Chasseur

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A Chasseur (a French term for "hunter") is the designation given to certain regiments of French light infantry (Chasseurs-à-Pied) or light cavalry (Chasseurs-à-Cheval) troops, trained for rapid action. The name was originally used for infantry units in the French Army recruited from hunters or woodsmen. Recognized for their marksmanship and skirmishing skills, the chasseurs were comparable to the German Jäger or the British Rifles. The Chasseurs-à-Pied, as the Marksmen of the French army, were regarded as elite light companies and regiments. The Chasseurs-à-Cheval, however, were generally not held in as high esteem as their infantry counterparts, or the identically armed light cavalry units of Hussars. During the French occupation of Algeria regiments of Chasseurs d'Afrique were raised. These were light cavalry recruited originally from French volunteers and subsequently from the French settlers in North Africa doing their military service. As such they were the mounted equivalent of the Zouaves.

The modern French Army comprises regiments of Chasseurs-à-Pied, Chasseurs-à-Cheval and Chasseurs-Alpins (mountain troops). In addition one regiment of Chasseurs d'Afrique has been re-raised to commemorate this branch of the French cavalry.

The "Chasseur" was also the name of the ship of one of the most famous of the American privateers was Captain Thomas Boyle, who sailed his Baltimore Clipper, Chasseur, out of Fells Point, where she had been launched from Thomas Kemp's shipyard in 1812. On his first voyage as master of Chasseur in 1814, Boyle unexpectedly sailed east, directly to the British Isles, where he unmercifully harassed the British merchant fleet. In a characteristically audacious act, he sent a notice to the King by way of a captured merchant vessel that he had released for the purpose. The notice, he commanded, was to be posted on the door of Lloyd's of London, the famous shipping underwriters. In it he declared that the entire British Isles were under naval blockade by Chasseur alone! This affront sent the shipping community into panic and caused the Admiralty to call vessels home from the American war to guard merchant ships which had to sail in convoys. In all, Chasseur captured or sank 17 vessels before returning home.

On Chasseur's triumphal return to Baltimore on March 25, 1815, the Niles Weekly Register dubbed the ship, her captain, and crew the "pride of Baltimore" for their daring exploits. (See Pride of Baltimore for a later ship.)

A chasseur cap is another name for a kepi, which is a cap with a flat, round top and a stiff visor.

--- The Chasseur is also the name of a Light Fighter in the mod for Freelancer (computer game) called Asgard.

Chasseur

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