---
title: British Army Infantry Square
author: Elizabeth Thompson
source: https://www.worldhistory.org/image/21617/british-army-infantry-square/
format: machine-readable-alternate
updated: 2026-03-05
---
# British Army Infantry Square
_Authored by Elizabeth Thompson_
## Image File
[](https://www.worldhistory.org/uploads/images/21617.png)
## Image Caption
An 1875 oil on canvas painting by Elizabeth Thompson titled *The 28th Regiment at Quatre Bras* (a [battle](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/battle/) during the Napoleonic Wars). The British infantry is shown employing the classic defensive strategy of a square, where each rank fires in turn to present a continuous volley of fire. This strategy was employed as a last resort when there was no other means of cover.
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
## Cite This Work
### APA
Thompson, E. (2026, March 05). British Army Infantry Square. *World History Encyclopedia*.
### Chicago
Thompson, Elizabeth. "British Army Infantry Square." *World History Encyclopedia*, March 05, 2026. .
### MLA
Thompson, Elizabeth. "British Army Infantry Square." *World History Encyclopedia*, 05 Mar 2026, .
## License & Copyright
[Original image](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Butler_Lady_Quatre_Bras_1815.jpg) by [**Elizabeth Thompson**](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Butler_Lady_Quatre_Bras_1815.jpg). Submitted by [Mark Cartwright](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/markzcartwright/ "User Page: Mark Cartwright"), published on 05 March 2026. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: [Public Domain](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_domain). This item is in the public domain, and can be used, copied, and modified without any restrictions. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms.