'Officier 52 Regiment d'Infanterie'

Colour etching by an unknown artist. From a collection of ten engravings of the British Army in Paris entitled 'Costumes Millitaires', published by Genty, Paris, 1815 (c).

The 52nd (Oxfordshire) Regiment of Foot (Light Infantry) served with distinction throughout the Peninsular War (1808-1814) and at Waterloo (1815). Light Infantry regiments could fight in line like conventional infantry but were also trained in skirmishing. They were therefore useful in helping to counter the swarms of sharpshooters used by the French to precede their attacks or cover retreats.