;l on the French right. Graduall)' til(' French were forced back upon Ihe town of Vilt01;a where, for a time, their line held: but an a~all[t upon their centre at 6ptt1 caused a general retreat that turned quickly into rollt and flight. It had be('n a hlood\' ;dTair, \\;th almost 6,000 ca~ualties 011 cach side; the slallg-Iltl'r \\,;\S brought to an end by the O!1St't of night. and by a frenly of looting. as the Allied soldiers fcllupoll the dl's(Tled French train and the accuJJlulated plumier of the occupation of Spain and PortUJPl1. nv noon the following da, the Light Di\;sion \\~t~ marching after the French. dashing ,\;th their rearguard on the 241h - the first of man\'
, "..,.... ... .....,Jcw-''----' In-'--Y 1"'.a le.----*' ......, ~_ to lIM""'" Gw!InII sw- ........ 1ftCt.dnQI Ba:Mpz. s-n..c. CluoId~,

34

lIlt':lII~.

_ _ .... ""lIM ....

~""lIM Pww.a,dying

deIp

on to

IlAugo.-ll.'lIIlIM.""96ot97,

involved in the ill-fated altack on New Orleans) and till;: 52nd to Belgium, where it took pan in the battlc of Waterloo and the uhimate defeat and exile of Napoleon, When baltle honours for the Peninsular War were awarded the 43rd and 52nd, who had marched and fought side by side first in the Flank Brigade, then the Light Brigade, and thell the Light Division, received almost idelllical honours. They were PENINSULA, VI~'1IERA, BUSACO, FUENTES D'ONOR, CIUDAD RODRIGO, BADAJOZ, SALAMANCA, VllTORIA. NIVILLE. NIVE and CORUNNA. Only the 52nd recei"ed the bailie honours ORTIIES and TOULOUSE.

THE 51st (2nd YORKSHIRE, WEST RIDING) LIGHT INFANTRY

Office" swords of Ihe !515t Light Infantry followed the pattern sel by Ihe !52nd, The example shown here dates from c.1809, and was made for Lieutenant Hawley of the !51st by Henry Tatham, a London sword cutler and maker of the !52nd sword shown on page 23, The scabbard Is of wood encall8d In sleel. (National Army Museum)

The 51st returned to England in 1807 after 16 years of overseas ~en·ice. and in October 1808 sailed as part of Sir David Baird's force hound for Corunna. Scarcely had it landed when it was caught up in ~Ioon:~'s retreat upon the port, and the battle to cO\'er the embarkation of the army. Moore had been colonel of the 51 Sl, who were boarding ships as he was being buried, Once more in England, the regiment received orders transforming it into a 'light infanlJ)" corps' in May 1809, but had linle time to exercise in the new role bdore being sent as part oran expeditinnall' force to thc Scheldl in August. The malarial marshes of Walcheren did more dalnage to the 51 Sl than ;,ny enemy thc)' faced 1here, and the recurring '\\'alcheren fever' continued for years al'1crwards to lay low the officers and men who had served there, 13>' OelOber 1809 lhe regiment was considered 'nt for sen'ice' once again, bllt it was to be jal1l1<111' 181l before the 51st began the journey to Portugal to join Wellingtoll's ;mlly. Under Lieutenant-Colonel ~Iaillwarillg, 24 oflicers and 703 men set out, aniving b)' late March 10 bccomc one of the units of the newl)' formed 7lh Division. Brigaded with the 85th Lighl Infantry, the Chasscurs Britallniques (a coq)S originally of French royalist cll1ign~s. but by then mostly former prisol1er..-of-war of many nations under Freuch ollicers), and riflcmen of the Brunswick Oels.l~\gers, the 51Sllonned wha1 was, in all but name, a light brigade.

• 35

From Fuentes d'Olioro to Vittoria

With sickness thinning its ranks, by carl)' Mar the regimelll formed pan of Wellingtun's arm>, conI Trlft"'" 8ruch l SII'U AI,,;' 8,<#G1o framing- Ihe French al .3 8ruiJI '" IJ,. C,;rw" I~LJnd!~lon Fuclltes d'Oliuro \,'hcre, 011 the third day of the baule, the 7th Division came under attack by a large force of enemr ca\'alry. Forced to conduci a lighting withdl,n\,ll, Colonel i\'!aillwaritlg imagined his command aboul to be surrounded and ordered the Colours 10 be burned. According to the accounts of Pte Wheeler of the 51st. i\lainwaring might be judged 10 be a man of eccentric behaviour, lO put it no stronger. His conduct on 7 :\'Iay 18[1 caused Wellington lO orc!t:r him to be placed in arrest, and eventually SCIll back to the base at Lisbon. (This unjustly coloured Wellingtoll's opinion of the rcgimclll. and it W,l~ to be 60 rears before the 51st was awarded the banle honour that acknowledged its brave conduct at Fllcmes d'Oi-.oro,) In late i\lar the 51st were part orthe force investing Uad,yoz, and 011 6 June. ISO volunleers from the regimcllttook pan in the storming of Fort Cristoba1. The altack was Ix:alen back, as \\.IS a further atlempt on 9June. The siege \\'as gil'ClI up as Wellington pulled his army back into Portugal, bUI the attempts had cost the 51st over 100 casualties, which - with the continuing sick lisl - reduced the regiment to 382 ollkers and men 'al duty'. The rest ofth!:: year 1811 was spent in marching. counl.ennarching, and a few shaq) actions as the opposing alll1ies. attempted to OlltmanOCU\1·C cach other. .Ianual)' 1812 found the 7th Di\'ision and the 51st cO\'ering thc siege of Ciudad Rodrigo. mounting piquets in lhe bitter weather in clolhes worn lhin and r
,

Sra't I

--'

,

~f

Yard,

~.~

BadaJoz. At top on the far bank I' the outlying Fort San Cristobal, whIch men 01 the 51st

helped to storm In June 1811 during the unsuccessful lI...t siege of this key borde. town. This map shows the sites of the attempts on the southern breaches on 6 April 1612, No.2, the Santa Marla bastion br1lach, cost the regiments of the Light Division many killed and wounded. (Author's collection)

3.

U)' Jill), thc 51~t wcrc marching with Wellington's arlll)' as tbe)' manocuvred with the French around Salamanca, and were eng-dged in the fighting for the forts of IImt cit)', suffering 20 casuahies, III the great battle fought on the 22nd the rcgimem were in the second line. suffering on I)' twO men \,·oUlHlcd. FoJlowing the defeated French, the 51 st "'cre with that part of the arm} that entered Madrid 011 12 August, where the)' eluo~'ed the welcome of the Spanish until orders were received to march to Burgos to screen the sk-ge operations there, In hue October these were given up. and th.c 51~1 «'t Ollt on the march b."ld:. to the Ponubruese border LInder conditions that ha\'e been likened to the rCtrcat to C..orunna. Discipline broke down as. harried b\ the French. the al"l11\ sll1.lggled Ixlcl.. to Sain - unfairh'. it was thought b\ somc - and kept it hard at work dUting the e;:lI"h months of 1813 ulltil he was read~ to adv:lt1((' \ct again. In ('ad\' ~Ia\' th(' 51st were 011 the march. and on 21 JUIIC fought in the great battle at Villoria, There the 7th Dhisiotl attackt·c! the French light in front of the \"illag('s of ~IargUllted to one officer and len men killed and one officer and 20 men wounded. Thai night the French ba~"Kage was looted: 'the camp (of the 5 I-;t 1 represclItcd a great fair and the money and goods soon became more equall), distl'iblHCcI - TwelllY four hOllrs before I,'e had not enough in the rq:-iment to bait a lllou~e lI'tp. this night we could M::lICe 1ll00'(' without u,llnplillg 011 ;t 11 kinds of provision~·.

A poal-1815 portraIt ot L1eutenllnt Dyll. ot the 51st LIght Inf.ntry who, a. an anelgn, led lhe attach on Fort Slln erlatobal at Badlljoz in June 1811. Hla ...Iraordlnllry brewery IIwalled him little, for he rwmalned a aubaltam for tlln yeare ,",forw obtaining a cllplllincy. (Author" collection)

Heavy losses and persistent sickness

The llext dar the 51st lllan;hed with the force pursuing the French towards lhe Pyrenees. becoming illvolved in many actions and skirmishes. including lhat al SOl\, NIVEu..E. CORUNNA.

37

SAL-\.\IA.;\T..A, ORTHE.S, PYRENEES and (after Lhe dead hand 01 Wl'llington had been lifted) FUENTES D"ONOR,

THE 68th (DURHAM) LIGHT INFANTRY

An offlc.'" gorg.t of the 58th llghtln'entry, ••rty 19th ~tury. Tl\4l gorget _ the Int ...nrivl"ll reminder of 'bocty ermour' In the Britlan offic.... unlfonn - we. worn et the throel .u-.pen6ed b~ ribbon. of the reglmenbol fllCI"II colour,

... Pie" Ill. IN.tIonaIJ ......... ~ MUMum)

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In Sq>lember 1808 the 68th n:cei\t~d orden. to comert to .lIId train as a light infantn baltalioll '\dth all practicable di:.patch', Then :.t.lljolled at Ilull, the regiment marched south to the barracls at Ur:.lboullle Lee~. Kent, \\here it w.\.:> trained in i.... lIe\\ role under the direction of Col de I{ollenbllrg, Even so, the training was far from completc beforc the 68th \\l'rc :.cm to Wa1cheren inJuh 1809. In a report. de ROl!cnburg thought that the men had made 'con:.iderilble progrc!t!>' but that the olliccrs 'I'cqllirc a grcat dcal of imal'uction vel'; the abscnce of 20 011 recl'lliting duties call1lot han: helped. Like the 51st, the 68th returned to England with the melancholy 1l.'K:lcy of a 'Walcheren rq~il1wnt' - one lhal was to haw up to half its men in hospital with reculTing hOLltS olle\'er at any !{;V{'ll time, It was to take llntilthc summer of 1812 bcli)rc the regiment \\~IS (oplimisticall}') (,oll~idered free frolll lilt' i1ftl'r..dlccL~ of malariil, wll()~(' c"\l~e and cure \\ere thell unknown. lIo\\e\(~1, b\ the spting 01 ISII tIlt' 68lh \,'crc judgcd '''cn' S<'ltisfaclUrv, the light inf:'mtr... tllm'enH.:'tlll> well' performcd with celt-rit·... and pred~ion, and the men are pcrfectl'" acquaimcd \\ith the sounds orthe bugle', The regiment cmbarked for the Peninsula in June, h.l\ing left i.... Colo....,. ;It its depot in England - 'all i1tTangcmem not IlIlu~lIal ill light infatltJ"\', Disembarking ,II Li:.bon. the 68th marched up to the alll1\' to join the units fonning lip as the 7th Di\ision. On fl'lper 808 I>trollg. the 68th was brigade, At the great b..'lul«: on the 22nd thc\' began the d:l\ b\" cliLshing

An eerty 20th cenlury wel.rcolour by Richerd SimkIn 01 .n officer of the 85th Light Infentry, c.1812. The ....cur.cy 01 the uniform del.1I Is somewhet melTed by the e"l.t depicting the S\lbjecl with queued heir, • praclk:e .boll.heel In 1808. OlhefWI. ., note hi' cep conts .nd tumn, wtll1lS, 'Ight Inl.ntl)' ...h, .word bett, nght Infentl)' .word, .nd 'II"" "';"',.,. (Shropshire Reglmente' MUNum)

with Frcnch skirmishers advancing Oil the po~itiOlls of the 7th Division, driving them ofT and holding their ground until relieved; later the regiment fanned part of the divisional linc in itS advance on the retiring French. 1813: recovery and vindication

SubsequentJy tJ1e 68th occupied ~Iadrid, screened the siege of Burgos. and marched in the retreat back to the l>onugue"C bordcl' after the siegc had becn gi"cn up. B)' the "car's end the strength of the regiment "';.LS so low (235 rank and file at du{\, and 247 sick) that Wellington cOlllemphucd fonning the 51st and 68th into a 'prmisional' light inf;muv baualion. but in fact did not resort to tJlis expedient. B\ late Aplil 1813, however, rest, reinforcements, ncw clothing and equipment had brought about a tr.lIlsfomlation in Ihe 68th, \\ith 439 rank and file fit and on I\' 97 sick: and an inspection report noted that the regiment "".lij 'particularh well d.illed il\ light 1lI,1IlOCU\Tes·. and 'much impro\'ed in health. cleanliness and conduct'. II was a n:stored 68th Ihal marched illla Spain in :\1:\\ 1813. At \'illoria the regiment lost 24 onken and men killed and 100 wounded in a da\ of hard fighting. before camping amidst the \\';:lgon\ and (,'lIliage~ of the abandoned French train. (\\11en the ml'n werc latcr scarched fOI" plunder. an a\'t:.';:tge of £32.50 per man \\';:15 rccm ned - equh';:tlcnt to about six \ears' pa\ per lIlan after stoppages.) Soon the 68th were engaged in the lighting ill the I~Tenees. and at $or:ml'cn on 30 July the\' fell on the twO b.lU.llions of the French flank h"uard and drm·e them headlong from the field. c;l\I\ing Wellington to call it 'the fincstthing he e\er wime.....ed'. But in Ihb. and subst:quelH actions the COSt "';.IS such that after the Nivelle cro~ing - during which the 68th look three redoubtS - the regimcnt had fe\\'er than 200 oflicers and men fit for dulY. Nl'\'erlln:le~. a~ \\'ellington's ann\, pushed into France the 68th stormed the Ardour bridge at Oerregl";wc 011 23 Febntall 1814, before fighting ib last battle at Orthel>; there, Oil 2i Februal1'. the regimcnt chaq.;:ed with other units to restorc an allack which had fahercd. \\lith lhc firs! alxlicati011 ofN;lpolcOlI the n'!{il!ll'lll m;,rched to its port of embarkation and passagc to Ireland. It had been 011 sen'icc for just ovcr three rl'ars, ill which limc'. although ncver a baualion slrong in tlumbers, it had IO~1 nearly 500 ollicers and men killed in ;,ctiutl or died lit wOllnds 01' disease. The baltic honours of the 68th (Durham) l.ight Infantry - PENINSULA, SALAMANCA. VITORIA, PYRENEES, NIVELL£ and ORTI IES - had been hard eal'lled.

THE 85th (BUCKS VOLUNTEERS) LIGHT INFANTRY The 85th "~.tS yet anothcr oftJle regiments which had the misfonune to be ordered to the SchddtlO take pan in tlu" Walcheren campaign of 1809. Tr.:msfollned into light infallll) in 1808, the regimelH received u'3.ining at Brabourtle Lces and \\';:LS ~lationed :1( Hailsham, Sussex, when it received orders inJanuan 1811 for the

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Anothet" Simkin w.len:oIour, .howlng a corporal .nd • pri¥.te toktlM of the 85th .klrmlllhlng. c.1812. Onc. again the arUsl painting. c.ntury .n.r the .".nl - .howt the men wtth c.p cords and q......cl hair; and atH • pattern 01 knapsack not Introduced untll1823. Not. lhelr f1.l1l m.rchlng ord.r equlpm.nt, wing., and grey trou.e,. o"er Short galte,.. (Shropshire Reglmenlill Mu.eum)

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Pcninsula_ It i~ intcresting LO note that although tht: paper su"CngJh of thc 85th was 936 oflicers and l11en, onh 27 officel1l alld 459 rank-and-file s:liled for POIlugal, It Illa\ Ix: a.'iSlIlllt-"d lhat most of lh~ left in Eng:land as a 'depot' \\'cre ~uffering the aller-dl"t"cl..s of malaria, ll1t:ll callt:d 'lhe ague'. On al'ri\'al in Portugal tht: 85th joined the 7th Di'lsion on 19 March IRII. and was brig;lded with the 51st ught Infant .... :md the Cha.sseurs Ulltanniqlles. AI Fuentes de Oi10ro the 85th W';.lS kepi in rc~r\"C lIntil ;) ~Ia\', whcn il wa.~ he:wilv cngaged with the Fn:nch ca\';.lll) and inf:1ll11) in the long running llRlll as il fell back wilh olher \llliL~ ofthc ..... 71h Division 10 P()~iliollS ordt'red by W(·lIington. Of the 220 onken; and men at dut\' that d,l' JOI wcre po~ted ,lS killed, wounded or missmg in the lighting - casualties th'l( W('H' ~horth to <;eal the fall' of the regilllcllL Withdrawal and reorganisation

B\ ('arh June the 85th were part of the forces besieging Uad:yol \\ here, in lhe attempted ~tol1ning of Fort San Cristobal. iIlore casualties wert.' incurred. By September the numbers of the regiment were so low that it \\';.tS ol'(kred to rCUlrn to England in order to recruiL Dcct"mlkr 1811 fOUlld Ihe 85th in til(' familiar SlllTOllilClinb'S of Ikabollrne Lees, whcre Lhe task of restoralion began - a proces~ which. included a quill' eXllOlordinary happening. 'Considerable di~semion amongsl Lhe officers' led 10 a selies of cOllrts-martial for ofTt"nccs as diverse a~ cmbculcmcnt, duelling, and a list fight between an officer and a ~rge:ult_ These c\'ellts led 10 the cOllll1landcr-in-chicf dcciding that he wOllld havc thc officeN of the 85th dispersed among the OtJICI' regiments of the armv, to be replaced b\ others from regiments as di\-erse as the Dukc of York's Greek ught Infantry, the African Corps and the 3rd Garrison &lItalion_ ~IOSI came from regimenlS of tJlc Line. ten officel'S from otJlcr Light Inl:mln regiments, The new an-h-als, resplendent in a \'ariety of 'rcgimentals' ranging from the highland dress of the i9lh 10 lhe dark green of the Rifle regiments, were immediately nicknamed tbe 'Elegitnl Extracts' and, as history was to pro\'e, led the regimenl well from this point Oll.

By lhe spring of 1813 the 85th had recruited lip to a strength of 936 onicen; and men, and when orders for embarkation to the Peninsula I,'crc !"ccched in Juh, 36 officers and 360 rank-and-file under Lieutenant-Colond Thornlon set out, landing at the Biscavan port of Passages Oil 19 August. Bri~lded with the 62nd. 76th and 84th RcgimenLS. the 85th Light Infantr) were soon invoh'ed in the siege of S<m Sebastian, before wking up positions along the Bidassoa. On 7 October the liver was fonled b, Wdlington':o ann)' and the fortifications above the oppositc bank I,'cre slOnned; the 85th p);l\ed a conspicuous pan in the caplUrc of the \;lIage of Hendave. After a month Spellt ill the cold and rain facing dow'n the French. Wellington's arm\ once more attacked O\er the i\'ivelle. The task of the 85th in this b; or(\er ~lilTed the regimelll illlo firing :I \'olley il1lo the enellH and lhen charging them with lhe bavol\et; the, did 1I0t stand 10 recei\'e llll' 851h. OUlpost dut" and the con,trUClion of defence works took up much tillle during whal pl'O\'ed 10 be an eXlrcmcl)' cold willler. In February 1814. while lhe main army under \Vellinglon dro\'c to\\~lrd~ Toulouse, the flSlh \'~IS \,'ilh that parI of it lhal marcllt'd \0 tar sieg"c to Bayonnc. B)' lhe end of lhe IlHll1Lh tht.' city was complelely slllToundcd; work bcgan on Ihe conslruclion of b:lHery posjlion~ for the heavy artillery. and Lhe 1'01IlilH.' of siege 0pcnlliolLS was only broughl 10 an end h)' the news of Napoleon's ;lbdicalion, which was ren'ived Oil II April. Unfortunalely the French would nOl belie\'e the report. and 011 the )
A weten:o!o<.lr 01 the 85th pelnted In 1'12 by P.W. Reynold.. who w.. e ..riou' ,tudfilt 01 unlfonn hltt~ ... depkb en offk:et" end e private tokIiet" c.1801, the ,eer they ..,. t,..tn'''1I 10 M light Infentrymefl et S,..boume lees. (Shropthl.. RegImental Museum)

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8,.... nmk·and·f1le .houlcler ben plate 01 the 85th Ughtlnlanlry, c.1808-15; the riband It Inacrlbed '8UCKS.L1GHT.lNFANTRY'. (Shropshire Regimental MUHum)

/Ii gilt regimental Medal of Merit awarded to Major M'lnto.h of the 85th light Infantry lor hla conduct at 'Fuent.. d'Onor'; the ribbon I, red edged with blul. 8elore thl In.tltullon 01 national .ward, for bravery and campaign ..rvlce, man~ hundred' 01 medall were lIwlIrded to the gllilant lind de.ervlng b~ Individual reglmlnl', Including a 'forlom hope' blldge lor 811d1lJoi< b~ thl 52nd Light lnlantry_ .ee Platl 01. (Shroplhlre Regimental MUleum)

/Ii car100n of 1912 depIcting

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t.ow the 'Elegant Extractl' might have looked on Joining the 85th light Inlantry In early 1813. There was certainly a highlandif', and more than one riftlman, but no light d ~ It ICtuall~ lilted... (ShI'09.hlre Regimental Museum)

A Simkin watercolour of an 85th Llfilht Inlantry aklrmlsh Une dashIng with French skirmishers at the battle of the Nlvelle, 1813. While Simkin" palnllngs are more or less worthlen for details of uniform, thIs scene does have one virtue: It reminds us 01 the very close renge al which skirmIshers armed with smooth·bore mUskets engaged one another, as confirmed by memoirs such as Ihat 01 Private Wheeler of the 51st, quoted In the texl. (Shropshire Regimental Museum)

SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY Anoll>,11l011S. The 85th King~ LigM II/ftm"y (London. 1913) D,\\'id Gates. TIll' Bli/ish Lighllnftmlry Arm, (.1 i90--1815 (London. 198i) Sir II.Ncwboh, The StOI)' of tlu' 04o,.d~"irl' alld nllckillg}wmshi,.,. Ughl Infalltl)' (The Old 43 rd (I/ld 5211d Regiments) (London. (915) S.G.P.Ward, Faithful: TIll' Slm-y of IIU' J)r/rha/ll Ugh! Ill/anlf)' (Edinburgh. 1963) H..C.W)'11>,. TIll' His/of)' o[ IIlI' Killg~' Own }'orhhil"f' Ughl IIl[alllf)' (London, 1926)

THE PLATES The dress of Light Infantry regiments in the Peninsular War differed only in delail from thaI of Line regiments. The 'stovepipe' shako of the time has been described as 'conical' when worn by Light Infantry. and was likened by at least one witness to a 'sugar,loaf', which at the time had a tapered shape: but no surviving example shows this to be so. What is probable is that shakos were 'blocked' in imitation of the mirleton caps of the cavalry. by wetting them and then letting them dry to the desired shape (much as berets were 'set up' by a later generation of British soldiers). Light Infantry shakos had green plumes or tufts. bugle-horn badges, and sometimes green 'turbans' and cords. One history records that in the heat of a Portuguese summer shakos became uncomfortable to wear unless 'ventilated' by punching small holes in the crowns. Other modifications included the addition of neck-flaps and tape chinstraps. Officers and men wore 'wings' on their jackets, a former flank company distinction. on which officers sported OOglehorn badges. These devices were also worn on the 'turnbacks' - the exposed triangles of lining visible at the tails of jackets - by officers and sergeants, and often on the crossbelt plates ('breastplates') of all ranks. Officers adopted a distinctive sash which was fastened about the waist by means of cords, tied or looped in various fashions; they also

frequently wore light cavalry-type waistbelts and sword slings in place of the regulation (shoulder) sword belt. Light Infantry sergeants carried neither pikes nor swords, but were armed with muskets and bayonets like the rank-andfile. A later distinction of Light Infantry non-commissioned officers was that of wearing badges of rank on both sleeves of lhe jacket. Whistles were carried by officers and NCOs in some regiments; these were not the showy items later adopted by Light Infantry and Rifle regiments. but ~ain and utilitarian, and were kept in a pocket or suspended from a jacket button by a cord. Legwear consisted of breeches and gaiters for the rank-andfile, and 'pantaloons' and boots - usually 'Hessians' - for the officers. On campaign the rank-and-file at first wore white serge 'overalls', then white colton trousers. and finally grey woollen trousers, with short gaiters of the same material. Officers adopted various palterns of overalls. usually aping the style of those worn by the light cavalry, before taking into use a paltern closely resembling the cut and colour of the trousers worn by their soldiers. The equipment worn by Light Infantry regiments departed from common practice in two respects. The first was the 'light" marching order in which they first landed in Portugal. This featured a reduced kit wrapped in a blanket or greatcoat, worn on the back in place of the knapsack. The second peculiarity was that of officers carrying knapsacks, haversacks. rations and water the same as their men. How

43

long this practIce lasted III the Peninsular campaigns is hard to tell, but at least one young offlC9l" was carT)'lng 'a black leathem' haversack as late as 1814, When studylng the dress of the Bnllsh Nrny at thts time It s.hould always be remembered that the ngours of campatgmng ohen reduced the clothIng of officers and men to a travesty of 'uniform' What is shown III U'le colour plates IS what should have been worn: what was actually worn can only be guessed at.

A: LIGHT TROOPS PRE-1803 A1: Private, Hompesch's Light Infantry, 1796 The war With Revolutionary France brought about a rapid eKpansion of the British Army, during which many foreign light infantry corps were brought into Bntish pay, This soldier S9f'\18S wrth a unit raised in Germany in 1796, and eventually 'drahed' in the West Indies into the 2I6Oth and 5I6Oth (Royal Arnencan) Regiment In 1798. The entire regiment was ongmally armed WIth 'car1:llnes' except for len men In each company armed WIth rTlIes, although the proportIOn 01 nllemen grew to neatty I'IaIt by the time they S311ed for the West Indies, Our subfect's UOIform features the shako, green jaCket and black eqUIpment adopted by many of the RrtIe regtments f3IS6d later, lOCludlng the 5I6Oth and the 95th Rifles, Note the turban, chams and plate adormng hIS shako, and the 'breastplate' secunng hiS pouch and sword belt. Note also the breech cover and loose sling on hiS carbine. A2: Private, 6th Banalion, 60th (Royal American) Regiment, 1799 Another German light Infantry unit was the 6/60th, raised in 1799: the battalion were armed partly With muskets and partly with nfles - this soldier carries the standard British musket of the time, the India Pattern. Note the shako, green f8Cket and buff leather eqUIpment, in which the 6I6Oth lought In Holland before being sent to the West IndteS. German regiments wenl allowed to wear moustaches. A3: Private, Light Company, 1st Foot Guards, 1793 The men of the light c::ornpanI9S of 8rrttsh nlgIITlents oontnued 10 wear red coats. The Guan:ts had not had light c::ompar'IIes unti 1793, and chose the uniform shown here for their 'light bobs', The extraordinary 'round' hat IS set up WIth laces, a fur crest and a green plume. Note also his 'garter-trousers' buttoned at the bottom, short jacket WIth light infantry WIngs, musket and bayonet, and the knapsack at hIS feet,

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B: SHORN CLIFFE, 1803-08 81: Subaltern officer, 52nd (Oxfordshlre) Light Infantry 'tn drill every man was taught hiS centre of gravity by the balance step, - to lake an eKact length of pace by the pace stICk, - to step In slow, quick and double quick (lime], by the plummet and tap of the drum, atterwlllds to move in bodIeS or extended order and outpost duty, etc.' So wrote a subaltern on joinKlQ the 52nd light Infantry In 1808, and thts figure depicts such an officer perfOl'ffilf'lg the first movement of the 'nght about face' under the superVISiOn of a .sergeant. The young officer wears the 'belts' of a pnvate and carries a musket at the 'advance'. Note hIS shako badge, green turban and horsehair plume, his gorget, sash, bnght scarlet jacket and WIngs. $Inca hiS regiment has buff facings hIS belts and bfeeches conform to that colour. B2: Sergeant, 52nd (Oxfordshire) Light Infantry The sergeant's coat Is of the same scarlet colour as that of

A portr.lt of .n offic:er 01 the 43rd Light tnfantry, M.jor WIlII.m N.pier, .howlng the pen..e adopted by the onlc:e... 01 thai ..,lment. s.. Pial. C3, (Authon c:ollec:ttonl

the offlC9l", and IS decorated with plain white 'lace'. Note hIS badges of rank on the nght s1geV9 only, hIS wtngS, and the bugle-horn badges on his tumbacks. HIS SIdearm IS the bayonet for hiS 'fusir - as a lJghtlnfantry sergeant /'Ie carnes no sword. He wears a slightly larger tuft on hiS shako than the 4-inch artICle worn by the rank-and-file: and his wOl'Sted sash bears a stnpe of the facing colour. He carnes the cane common to all infantry sergeants: until recently these had frequently been used to strike soldiers who were insubordinate or slow to learn. ThiS practice was eJlpressly forbidden by Colonel Mackenzie, who also discouraged profanity and sarcasm on the drill squam. 83: Private, 520d (Odordshlre) Light Infantry Beside the subaltern is a meruit, who has completed the 'nght about face', Note the fetlQue dress In whICh he anends drill; and the mamer In whICh hiS shako IS tilled over hiS nght eye, the mark of a 'Itght bob'. A WISP of straw III a trol'Ser buttonhole helps him remember his lett foot from hIS nght. In the background (84), Ma,or-Geoeral Moore $11$ his horse obseMng the eJlerctse, c: LIGHT INFANTRY OFFICERS, e.1B08 C1: Captain, 52nd (Oxfordshire) Light Infantry C2: Lieutenant, 52nd (Odordshire) Light Inlantry This company officer of the 52nd (Cl) is taken from a portrait of Captain Archibald Douglas, in which he wore

epaulettes Instead of wings, and a plaIn Una offlCef's sash. Note the manner in which the horsehair shako plume has beer1tied, and also the green band aroond its base. Officers of the 52nd carried a regimeotal pallern of sabre suspended from a black waistbell. Note also the buff facings, turn backs and legwear. The rear view of such a uniform Is shown at C2; he wears WingS. a light infanlry sash, and a shoulder belt in contrast to the prevIOUS figure, but the same pattern of sabre. Note the bugle-horn badges on his WIngS and tumbacks. C3: Field officer, 43rd (Monmoothshire) Ught Infantry While lhe dress of the otflC8fS of the 5200 Ught Infantry conformed to regUlatIOnS. that of the 43fd departed from lhem 10 copy the dress of hussars. locMong more like a cavalryman than an officer of light Infantry, this fiekf officer contrasts IT'\M(edly. With the other two flQl.W6S. The most elaborate item of dress he wears is the pelisse, a lur-Wned and hea....1y braided jaCket worn slung O'Iet the shoulder. Nole his corded and turbaned shako. The Ught Infantry sash (which lastened like a hussar barrel-sash). breeches, HessIan boots. warst belt and :sabre all added 10 lhe appearance of a hussar. which was - no doubt - the sartorial effect sought. One offICeI'" 01 the reglmenlrs reputed 10 have

A print eft.r Cheri•• Hemllton Smith .ho_, et righi, e !tOidler 01 the Ughl compeny 01 the 28th Regiment 'n 1812. Nole Ihet he wee,. lne nerrow wei.t belt thet w.....cluslve to light In'entry: its purpose we. 10 hold secu~ the _e~"" certr\Ove bo.. end bily_t when he IlIn. See Piehl. Dt • D2. (Autho.... collection)

spent £1,000 a year on his clothing and equipmeot. and on being captured he was mlstakeo by the French for a general officer.

D: SKIRMISHING, c,1811 01 & 02; Privates, 43rd (Monmouthshire) Ught Infantry 03: Field officer, 43rd (Monmouthshirel Ught Infantry FigUres 01 and 02 depICt a 'file' of sklnlllshers. 01 warts. selecting a target. while 02 loads hrs musket befOfll calling 10 his male thai he is ready. Note thelr rathel" shabby appearance, typICal of men who had been In the field lor weeks. Their 'Ilght servICe' eqUipment includes a roIIecf blanket (In ptace of a krlapsack), haversack and water canteen, as well as musket. bayonet, and 70 rounds of ball ammumtlOl'l. 5ecunng the crossbeIts at their WilISts are narrow Waist belts Intended to stabilise lhe pouches and bayonets while rumng. By \his lime regtmenls had been issued WIth lhe 'New land Pattern Ught Infantry Muske!' wrth Its dlSlUlCtllle rear Slghl, 'browned' bamll. 'ptStol-gnp' tngger guard, and waterproof pan. Stings were kept loose when sIormrshln9. In order to steady the a.m, and bayonets - always a hll'ldrance to accuracy - were lell unfilled until the last moment.

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In the background a mounted field officer of the 43rd SIgnals the IlOe to advance,

E: SPAIN, 1812 E1: Bugler. 68th (Durham) Ught Infantry E2: FIeld officer, 68th (Durham) Ught Infantry In the hard campaigning of Ihls year much "ghtJrlg was seen by the 51st and 68th Ught Infantry, bngaded together In Wetllngton's 711'1 OIVlSlOll. Our subfeclls 'SOUnding' his bugle as he advances With hIS sword drawn, Note the lace on hiS sleeves; the fnnges on his wmgs, of redlgreenlwhlte 'drawn thread': the disposition of his haversack and canteen, hiS waist belt and his bugle cords. He wears the blue-grey trousers and gaiters that were, by 1812, part of the dress for field service. His sword is the standard pallern for buglers and drummers, but With a blade only 24 Inches In length its utility as a weapon must have been limited. To the rear IS a mounted flekl offIcer of the 68th light Infantry, ISSUIng on:iers to E3: Subaltern officer. 51st (2nd Ymshire. West Aiding) Ught Infantry E4: Corporal. 51st (2nd Ymshire, West Riding) Ughl Infantry NOle lhe conlfaSt belween lhe 'bottle green' lacings of the 68th and the 'grass green' facngs of the 51 sl. Both offlCet'S carry the sabres that were a dlstlncllon of light IOfantry OfflCElfS, the subaltern's drawn weapon ShoWing the blueing and gilding on the upper part of the blade that was typlcal of high quality military swords. E3 wears leather-remforced overalls and green gloves, both fashionable items of field wear at this date, and a whistle cord emerges from hiS Jacket front. The corporal carries hiS Light Infantry musket at the 'trilll arms'; and note the mal1
.6

haversack to back up hiS sabre. as depicted heftI. Note the later pallem shako, which had a leather top and band and lapes to tJe under the wearer's chm In Windy weather. HIS Jacket. wmgs. sash, sword belt and sabre are al standard Light Infantry Items. F2: Private, 85th (Bucks Volunteers) Ughl Infantry ThiS sokller of the 8511'1 IS loading hiS musket. Note the marIQngs on hiS knapsack; the IntElflor of hiS cartndge pouch; and hiS light Infantry waIst belt. F3: Private, Calabrian Free Corps F4: Private, Italian levy A 'Light Brigade' was part of an Allied force operating in south-eastern Spain by 18t3. It included a battalion of the 27th Regiment, light companies from battalions of the King's German legion, and units of the large Calabrlan Free Corps and Italian levy - both mercenary corps which were active 10 several Mediterranean campaigns. Atter COnducting a skilful ftghtlng WIthdrawal at Blar, the brigade fell back on lhe maIn A1lted po$ltJOn at Castalia, where the French were defeated. One British gElfl8f"aJ, lord Wilham Benllnck. cOl"lSldered the Calabrians first-dass light Iflfanlrymen, and noted that many of the t st Itaban RegIment's Pledmontese, SWISS and Austnan officers were 'vefY respectable': but bolh corps were dogged by the desertlOl1 and treachery of discontElflted elements. The clothIng, eqUipment and weapons 01 these two sklm\lshers are all from BntJsh sources, and but for th8lr blue jackets they might be mistaken for Bntlsh light Infantry, (For detailed information see MAA 335, ~migr8 & Foreign Troops in British service (2): 1803-15.) While not. relic of • Light Inl.ntry retllment, thl. extremely r.....urvtvln" eumpl. of • contempor.ry Brltl.h Inf.ntry rank-.nd-fil. jaeket w•• Intended for Illu. to the li"ht eomp.ny 01 a line reglm.nt. It hal the shoulder wln"s typlc.1 01 the 'light bobs', wlth regiment.lllaee .11 .round and In ... di-.gonal 'darb' In th".. peJ ... ae..-a the .......t aurfae•. This Jaekel ••• Int.nded for the t04th Regiment at a_bee:, but was c:aptured .t Ma by .n ""'-~an priv;ltear durlng the W.r of 1812. ;lnd Is the property 01 the C.pe Ann HlstorleaJ .....oel.llon. (C.nadi.n P.rt<.s Se.....le•• eourt.sy PaUl Fortier)

_w

G: FRANCE, 1814 G1: Colour Sergeant, 52nd (Oxfordshire) Ught Infantry By this time those offlCtlfS and men of the Ught DrvisIon who had served and survived Since the fltSt landings were indeed veterans. After the laU 01 the fortress of san 5ebastlan the SUN1VOl'S of the 52nd stormltlQ party were awarded a special badge as 'Valiant Stormers'. ThIS colour sergeant depicts one such. ptOUdly weanng his new distll'lClion above the badge of rank on hiS right sleeve. Olf-duty. and WIth a pipe 01 tobacco and a dnnk, he rellects, perhaps, on hls luck. Note tus sergeant's qua~ty coat with plain white lace, his sash. SIdearm belt and plate. I1is cane. and the bugle-hom badges on his shako, WIngS and tum-backs. G2: Tirador, Portuguese 3n:t Caudores The Portuguese hght Infantry battalions Of' Cazadores were raised from 1808, jlJ1(l were traJned on the Bntlsh l.Jght Infantry manual translated by an ADC to Marshal Beresford. They were sooo thoroughly integrated into the light troops of Wellington's army, and earned a solid reputation, Each battalion had an estabhshment 01 628 all ranks, with five companies of which four were musket-armed Cazadores and one was armed with rifles as Tiradores ('sharpshooters'). The 3rd Cazadores, raised around the town of Vila Real in Tras-os-Montes province. served With the Ught DiviSion from its formation. Apart from its brown colour, his umform differs httle from that of a nfleman of the 95th. and his weapon is the Baker nfle, Note the COCkade in the colours of Portugal on hIS shako. its badges, and the black lacings 01 the 3rd Cazadores. {FOf' detailed inlormatlon see MAA 346, The POftugvese Atmy of the NapoleonIc WaIS (2).) G3: Private, 51st (2nd YOI1I.shire, West Riding) Ught Infantry A sentry of the 51 st walking hIS beat In the depths of the winter of 181311814, His shako has a l18dI curtain and chin tapes, and he carnes hIS musket at the 'secure anTIS' to keep ram lrom Its lock. EqUipment was sometlffi8S worn under the greatcoat In wet weather In order to keep ammuntlJOn dry. RIGHT Th. f.ln tum·back and filise pock.t nap of tna l04th Jacket. ICan.dl.n P.r1u Servlc., court",.~ PaUl Fortier) LEFT The cuff of the 104th j.ck.t, .howlng the reviment"

ott_whit. l'butt, facing tum-.:lju.t

InsHN 1M recI ........ ICanadl.n P.rk. Servk:., court..)' Paul

,.......

H: INSIGNIA, 1808-14 H1: The unlfOffil of a field officer of the 43rd Ught Infantry after a silhouette of Major H.Elers, c.l803-08. Note the manner in which hair was worn prior to 1808, the 'breastplate' then in use, and the epaulelles worn by 'ield officers. Note also the 'Christmas tree'-shaped shako plume, later replaced by a much taller feather plume. H2: Four patterns of bugle-horn badge, ClockWise from the top; rank-and-file shako badge; officer's wing badge: officer's turn-back badge, 52nd; officer's shako badge, 52nd. H3: HIli detaIl of an officer's sabre, 52nd. H4: Soldiers' lace From left to right 43rd, 51st, 52nd. 68th, 85th• H5: WIl"IQ of rank-and-file, 51st. H6: Wing of an officer of the 43rd, c.1810. H7: HIli detail of an officer's sabre, 43rd. H8: Ught Infantry officer's sash (wound !WICe around the W81st and fastened by a toggle); and two types of whIStle. H9: Cotpofal of the 51st, 1813. Note 'grass green' faCings, 'breastplate' and brush and piCker attached to It. and waIst belt.

47

INDEX rilr'".... '" bold r...f3m A3 II :!"d F'oo( GII""I,. Lillhl ('~)ml...m 7

2".1 I..lJol:lu

1),,,1('"""

or.

nUll h t.""llr:>nt ling..'\(' II 0-. ..., 11.. ,,,.. nanl '7

IS

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O. III, 15. Iii. 17. 18.21. 34. 1.':>-4\>, 17

:n. -'-1.1",

in .\mr,iu '~3:>

in fr..."r C\-l

III Ih.. 1'..""",,1... 17~2~ n. ,:1-4. IN tJ..", I-'lthl n"'-'''lll. ,10..

~;

"II' l:!nd \VI ....I"'.... \\ ....1 lUdonKII..Jlllll I"f.mtn ~ Gl. H9. l~.... lli. lb. ~l. :l6-~_ 37. 10. lb. Ii ... ~nd (Oxford.lll'l') [.llllll 1"(..1111'" B, CI-2. GL 11. 12. 14. Hi, 16. 17, 17.21. 24. ~,>. II. 11~15. Ii in b",,",,· .'\1 in lh,' I'""",,,,b 17-2-1. .'\3-1. ~i. In

uniform. 81. C. n. HI, S 17 20,2-1.:'19 -II O. 11,4-1.1+-45. lb. 4i Onh.-s, bald" Illl
d'KII,hne I'. In. II d •• iI R3~,.Il.II.+I

I',urick. ~"Ile.,," ArmOllfe, 1l'l l'nl;.""I.,,' W"r. 11107-11 3-;0.31

Fl"Il""1 ~X110,e1.'l. II", W.42. ltj NI'''p'''''''1 0. '1:J-oll. 1;' t/, (",pJ ~ t "'llrnl1l"n{;,1 (:"1'1>:<0 1>1 Rllle",en II

1'"null'I<'><' f, II
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10.

~.-II

CI il'l-l:lf,) ;,

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.', ..", h ~,," l",il~n \\ ..r. 17_'>+-63 Ii

liOth (Rnul.\nK"na.lltIl.1wrn...m of 1001.

10, II. H 62'KI (11......1 \",...nunl Ikg.mf'm of FOOl b ~_b.9,

"'-"

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21-~:!.

d'O'-,or<>. l"'llll,' ot, lilll lO.42

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bugle "l::n"l. I;' bugl,,'" EI. 16 8,lSQ{o. holnl" of. 1810 2O-:!1

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F3.046 (.;o.mpbdl'. 1I1llhbnd"n 6

m"r

IInn..nd.•·... p.-1nl)(~Il'~

l.Jghl h1b,"n AI,-I4

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C.ortll1"". 10'11"."1<> 11l,3" Cr.. uhml. \1.!j()1-£:'-n"r.l.l Kol,,:n ·Ulad KobO (Ii&\-Ull:!j Ii. III, 19. 19, 20. 2'~-2'

hllh. "''''p~n;.., Al, f;"i. 7, 9-10, 4-1. 45 I.JIllll n"'-!JOn.,he Ii. 1'1. ~'O. 21_21. :'13. "" 1.J1l1l1 lnbmn C... '1.... fnnn~lio .. of 10-12 Iollh. ,,1I.. l11n alUludC'llo 6 1b-17 .....>1""0" of ,J-.10 'l.lClrllll", Ij..",,,n.. nIWIOl1d "':cnn(',h I:!. 12-13. l6. II

,.:to.

M... k",L 1.leuten,nll-C:A.>lollel ~1.:':'1 M.Hlnd :i~I. :17. :i!J 'I.un"''';''Il. Colol11"1 ~', . .'l6 'I.Ulnll1ghall1. Colon.'1 COOle 11. I:! m~I'lJ.ll\.. n~h;p 9 111...1;0.10 ,n n'''«rll;o.nC'l f3....t,8-9, 11)..11. 46 'I(l<)K. 1.>nI''''Ulll~'''....-..ISir john (Iibl-lllO!h 84,9.1l-12.12.1&-19.~.H

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48

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Vorl, Fr...I",i
The umforms. equipment. history and organisation of the world's military forces, past and present.

Wellington's Peninsula Regiments (2) The Light Infantry The forces which Wellington led in Portugal and Spain and up into southern France between 1808 and 1814 achieved a record of victory perhaps unmatched in the history of the British Army. Among his infantry the regiments of the Ught Division were self-consciously an elite,

Illustrations

trained to fight with initiative and Independence on the

FuJI colour artwor1o:

exposed edges of the marching army. This book explains their evolution and tactics, details the campaigns and illustrates the uniforms and equipment of the Light Infantry regiments: the 43rd (Monmollthshire), 52nd (Oxfordshire), 51st (2nd Yorkshire), 681h (Durham) Photographs

OSPREY PUBLISHING www.ospreYIHlblishlng.coln

Unrivalled detail

and 85th (Bucks Volunteers).