" 71st Highland Regiment" Topic

Does anyone now a specific date or month/year when the 71st Highland Infantry Regiment was converted to light infantry. From my research it seems after Vimerio in 1808, but I can't find anything more specific than that. Thanks, Terry

"The 73rd Highlanders were raised by John MacKenzie, Lord Macleod, as the first clan Regiment in 1777 in response to the outbreak of the American War of Independence. In 1786 the Regiment was renumbered as the 71st Highlanders and wore the MacKenzie tartan kilt. In 1787 war in India necessitated the raising of more Regiments for foreign service and the 74th Highlanders were formed in that year in the City of Glasgow. At the Cardwell reforms of 1881 the 71st and the 74th were linked as the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the Highland Light Infantry (as the 71st had been known since 1809). In 1923 the Regiment officially became known as the ‘City of Glasgow Regiment'."

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1809

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20 March

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Rick

Thank you gentlemen. Just what I was looking for! Very much appreciated! Terry

But did they actually fight that way? I wouldn't plan on basing these as light infantry unless you have some specific battle reports of them fighting in loose order. More often than not I suspect they fought as close order troops.

David

I recall reading "A Soldier of the 71st" (a long time ago). His account indicated extensive fighting in both close order and skirmish order.

One time they were on outpost duty and routed when a French battalion in overcoats marched up to them and fired. They were surprised because they assumed it was a Spanish unit.

In the AWI the 71st were very much a fierce elite unit that fought in open skirmish order and in line..

I suspect that both in the Napoleonic and AWI conflicts the appropriate "71st" (they were two completely different and unrelated units, apart from the number) fought in much the same way as all British infantry increasingly did as each war progressed. In both, there are numerous accounts of ordinary "line" units fighting in ways that went beyond the stereotypical battle formation associated with the periods.