Fusiliers & musketeers are different?

[Faenaris]

I have only recently converted to "Napoleonic" warfare and I'm currently reading "The Army of Frederick the Great" by Christopher Duffy. So, forgive me if my following question is "noobish".

Is there a difference between Fusilliers and Musketeers? Wikipedia claims that "Fusilier was originally the name of a soldier armed with a light flintlock musket called the fusil. The word was first used around 1680, and has later developed into a regimental designation."

So, I wonder: is there a practical difference between a musketeer and a fusillier in the 18th century and onwards? Or was it just a "name-thing" and were both types of soldiers equipped the same way?

[different_13]

I think in for the majority of the 18th century it was just a name distinction.
Oh, and they often wore different uniforms.
If you're reading about Frederick, you might find fusiliers wore different headgear from other line infantry.
Also, I think their minimum height was lower.

There could be a prestige issue as well, but that's more likely to do with the length of a regiment's establishment, rather than its classification as fusilier or musketeer.

I think originally Fusiliers would have had higher prestige, as the flintlock was better than the matchlock.

[jarnomiedema]

Well, I'm afraid I can't help much, because I simply don't know enough about the distinctions between the different types of infantry, but I did play a game called Cossacks II: Napoleonic Wars some time ago.. I won't go into the details, but I do distinctly remember that it featured many different unit types (for both infantry, cavalry and artillery)..

I believe infantry was very differentiated; the French had the National Guard units (very poorly equipped, but quickly recruited), Fusilliers, Voltigeurs, Grenadiers and Sappers.. What the precise different is between Fusilliers and Musketeers, I don't know, but I do know that infantry at the time was divided into various different combat roles..

[Empress Meg]

Dear me. It depends on what nation to which you are refering. I only really know the Nap period, so here goes.

UK-A fusilier in the time of the Napoleonic Wars was merely a title to give to a regiment. It distinguished them as an elite, it is a nod to their superior nature and a throw back to when men were first armed with flintlocks as opposed to muskets as the more modern period. Flintlock used fuses to ignite their powder charges.

France- The centre companies were called fusiliers in the line regiments. Just a standard line infantryman. Nothing speical, nothing elite, nothing bad either.

Some German states and Prussia- Light infantrymen.

A fusilier of France and the UK would be fitted out as a line infantryman, whereas a fusilier of a German state or Prussia would be outfitted as a light infantryman. This is during the Napoleonic Wars though mind you.

Devoirs The Empress

[schoenkoenig]

Really and truly, all infantry titles were merely appellatives.

A grenadier, after all, carried the same equipment as a musketeer/fusilier. In the Prussian Army of Frederick the Great, Fusilier regiments differed from Musketeer merely by title and headgear, and were on the whole a bit less good than the Musketeer regiments.

However, in Austrian and French service, for example, all line infantry were either fusiliers or grenadiers.

[Antiochus]

Double thread.
Here is first thread about musketeers and fusiliers:

http://twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=125769

[Faenaris]

Thank you all for your responses. I just found it odd to see the terms being used interchangeable and I was curious as to how look-a-like they really were. Time for me to read a bit more too, my knowledge of the other nations armies is still sub-par.

[Gyldenløve]

the only difrence was the iniforms and the musket nothing else.