British_light_cavalry_of_the_Napoleonic_Wars

British light cavalry during the Napoleonic Wars

British light cavalry during the Napoleonic Wars

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This is an outline of the British Army's light cavalry during the Napoleonic Wars, which consisted of the Light Dragoons and later Hussars, and from 1816 the lancers.

Pre-Napoleonic

Uniform variations of the 17th Light Dragoons (later Lancers). The uniform shown is the 1784 variant, which would remain until 1810.

Background

In 1756, Horse Guards ordered that a troop of light horse be attached to each cavalry regiment. These new units proved so useful in the Seven Years' War, that in 1763 the 15th Dragoons were converted into 'light dragoons', as were the 17th–20th. By 1798 this arm had increased to some 23 regiments: the 7th–14th Dragoons had been converted, and 15 new regiments had been raised and retained in service. The 30th–33rd Light Dragoons had been raised in 1794, but with Britain's eviction from Europe in 1795, they were disbanded again in early 1796. No details of their uniforms are known, and it is very doubtful they ever reached full strength. In 1806, the 7th, 10th, and 15th Dragoons were also "converted" - or rather "re-costumed" - to light dragoons.[1][2][3][4]

Uniforms (standard)

Source[1]

In 1784 these light cavalry regiments changed their red coats for dark blue and the helmet assumed the form known as the "Tarleton", with black fur crest, turban in the facing colour, and the regimental badge on the left-hand side.

List of regiments in 1768

Sources[1][5][2]

Napoleonic Wars

Background

In 1803 the 10th Light Dragoons "converted to hussars". This conversion consisted mainly of sartorial changes: they abandoned the Tarleton helmet for the winged cap (mirliton), adopted the fur-lined pelisse, the barrel sash and the Mongolian Bock saddle. Forty Baker Rifles were issued to them, making them the first British cavalry regiment to use rifled weapons. In general, however, the old bicorns of the light dragoons and the Tarletons of the hussars were replaced by the shako at this time.[1][2]

Uniforms (standard)

Each regiment wore a facing colour on collar, cuffs, and turnbacks. Pink seems to have been an unpopular facing colour: the 21st was given permission to change to black in 1814, and the 22nd to white in the following year.[1]

1812 uniform changes

Light Dragoons

In 1812 the French-style shako was introduced for the light dragoons. It had a black-within-white frontal cockade, regimental loop and button, traditional white over red plume and top band and chin scales in the button colour. The tunics were also changed from a dolman to a short-skirted double-breasted tunic in dark blue with facings shown on the collar, lapels, cuffs, turnbacks and piping around the pocket. The tunic was in a completely lancer-style fashion with the coloured lapels folded back in imitation of Napoleon's Polish Lancers. The men even wore a waist belt or sash with two dark blue stripes on a backing colour, and in the small of the back they had the "waterfall" of the lancers. White breeches or grey overalls were worn on campaign with twin stripes in the facing colour.[1]

Hussars

Hussars wore a brown fur busby with red bag (except the 18th, which had blue). Dolman, lace, facings, and buttons were as before, a dark blue pelisse with a red and yellow barrel sash was worn by the men, crimson and gold for the officers.[1]

The Earl of Uxbridge in officer's uniform of the 7th (Queen's Own) Hussars during the Napoleonic era. The hussars of the British Army didn't gain their flamboyant uniforms until after the 1812 uniform changes.

List of regiments in 1806

Sources[1][5][2]

Hussars

Light Dragoons

Post-1815

The 13th Light Dragoons at Waterloo.

The Napoleonic Wars came to an end in 1815; the list below shows the units which converted or changed from 1815 to 1820/21, as these were the last major changes until the Cardwell Reforms of 1874 and later the Childers Reforms of 1881.[2]

Converted to Lancers

Sources[2][6]

Disbanded

Sources[5][2]

Cape Mounted Riflemen

In October 1806 Donald McDonald formed "A Regiment at the Cape of Good Hope" comprising cavalry and infantry. The regiment was later designated by colonel's names: George Moncrieffe from 27 April 1811, G. S. Fraser from 21 October 1813. Was ordered to disbanded in 1812, but instead only partially reduced. In 1820, the regiment was renamed as the Cape Corps.[11]

See also

Footnotes

  1. [1]
    Smith, pp. 105–107.
  2. [2]
    "Cavalry Lineage Chart [UK]". 2007-10-16. Archived from the original on 2007-10-16. Retrieved 2021-02-22.
  3. [3]
    "Light Dragoons". www.army.mod.uk. Retrieved 2021-02-22.
  4. [4]
    "Regimental history - British Army Website". 2015-11-21. Archived from the original on 2015-11-21. Retrieved 2021-02-22.
  5. [5]
    "British Army Roll of Regiments 1800". 2007-10-10. Archived from the original on 2007-10-10. Retrieved 2021-02-22.
  6. [6]
    "British Army Roll of Regiments 1881". 2007-10-25. Archived from the original on 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2021-02-22.
  7. [7]
    "9th Queen's Royal Lancers [UK]". 2007-10-21. Archived from the original on 2007-10-21. Retrieved 2021-02-22.
  8. [8]
    "12th Royal Lancers (Prince of Wales's) [UK]". 2007-10-23. Archived from the original on 2007-10-23. Retrieved 2021-02-22.
  9. [9]
    "16th The Queen's Lancers [UK]". 2007-10-24. Archived from the original on 2007-10-24. Retrieved 2021-02-22.
  10. [10]
    "19th Regiment of (Light) Dragoons (Lancers) [UK]". 2007-10-16. Archived from the original on 2007-10-16. Retrieved 2021-02-22.
  11. [11]
    Frederick, p. 359–362.
  12. [12]
    "25th Dragoons [UK]". 2007-10-13. Archived from the original on 2007-10-13. Retrieved 2021-02-22.
  13. [13]
    "26th Light Dragoons, 26th Hussars [UK]". 2007-10-13. Archived from the original on 2007-10-13. Retrieved 2021-02-22.
  14. [14]
    "27th Light Dragoons, 27th Lancers [UK]". 2007-10-14. Archived from the original on 2007-10-14. Retrieved 2021-02-22.
  15. [15]
    "29th Light Dragoons, 25th Light Dragoons [UK]". 2007-10-16. Archived from the original on 2007-10-16. Retrieved 2021-02-22.

References

  • Smith, Digby (2006). An illustrated encyclopedia of uniforms of the Napoleonic wars : an expert, in-depth reference to the officers and soldiers of the revolutionary and Napoleonic period, 1792-1815. London Lanham, Md: Lorenz North American agent/distributor, National Book Network. ISBN 978-0-7548-1571-6. OCLC 60320422.
  • Frederick, J. B. M. (1984). Lineage book of British land forces 1660-1978 : biographical outlines of cavalry, yeomanry, armour, artillery, infantry, marines and air force land troops of regular and reserve forces (Volume I). Wakefield: Microform Academic. ISBN 978-1-85117-007-4. OCLC 18072764.
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