"British battalions deployed in line?" Topic

I do not remember ever reading about how a battalion of any nation was deployed in line, nor do I remember anyone asking on this site. I do not know how to paint any identifier by company for the British, so not important in our games or displays.

Tradition tells us that the grenadiers were on the right of the line, the lights on the left of the line.

Might the 1st center company be next to the grenadiers, and the 2nd center company on the left of the light company, thus…

lt co; 2nd; 4th; 6th; 8th; 7th; 5th; 3rd; lst; gren.

Or perhaps just 1st, 2nd through 8th from right to left.

I recall that in the 7YW the French were almost paranoid to have their infantry battalions deployed by seniority. Picardie (1) on the right of the deployed front line; Navarre (3) on the left end of the first line, etc. Senior units on each end to youngest in the center.

GdeP

From"Inside wellington's Peninsular Army 1808-14" – chapter by Howie Muir "Order of Battle: Customary battle Array in Wellington's Peninsular Army" page 95 Formation of the Battalion Companies to be drawn up from Right to Left:

Grenadiers – 1st Captain and Major – 4th & 5th Captain – 3rd & 6th Captain – 2nd Captain & Lieutenant Colonel – Light company. The Colonel's company takes place according to the rank of its Captain – the four eldest captains are on the right of the grand divisions: – the officers commanding companies or platoons, are all on the right of the front rank of their respective ones.

(attribution War Office, Rules and Regulations (1808 Printing) Part III page 66.

So in effect ignoring the light and grenadiers from left to right (numbers equal Captain's seniority):

7th – 2nd – 6th – 3rd – 5th – 4th – 8th – 1st

The two adjacent companies e.g. 7th & 2nd etc formed a grand division.

The above arrangement is different from the tactical numbering for manoeuvre. battalion companies from right to left were numbered 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 (Rules and Regulations page 67). Thus the battle array's tactical sequence would have the following number pattern for centre companies would be numbered tactically from the left:

8th – 7th – 6th – 5th – 4th – 3rd – 2nd – 1st but please note in this case the numbering doesn't equate to a captain's seniority;

8th company tactical battle array = 7th senior captain; 7th company tactical battle array = 2nd senior captain; 6th company tactical battle array = 6th senior captain; 5th company tactical battle array = 3rd senior captain etc.

On top of all this, for battle the battalion would be divided up into equal sized 'platoons' for manoeuvre rather than the companies which could be of different strengths. This was one of the adjutant's tasks on the day of battle.

What period, and what campaign? Tactics often evolved during wartime, as they did during both the SYW and AWI periods.

The elite flank companies were generally stripped from the parent battalion and formed into converged battalions.

I was asking about the British in the Peninsular War. I understand that they sometimes formed two units from a battalion, but rarely or never separated the grenadiers from the parent.

I recall a half-battalion of the 88th Connaught Rangers at Busaco, and the 8th Portuguese launching a running charge the assist them in repelling the French.

GdeP

Battalions might be divided into two 'wings'or half-battalions. That was one of the reason why a second lieutenant colonel was added to the infantry battalion 'orbat' in 1794.

I believe that under Wellington, light coys might be temporarily 'converged' within a brigade but they remained an integraal component of the battalions.

From what I understand a battalion would, from time to time, form divisions (small d, element made up of two or more companies) was well as wings which had a more established make up. Not sure with the Brits, but within the US Army a 10 company regiment was usually organized ADFHCIGEB, with the letters being assigned based upon seniority. However, numerical identification of companies would vary upon needs. The same company may not always be 1st company. At one action 1st company might be D while at another it would B. These changes were usually based upon the strength of the companies.

I believe that under Wellington, light coys might be temporarily 'converged' within a brigade but they remained an integraal component of the battalions.

Depends on the definition of temporary. :o)

In all of the Peninsular Campaigns where he commanded Wellington issued a General Order that all Light Companies were to be detached under a Major or Senior Captain, to form a Brigade detachment of Skirmishers. He also did this in the Waterloo Campaign.

This body skirmished in front of their parent Brigade in conjunction with an attached Rifle Company.

The men were retained on the mess strength of their Battalion and billeted with them.

If you wanted to show a British Battalion in action during this period they really should have a nine battalion line with the Grenadier Company on the right and the Battalion/Centre Companies arranged by seniority on their left. Of course in miniatures terms there would be no difference to appearance to those eight.