Combined Arms - 17th To 19th Centuries

17th To 19th Centuries

17th century saw increasing use of combined arms at lower (regimental) level. King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden was the proponent of the idea. For fire support he attached teams of "commanded musketeers" to cavalry units and fielded light 3-pounder guns to provide infantry units with organic artillery.
In the eighteenth century, the concept of the legion was revived. Legions now consisted of musketeers, light infantry, dragoons and artillery in a brigade sized force. These legions often combined professional military personnel with militia. Perhaps the most notable example is the use of light cavalry, light infantry and light horse artillery in advance detachments by France's La Grande Armée during the Napoleonic Wars. This was not a new idea, having been used by the Imperial Russian Army's use of cossacks.
The use of light mobile troops in bringing about decisive action next saw application during the American Civil War where both sides combined the speed of cavalry and the firepower of the infantry to use mounted infantry in conducting deep raids into the enemy rear, sabotaging the logistics (often railway lines) to affect the supply of frontline troops.
The need for manoeuvre was emphasized by the American Civil War, and was used very effectively by the Prussian General Staff to combine the strategic use of railways with the new firepower of quick-firing ordnance and small arms to defeat France in 1871.