One of the first times that rifles were used seriously in the British Army was during the Spanish Penisular war when the rifle brigade was formed. As already said, they were used for sniping rather than open battle and for that reason the riflemen wore a green uniform to afford them some degree of camouflage. Many of the army top brass thought that the use of snipers was cheating and not "playing the game", but Wellington was interested in results, not game playing.

The "Sharpes" novels and TV plays cover this as does "Death to the French" by C. S. Forester.