"Light troops location" Topic

Did the british light companies fight together as a converged unit or as part of their batallions?
Did the continental army have light companies in the batallions?
Did the french & spanish?

"Did the british light companies fight together as a converged unit or as part of their battalions?"

Both, but usually in the larger armies the flank companies were converged. There are some instances of them remaining with the parent regiment though, especially in the south.

"Did the continental army have light companies in the batallions?"

Yes. Sometimes though they might be stripped out and converged, especially later in the war. But it would not be incorrect to find the Light company with the regiment. Lights came and went in the Continental armies and it is hard to keep up with them. The American army was also keen on forming picked men units, combing out the best from each regiment to form converged units, such as they did at Monmouth. There are also other examples of Light units being formed for special duty, but the men were not necessarily from the Light companies. Maxwell's men at Cooch's Brigade and Dearborn's Lights at Saratoga come to mind.

"Did the french & spanish?"

Can't say on Spanish, but yes to the French. There were often converged as well. The French Lights were called Chasseurs, as were some of the German Light troops.

Ok, thanks, now only remains the "spanish enigma"

British light companies sometimes fought in different theaters from their parent regiments. Regimental officers resented this and called their units 'nurseries' for the light battalions.

Units left behind in garrison would often be stripped of their flank companies.

Howe was noted for his converged light battalions, grenadiers too.

Apparently the spanish regiments only had grenadiers and relied on specialists like indians or catalan volunteers for light, combat much like austrians with pandours