"British Light Company Battalions in 1815" Topic

Throughout the Peninsula campaign it was typical for each British brigade to form a composite light battalion formed from the light companies from each battalion, and an additional company of rifles, typically provided by the 5/60th Rifle battalion. Each brigade had between two and four battalions, so would field three to five light companies, one of which would be rifle armed.

However, during the 1815 campaign the 5/60th was not present with the army.

My question therefore is, was the brigade light battalion only formed from the light companies of each brigade, or, in the absence of the 5/60th, were rifle companies added from the three battalions of the 95th rifles present with the army, or was there no, army wide, addition of rifles to the brigade light battalions?

I know that Kincaid had a company of the 1/95th in the sand pit adjacent to La Haie Sainte [presumably as a component of Kempt's brigade light battalion], and I recall reading that the remainder of the battalion was in line with the rest of the brigade behind the hedgeline – that only leaves the 12 companies of 2/95 and 3/95 with Adam's brigade – and I can't recall if these operated together or broken amongst the other brigades.

Thanks in advance

npm

The brigade light battalions in 1815 were formed from light companies only.

The 1/95th were a part of Kempt's brigade and operated as a complete battalion. The 2/95th and 3/95th operated with Adam's brigade and were not split up, spending most of their time at Waterloo in close order.

MS,
That's what I thought – thank you for confirming this.
It's interesting that the rifle battalions were engaged in close order fighting.

npm

Interesting. I am reading Robinson's "Quatre Bras" and it doesn't sound like the brigade light battalions were formed. The light companies seem to have worked alone with their parent battalions.

Ed von HesseFedora,
I read Robinson's book [excellent]- I do remember that there were references to battalion companies being sent out to provide protection from invasive French voltigeurs – but that lead me to understand that the brigade light battalion was concentrated on another part of the brigades front, or elsewhere, not that they weren't formed or active. Wellington's general orders were very specific about their formation during the campaign. Picton, as Kempt's divisional commander would have been very versed with the concept from the Peninsula – so I'd be surprised if Picton's division failed to operate with the combined light battalion formations.

npm

Possibly they were not formed on that day due to the rather haphazard arrival of reinforcements. I have not finished the book, but as of 1630 there are no brigade skirmish screens or light battalions.

As Ligniere says, Wellington's instructions were quite specific

Extract from General Order issued at Bruxells on 9 May 1815
1. The light infantry companies belonging to each brigade of infantry, are to act together as a battalion of light infantry, under the command of a field officer or captain, to be selected for the occasion by the General Officer commanding the brigade, upon all occasions on which the brigade may be formed in line or column, whether for a march, or to oppose the enemy.
2. On all other occasions, the light infantry companies are to be considered as attached to their battalions, with which they are to be quartered or encamped, and solely under the command of the commanding officer of the battalion to which they belong.
3. The Commander of the Forces wishes that some of the light infantry battalions of each brigade should be practiced in the manoeuvres of the light infantry, and if possible in firing at a mark.

so they should have been formed, as to whether they were or not???

Ed von HesseFedora,
I pulled out Robinson's book again last night, and the descriptions of Picton's divisions deployment of light companies doesn't seem to follow General Orders.

In the case of Kempt's brigade, there are many instances where the French skirmishers get way too close for comfort to the line battalions, and that is initially answered by sending out the light company [in the case of the 79th accompanied by the 8th battalion company – see page 220]. So in this instance it appears that the light companies are still being directed at battalion level. As you point out, it may be that there simply hadn't been time to coordinate the formation of the brigade light battalion during the march south from Brussels, and rapid engagement once arriving at Les Quatre Bras.

However, and I don't want to spoil the book for you, on page 305,

A short while after the square had been completed, Colonel Vigoreux hurried up with three companies that formed the composite 'Light Battalion' of the brigade, minus the missing Light Company of the 30th Regiment of Foot, which had not yet rejoined.

This refers to the Light Battalion of Sir Colin Halkett's brigade. On page 311 it comtinues,

Savage or not, the firepower of the British infantry was murderous, reinforced as it was by the presence of Colonel Vigoreux's 'Light Bobs'.

So Alten's division seems to have formed the composite Light Battalions, whilst Picton's division appears to have not. It is interesting to note that Kempt's brigade, of Picton's division, had deployed the 1/95th on the British left flank, supported by the 2nd Brunswick Light battalion. At one point the 95th had one company [the 5th] shook out in skirmish order, whilst the other companies were either in line or in buildings. Perhaps Kempt felt comfortable that this battalion would perform the duties of the unformed light battalion, and that skirmish protection could be provided by individual light companies from the other battalions of the brigade.

npm

Excellent! No spoiling there, as I'm fairly certain how the play ends.

This is really the kind of interesting detail I'm enjoying in Robinson's book.

Ed

Ed,
I loved the book, although very detailed, his prose style is very good, and it just makes you want to keep reading – I recommend the book to everyone interested in the period.

Here's another quote related to composite Light Battalions – p119:

In the vanguard were the light companies of the 1st Regiment of Foot Guards, formed into a composite 'Light Battalion', under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Alexander Fraser, Lord Saltoun.

Saltoun and his men were responsible, in part, for the defense of Hougoumont on the 18th. Which tends to suggest that the composite light battalions were commonly used to fulfill missions remote from their parent battalions. But it does beg the question – who was providing skirmish chain duties for Maitland's brigade back on the ridge? To answer my own question, I suspect it would have been a regular battalion company from the Guards battalions.

npm

Ligniere.

I am pretty sure that the the 1st Foot Guards had two LI coys per Bn, so Saltoun's command would have been 4 coys ftom 1st Foot Guards, and if the Bns of the 2nd and 3rd Guards also had two coys each, then his 'Bn' would have been of 8 Coys, which I seem to recall was the size of the original garrison of Hougoumont.

Mind, I am writing all this from memory, so if I have got it wrong, don't eat me!

The Guards battalions at Waterloo seem to have had only one light company each. There are several eyewitness accounts that refer to the light company of a particular battalion in the singular eg: "I was with the light company of the 3rd Battalion", but the most compelling evidence is the account of Robert Ellison who commanded a light company of the 1st Guards:

The two light companies of the 1st brigade occupied the orchard, the two light companies of the 2nd brigade the farmhouse and garden

Byrhthelm,
According to Dundas, the larger establishment battalions would form two platoons from each company. So that each wing of the battalion would have 10 platoons.

The battalion is also divided into right and left wings – When the battalion is on a high establishment, each company will be divided into two platoons

So, theoretically, in the case of the Guards Brigade Light battalions each would be composed of four platoons, but still only two companies each.

npm

Maj S & Ligniere,

VMT. The Guards interior economy has always been a bit of a mystery to us lesser mortals!