Hardee's Tactics 1855

[W.G.Ewald]

In 1855 at the behest of Secretary of War Jefferson Davis, William J. Hardee published

Rifle and Light Infantry Tactics for the Exercise and Manoeuvres of Troops When Acting as Light Infantry or Riflemen

[PDF]http://www.cof14thcvi.com/Readings/Hardees_Tactics.pdf[/PDF]

 

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Surprised to see you back Mr. Ewald. You do realise you're breaking forum etiquette by making a post on this forum that is actually about the military?

That would be the drills for US Civil War infantry, right? Have you read the book/ are an expert on the period?

Why did Hardee use term light infantry? 1861 you would have had (apparently)"light" infantry,mounted infantry and... what else I really don't know.

Did they still use the term grenadiers then?

Know little about the US Civil War, but know there were Zouave (spelling?) regiments. Were they some kind of ( French fusilier inspired???) "heavy" infantry?

 

[W.G.Ewald]

That would be the drills for US Civil War infantry, right? Have you read the book/ are an expert on the period?

Why did Hardee use term light infantry? 1861 you would have had (apparently)"light" infantry,mounted infantry and... what else I really don't know.

Did they still use the term grenadiers then?

Know little about the US Civil War, but know there were Zouave (spelling?) regiments. Were they some kind of ( French fusilier inspired???) "heavy" infantry?

I have read parts of Hardee's "Tactics" , as well as manuals from the American Revolution (flintlocks). I am not an expert but am doing some heavy reading on the Civil War, and appreciating the magnitude of the tragedy.

"Light infantry" refers to skirmishers as opposed the Line Infantry. Formations of skirmishers grew to as many as 600 men. Cavalry often fought as infantry (e.g. BG John Buford's 1st Cav Div at Gettysburg). Grenades were used in defense and assault of field fortifications, but there were no grenadiers as far as I know.

North and South had Zouaves, patterned after French formations, which led to some confusion on the battlefield.

Gen Lee had his men built extensive fortifications as opposed to confronting the enemy in the field. His men called him "The King of Spades."

Civil War formations were: company, regiment, brigade, division, corps and army.

Surprised to see you back Mr. Ewald.

"A bad penny always turns up."

 

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"A bad penny always turns up."

"Light infantry" refers to skirmishers as opposed the Line Infantry. Formations of skirmishers grew to as many as 600 men. Cavalry often fought as infantry (e.g. BG John Buford's 1st Cav Div at Gettysburg). Grenades were used in defense and assault of field fortifications, but there were no grenadiers as far as I know.

Skirmishers, that's a term I've before. Guess I'm most familiar with Australia's military history and we never really got round to organising "regiments of the line". Although, think we had some Colonial era i.e. around 1860, infantry units who were named The So-and-So Sharpshooters who were meant to operate in loose formations

 

[W.G.Ewald]

In Seven Years War, British and their colonists faced French and their Indian allies forming Seven Nations of Canada (Mohawk, Abenaki, Huron and Onondaga). French relied heavily on their Indian allies who were very interesting fighters. They didn't fight in European style of closely packed battalions of soldiers but were more inclined to act as individuals, using cover, ambush and other such tactics that will later be known as skirmishing. The way to fight such an opponent was to adopt his tactics and turn it against him.

[History] Skirmishers of 19th Century and American Civil War