"British Combined Grenadier/Flank Coy Bns" Topic

When was the last occassion during the Napoleonic Wars when the British used a combined grenadier or flank-company battalion?

Regards

To be honest, I am not sure about the grenadiers and I have not been able to track down a reference to a unit at Oporto. However, throughout the Peninsular War, many infantry brigades put all their light companies together as a semi-permanent battalion under a senior major with a proper staff. I believe that this happened in the Third Division at least. The major would also take under his command any attached Rifles companies to control the deployed skirmish line for the brigade. (In some ways, this mirrored the Portuguese organisation with the cacadore battalion taking the skirmish role.) That takes you up to 1814, but I can find no reference to this practice in the Waterloo campaign apart from the Guards' garrison in Hougomont.

Combined Grenadier battalions were not much used by the British, but there were two combined Flank battalions (ie both comprising a mixture of grenadiers and light companies)at Barrosa on 5 March 1811.

Combined Light battalions were used by all British Briigades throughout the Peninsula and Waterloo campaigns. Wellington issued General Orders to that effect and each Brigade made a permanent appointment of a Field Officer (Major or Lieutenant Colonel) to command them. Citations in the Royal Military Calendar give accounts of the service of many of those officers commanding those combined Light Battalions, proving that this order was fully complied with. For some reason I cannot seem to copy and paste the full text of Wellington's orders but I will try to do so in a separate post.

Rod

Full text of Wellington's General Orders concering Light Battalions

Wellesley lands at Mondego Bay, Portugal – 1 August 1808.

Extract from General Order issued at Lavos on 3 August 1808

The Lieutenant General requests the General officers commanding brigades will, on all occasions of march and formation of the line of their respective brigades, place the light infantry companies belonging to the several regiments under their command in a separate corps under the command of a field-officer. In the ordinary formation on parade, and in route marches, these corps of light infantry will be on the left of the brigade. In formation in front of the enemy they will be in front or in rear, according to the circumstances; and in marches of columns to take up a position, they will be on the reverse flank of the column. The light infantry companies will, however, encamp and do all duties with the regiments.

Wellesley returns to Portugal (Lisbon) – 26 April 1809.

Extract from General Order issued at Coimbra on 4 May 1809

3. The light infantry companies belonging to, and the riflemen attached to each brigade of infantry, are to be formed together, on the left of the brigade, under the command of a Field Officer or Captain of light infantry of the brigade, to be fixed upon by the Officer who commands it. Upon all occasions, in which the brigade may be formed in line, or in column, when the brigade shall be formed for the purpose of opposing an enemy, the light infantry companies and riflemen will be of course in the front, flanks, or rear, according to the circumstances of the ground, and the nature of the operation to be performed. 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.

Wellington arrives at Anglo_Allied Headquarters Bussels – 4 April 1815.

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.

Rod

Extracts from the Royal Military Calendar concerning commanding officers of Light Battalions in Peninsula

Originally researched 1820 Edition

Volume 1

Wellington's report on Fuentes de Onoro, written at Villa Formosa on 8 May 1811:

Lt Col Williams (60th Regt) commanding light battalion of Maj Gen Picton's 3rd Div.
Maj Dick (42nd Regt) commanding light battalion of Maj Gen Nightingall's Bde.
Maj M'Donnell (92nd Regt) commanding light battalion of Maj Gen Howard's Bde.
Maj Ally (3rd Line Bn KGL) commanding light battalion of KGL Bde.

Wellington's report on Salamanca, written at Flores de Avila on 24 July 1812:

Lt Col Woodford commanding light battalion of Brigade of Guards.

Wellington's report on Vittoria, written at Salvatierra on 22 June 1813:

Lt Col Cadogan commanding light battalion of Maj Gen Walker's Bde.

Volume 4

Col Hepburn (3rd Foot Guards).
He commanded a light battalion composed of the light infantry of the Guards and riflemen of the 60th Regiment, during the whole of the campaign of 1813, and was present in all of the actions in which the Guards were engaged including the battles of Vittoria and Nive,for which he has the honour of wearing a medal and one clasp.

Maj Pearson (23rd Regt).
In October 1810, he embarked for Portugal, and joined Lord Wellington's army in the Lines of Torres Vedras. On the formation of the Fusileer Brigade, under the command of the Hon. Col. Packenham, he was appointed to the command of the light battalion of that Brigade of the 4th Division, and commanded them during Massena's retreat from Portugal. He served at the attack of Badajoz under Marshal Beresford, in 1811, and in the action of Albuera; at the latter part of which, in consequence of the fall of all of his superior officers, he succeeded to the command of the remains of the Fusileer Brigade, in which he continued until the retreat of the army from Almandralejo, when he again resumed command of the light battalion, and continued in the same until the advance of Marshal Marmont to the relief of Ciudad Rodrigo when he received a severe wound.

Lt Col Greenwell (45th Regt).
Wounded in one leg at the battle of Orthes, where he commanded the light troops of the 3rd Division.

Lt Col Dodgin (66th Regt).
He commanded a brigade of light companies in Maj Gen Byng's Division, from 1811 to 1814; and was with it during the action at Arroya de Molinas, 28th Oct 1811, with the advance to and retreat from Madrid and Salamanca in 1812; at the battle of Vittoria for which he obtained a medal, and the brevet of Lt Col; at the actions of the Pyrenees for which he received a clasp; at St Pallas, 15th Feb 1814; at Orthes for which he obtained another clasp; and at Aire, 2nd Mar 1814, where he was severely wounded. Lt Col Dodgin has been engaged with the light companies eleven times, exclusive of the above.

Volume 5

Lt Col Gordon (50th Regt).
He was appointed by Lord Hill to the command of a corps of Light Companies in advance of the right column of the 3rd Division of the army on 1st Oct 1813, which corps he led on entering France the 10th Nov. He commanded this gallant corps of light companies in every skirmish and affair which took place with the enemy from the period of his appointment to his command, up to forcing the enemy's lines at Haspaine, 14th Feb 1814, in which affair he was again severely wounded.

Lt Col Auchmuty (7th Foot).
He commanded some light companies at Orthes & Tolouse.

Maj Lightfoot (45th Regt).
He commanded the light battalion of the right brigade of the 3rd Div in the battle of Vittoria.

Maj Faunce (4th Foot).
On the 3rd April 1811, when in pursuit of the French Army under Massena's, and in dislodging them from the heights before Sabugal, Maj Gen Dunlop appointed Maj Faunce to the command of the light infantry companies of the brigade, and a company of the Brunswick Oels, then acting as a battalion which command he retained until the end of the campaign of 1814. He was present and commanded the light infantry companies of the brigade at the battle of Salamanca, for which he has received a medal.

Maj Mullins (28th Foot).
Received a medal for the battle of Orthes, at which he commanded some light companies.

Capt Carthew (39th Foot).
He proceeded with the army under Marshal Beresford, from the siege of Badajoz to meet the enemy on the plains of Albuera, on which occasion (16 May 1811) he commanded the light infantry companies of the brigade. He received the thanks of the Hon Sir W Stewart in front of his Regiment for his conduct during the action.

Subsequently researched 1815 Edition – new material only

Volume 3

Maj Deane (38th Regt).
He commanded the light troops and advance of the army at the battles of Rolica and Vimiero under the Duke of Wellington; and afterwards served under Sir John Moore in Spain, and during the whole of that campaign commanded the light companies of the Division.

Lt Col & Capt Cotton (3rd Foot Guards).
He…commanded the light infantry at the passage of the Adour.

Lt Col Mitchell (92nd Foot – Gordon Highlanders).
From the attack upon Garis on 15 March (1813) till the close of the campaign in 1814, he commanded the Light Companies of the 1st Brigade of the 2nd Division of the Army.

Extract from "Present State of Portugal and of the Portuguese Army" – Halliday – 1812.

Page 327 – 4th Division light battalion commanders during 1st siege of Badajoz – Majors Pearson & Birmingham [note – Maj Birmingham (27th Foot) killed during that siege].

Page 329 – Fuentes de Oρoro – Light infantry battalions (note plural) of Maj Gen Picton's Division under Lt Col Williams of 60th. Light infantry battalions of Maj Gen Nightingale's and Maj Gen Howard's Brigades under Majors Dick (42nd) and McDonnell (92nd). The light infantry battalion of the King's German Legion under Maj Alley supported this corps.

Rod, that is impressive. Shows what you can do when you have the resources.

It is all available on-line. It just took a few (ie lots) of hours of research, but the time to do this it is one of the things I really enjoy about my retirement.

Rod

To supplement the answer to the poster's question: It was also done at New Orleans in 1815. Other examples can be found in the fighting along the US-Canadian border, for example, at Chateauguay in 1813.

Given Rod's rather comprehensive answer, it would be reasonable to conclude it was a common practice.

Rick

Great find Rod, many thanks!

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.

Are we to understand that the light companies of line regiments had only a very superficial grasp of actual light infantry work or marksmanship?!

Musketier,

That seems to be what Wellington was implying. He did have a habit of stating the obvious, and I would guess that the truth was that the standards of light infantry marksmanship and tactics varied between battalions, some good, some average and some not so good.

Rod

Lovely work Rod, and hopefully this one will stay on the TMP search engine forever.

Aside from the light companies then, I wonder (other than Barossa) when grenadiers were merged into composite "battalions" in the same way as the lights – or with the lights themselves.

I suppose you could argue that this was done at Hougomont which would then also answer Whirlwind's initial query, but it feels somewhat ad-hoc to my mind and not in the spirit of the initial question.

Look at what we do now. Task Force Helmand pulls various recce platoons etc to create the Brigade Recce Force – a moredn equivalent of the Combined Flank Company?

The light companies of several different British brigades combined at Waterloo – e.g. Mitchell's brigade out on the west flank – the light companies of the 14th, 23rd and 51st combined and fought together.
The thing that's always confused me about this is that the 51st was a light battalion – so who were THEIR light coy?

Left flank company? I'm guessing here, but wouldn't they normally be the first to be trotted out as skirmishers, with other companies relieving them only if the fight lasted longer?

Lord Hill wrote:

The light companies of several different British brigades combined at Waterloo – e.g. Mitchell's brigade out on the west flank – the light companies of the 14th, 23rd and 51st combined and fought together.
The thing that's always confused me about this is that the 51st was a light battalion – so who were THEIR light coy?

Siborne, in his History of the Waterloo Campaign, says that Mitchell's Brigade had a skirmish screen of (from the right) the light company 3/14th, five companies 51st LI and, on the left the Light company 1/23rd. The other five companies of 51st LI were held slightly further back in support of this screen and the main bodies of 3/14th and 1/23rd were further back. Adkin's "The Waterloo Companion" shows exactly this same layout in an excellent diagram on page 157.

Rod

To answer the original question….

The general principle of forming converged battalions of grenadiers and light infantry began to fall out of favour during the AWI (Gage, Howe, Carelton and Cornwallis loved them; Clinton didn't but wasn't prepared to ride out the outcry when he abolished them and immediately re-introduced them). The constant drain on battalion company manpower, resulting from the heavy casualties these units took when doing all of the "heavy lifting", made for administrative and tactical nightmares that were not sufficiently offset by the presence of such "elite" units. By the end of the French Revolutionary War, they had all but disappeared from British forces operating in large numbers (ie several brigades), but did tend to be used in smaller forces where there was no obvious "corps d'elite" in the order of battle with which to provide a reserve (eg Maida).

Another feature of the AWI was that the grenadier and light battalions seem to have become almost indistinguishable in terms of role and tactics, and towards the end of that conflict there were instances of combined flank battalions of both grenadier and light companies (as happened later at Barrosa). Of course, the light infantry's role was not as well developed in terms of skirmishing as it became post-1800. I have heard (but cannot recall where) that in the Napoleonic period, the grenadier company was sometimes used as a support for the light company when both were still operating with the parent battalion – perhaps ROd could comment on that?

Again, during the AWI some regiments overcame the loss of the flank companies by forming units of "picked men" or "flankers" who were, to all intents and purposes, a second light company. This process did continue into the FRW and Napoleonic periods with, for example, the 35th at Maida and the 1st Foot Guards in the Peninsula, and appears to have continued into the Waterloo campaign (I'm told the 79th did so). These men were chosen from the best shots of the centre companies.

There appears to be some debate over whether Moore's "light infatry" regime was based on the experiences of 1775-1783, or whether the lessons were re-learned the hard way in Flanders in the 1790s and have no greater pedigree than that. However, there do seem to be several points of similarity in terms of the development of tactical uses of flank companies in the AWI and FRW/Napoleonic conflicts.

Well in my view, the British Napoleonic system (or perhaps best described as Wellington's system) was for Brigades to be the main combat element, and so skirmishers were a Brigade asset. The three or four battalions in the Brigade adopted formations to meet the overall Brigade structure, but did not need their own skirmishers.

This is of course different to the AWI system of removing flank companies into completely separate brigades. Wellington's converged light battalions always stayed with their own brigades.

I can only think of one example of grenadiers supporting lights, and that was Pack's Portuguese Brigade at Salamanca, attacking the Greater Arapile with their Cacadores battalion in front as skirmishers, supported by the grenadier companies from the four battalions, then the remainder of those four battalions in close columns.

Rod

Rod,

Yes, the AWI system was very different in that the flank battalions (initially 4, later 2 battalions of each) formed a "corps d'elite" at army level. This was essentially a dual purpose strikeforce, providing both the "avante garde" (usually the light battalions + some legionary corps) and the "reserve" (grenadiers, Guards, and one or two crack line regiments) in every battle.

Whilst the line infantry were formed into several brigades, it was not common for them to be used much outside of the very big battlefields, and then only in supporting roles. Skirmishing, in the Napoleonic sense, was not done to screen an attack/defence, but invariably WAS the attack/defence.

Rod,

From my research on Villamuriel, I think I can add Captain Thomas Willshire of the 38th(in 1812) to your excellent list; link

Regards and thanks for sharing

Garry Wills
caseshotpublishing.com

and also Major E.C. Cocks of the 79th commanding the light coys of Wheatley's Brigade at the Siege of Burgos in 1812 (Historical Record of the 79th, p.34)

Regards

Garry Wills
caseshotpublishing.com

Garry,

That is excellent. I feel a project coming on to try to tabulate all of the converged light battalion commanders for the entire Penisular War. A lot of research, but worth it.

Rod

Thanks very much to all, especially for some very comprehensive answers.

Regards