In an age when infantry units maneuvered and fought in rigid blocks, the idea of encouraging initiative and allowing a unit to "skirmish" was regarded as revolutionary and fell out of favor in the years following the French-Indian and American Revolutionary wars. It was revived by far-sighted British and foreign-mercenary officers, who observed the way in which French Revolutionary armies deployed skirmishers to prepare the way for their assault columns.

Offering a detailed analysis of tactics, this book is studded with period "battle descriptions" quoted from eye-witness accounts,...