Le Breton
Courtesy of Art Pendragon from January 2017.
Starting towards the end… after 'Right…
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G'Day Gents…
Sorry for being late, but I was off and about..
The colonne d'attaque is found to be in existence as early as 1701, and was called various names as e.g., "colonne Folard", "colonne couplee", "ordre de charge", "ordre de choc", colonne epagogique" , "colonne de marche", "colonne sur le centre", "colonne accolees", colonne jumelle", "colonne simple", "colonne double", colonne serree, colonne d'action, colonne d'ordonnance, colonne en masse, colonne par divisions, colonne serree en masse, colonne tranchee, and the list can go on…
"The term of attack column is quite vague, and it is a term that has more than one interpretation. Which always served to express an unspecified quantity of troops in any order of march. It doesn't have to be only one battalion, nor is it a term that has an exact sequence per-determined for combat in a battle."
In most accounts during an engagement it was normally associated with any assaulting column, whether a small body or great body of troops.
But when one is referring to a "Tactical Column", there are 12 sub-categories, each with a general principle, general rules, and each used with a defined tactical purpose.
As for why I only use French terms, about two years ago there was a topic about French formations and everyone attempted to use the English name for French columns and it was a disaster, which Bill can attest to, there was an individual who had read that Napoleon in Italy had used the colonne par compagnie, and thought it meant a colonne par pelotons, or column of platoons, and one error manifested into many, became heated by all Anglophones, and that is when I decided never to attempt to use the inappropriate English translation.
As an example; quite often an observer in an action / battle with an untrained eye to French columns, would refer to an advancing column as a column of platoons incorrectly, when in fact it was perhaps a colonne d'aile, or colonne simple deployed, and each of these colonnes have a tactical purpose.
(I did make one typo which has created confusion, and it should read: – Why would the French start their movement in colonne par regiment (peloton) and not colonne par bataillon or colonne d'attaque par bataillon?…sorry about that)
I mentioned four coonnes in my last posting, sub-categories, that belong to a "Tactical Column" but I shall add two more:
1….colonne par bataillon: which includes colonne par regiment, colonne d'attaque par bataillon, which also includes colonne par demi-bataillon.
- a colonne par regiment: is a regiment that is a single colonne with one lead command, each bataillon is a sub-tactical element of the colonne, such as a division is to a bataillon. The regiment has each battalion formed in colonne par pelotons or colonne par divisions, aligned side by side with an interval of 8 toises or approximately 16 meters
- a colonne par bataillons: is a regiment (there are a few recorded exceptions' that this formation consisted of a brigade) this is a single colonne with one lead command, each bataillon is a sub-tactical element of the colonne, and is formed from bataillons in a colonne par divisons, either directe or renversee. The regiment has each battalion formed one behind the other at distance of 30 to 40 paces
- a colonne d'attaque par bataillons: is a regiment that is a single colonne with one lead command, each bataillon is a sub-tactical element of the colonne, and is formed from bataillon in colonne d'attaque. The regiment has each battalion formed one behind the other at distance of 30 to 40 paces
- a colonne par demi-bataillon: is a bataillon formed with one demi-bataillon trailing the other by 30 to 40 paces
2…colonne d'attaque: formed on its center, which is also called a colonne simple or colonne d'ordonnance when referring to its sub-category called tranchee , such as a colonne par compagnies (four small colonnes)
3…colonne directe: which is a colonne par pelotons or colonne par divisions with the right leading.
4…colonne renversee: which is a colonne par pelotons or colonne par divisions with the left leading
5…colonne double: is a colonne simple / colonne d'ordonnance deployed in two colonne de pelotons at 25 paces or more.
6…colonne d'aile: a colonne par pelotons that is an open column for a flanking action.
Now that everyone has an understanding of how these colonnes are formed, you may take the British/American/Prussian/Russian equivalent and use their general rules and to determine how each of these colonnes are expected to be used in a tactical role…and at the Battle of Albuera…
Meaning that it was not a case of…'hmmm today I feel in the mood to use a colonne par divisions…" ;-)
As for what it means to deploy or ploy for the French: to deploy means an increase in a body's frontage, while ploy means to decrease a body's frontage. Therefore it is possible for a colonne par regiment to ploy to colonne par bataillons. Or a colonne simple to deploy to a colonne double or colonne par compagnies.
Why is it important to understand how tiraillerus were detached from a bataillon, because it affects the bataillon structure and its role.
Werles had a detached bataillon d'elites, so it affects those line bataillons that detached the grenadier compagnies, their position in the order of battle, and thier new role.
We also have the British siting examples of French soldiers leaving a bataillon…therefore one can actually understand to a fuller degree what was actually transpiring, depending if it was colonne simple or colonne directe…
I believe that it was observed that a body of troops was formed in a ‘column of platoons"…now we know there are three reasons for such a formation to be used…
Right……
Prior to 1804 there were 8 sub-divisions or Fusilier pelotons in a battalion (grenadiers not included). The French battalion and demi-battalion were required to have 4 divisions while in column manoeuvring, and the general principles of the structures from the sub-divisions in a French Battalion only permitted tirailleurs to be detached from the third ranks only.
When the Battalion was formed en bataille, the tirailleurs had to return because the profounder of a battalion in line had to be 3 ranks deep; therefore tirailleurs came from a leger battalion, the battalion's grenadier peloton, or another battalion formed in column, such as a battalion in column from the 2nd battle line.
When a voltiguer company was added to the battalion; when the battalion was in column, 4 divisions were still required. Therefore there were two ways in which to detach tirailleurs. The first way was by tirailleurs en compagnie-peloton, taking from the third rank.
The second method was to totally detach the voltigeur peloton and have the voltigeurs become a compagnie. This execution now requires a single fusilier peloton to become the 4 division on its own, to form in the rear, centered on the third division. Once the voltigeurs are totally detached, then the fusilier pelotons are not permitted to detach from the battalion column en tirailleurs en compagnie-peloton (from the third rank). –but now we know they did…which is very important
When the battalion changed to six pelotons, the battalion was under the regles d'endivisionnement and needed three divisions when in column. Under the regles; this means that when a battalion was en colonne par division, the grenadier peloton could not detach itself, it had to be in colonne d'attaque without going against the general principles (the endivisionnement of a fusilier and grenadier peloton was considered wrong by military theorist).
Only one peloton from the 3rd division (the voltigeur peloton and a fusilier peloton) was permitted to detach en tirailleur . When the peloton was detached, it was the entire peloton en compagnie-division, which required the other peloton to become the 3rd divison and remained centered behind the 2nd division.
Because of this, everyone is misunderstanding Davouts correspondence of 1811. Battalion Commanders were detaching tirailluers en compagnie-peloton, which was breaking the regles d'endivisionnement, and article 7, du décret impérial du 18 février 1808.
Therefore the fusiliers that were in the same division as the voltigeurs, were to assist in the duties of the voltigeurs. This means that the fusiliers now had to learn how to operate as tirailleurs en compagnie-division, and not to be detached later as tirailleurs en peloton-compagnie, which did happen.
Bill, At the Battle of Albuera the French advanced in colonne par regiment (peloton), next ployed to colonne d'attaque par bataillon, then deployed to colonne de attaque. Examples of these colonnes are found in all battles.
Best Regards
Art