Napoleonic Basics: Dragoons

[@popskypopsky7461]

Dear Sir, I let some comments in the Cuirassiers chapter. Hereafter, some comments about Dragoons a)about duty on foot: One must have in mind two things about duty on foot for french dragoons: a1/Before 1805 Napoleon created regiments and whole divisions of dragoons on foot. These was cavalry formations clearly intended to begin the campaign as infantry (and trained for that too), then intended to be mounted on captured ennemy Horses (You have to keep in mind these type of decisions were taken in the camp of Boulogne). So, after Auterlitz, these Dragoons divisions were mounted on good austrian horses. a2/So Dragoons were in fact true Line Cavalry (medium/heavy cavalry as the other dragoons in europe) but trained to light infantry duty too. At the begining of the era (maybe from 1800+ to 1812) these heavy cavalrymen were issued with light infantry musket (and not cavalry carbine as the ones given to hussards and chasseurs). After 1812, they were issued with the "mousqueton" (the classical non rifled cavalry "carbine"). Carabiniers were at first issued with the light infantry musket as dragoons were. After being converted to cuirrassiers, they let the musket for the mousqueton. b)about classification and type of horses: high of horses and men was less than those of cuirassiers of course, but greater than those given to light cavalry. In fact, depending of the campaign, Dragoons were : -brigaded in divisions of light cavalry for scouting, giving light brigades some more punch for an encounter battle (and, yes, able to take and keep an hamlet too, with their light infantry skills). or -gathered in Heavy Cavalry Corps were they gave the same duty as cuirassiers (see my words about cuirassiers and the novel "Le colonel Chabert" where these big cavalry charges were given by Dragoons divisions too) Specifically about horses: war is war... during the russian campaign, some cuirrassiers were mounted not on carriage horses (these horses were certainly kept for the last cannons or caissons left) but on cossacks ponys with these tall men's feet dragging in the snow. On the other hand, during some peace time when regiments were able to buy good strong horses, in Saxony or in Nederlands, you could find some Hussards or chasseurs regiments with horses which would have been normally dedicated to Heavies. c) About Dragoons in Spain or during the campaign of France: As they were trained as light infantry, they were used as counter-guerrillas troops able to move as fast as cavalry and able to fight in rough terrain against guerrillas and pursue them. With their skills, through history, Dragoons had very often this type of dirty job: during Louis XIV reign they were used in religious conflict to occupy rough terrain regions as mountains of central part of France. In 1814, the same guys (those antiguerrillas guys who fought in Spain and kept their 1,50 meter long musket) were quickly sent back from Spain to France to fight the allies in the north part of the country. There in several battles they charge as heavies and smashed allied infantry squares. See battles of Provins and Montereau in 1814. So to describe these guys as bad light infantry AND bad cavalry could be a mistake. During big battles, they were used as heavies or line cavalry (no more, no less). In a skirmish scenario they can fight in broken ground and hamlet as skirmishers, or fight on horses on good going: very versatile troopers. Best Regards

[@NSYresearch]

And by 1908 the British Cavalry were in all but name dragoons. They acted in the classic dragoon style by moving, dismounting, firing, remounted and moving again. This changed obviously in 1915 when the options for cavalry were very limited, unless of course in Palestine.

[@brucerutherford9163]

Your working knowledge of Napoleonic's is impressive. Your presentation is well thought out. Lastly, you make this gaming fun by your passion and energy.

[@owenowen212]

I've only discovered your channel today but have already subscribed. Hugely informative and very engaging. Please keep doing what you're doing! Subscribed.

[@NapoleonicWargaming]

Thank you for watching bud! I certainly will try!

[@just_a_hampa]

Peak intro. Goes really hard.

[@miguelcorreia1149]

Really enjoy the content and you won my subscription!! There is a error in 4:49. You state that Bussaco was a French victory, when in fact it was a lost. As a Portuguese that goes to the site and museum almost every year I understand the perspective that it might be a French victory because the British coalition fell back. But the French attacks led by Ney and Reynier both failed to conquer their positions due to heavy losses. Sir Arthur Wesley noticed that and decided to fall back to the Lines of Torres Vedras in order to prepare for further attacks. The lines are an interesting subject that you might like to explore on the channel. In summary 3 defensive lines with forts and systems to count how many french were attacking. Massena failed to break the lines and decided to fall back to Spain and after that Wellesley was able to free Portugal and keep pressure on the French until the entire peninsula was eventually liberated.

[@NapoleonicWargaming]

Ha! My apologies, good catch!

[@rhysnichols8608]

Bias showing through there, the french aim was to drive the British out of Portugal driving them from north to south. While the french lost the ‘war’ in this sense a battle which caused the British to fall back is indeed a french victory. Wellesleys aim was to ‘liberate’ Portugal and in a battle where he was forced to pull back this is clearly a defeat. At least for the short term

[@he1ar1]

prussian cuirassiers didnt even have a cuirass, they looked the same as dragoons. there was almost no difference between heavy dragoons and other heavy cavalry. Cuirassiers were armed with carbines, rifles, pistols and straight sabre; same as dragoons. The difference seems to be a social one. Where the cuirassiers were taller (only by 3cm!) and were allowed to have mustache. French dragoons had muskets whereas other nations dragoons had carbines (similarly to the french carabinier)

[@NapoleonicWargaming]

I didn't know that about the Prussians, they are an army I don't really know that much about so thank you!

[@hondofitty]

mustache power tramples all

[@manuelkong10]

what do you mean "operated" as heavy cav on the battlefield ? they only thing they may have in common with actual heavy cav is IF they get big horses

[@michaelkeha]

There is something rather lost to time when you think about cavalry these were men that dared fate and more often came out on top with blade in hand and steed under them

[@philRminiatures]

Nice vid and beautiful dragoons!

[@TeddyBelcher4kultrawide]

Not true

[@rickhudson7929]

Another great informative video. I've always been confused by dragoons :-)

[@manuelkong10]

they didn't get the heavy cav bonus cause they aren't heavy cav....just because something gets Used a certain way does not mean it IS that classification

[@bruceschmidt3404]

Another very well video! Thanks!

[@Radio4ManLeics]

British Dragoons were big men on big horses. Superbly mounted compared to the typical continental army Dragoons. They fought as heavy cavalry, and for all intents and purposes were heavy cavalry. They were called dragoons because to a penny pinching War Department Dragoons had a lower pay grade!

[@stephensmith1256]

Great vid very informative.

[@lazydave9761]

Not enough jumping.

[@johnwayneeverett6263]

the read was great.....

[@NapoleonicWargaming]

Thanks, I've cut them recently, but might put them back in...