Henry Knox, the Secretary of War, drew on Roman military structure when he wrote the legislation that created the Legion of the United States in 1792. The reference was not stylistic. The classical Roman legion was a self-contained combined-arms force — heavy infantry, light infantry, cavalry, and engineers — organized to operate independently across long distances and unfriendly terrain. The new American republic faced a similar problem on its western frontier: large distances, hostile forces, no nearby reinforcements, and an army that needed to be self-sufficient. Knox's Legion was organized along the same principles, with four "sub-legions" that each combined infantry, riflemen, dragoons, and artillery. Wayne built and trained that force over two years, and at Fallen Timbers in 1794 it proved the theory in practice. The name and the structure both disappeared in 1796 when the Legion was reorganized into more conventional regiments, but the idea — combined-arms infantry units operating independently — quietly re-emerged in American military doctrine over and over again in the centuries that followed.

This figure shows a Legion infantryman in mid-run — body angled forward in the running carry, musket held with bayonet fixed at chest level so the weapon doesn't tangle in his legs. He wears the standard Legion uniform of the 1st Sub-Legion: blue coat with red facings, white cross-belts with cartridge box, white breeches showing the wear of campaigning, the modified cocked hat with white binding and black hair roach. The pose reflects the speed Wayne demanded of his infantry on the move — drilled until soldiers could cover ground faster than enemy expectations, both on the march and in the closing rush of an attack. He pairs with General "Mad" Anthony Wayne Mounted, the Legion infantryman running No.2 (the companion running figure), and the Legion infantry officer advancing — together composing the moving line of a Sub-Legion in advance.

1/30 scale (60mm), matte-painted, single figure boxed. Catalog number 16109. As with the rest of the W. Britain modern range, the painting is photographic-quality detail intended to read well in dioramas and display cases.