INFANTRY
The infantry corps during the Napoleonic period was divided into two basic types:
(1) line infantry troops; (2) light infantry troops.
LINE INFANTRY
Line infantry troops could have three formations, according to the purpose they
were used for: (1) Line (for firing); (2) Column (for attacking); (3) Square
(for defending the cavalry). Line infantry troops were the core of footmen;
they always fought in close formations which were accurately drawn up and kept
strictly aligned by Officers or Corporals, so as to be effective during the
fight. The line was so called because it was formed ranging all its components
in three rows which were half a metre far from one another; the first row used
to fire after kneeling down, the second standing behind the first, the third
in the gaps between the soldiers of the second row. This kind of formation allowed
the maximum of both action and fire, provided ranks were accurately dressed.
Alignment was extremely important and required such a long time to be achieved
that, even if the line of fire had to be slightly altered, it was preferred
to move the whole unit in the chosen direction and then realign it; all of this
made the formation rather stiff and difficult to move; actually, it was only
able to move forward at extremely low speed. On the other hand, the amount of
fire the line was able to develop was amazing; fire had to be ordered and could
be made in different ways: by volleys of bullets fired either by the whole unit
or by the line, or by continuous fire (in this case only the first two rows
fired, while the one at the back reloaded and passed arms). A battalion (with
its eight companies ranged in line one next to the other, presented a 160 m
front) was about 3 m deep and was able to fire over 3,000 shots a minute on
the enemy troops. It was the common formation for attacking and presented a
front of only two companies (45/50 m), always dressed in three rows, and a depth
of three companies (20 m). The column was able to change its direction and advance
faster, offering the enemy fire a smaller target for a shorter time, and pushing
against the enemy line with all its mass and speed. On the other hand, its ability
to fire was very reduced, because only the head companies were able to shoot,
and also because bayonet charges were often preferred to firing. Attack was
nearly always made by means of parallel columns preceded by companies of light
infantry in scrambled order; they had the task of acting as a shield and of
disturbing the enemy with their fire. In this case the advancing columns were
opportunely spaced to let the light troops withdraw in the intervals before
the final charge and position themselves in line. We have already talked about
two formations that were extremely easy to attack by the cavalry, which was
able to rout and disarrange them in only one charge; in this case, it was necessary
to adopt a close square formation (rightly called square) whose sides were all
fronts. Actually, this formation was unable to move, but it presented the enemy
with a thick, impenetrable mass of bayonets. The squares were ranged in a chessboard
and suitably oriented, so that the enemy cavalry would be pushed back by the
bayonets and canalized in the so-called "destruction corridors", where they
would be submitted to a lethal cross-fire. A square might be composed of a total
number of 800 soldiers. One of the biggest tactical mistakes Murat and his generals
made was ordering the Neapolitan army to form the squares during the battle
of Tolentino. The French revolutionary armies had also introduced a fourth formation,
which was called "l'ordre mixte"; it was a combination of line and column. It
was made by at least three battalions: the one in the centre was dressed in
line, the other two were ranged in column. Such a formation had the advantages
of both formations, because it had the striking power of the columns and, at
the same time, it submitted the enemy to a continuous fire, which weakened its
defence, until armies clashed. If a small group of infantrymen was isolated
and had to defend themselves from the attacks of the enemy cavalry, they used
to range in hedgehog formation, that is in a circle, turning their backs on
one another and using bayonets to push back enemy charges. Light infantry could
be used in formations similar to the line, but it could also be employed in
scrambled order as a movable shield, to back up ranging, aligning and approaching
line troops; it could also be used to disturb similar line operations on the
enemy's side. To achieve that purpose, lightly built and agile men were assigned
to light infantry; they were also trained for firing on targets, which line
infantrymen were not trained for. Riflemen detachments, which both the Russian
and the Austrian armies had got, and which the French army hadn't, were composed
of marksmen who had rifled arms of great range and precision. They were used
in scrambled order, in pairs, or in quartets, far from one another both to avoid
becoming targets for artillery and to defend themselves with bayonets from cavalry
attacks. The marksmen's main task was to shoot artillery gunners, trucks, enemy
commanders and officers that were ranging the troops.
ARTILLERY
Field artillery was transported during campaigns and was divided into: (1) foot
artillery; (2) horse artillery. In field foot artillery all the piece attachés,
called gunners, marched near the cannons. In field horse artillery the piece
of artillery was loaded either on dragging horses or on caissons and gun-carriage.
These batteries had a greater mobility and could be used in several places during
the same battle, so that it was much more difficult for enemies to capture them.
Artillery pieces were of different kinds: 12.8 and 6 lb guns (corresponding
to the weight of the iron cannonballs they shot) and howitzers, which were usually
classified according to their calibre. Gun munitions were of two types: (1)
iron balls; (2) grape-shot boxes. Iron balls could perform either direct shots
on targets or rebound shots, which were possible on hard ground and allowed
to increase range using the rebounds of the ball. Furthermore, every time the
ball crashed into the ground, it showered the surrounding enemies with stones
and fragments that wounded them. The grape-shot box was a special box full of
musket balls that transformed the piece in a big rifle whose shot had devastating
effects on closely ranged troops and on cavalry charges. The howitzers, besides
the above-mentioned munitions, were able to shoot grenades in parabolas (grenades
were big empty iron balls full of gunpowder, which exploded either in air or
on impact thanks to a quick-match that was used as a rough fuse). A French 8
lb cannon was able to shoot a ball at a maximun of 1,500 m or of 800 m with
a straight shot; a grape-shot range arrived as far as 450 m; one cannon needed
13 gunners. A rebound shot was able to increase the range of the 50/70%.
CAVALRY
The army cavalry corps during the Napoleonic period were divided into two basic
types:
(1) light cavalry;
(2) line cavalry.
Light cavalry was used for exploring, for raiding and for pursuing enemies.
It was composed of lightly-built men and it had to enter the battlefield whenever
a sudden intervention was needed either to protect infantrymen or to reverse
negative phases in the combat. Line cavalry was used as a crushing force in
battles where sidearms were employed; infantrymen had to range in square formations
before facing the terrible impact of cavalry charges.
The infantry corps during the napoleonic period was divided into two basic types: line infantry troops and light infantry ones.
Line infantry troops could have three formations, according to the purpose they were used for: LINE FORMATION (for firing), COLUMN (for attacking) and SRUARE (for defending the cavalry)
LINE FORMATION
Line infantry troops were the core of footmen; they always fought in close formations, which were accurately drawn up and yept aligned by Officers or Corporals, so as to be effective during the fight. The Line was so called because it was formed ranging all its components on three lines which were 1 ½ m far from one another; the first line used to fire after kneeling down, the second standing behind the first, the third standing behind the other two, in the gaps between the soldiers of the second line.
This kind of formation allowed the maximum of both actir and fire provided rants were perfectly dressed.
Alignment was extremely important and required such a long time to be achieved, that even if the line of fire had to be slightly altered, it was preferred to move the whole grey in the chosen direction and then, realign all of this made the formation rather stiff and most easily movable; actually, it was only able to move forward as extremely low speed.