Voltigeur

Voltigeurs ([vɔltiʒœʀ], English: "vaulters") were named after their originally conceived mode of operation: although they were foot soldiers, on the battlefield they were intended to jump onto the croup of cavalry horses to advance more quickly.

Voltigeurs formed an integral part of the Grande Armée's basic building blocks, the line and light infantry battalions.

In 1804, each French Line (Ligne) and Light (Légère) infantry battalion was ordered to create one company of ninety of the best shots who would serve as elite skirmishers.

[6] After this period, the quality of the French voltigeurs declined as the new units lacked the experience and training to set them apart from their "non-elite" compatriots in the regular light infantry chasseur companies.

During the Battle of Waterloo the Voltigeurs, along with the Tirailleurs, conducted a tenacious defence of the town of Plancenoit against a major Prussian flanking attack.

After the abdication of Napoleon and the Second Restoration of the Bourbon kings, the surviving regiments of Voltigeurs, along with the remnants of the entire Imperial Guard, were disbanded.

Drawn from experienced men with good records in the line infantry, the Voltigeur regiments of the Imperial Guard served with distinction in the Crimean and Italian campaigns.

During the War of 1812, George Prevost, the governor general of the Canadas, formed the Volunteer Provincial Corps of Light Infantry or the Voltiguers Canadien.

[13] Like its French counterpart, the American voltigeur was composed of light infantry trained to fight either in conventional formations or spread out into skirmish lines.