Rifleman Moore
‘Recreated 95th Rifles’ Today
RECREATED 95TH RIFLES ‘IN BATTLE’
Early morning : having had breakfast, a company of the 95th Rifles
‘at the trail’ moving-up to their battle-position
Waiting. The enemy : French Line Infantry still in ‘column of march’ with their ‘baggage’
Waiting …. French dragoons
Waterloo …. still Waiting
Waiting … a battle is the only place where the drill, weapons-handling and training of infantry all come together to produce a result. Pre-battle strain would be evident amongst commanders and soldiers and even though a re-enactment - as with their Napoleonic-era contemporaries in the real thing - these elite British Light Infantry imminently going into action at ‘Waterloo’ reflect the anxiety of such engagements. At such times, a soldiers’ thoughts belong to himself.
Just before the battle, the 95th Rifles receive an order to ‘stand to their arms’ and ‘load with ball’. The 95th Rifles were issued with two types of ammunition - ‘paper cartridge’ for use only in ‘close order’ and ‘patched ball’ for use in ‘skirmish order’. At the battle of Waterloo, the companies of the 2nd and 3rd battalions 95th Rifles were brigaded together and fought mostly in ‘close order’ on the right flank near Hougoumont with the 1st battalion in advance of the centre of the Anglo-Dutch battle-line fighting mostly in ‘skirmish order’ with a reserve.
A company of the 95th Rifles take their position in ‘close order’ having undergone all pre-battle checks and are about to be deployed. A battalion would be deployed keeping a company in reserve and a company would often be deployed in four to eight-man squads or sections with a platoon kept in reserve - many such versatile tactics cater for necessary operations in moving over any sort of terrain and maintaining a steady ‘aimed fire’ - and avoiding being over-run by enemy cavalry.
A ‘Chosen Man’ of the 95th Rifles loads his rifle as The Rocket Troop of the Royal Horse Artillery prepare to open fire with six-pounder Congreve rockets ‘in bombardment’ to support the advance. Riflemen and Rockets were employed in the rearguard marching from Quatre Bras at Waterloo in June 1815.
The powerful French artillery opens fire …
An eight-man Rifles squad under an NCO ‘in loose order’ operating on the right flank of a company of line infantry and Highlanders. The riflemen are loading their rifles preparatory to going into ‘skirmish order’ before the anticipated enemy advance.
A French infantry-fusilier column advances with voltigeurs to the front
Riflemen in battle were trained to use all available cover but if there was no cover, to fire kneeling or prone - as seen here with this squad operating on a flank in support of the line infantry in the distance - but a higher degree of casualties would be taken from the sheer volume of enemy fire. To reflect this fact, two of the eight riflemen in this squad have been ‘wounded’.
A “riflemans-eye view” of an attacking French column at ‘Waterloo’.
These troops are suffering from artillery and aimed rifle-fire from skirmishers.
The regimental motto of the 95th Rifles is ‘Swift and Bold’ - but a Rifles officer once interpreted this as the necessity of having in action ‘a clear head, a bold heart and a clean pair of heels.’ Here, in the face of a very determined French attack riflemen double-back to the line after skirmishing in advance. In the background, a company of their ‘redcoat’ comrades fire a volley to cover the ‘green-jackets’ : the co-ordination of ‘line and light’ infantry under Wellington in using these tactics in ‘a reverse-slope position’ against an enemy which almost always outnumbered them proved to be a battle-winner against the French during the Peninsular War.
The smoke generated by muzzle-loading flintlock small-arms is a feature mentioned in many period accounts of battles denoted by the term ‘the fog of war’. The two infantry brigades here are supported by field artillery on a height - the smoke (and sheer noise) a battery of artillery generated was even thicker. Note how the troops in the background have been almost obscured by them firing their muskets in a volley and the foreground ‘rolling-volley’ discharge of muskets and rifles from Adams’ Brigade at a recreated ‘Waterloo’. The 2nd and 3rd battalions 95th Rifles were in this brigade then-and-now and during both real and recreated actions saw them ‘form square’ to repulse several charges made by French cavalry.
Enemy cavalry are a formidable threat to any skirmisher or ‘unformed’ troops caught out in the open …
‘Volley-fire’ in two-deep line from a battalion of British Infantry
Any short break during a battle would see riflemen attending to the maintenance of their rifles. Flints would be changed, the priming-pan brushed out and the rifle-bore wiped - and the rifleman would attend to his own needs, such as taking a drink from his water-bottle to rinse out his mouth of the gunpowder fumes. In the background, the guns and limbers of a battery of Royal Artillery are going into action.
During a lull in the battle, a rifleman takes an opportunity to take a short ‘nap’ – it may seem odd, but this particular trait of snatching a few minutes sleep whenever they could has been noticeable in British soldiers since before Wellington’s time (… and from many period observations, this included Lord Wellington himself).
During the ‘Storming’ of three fortresses in Spain in 1812-1813 - Cuidad Rodrigo, Badajoz and San Sebastian - the very versatile riflemen of the 95th through possessing extremely high morale were also used as ‘grenadiers’. Such duty involved ‘flesh and blood pitted against stone and iron’ and required a high degree of courage against an equally-high personal risk. Such ‘stormings’ have been carefully recreated by the 95th Rifles - this ‘Valiant Stormer’ of the 95th is taking a shot from inside a casemate within a restored Napoleonic fortress he has successfully climbed into.
The battle is over - but their day isn’t finished yet. These riflemen will march to camp, clean both their rifles and their kit before cleaning themselves before joining their mates at the campfire for their rations … and a tot or two
“ Green tufts and short barrels ! First in the field and the Last out !
The bloody, fighting 95th Rifles ! Huzza ! ”
The traditional and original ‘Toast of the 95th Rifles’ - which is also recreated at ‘reunions’ today
… along with songs such as ‘Over the Hills and far Away’
A 95th Rifles officer described his post on the frontier in 1810 in close-proximity to these troops as “We were as playful as lambs : but we were as watchful as leopards.” The last word has to go to the brave French : don’t under-estimate the strength of the enemy - the French infantry-grenadiers here may have been bloodied in the battle but they are still a very powerful enemy and they always return to have another go at defeating the 95th Rifles ….
Ma foi ! La prochain fois, les sauterelles …
The author extends his thanks to All the ‘Recreated 95th Rifles’ worldwide for permitting their photographs to be used to illustrate this special feature.
You can see many more images and gain much more information about the ‘Recreated 95th Rifles’ including many other special features in greater detail - including recruitment and prospective membership - by accessing the links below to find the websites of the individual groups shown in the above :
ENGLAND
AUSTRALIA
http://home.vicnet.net.au/~second95/
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/95th-foot/
http://www.brigade-napoleon.org/infantrie/british/rifles-main.html
This feature is dedicated to the men that were and the men that still are … The Rifles
No part of this article may be copied or reproduced in any way without
written permission from the author
Text and Images © Rifleman Moore 2008
