"Light Infantry in the AWI Continental Army" Topic

Just getting started in the AWI I was wondering how Light Infantry was used by Washington's Army? Were they converged units, as were the British or more like Hessian Jagers, an entity unto themselves? My Warlord Games figures show them in short coats and the traditional head ware for light's.Any info or easily accessed sources would be appreciated.

I believe on the Continental and State side, they were independent units, not converged companies from line battalions. IIRC, the line battalions did not have light companies. I could be completely off base there, and someone will probably come along and tell me so.

Some relatively recent threads:

TMP link

TMP link

TMP link

Converged units very much like the British. Sidelight I noticed years ago was that this let Washington sidestep the seniority system for field grades. After 1777, the only way to become a major in a Continental line battalion was to be senior to the other captains. But creating a light battalion created three field grade slots he could sill with--anyone. Exchanged prisoners whose regiments had been disbanded, for instance, or Alexander Hamilton who had made Lt Col as an ADC and now wanted a field command. So the American lights were not just picked men, but the best-commanded (accepting Washington as a judge) in the Continentals.

I start here for any question about the Continental Army:

link

Rick

Great link, Florida Tory, duly bookmarked.

But it raises a curious question – it shows that the British left one recruiting company in England and one in Ireland and thus only shipped eight total regiments to fight with in America, the light and grenadier, some sort of command company, and five field (or hat) companies. I've never seen this before anywhere else. Where else is this corroborated?

All of my other readings generally show the British regiments in America with ten companies – though such organizational listings might have been academic rather a real discussion of field strength. It might make quite a difference if each British line regiment with its flanking companies detached is only six instead of eight companies. Think of all the rules developed based on eight line companies!

Curious.

EMW – Early on in the war, I think August 1775, there was an augmentation agreed by Parliament that increased the size of a British line infantry battalion (not Guards) by a sergeant, a drummer and 18 privates per company, but also added two more "additional" companies to the battalion. These latter never left the British Isles, but were recruiting companies; as they gathered groups of recruits, these were regularly sent down to the main training depot (Chatham in Kent, from memory) where they would undergo basic training with loads of recruits from other units. Once they were considered ready, all the recruits would be shipped over to American (usually either NYC or Halifax, NS) and then be handed over to their regiments. Occasionally, a unit that needed recruits but had received none, would draft in recruits destined for another regiment, but would pay the latter unit its recruiting costs (bounties, slop clothing, etc).

There was a point right at the end of the war – post-Yorktown, so not really pertinent for factual wargaming – when all of the British line battalions reduced from 8 centre companies to just 6, due to shortages of officers, the need to keep the flank companies filled up, and a dearth of recruits for what was, by then, seen as a lost war. Otherwise, it is a ten-company battalion, with the two flank companies detached and the 8 centre companies forming the line brigades. As far as I am aware, this only applied to units in N America, not in Europe, the Caribbean, India or Africa.

KvH,

Prior to 1777, the only "light" infantry in the forces of Congress were the rifle-armed units and "ranger companies"; the latter harked back to the F&IWar. In 1777, Maxwell commanded a unit of the Main Army, and Dearborn one in the Northern Army, formed by picking individual men from across all of the line infantry units; this process survived through to Monmouth Courthouse.

From 1778, a reorganisation of the standard battalion model added a light infantry company; however, these companies were almost immediately removed from the battalion and formed into the Corps of Light Infantry, similar to the British model. In order to replace the missing light companies, each battalion formed a new one from the best shots of the centre companies. In time, though, these companies were also removed and formed into the extra light battalions commanded by La Fayette in the South. These were then replaced by more "picked men" companies, but obviously these were = quite literally – third rate, but since the bulk of the Continental Line saw little fighting it was not of great importance to the course of the war; to be fair, though, the Corps of Light Infantry was considered the elite of the Continental Army and fulfilled the role performed by both the Grenadier and Light battalions of the British Army (which, in truth had themselves almost become identical).

This is an excellent book and available to read on-line; the paper version has appendices, such as regimental lineages, which are missing from the web version:-

link

Chapter 6 discusses the formation of the integral light infantry companies and there is a chart at the top of page 128.

Apparently, there was a light infantry company in the 2d Connecticut as early as 1775.

Haslett's Delaware Regiment of 1776 was probably patterned in dress and equipment as a light infantry unit.

I have read, but cannot find the reference, that upon being formed the 2d Canadian Regiment had a light infantry company when the regiment was formed in January 1776.

The Dover Light Infantry Company of the Delaware Militia was uniformed and equipped as light infantry in 1776-1777.

There was a Philadelphia Light Infantry Regiment as early as January 1777.

It should also be noted that after the winter of 1777-1778 all the companies in the infantry regiments were trained to operate as light infantry when necessary, and that the light infantry companies, or the Continental Corps of Light Infantry, which was a provisional unit, were also trained to fight in line of battle.

There were light infantry companies in the Philadelphia Associator regiments in 1775. Silas Dean mentioned them in a letter to his wife on 3 June 1775.

Many times the 'official' formation of units such as light infantry are merely making a common practice 'official, and then a standard.

Apparently, there was a light infantry company in the 2d Connecticut as early as 1775.

Pre-war Connecticut militia formations had both mounted and dismounted light troops, early war Connecticut regiments had 10 companies based on the British model, and quite a lot of Rebel ranger units emanated from there, so this is not surprising.

Haslett's Delaware Regiment of 1776 was probably patterned in dress and equipment as a light infantry unit.

Whilst this is not impossible, given that both Haslet and Holland had military experience in previous wars, this was very largely speculation by McBarron when he painted the plates of Haslet's and Hall's regiments for the CoMH. Leaving aside the highly questionable leather caps, the only "evidence" is the shortened coats, which British line regiments were also adopting at precisely that time. I don't believe that anything in writing from this period suggests a light infantry role (much less training) and the fact that, Hall's regiment – following Haslet's death – was not specifically light infantry also suggests not.

I have read, but cannot find the reference, that upon being formed the 2d Canadian Regiment had a light infantry company when the regiment was formed in January 1776.

Almost all of the primary information I can find on this unit (including Hazen's memorial to Washington) is that it was composed of four battalions, each of five companies. with no further specification as to their type. Given that no more than two battalions (more likely one) were ever formed, it is possible that there was a light company and the depiction of a private in a leather cap (Mollo, plate 53) is frequently cited as proof that there was one – was that where you read it?

The Dover Light Infantry Company of the Delaware Militia was uniformed and equipped as light infantry in 1776-1777.

There was a Philadelphia Light Infantry Regiment as early as January 1777.

Actually, the PLIR predates that by some time, as on joining Cadwallader's brigade of Philadelphia Associators on 22 December 1776, the Dover company was actually posted to it. Do you know if this battalion was composed of the light companies of the Associator units (which you also refer to)? If so, it would probably be the first "converged" light infantry unit formed by any Rebel forces during the war – albeit militia, rather than "regulars". Rodney, the OC of the Dover company, later takes over the "light battalion" and remarks that it is asked to provide Washington's HQ guard at Morristown, just after the action at Princeton.

What is a 'converged' unit?

The military term for a temporary unit, I would think, would be 'provisional.'

I have seen provisional used often describing temporary units, but I have only seen 'converged' used by some wargamers.

…it is possible that there was a light company and the depiction of a private in a leather cap (Mollo, plate 53) is frequently cited as proof that there was one – was that where you read it?

I've seen it there, but I believe I read it years ago in the uniform card from Imrie/Risley miniatures for their Continental light infantry units.

Brechtel, it is an interesting question and I confess I don't have an answer or currently the time to research one. I have only ever seen light and grenadier battalions of the AWI referred to as "converged", whereas "provisional" has been used for units such as the battalion of invalids at Hobkirk's Hill. This will probably bug me all weekend. Thanks! :-)

My question is, in what sense or in what publications? I have never seen any reference to a converged unit except on the forums.

For example, In the excellent The Continental Army by Robert Wright on page 149, it reads, regarding the Continental Corps of Light Infantry: 'In 1779 four provisional light infantry regiments under General Wayne achieved a complete success in a night attack on Stony Point, New York.'