"The Role of the Chasseurs Britanniques" Topic

I am looking at this French emigre unit again. I am quite happy on their uniform but am keen to be sure of their actual role. I know that in the later part of the Peninsular War they were 'styled' light infantry but did they actually act as such. Could the whole battalion less supports break down into skirmishers? I would be keen to know before I purchase the necessary figures.

I have the same problem understanding this unit, though in my case even with the uniform. It's the fact they were with 7th Division, a light division; though, so were a couple of Portuguese line units and they were not 'light infantry' trained.

Initially, after getting rid of the Green uniform, it seems to have been a line uniform (red coat) with pale blue facings and the usual line distinctions. I know that's how the re-enactors style theirs.

Then again, every time I've seen them on a wargame table they are all in light bob uniforms with wings (usually) with light blue lace. Though at least one image I've seen shows light bobs with ordinary lace on the wings.

The only contemporary written thing I've seen about their uniform is about a question of Wellington's, apparently asking what uniform they will wear after they joined 7th Division, though without much of an answer!

What is your understanding of their uniform?

As for light or not, they were not (to my knowledge) trained at Shorncliffe; the nearest they got to Kent was the Isle of Wight.

Nor was their discipline such that it would warrant them being trained in the Shorcliffe System. Indeed, they deserted with such regularity that I doubt any of them could be trusted to operate outside the watchful gaze of their officers – they were not even allowed to go on piquet duty when in camp, something light infantry did as a matter of course. So I suspect (without evidence, you understand), whatever their uniform, they only operated as a line unit.

They were brigaded with the 68th and 51st Light Infantry and the 82nd Foot in the 7th Division, so presumably they operated in open or close order, as the situation dictated. The fourth volume of Elting's "Napoleonic Uniforms" includes a plate showing them in an almost-conventional British light infantry uniform, save for blackened belts (like the rifles) and wings in a facing-colored cloth of light blue, rather than the more typical red.

I think its pushing it to think of 7th as a Light Division in the same way as "The Light Division". The don't appear to have been used in that way.

Their senior officers liked to give it that label but I don't think the Army Commander saw it that way! Nor did everyone else, who referred to them as "The Mongrels" on account of the high numbers of men from all over the place to be found both in the Chasseurs and the Brunswick Oels, a lot of whom were not from Brunswick! Along with the KGL and Portuguese Battlions.

In the "British" Brigade element the Chasseurs were part of included the 51st, 68th, 1/82nd and 85th at various times. Out of those only the 82nd were not titled as light infantry in 1808-09.

I was always under the impression that they were called "The Mongrels" because the division's coats were in red, black, blue and brown. I wasn't aware that it was because of Xenophobic reasons; in 1814, half of the units were British.

I agree that it wasn't a proper light division, though its officers tried to make it one. It's another reason to believe that the Chasseurs Britanniques were line infantry, and the re-enactors are right with their 'foot of the line' uniforms with only the usual distinctions.

Having said that, on the light infantry point, in 1814 it was brigaded with the 51st, 68th and 82nd foot. The 51st and 68th were light infantry and had been since 1809 and 1808 respectively, the 82nd were a line unit: Two lights, two (including the CBs) line?

Wellington, I believe, wanted another light division but the 7th never had the elan of the Light Division. I think he envisioned it that way but it didn't meet his expectations. He might have added the 51st and 68th to 7th Division in the hope of injecting a little of the 'Light Division' ethos into it.

Thanks for all this. I have seen that there was an aspiration to be another 'Light Division' which no one else in the Peninsula seemed to agree with. I think I am happy with the uniform aspect (light infantry uniform with black belting) but the actual role…..?

Olicana's points about the lack of trust in the troops is well made as is the observation of 'Two lights, two (including the CBs) line'. I think that, on balance, as the Chasseurs did receive plaudits for hard fighting, that on my wargames table they will be a line unit not a light one no matter how they are dressed.

Despite having the title "Chasseurs", this unit was, at least initially, a line battalion.

There is some evidence that they attempted to convert to light infantry in 1812, but there is reason to doubt how far this progressed if a contemporary letter written by Private Wheeler of the 51st (who were part of the same brigade) is to be believed.

Referring to the Second Battle of Sorauren in 1813, Wheeler contrasts the bugles of the 51st and 68th to the drums of the Chasseurs and 82nd. I would say that this is good evidence that the battalion had not converted into a light unit. Wheeler was not recalling this years after the event, but in a letter written on 7th August 1813, where the entire brigade had attacked a French position:

The enemy allowed the 82nd and C.B.'s [Chasseurs Britaniques] to come nearer them in their usual custom, before they opened fire, at length the enemy fired a volley which was instantly returned by the 82nd. We slapped a volley into them which seemed to say 'well done 82nd'. Before the noise had subsided bang goes the 68th, which spoke as plain as possible 'well done the whole'. Now fifty buglers were sounding the charge, and the drums of the 82nd and C.B.s were beating time to the music. A general rush was made by the whole brigade, accompanied by three tremendous British cheers.

The reason that the Chasseurs Britanniques are not mentioned in the volley firing is that they and the 82nd had advanced in two lines, with the Chasseurs Britanniques presumably in support.

I have never seen any evidence of the Chasseurs being used in a light infantry role. However, that doesn't mean that they couldn't have done so if required. Throughout the Peninsular War and during the 1815 campaign there are many instances of British line units being employed as skirmishers, either centre or grenadier companies, sections from centre companies, marksmen or sharpshooters drawn from several companies, entire battalions or even entire divisions (the Third Division at Vic Bigore in 1814 for example).

Good point on the Wheeler quote there, MS!

One point no one has mentioned yet, so I might as well. Is that although when called upon, the Chasseurs gave a good account of themselves, their claim to fame was a high propensity among the membership for doing a disappearing trick during the night.

I suppose that may be how the "Light" Infantry idea came about.

Their numbers being permanently light due to desertion!