"KGL Light Infantry" Topic

I am trying to find out if the KGL Light Infantry were truly Light Infantry or Rifles? I know they were armed, at least to some degree with Baker rifles but am not sure if they were light infantry or jagers like the 95th? I have read the Osprey tome on them but it really doesn't say although it does make reference to their loading their rifles for musket fire or differently for rifle fire. Any help is appreciated. Terry

The 2 battalions of light infantry were dressed and equipped very much like the British rifle regts. with green uniforms and Baker rifles.

Hi Vaughn,

Thanks for the input, however, what I am really looking for is where they used as rifles in the same manner as the 95th, i.e. broken and doled out as skirmishers, or as a true light infantry battalion? For DBN it makes a difference in how they are mounted on their stand, so it is a critical point for me.

Re uniforms, the Osprey tome has some excellent info and goes into good details about the differences between the two regiments and allows you to compare them to the 95th.

Terry

Weren't the KGL light infantry battalions used similarly to the British light infantry battalions, such as the 43rd and 52nd?

Jim

The two KGL Light Infantry Battalions were only partly-equipped with Baker Rifles, while the bulk had muskets. Very similar indeed to the Portuguese Cacadores, being employed very much the same as British LI battalions, rather than as Rifles. They were grouped together in the same brigade – for much of the time in 1st Division iirc (together with three KGL Line Battalions) and were not dispersed like the 5/60th or Brunswick-Oels Jaeger Rifle Companies.

I forgot to add that the KGL Light Battalions were dressed very similarly to the 95th Rifles (though there were differences), which is what generally confuses people.

R Mark,

OK, what you are saying is as I was thinking – i.e. most with muskets, but also some with rifles, and used as traditional LI and not as jagers/rifles. Therefore doing a stand of them for DBN that would allow for three figures. so seems the best way to represent them would be to have say two musket armed guys and one rifle armed guy.

Do you have a reference for your information?

Thanks,

Terry

Try Nafziger's book :

"The British Military System 1805-1815", It gives very deep information on every formation in the British military for the period, has been invaluable to me over the years.

Shane

Terry,
Are you doing research for me again?

David

Terry --

If memory serves, a KGL battalion's companies were armed differently. The center companies were armed with muskets, while the elite (a.k.a. flank) companies were armed with rifles.

Sadly, somebody else will have to look up their uniforms for you -- my references are currently boxed up. But I'm pretty sure that some KGL (at least the rifle companies) were dressed in green jackets and gray pants. (As opposed to the 95th, who wore green pants.) I can't remember if the rest of the unit were dressed that way as well, or in red jackets.

The two regiments of the KGL Light Infantry wore unifroms that although similar, were still uniquely different.

Both regiments wore a dark green coatee faced black, gray overalls and black belts. Their differences were:

1st Regiment

Officers wore a stovepipe shako with a square front peak, black cords, a carrot shaped short plume and a white metal bugle horn badge on the front.

The officers green rifle styled jacket had only two rows of silver buttons on each side of the front (there was no center row of buttons) and silver shoulder roll tufts similar to the British Light Infantry jacket. A red waist sash, and gray overalls with a double silver stripe down the outer seam. The sword was carried in a white metal scabbard.

Other ranks wore stovepipe shako with a more oval shaped plume and black cords according to Knotel, but Castell shows the other ranks shako without any cords. A white metal bugle hornbadge is worn on the front.

Other ranks wore a rifle styled jacket with only a single row of white metal buttons with black shoulder rolls. Gray overalls and black belts

2nd Regiment

Officers wore a mirilton type shako, i.e. no front peak, with possibly a white wing (after Knotel). Knotel shows gold and red cords and Castell says gold cords. There is no cap badge worn on the front.

The officers rifle styled jacket had three rows of sliver buttons and black hussar style cording across the front. There was no rank or decoration on the shoulders. A red waist sash was worn and darker gray overalls with a double silver stripe down the outer seam. Knotel shows an officer of this regiment with a black sabratache with a silver eight point star badge. The light infantry pattern sword is carried in a white metal scabbard.

Other ranks are depicted in two different sources as wearing different style shakos. Knotel shows them to be in a stovepipe shako with a square front peak, black cords, a white metal bugle horn badge on the front and a green ball tuft. Castell seems to show them in a mirilton style shako without a peak, black cords a white metal bugle horn badge on the front and a green ball tuft.

Other ranks wore a green rifle style jacket with three rows of white metal buttons down the front and black rifle style shoulder tufts. Overalls are a darker gray and belts are black.

Knotel shows a bugler for the 2nd Regiment is shown as the other ranks but with red collar, straight cuffs and shoulder tufts.

Terry