0 a soldier who is involved in a short fight with a small number of other soldiers, which is happening away from the main area of fighting in a war:
They confronted enemy skirmishers.
Seeing the position begin to stabilise, cavalry and skirmishers took heart and, keen to wipe out their earlier shame, started to fight in earnest.
This formation was best for light troops and skirmishers.
The reserve of the regiment then moved to the support of the skirmishers.
The enemy skirmishers quickly fell back, and reformed on a small hill behind the wood.
The vanguard saw little combat and, once the disaster to their rear became obvious, fought their way through the skirmishers and out of the forest.
The exceptions tended not to include the use of skirmishers.
A foraging party was dispatched while skirmishers pushed forward to create a diversion.
Most of the rebel skirmishers were in no condition (physically or mentally) to resist, and they were soon tumbling backwards.
