Louis XV's Army (4): Light Troops and Specialists, Vol. 308

The emergence of light troops at the time of Louis XV's reign (1715-1774) is a sign of the search for better intelligence of the enemy and rapid tactical moves on battlefields. This fourth instalment of René Chartrand's review of Louis XV's army reveals an extraordinary variety of units, most now long forgotten, who had a dazzling assortment of uniforms, equipment and weapons, as is revealed by this interesting text and its numerous accompanying illustrations, which include eight full page colour plates by Eugène Lelièpvre.

The emergence of light troops at the time of Louis XV's reign is a sign of the search for better intelligence of the enemy and rapid tactical moves on battlefields. This fourth instalment of René Chartrand's review of Louis XV's army reveals an extraordinary variety of units, most now long forgotten, who had a dazzling assortment of uniforms, equipment and weapons, as is revealed by this interesting text and its numerous accompanying illustrations, which include eight full page colour plates by Eugène Lelièpvre.

René Chartrand was born in Montral and educated in Canada, the United States and the Bahamas. A senior curator with Canada's National Historic Sites for nearly three decades, he is now a freelance writer and historical consultant for cinema and historic sites restorations. He has written numerous articles and books including almost 20 Osprey titles and the first two volumes of Canadian Military Heritage. Also a student of wines, he currently lives in Hull, Quebec, with his wife and two sons.