"Rifle Regiments fighting in line" Topic

Did the British 95 Rifles or any other rifle regiment in the Peninsular War or at Waterloo ever fight in standard line formation like a regular regiment?

yes, at Waterloo they did so, in the Pennisular they were able to, but the only battle I remember being in line at, they were not actually engaged in (Salamanca, which was not a Light Infantrys battle).

As Rapier says, the 2nd Battalion of the Rifles stood in line (and square, presumably) on Wellington's right at Waterloo (along with Colborne's 52nd). Presumably His Grace felt he had more than enough skirmish troops in that area but not enough formed battalions to hold the line.

One keeps hoping that the Perrys will make suitably posed Rifles figures for what was once billed as a "Waterloo" range…

EDIT: Might a rifle battalion of the 60th Foot have been attacking in column at New Orleans? Not sure whether I read this or imagined it, and my books are all boxed up.

From what I remember it was the 95th in New Orleans.

Correct Edwulf, it was the 95th not the 60th who were at New Orleans and they adopted their skirmish role.

The 7th/60th was campaigning up around Maine while the 95th were at New Orleans.

So it appears they were trained and able to act as a regular unit in line, thanks guys, just the info I needed.

In the 1814 campaign, when Wellington crossed into France the 95th fought at one action,Toulose?, where at one point they fought in line. A British field officer is quoted as saying that the 95th fought in line as well as any line regiment.
Check out the thread 95th Rifles in Line.

Here are some of my 2nd Battalion in line at Waterloo

link

Lord Hill, yours is an awe inspiring goal (and crazy in more ways than cost!) but I have to ask what the end goal is beyond painting all of the British? Do you not then need to paint similar sized collections of their opponents to put them into a game? Or is this simply intended to create a display collection of figures?

And I must admit I once had a similar goal with the American Revolution – to paint ever singly unit the participated in the conflict. Finally realized that really wasn't properly doable because of so much conflicting information and changing uniforms for the same unit. Still, I will have 80 British and Allied foot units, 92 Continental and allied foot units, and 20 total for all sides cavalry units – and plenty of artillery and a few other adjunct units that were not front line elements.

I, at least, had the good sense to focus on 15 mm rather than 28 mm, though. : )

Bonjour Lord Hill,

Your Rifles in line are absolutely fabulous and in the one true scale of 28mm too!

I'm particularly impressed that you've managed to mix a range of different manufacturers (?) so well.

Bon Courage,

Paul

Hi EMW – It's just a collection, a project which started with researching all 28,000 individuals and then thinking it would be cool to represent a company or two in 1:1 which quickly spiralled out of control. No gaming (but I can always start on the French if I ever live long enough to finish the British!)

You're right about 15mm though, it would have been much more sensible but too late now!

The Light Division also fought in close formation at Fuentes de Onoro – repeatedly forming square and repelling French cavalry attacks.

it must be noted that when Light troops deploy in skirmish order that the majority would quite likely be in line. Only some 2-4 companies are actually dispersed and the remainder maintain a close order formation. When the skirmishers are driven in they fall back behind the formed companies. it is not clear in engagements such as the Coa, but it appears the much of the lights would have been so deployed. What does not seem to be clear is if the 2/95th were in line at Waterloo, then did they only release one company to skirmish, or perhaps even a 2nd, or 3rd?

Some useful reference to read up on this is
Gates David (1987) The British Light Infantry Arm. He includes a copy of Rottenburg' Regulations for Riflemen (plate 3)

Apparently copies of the 'green book' which was devised for the British light infantry also has some key details. Google Books also has a number of free copies of contemporary manuals and guides.

See link