Dutch Infantry Companies in firing Line

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Jeff78
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Dutch Infantry Companies in firing Line

Post by Jeff78 » Wed Jan 14, 2015 2:09 am

When a Dutch infantry company was in firing line where were the grenadiers? Hall CD has 10 grenadiers per company, post 1701, and 45 soldiers. If the 12 companies were divided into 18 platoons that would mean 30 soldiers per platoon. The 10 grenadiers would equal 120 bodies or four platoons. Would these four platoons be on the right or would the grenadiers be divided 6-7 per platoon? I went with paper strengths, but I assume that if battalion was understrength that both musketeers and grenadiers would be reduced proportionally.
arthur1905
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Re: Dutch Infantry Companies in firing Line

Post by arthur1905 » Thu Jan 15, 2015 12:21 pm

Jeff, if you can try to get "The Anatomy of Victory" by Brent Noseworthy, (unfortunately I gave my copy away, which I now cant understand why!), but back to the point, this is the best book on tactics of the time.

From memory, the Dutch Grenadiers were formed into a separate company ( located on the Right of the line), so when a battalion fires by platoon, you have to add the Grenadier company to the general companies, and the platoons would be a sub-division of this total. 18 platoons normal for the dutch. platoon fire would either be the far right platoon firing first, followed by the far left, then second from the right and so on. Or more normaly platoons 1 and 10, then 2 and 11 and so forth. allowing a battalion to advancing while giving fire.

the other good books "The Dutch Army and the Military revolutions, 1588-1688"

lastly, it was quite normal for the Grenadier companies from several battalion to be combined into a compost battalion.

hope this helps
Mark
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