From: ntaib@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (Iskandar Taib)
Subject: Re: Napoleon's Guard
Organization: Indiana University
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1993 18:44:46 GMT


From ntaib@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (Iskandar Taib)

In article <C143us.3J4@law7.DaytonOH.NCR.COM> Mike Campbell <mike@aloysius.equinox.gen.nz> writes:


>In each battalion there was an elite company (Grenadiers in the line, 
>Carabinier in the Light), one Voltigeur Company (the title was the 
>same in line and light battalions), with the balance being Fusiliers 
>in the line, or Chasseurs (Hunters I think it means, like Jaeger) in 
>the light.

Were there any differences in uniforms within Light Infantry battalions?
I remember that in a battalion of the Line the Fusiliers and Grenadier
companies wore blue coats, white lapels and white trousers while the Vol-
tiguers wore blue coats, lapels and trousers. The Grenadiers wore red 
piping and crests, the Voltiguers yellow and green. 

>As with the British army of the time, the title of the unit did not 
>necessarily define the unit's role.  I have heard/read of all types of 
>unit skirmishing (even Russian Musketeers (=line)), while the Term 
>Fusiler used to mean someone armed with a short, light musket (the 
>"Fusil") and capable of skirmishing.  

Hmmm.. I thought the British (at least in Spain) only had three 
regiments of Light Infantry - the 43rd and 52nd, and the 95th 
Rifles. They were regarded as being better than Line infantry for
the most part, with distinctive uniforms. I suppose, of course, 
that Line infantry might have skirmished too.

>In Prussian Musketeer battalions post 1808 the entire third rank was 
>supposed to be able to skirmish, with no distinct title being given to 
>the troops involved.  This was on top of the Fusiler Battalions which 
>made up 1 Bn in each regt of 3 (Note that Prussian Fusilers were light 
>troops, while French (and British as well) were line!!).

Wasn't there a British regiment called the Royal Fusiliers who
wore Dragoon type helmets? I remember that Bruce Quarry's tables
gave them somewhat better ratings than regular Line Infantry. 
(I thought it was strange that he'd have a seperate "Fusiliers"
entry in his tables. That was the most widely xeroxed (i.e. pirated!) 
book I can remember as a kid). Somewhat difficult to do with air-
fix figurines - I think we cut the heads off Cuirassiers, glued
them on Line Infantry bodies then modified the helmet crests. 
(Then you'd want to find some unit of cavalry which wore british-
style infantry shakos so you didn't waste parts! Sounds macabre 
doesn't it..)

>I have read some evidence of Young Guard units skirmishing, but this 
>may just have been their flank companies, while I have none at all of 
>the the Old Guard Chasseurs ever being used as light infantry, as 
>their name would suggest.

This probably accounts for why the Old Guard were not allowed to 
skirmish in wargames. We often did this with Young Guard units. In 
fact, I was under the impression (until this thread got started) 
that the Old Guard was composed entirely of Grenadiers. Also, why
were Guard battalions smaller than the regular Line battalions?
(I remember 16 figures vs. 24 - 600+ men vs. 900+).




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Iskandar Taib                          | The only thing worse than Peach ala
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