two conflicts that involved the american colonies and the development of skirmishers were the seven years' war (french and indian war in the american colonies) and the american revolutionary war. the main development of skirmisher tactics came from the native american allied primarily to the english and french. indian warriors did not fight in the european style of closely packed formations of soldiers, but more often fought as individuals. they used cover, ambush and lines of fighters that would later come to be called skirmishing.