Hans-Karl:

You might be overgeneralizing a mite about what British eyewitnesses see and report. Why wouldn't French or Prussian generalize and then report in the very same way? I also don't think that the practice of standing or kneeling was something etched in stone, but rather common practice and then specific needs of the moment. It would make sense if the French did kneel with three ranks firing at the head of a narrow column to create as much firepower as possible...Their firepower is something Brooke notes. But then we can rationalize that away as his effort to justify his memories of effective French fire... and the rationalizing list goes on.

Does Brooke's account in Oman's book have any errors or other suspect remembrances?

Best Regards,

Bill