A Civil War regiment advancing toward enemy ground deployed a skirmish line ahead of the main body. Two companies — typically the regiment's flank companies, designated "skirmishers" for that day's operation — moved forward in dispersed pairs, roughly five paces apart from each other, ten paces apart from the next pair. Their job was to feel out the enemy's position, draw fire to reveal it, exchange long-range musketry with opposing skirmishers, and fall back to the main line when the regiment behind them came up to contact. Skirmishers moved at a crouch through brush and under cover when terrain permitted. The figure in this set captures the cautious advance posture of a soldier in the skirmish line.

This W. Britain figure depicts a Confederate infantryman moving cautiously forward in skirmish-line posture — body low, rifle held diagonally at the ready, eyes on the ground ahead. He wears the regulation Confederate kit: gray-blue nine-button frock coat, gray trousers, broad-brimmed slouch hat, the knapsack with rolled blanket on his back, cartridge box on his belt. The cautious-advance pose works well as the front of any Confederate diorama — the soldier feeling his way forward ahead of the regimental line. Pair this figure with Confederate in Frock Coat Advancing for an open-advance companion; with Confederate Infantry in Frock Coat Reaching for Cap for the firing-prep companion; or with Confederate Corporal Urging Men Forward as the NCO behind the skirmish line.

Scale: 1/30 (60mm). Matte-painted metal. W. Britain model 31378. From the American Civil War range. Single foot figure, supplied painted and ready for display.