"U.S. Artillery Regiments Operating as Light Infantry." Topic

I seem to remember reading somewhere a few years back that the personnel from the 1st – 4th U.S. Artillery Regiments were used as Infantry during the Mexican American War.

These would have been the troops not assigned to operational Battery's.

Not just Infantry but as Light Infantry.

Any one out there have any info in regard to this?

Thanks in advance.
Robert Henry

As organized, trained units artillery companies not needed for "flying artillery" were grouped into battalions to increase the troop strength on the firing line. I don't recall any special assignments for them and would be interested in evidence of Light Infantry employment. All American Infantry at this time were more light than European, culminating in Hardee's translation of the French manual.

This may be wrong, but I think I remember a Btn called The Redlegs for the red stripe on the trousers! This (if I am not in error) might be the ad hoc btn of Gunners that you refer to!

For the experience of the 3rd U.S. Artillery, see:

link

Allen

I bought( second hand off Amazon for next to nothing ) the whole 26 volumes plus the index of Time Life Civil war.

Bloody excellent and I did read somewhere in there ( I will try and find it again) about regiments of heavy artillery used as infantry- something about the heavy artillery regiments were larger than infantry regiments.

Ahh apologies- just noticed you wanted info on Mexican -American war Not the civil war- however it does show that the practice was carried on