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    The Development of British Light Infantry
    The Development of British Light Infantry
    The Development of British Light Infantry
    Ebook122 pages1 hour

    The Development of British Light Infantry

    By James McIntyre

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    The Development of British Light Infantry examines the development of light infantry in the British Army in general and North America specifically. This illustrated history is a must for anyone interested in military history
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherWinged Hussar Publishing, LLC
    Release dateSep 15, 2017
    ISBN9781945430282
    The Development of British Light Infantry
    Author

    James McIntyre

    James McIntrye is an assistant professor of history and a leading authority on the Seven Years War

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      Book preview

      The Development of British Light Infantry - James McIntyre

      The Development of the British Light Infantry, Continental and North American Influences, 1740-1765

      By

      James R. Mc Intyre

      Cover by V.W.Rospond

      Cover Image from the

      Edited by Vincent W. Rospond

      Winged Hussar Publishing, LLC, 1525 Hulse Road, Unit 1, Point Pleasant, NJ 08742

      This edition published in 2015 Copyright ©Winged Hussar Publishing, LLC

      ISBN 978-09963657-0-3

      Library of Congress No. 2016943059

      Bibliographical references and index

      1.United States - History, Military.  2. 18th Century.  3. World History

      Winged Hussar Publishing, LLC All rights reserved

      For more information on Winged Hussar Publishing, LLC, visit us at:

      https://www.WingedHussarPublishing.com

      Except in the United States of America, this book is sold subject to the condition, that is shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

      The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s and publisher’s rights is appreciated

      I. Introduction

                  A popular history of the French and Indian War contains the following description of the British reaction to Major General Edward Braddock’s defeat at the Battle of the Monongahela on July 9, 1755,

      This shocking defeat sent a clear message to the Duke of Cumberland, the Captain General of Britain’s army, as well as other senior officers of the day. The North American theater of war demanded a special type of soldier.[1]

                  This is a fairly common narrative of how the British army began to develop its light infantry force. Numerous other accounts reinforce the view that the British, faced with the challenges of fighting in the unfamiliar terrain of North America, against a foe different from any they had previously encountered, adapted to surmount these challenges, and the result was the light infantry.[2]  The preceding interpretation ignores one important factor—European armies had already been experimenting with light forces for some time, but they acted more like auxiliary infantry than skirmishers or screening forces. The following work examines how much of what has been written concerning the development of light troops during the French and Indian War ignores their European antecedents. Further, it will argue that many of the prominent European officers who served in North America in the French and Indian War had previously seen service in Europe and that these earlier experiences gave them some understanding of the proper employment of light forces. Based on their earlier familiarity with irregular troops in Europe, when these same officers were confronted with the challenges of fighting in the terrain of North America against Native Americans, they built a force based on their prior experiences of warfare.[3]  European notions, mixed with the development of such troops as the provincial rangers composing a portion of the fighting forces of many of the colonies then gave rise to the light infantry in the British Army. It can be seen, therefore, that the development of the British light infantry in North America was a part of a distinct trend in the development of light forces then taking place simultaneously in Europe, a trend that these officers combined with responses to distinctly American conditions.[4]

                  In order to accomplish these goals, it is important to trace the manner in which light troops were employed in modern combat, starting in Europe during the War of the Austrian Succession (1740-1748).  Following this is a discussion of the manner European military writers sought to codify their experiences with light troops in the period between 1748 and 1756. As will be seen, the contributions of these authors were significant in shaping the attitudes of many officers towards the handling of light troops. It will then turn to North America during the French and Indian War (1755-1763) or Seven Years’ War in Europe (1756-1763).

                  Before investigating the development of light infantry, several notes of caution are in order. First, the development of light infantry or partisans during the eighteenth century should be taken as more of a reinvention. George Satterfield clearly demonstrates that the French utilized partisans to a significant degree during the Wars of Louis XIV as well as peasant skirmishers in Eastern Europe.[5]

                  Secondly, it is important to define the terminology. The light infantry discussed in connection with the French and Indian War constituted part of a continuum in the development of forces which did not adhere to the rigid line and column system that had developed under the lace wars of the early eighteenth century. Clearly, this development occurred in stages as the use of light or irregular troops proliferated across various states, at various times. Since these formations were evolving, designations for them were often in a state of flux. When examining their actions in the various theaters of the two conflicts under scrutiny, very specific terms will be used as the role and function of the troops were understood in precise terms by contemporaries.

      British Light Infantry from the 1750'

      II. The War of the Austrian Succession

                  As observed at the outset, the eighteenth century development of light infantry began with the War of the Austrian Succession (1740-1748).[6] The war erupted when, on December 16, 1740 the newly crowned King of Prussia, Frederick II, invaded and occupied the Austrian province of Silesia. In doing so, the twenty-eight year old Prussian king initiated hostilities with the Austrian Empire of Maria Theresa. Hard pressed for troops, the young empress called on the men of the Austrian military border with the Ottoman Empire.

                  Her desperate plea for aid brought the rough soldiers of the frontier of Eastern Europe, known as pandours, onto the center of the continent’s military stage. The pandours consisted of both infantry and cavalry, and specialized in operations such as raids, ambushes and scouting, actions which required a great deal of mobility and stealth. These forces were commanded by such leaders as Franciscus von der Trenck, a Slavonian nobleman who recruited his men from his own estates, and Field Marshal Count Ludwig Andreas Kevenhüller.[7]

                  Trenck later wrote an autobiography that, while quite self-serving, did detail many of his exploits. His work gives a number of excellent examples of the actions in which the pandours participated, which included raids, ambushes and reconnaissance among others. An example of one of these raids sheds some light on the manner in which the pandours conducted their operations.

                  The first action that the pandours took part in, occurred in April 1741. It consisted in an attack on a large convoy destined to support the Prussian troops at the town of Strehlen. Trenck described the tactics employed in the action as intially bringing his force within striking distance of

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