French Light Infantry in Line – Question about order of Battalions

[Jon H]

Hello Fellows,

I have a question about French Light Infantry Regiments as they appeared in line. I can see a certain familiarity with the British Regiment in line with French line infantry, Grenadiers form the right of the battalion while skirmishers (light company/voliguer) on the left.

My suspicion is the order of battle remains the same with red hackles right, green left, mixed in the middle. But my fear is I am too “British” in my thinking on this matter.

I have seen a few confusing illustrations online showing Voltiguer (green/yellow hackles) on the right with Carabiners (red hackles) on the right. Is this so? Or am I literally looking at the image backwards.

TL;DR – The reason I am asking.
I know this is a persnickety question.I am just finishing my first 28mm French brigade for Black Powder and while for my first two infantry regiments I followed Warlord’s suggested colour schemes for line infantry, I wanted my third regiment to stand out. I purchased the Light Infantry box from Warlord with the different command models and I am giving them a more uniformed appearance with brown based greatcoats, rather than mixed colours.

This may be ahistoric but I wanted one “pretty” uniformed regiment to be present in my first brigade and using my Victrix Old Guard Grenadiers seemed out of place. Really the Old Guard deserve their own brigade and I have enough yet to be built to do exactly that. I want to be certain I am putting the companies in the correct order from right to left when I field them.

Images:
Image 1- a Diagram of a Light Infantry regiment in line from
Light Infantry in line
Links to Images, they failed to upload (may have been too big)
Image Gallery French
Image 2- my test light infantry models
Image 3- my two line regiments with Brigade command.

• This topic was modified 5 years ago by Jon H.
• This topic was modified 5 years ago by Jon H.
• This topic was modified 5 years ago by Jon H.

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[Jon H]

Line Regiments. Mod Please delete, my apologies & thanks.

• This reply was modified 5 years ago by Jon H.
• This reply was modified 5 years ago by Jon H.

[invisible officer]

What you describe is not Order of battle but Parade.

In French legere the Carabinier was like the ligne Grenadier more often than not detached. Forming elite ad hoc battalions.

The battle job of the Voltigeur was to skirmish in front of the ligne (Chasseurs or fusiliers). Not to stand at one side like on parade.

The chasseurs had some training in skirmishing and so a battalion legers could play the same role in a Division. More skirmishers for a larger force to protect.

Normally half of Chasseurs would remain behind, As a base for retreat of skirmishers in case of cavalry charges. Or “feeding” the skirmish line with more men if needed.

So your battle line should be best just Chasseurs.

[Jon H]

I figured I was thinking too much in terms of a British line regiment (Grenadier Company – Line Companies – Light Company). The only hitch is I have already glued heads with the two piece pom poms (hackles) for each flank. I will paint some Carabiner’s with the goal of replacing them with a line company (Chassaur) in the future. If the regiment were to parade, would the Carabiners (if still attached) appear on the right of the line?

You have my thanks for your reply. I still have plenty to learn and will correct mistakes in future units that fill out my brigades.

[invisible officer]

The right side of battle line is the place of honor in all European armies, So the oldest or best unit has a “right” to be posted there. Like Grenadiers / Carabiniers in a regiment.

In theory in army battle line the oldest or most noble Regiment / unit should be there too. It was so on parade but rarely in real fight.

That fuss could create problems like among the Clans at Culloden.

Or among British guards. Oldest was Scots but Grenadier Gds became 1st Foot Guards. Getting xxxxx the Scots insisted on 3rd place, so getting the other flank on Parade. Coldstream gds / 2nd Foot guard in centre. Creating Irish and Welsh in 20th century did not help. 😉

[Jon H]

Yeah, the motto “Nulli Secundus” for the Coldstreamers comes to mind. I guess that is my main bias/issue. I really enjoy those traditional contradictions. It shouldn’t surprise me that Napoleon’s Grand Armee were not tied down with them in the same way, given their massive differences in organisation and origin.

Thanks again.

• This reply was modified 5 years ago by Jon H.

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