French 1st Light Infantry

French 1st Light Infantry Regiment – Waterloo 1815

This is the first regiment First Legion have done specifically for the 1815 campaign in their short-waisted Bardin coats. In addition, it is of course the first time we've covered French Light Infantry with our previous infantry releases being line infantry or guard units. Light infantry had the same six company organization as the line except that Light infantry center companies were Chasseurs and the elite companies were Carabiniers (instead of Grenadiers) and Voltigeurs. Unlike line infantry, light infantry received extra training and could deploy in its entirety as skirmishers or remain in close order formation. This is no doubt why Jerome Bonaparte's division which contained an extremely high proportion of Light Infantry was deployed opposite the Hougoumont woods at the Battle of Waterloo where their training as skirmishers would serve them well.