Hi Guy,

Many thanks for that. I can see that I am going to have to buy your book to add to the couple I already have on Albuera (Oliver & Partridge and Edwards).

It is good to get confirmation that Kemmis' Brigade did include a 5/60th company and I note that you have given the source of Butler's "King's Royal Rifle Corps" as stating that this company missed Albuera. I have just remembered that I do have a copy of "Celer et Audax", the history of the 5/60th, on my bookshelf and that also confirms that there was a 5/60th company with Kemmis' Brigade (page 171) but says it missed Albuera, so that seems to resolve that.

I do wonder why the 5/60th Company with Kemmis' Brigade was not with the other three light companies of the Brigade (3/27th, 1/40th and 97th) who were on the south bank of the Guardiana, whilst the rest of the Brigade, and presumably the 5/60th company, were on the north bank and unable to cross in time to get to Albuera before the battle. This seems at variance to the general operational procedure for British light troops in the Peninsula as laid down in Wellington's General Order issued at Coimbra on 4 May 1809 as follows:

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3. The light infantry companies belonging to, and the riflemen attached to each brigade of infantry, are to be formed together, on the left of the brigade, under the command of a Field Officer or Captain of light infantry of the brigade, to be fixed upon by the Officer who commands it. Upon all occasions, in which the brigade may be formed in line, or in column, when the brigade shall be formed for the purpose of opposing an enemy, the light infantry companies and riflemen will be of course in the front, flanks, or rear, according to the circumstances of the ground, and the nature of the operation to be performed. On all other occasions, the light infantry companies are to be considered as attached to their battalions, with which they are to be quartered or encamped, and solely under the command of the Commanding Officer of the battalion to which they belong.

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It was also good to get a confirmation that there was a Brunswick Jaeger company with the Fusilier Brigade. I have been wanting to get a copy of Wachholtz's memoirs for some time but so far have failed to find either a hard copy or electronic one. I had not appreciated that it was his company that was assigned to the Fusilier Brigade until your post.

Oman (Volume IV p 390) states that there were 9 companies in the 4th Division "light battalion" including some Portuguese ones, but it is my understanding that Portuguese Line battalions did not have light companies and their brigade light infantry was provided by their Cacadores battalion, or in the case of Harvey's Brigade of the 4th Division at Albuera by 1st Loyal Lusitanian Legion (who shortly after that became 7th Cacadores).

I have however seen some sources which state that, prior to the forming of 9th, 10th and 11th Cacadores (in 1811 shortly after Albuera), Portuguese Line Regiments originally had a grenadier company with their first battalion and a light company with their second battalion, but after the formation of the additional Cacadores battalions this changed to a grenadier company with each battalion. This could explain two of the companies, which with the six British ones and the Brunswick company does indeed make nine.

Many thanks again, and I will add your book on Albuera to my Christmas list!!!

Rod