From time immemorial, major battles took place according to one scenario: tightly closed ranks of heavily armed foot soldiers converged on the field and the battle began. The place of the fallen soldier in the front ranks was immediately occupied by the one standing behind. The outcome of such battles depended both on the talent of the generals and the courage of the warriors, and on the choice of the battlefield.
Reasons for the emergence of a new kind of troops
Linear combat tactics were effective on flat, unbroken terrain. Only in such a sector could it be possible to maintain tightly closed ranks of infantry.
But the terrain did not always allow commanders to choose a suitable field for battle. Ravines, hills, groves and rivers on the battlefields made it impossible to maintain a linear order of construction. The ranks of the infantrymen were torn apart, the enemy cavalry rushed into the gaps…
In this regard, there was a need to create such a kind of troops that could successfully fight both on hilly terrain and next to groves or woods. And he appeared after the invention of small arms. The new warriors were called rangers. Agile, quick-witted, mobile, they felt great on anyareas could appear unexpectedly and just as suddenly disappear behind hills or trees.
First huntsmen: rangers, pandurs
The first chasseur regiments in European armies appeared in the seventeenth century. Using modern military terminology, they could be called the special forces of the time.
In 1756, the first Ranger units were created in the British colonial army in North America. They were recruited by volunteers from hunters and rangers, they used tactics borrowed from Indian tribes. Mostly they fought with the garrisons of French fortresses and Indians.
In Europe, during the Second Silesian War (1744-1745), the troops of Frederick the Great had to engage in battle with detachments of the Austrian Pandurs. These detachments were completed from the settlers of the border strip. The Pandurs did not know how to march in formation, but they set up ambushes, shot accurately and successfully resisted the drilled Prussian infantry.
Jäger regiments were created in the Prussian army by order of Frederick II.
Before the Seven Years' War (1756-1761), this innovation was of little interest to the monarchs of Europe. But seeing the Prussian rangers on the battlefields, the military leaders of European countries borrowed the idea.
First Chasseur Battalion
In Russia, the first battalion of volunteer hunters was created in 1761 by order of Count Rumyantsev. On the battlefield, huntsmen worked like snipers: they destroyed enemy commanders and horsemen with well-aimed shots. The soldiers of the battalion were allowed to act out of formation and "shoot,when they want, without orders".
The specifics of the use of jaeger regiments in battles is reflected in the equipment of soldiers and officers. The uniforms of the rangers of that time can hardly be called camouflage.
In contrast to the lush, bright hussar uniforms with metal buttons embroidered with metallic cords and galloons, the huntsmen wore uniforms predominantly dark green with black cords. There were no bright details. Leather ammunition - only black. There were no sultans on shakos.
The emblem of the rangers, or light infantry, as they were later called, was a hunting horn.
The weight of the equipment has been lightened as much as possible. Jaeger units were armed with shortened and lightweight guns - 10 cm shorter and 500 grams lighter than the general army ones. The most accurate shooters received a rifled gun.
Jägers in the Russian army
The actions of the first battalions of rangers were so successful that in 1767 the Russian army had three thousand five hundred rangers, and by 1769 all infantry regiments were equipped with their units. In 1796, they formed the Life Jaeger Regiment.
The advantages of light infantry, repeatedly proven in battle, led to the formation of light cavalry. The principles of the formation of personnel and the military tasks of the cavalry regiments of chasseurs remained identical to those of the chasseurs, but mobility and the ability to make deeper raids behind enemy lines were added.
In 1856, by decree of the emperorAlexander II chasseur regiments were transformed into infantry and grenadier regiments.
