"Mid-Nineteenth Century infantry tactics?" Topic

I'm interested in how European infantry tactics (at Company/battalion level) evolved during the mid-nineteenth century (say, between the Crimean War and the Franco-Prussian) in response to the development of firearms/artillery during the period.

Can anyone point me towards some useful literature?

This is a good look at Prussia evolving tactics for the mass use of the breachloader.

link

The Osprey Men-at-Arms British Army on Campaign books (MAA193,196,198,201) cover how the British tactics changed. Each book has a section near the front called "Fighting Methods".

I recently read Jomini's "The Art of War", a copy of an 1862 translation. It had an appendix about the effect of rifle-muskets on tactics (mainly, he predicted that everybody would go to two ranks, which is basically what happened). But that's mostly before the period you mentioned.

I can't recommend Wawro's book on the 1866 War. He produces a number of howlers in just the first five pages of the book. I can't trust his accounts of the battles. For instance, throughout the book, he consistently talks about the Austrians attacking in "Half-battalions" when they were still using Division Masses where battalions formed THREE two company 'masses'.

I have yet to read a contemporary account where the Austrians formed 'half-battalions.' He draws a straight line between the French columns used at Valmy [sic] to the Austrians' decision to use column shock tactics when there isn't any such straight line.

There are a number of other real problems with his analysis, and I would be glad to explain. Take the whole thing with a large grain of kosher salt.

Get it from the 'horse's mouth':

Prussian Captain May's criticisms of the Prussian Army in the 1866 war A Tactical Retrospect

and von Molkte's replay written by Colonel Bronsart von Schellendorf:

A Reply to the Prussian Campaign of 1866, A Tactical Retrospect.

Major Albrecht von Boguslawski,Tactical Deductions from the War of 1870-1871

Capt. E.H. Wickham, Influence of Firearms on Tactics 1876

Robert Home Precise of Modern Tactics 1882

And those are just some of the studies on the topic during the 19th Century.

Ardant du Picq – worth a read- I think

Thank you all, plenty there to investigate