The Caçadores were created in 1808, following the poor showing of the Portuguese Army against the French in the War of the Pyrenees, the Portuguese Government decided that a commander-in-chief would need to be appointed in order to discipline and train the demoralized Portuguese Army. British Army General William Beresford was recommended for the position by Arthur Wellesley and he was appointed as commander-in-chief. As part of Beresford's reforms, six independent battalions of Caçadores were created. Later in the Peninsular War, more battalions would be created due to the success of the originals.
One of the most distinctive features of these elite light infantry was their brown uniform. This camouflaged better against the dry Iberian Peninsula than the other green uniforms used by most other elite light infantry in Europe.
During the Peninsular War, the Caçadores became notable for their marksmanship at long distances. Arthur Wellesley came to refer to the Caçadores as the "fighting cocks" of the Anglo-Portuguese Army.
The battalions and later regiments of Caçadores continued to constitute the light infantry of Portugal for the rest of the 19th century. The Caçadores eventually phased out to become line infantry in a reorganization of 1911 that came about due to new firearms technologies and infantry tactics.
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