“Abhandlung über den kleinen Krieg” by Johann von Ewald is a military-theoretical treatise on irregular warfare, based on the author’s extensive experience as an officer in light infantry and ranger-type units during 18th-century European and transatlantic conflicts.
Ewald develops a systematic analysis of what was then called “kleiner Krieg” (small war), meaning operations conducted outside conventional linear battles—such as reconnaissance, skirmishing, raids, ambushes, outpost duty, and the harassment of enemy supply lines. The work emphasizes mobility, terrain usage, initiative at the small-unit level, and the psychological effects of irregular pressure on conventional armies.
A significant portion of the conceptual background derives from Ewald’s service in German auxiliary forces, particularly those associated with the Electorate of Hesse, which deployed troops in both European and overseas theaters. His operational experience includes service in North America during the American Revolutionary War, where light troops played an important role in reconnaissance and frontier warfare conditions.
The treatise contrasts “small war” with linear battlefield tactics, arguing that light troops require different training, discipline, and command flexibility than line infantry. Ewald stresses independent decision-making by junior officers and non-commissioned officers, as well as the importance of adapting tactics to terrain and enemy behavior.
Written in a didactic military style, the work functions both as a theoretical framework and a practical manual for officers commanding light troops. It reflects late 18th-century efforts to formalize irregular warfare as a distinct branch of military science, bridging experience from European campaigns and colonial warfare in North America.
Ewald’s treatise later became influential in military thought, particularly in discussions of light infantry doctrine and the development of modern concepts of reconnaissance and small-unit tactics.
