Light Infantry and Rifles
But after all these changes the need of Light Infantry in war remained none the less urgent, and again special troops began to be formed for Light Infantry duties. Thus, Infantry, which had just been reduced to one type, once more differentiated during the eighteenth century into two kinds—ordinary and light Infantry.
The process began during the Seven Years’ War about the middle of the eighteenth century. The Austrian Light Infantry, called Freischarren, or “free hordes,” irregular troops formed from the less civilized races in the army, caused the Prussians constant annoyance. This led Frederick the Great to copy the idea, by collecting Austrian deserters, and smugglers and wilder spirits from among his own people, to form Light Infantry. He also raised from foresters and gamekeepers special troops called Jägers, literally “huntsmen,” who were armed with the more accurate rifled musket used for sport, and were well fitted for sharp-shooting. The French followed suit, and in 1759 formed Corps of Chasseurs (the equivalent word to Jägers), and in 1805 raised light troops of small men, called Voltigeurs—that is, “men who can turn quickly,” from their agility. The British, too, began to form Light Infantry out of their newly raised Highland Corps about the middle of the eighteenth century. Later, in consequence of British experiences in America with the backwoodsmen—good shots using rifles—special Battalions of Rifles, like those of France and Prussia, were raised before the end of the century.
These various descriptions of light troops in all armies were sharp-shooters, armed with rifles, and accustomed to independent action at the front. Their development followed two separate lines. The Light Troops were attached to each Battalion in the form of a Light Infantry Company, or sometimes grouped in special Battalions styled Light Infantry, a title they still keep. The riflemen formed the Battalions of Rifles, which still exist in all armies under various names, but clothed generally in the green uniform which German gamekeepers still wear. Green was the customary dress of a forester, as we are reminded by the common sign for a country inn—“The Green Man.” The addition of one or two Light Infantry Companies, and sometimes of a Grenadier Company, raised the number of Companies in a Battalion to ten in England, five in Prussia, and six in France, during the late eighteenth century. Napoleon’s Battalions had six Companies, as had all armies on the Continent (except the Prussian) up to 1866, after which the Prussian organization, with four, was introduced, and still rules. French Chasseur Battalions (Rifles) have retained six companies, as a more supple and mobile organization for their special duties.
The Light Infantry Companies were much used during the Napoleonic wars, but were soon afterwards abolished. The Rifle Battalions gradually lost their special character as Light Troops, while retaining their uniforms and designations, and are at present armed, trained, and used exactly like ordinary Infantry, which has, however, adopted their rifle and their extended formation in battle.
The tactical work of Light Infantry may perhaps be said to be now done by Mounted Infantry, and it may be asked whether the Rifle Regiments of the British Army might not have taken up the duties of Mounted Infantry, for which they seem suited by their origin as picked troops, and their Peninsular reputation and regimental traditions of mobility and independent action. In Germany a similar suggestion has been recently made to provide Rifle Battalions with cycles, and send them out to the front with the Cavalry—in fact, to turn them virtually into “Mounted Infantry” on cycles.
CHAPTER XVII
THE EVOLUTION OF CAVALRY
Modern Cavalry has perhaps but slight claim to be descended from feudal Chivalry. The Man-at-Arms, the fully armoured Knight, with his mounted retinue of a squire, a page, and a few retainers, acted indeed by “shock,” but individually, with jealous independence of his fellow knights; whereas the efficiency of Cavalry action has from the first rested on a combined disciplined attack. But the traditions of Chivalry may be traced in the “Cavalry Spirit,” which preaches, like Danton, “de l’audace, encore de l’audace, et toujours de l’audace,” and in the prestige which still clings to the Mounted Arm. Cavalry has never forgotten its aristocratic and romantic ancestry, and is inclined to look down somewhat on the Infantry without whom battles cannot be fought, and still less won. Cavalry is to this day the premier Arm in the British and in many other Armies. In Germany the logical insight of the Hohenzollerns has long since made Infantry the senior Arm of the Service.
The word Cavalry—French Cavallerie, Italian Cavaleria—is, like Chivalry, derived from the Late Latin word caballus, in common use for horse when equus had become highflown. But caballus became cheval in Early French, whence Chivalry; while the Italian Cavaleria was directly derived from caballus. The Knight’s arms, the sword and lance, are still those of Cavalry, and his armour survives in the metal helmet and cuirass.
The introduction of pikes and firearms for Infantry was the cause of the extinction of the man-at-arms, although he met them by himself adopting a firearm for use on horseback. This was at first the petronel, or poitrinal, fired from the breast (poitrine) on a rest rising from the saddle bow; then the harquebus, or match lock fired from the shoulder; later the pistol, a shorter and lighter weapon, used with one hand, which was introduced in Spain in 1520, and in Germany in 1540. But by 1500 fire action had attained superiority over shock action, and the mounted men in armour became definitely inferior to the Infantry, whose bullets pierced their armour, and whose pikes they could seldom break through. Armour was reduced to helmet and cuirass, and the lance given up, not to be revived till two centuries later.