Napoleon Series Archive 2008

Light battalions in the Peninsula

Andrew,

That makes complete sense and confirms what I had understood from both the General Orders and various memoirs. As far as the 5/60th is concerned there is the description in Oman's History of the Peninsular War Vol IV P312 regarding Fuentes de Oñoro as follows:

The houses and crofts of the village were occupied by a strong force of picked troops, composed of the light companies of Nightingale's, Howard's, and Löwe's brigades of the 1st Division, and of Makinnon's, Colville's and Power's (Portuguese) brigades of the 3rd Division - 28 companies in all - with the 2/83rd from Colville's brigade in support. The senior officer in the village was Lieut-Colonel Williams, of the 5/60th.

The note to this paragraph states that the 28 light companies comprised those of 17 British and 4 Portuguese battalions, plus 4 companies of the 5/60th, 1 of the 3/95th and two extra light companies of the KGL attached to Löwe's brigade.

This shows the Commanding Officer of the 5/60th commanding an "ad hoc" light brigade, equivalent of three battalions, probably however continuing to be organised as its standard six light half-battalions (ie one from each line brigade).

The reference to Portuguese light companies is interesting. Oman's orbat (page 615 of same volume) shows Power's brigade with no Caçadores battalion, so these light companies can only have come from the four line battalions of 9th and 21st Line. I presume that they were probably their grenadier companies since by 1811 Portuguese line battalions did not have light companies. However since Power's brigade had no Caçadores battalion they clearly needed some system to produce light troops.

Rod

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light battalions at Waterloo ?
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Great info, many thanks ! *NM*
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Light battalions in the Peninsula
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