Dragoon
Dragoons were originally a class of mounted infantry, who used horses for mobility, but dismounted to fight on foot. From the early 17th century onward, dragoons were increasingly also employed as conventional cavalry and trained for combat with swords and firearms from horseback.[1] While their use goes back to the late 16th century, dragoon regiments were established in most European armies during the 17th and early 18th centuries; they provided greater mobility than regular infantry but were far less expensive than cavalry.
The name reputedly derives from a type of firearm, called a dragon, which was a handgun version of a blunderbuss, carried by dragoons of the French Army.[2][3]
The title has been retained in modern times by a number of armoured or ceremonial mounted regiments.
Origins and name
The establishment of dragoons evolved from the practice of sometimes transporting
During the Spanish
The name possibly derives from an early weapon, a short wheellock, called a dragon because its muzzle was decorated with a dragon's head. The practice comes from a time when all gunpowder weapons had distinctive names, including the culverin, serpentine, falcon, falconet, etc.[7] It is also sometimes claimed a galloping infantryman with his loose coat and the burning match resembled a dragon.[1]
It has also been suggested that the name derives from the German "tragen" or the Dutch "dragen", both being the verb "to carry" in their respective languages. Howard Reid claims the name and role descend from the Latin Draconarius.[8]
Use as a verb
Dragoon is occasionally used as a verb meaning to subjugate or persecute by the imposition of troops; and by extension to compel by any violent measures or threats. The term dates from 1689, when dragoons were being used by
Early history and role
Early dragoons were not organized in
In Britain, companies of dragoons were first raised during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms and prior to 1645 either served as independent troops or were attached to cavalry units. When the New Model Army was first approved by Parliament in January 1645, it included ten regiments of cavalry, each with a company of dragoons attached. At the urging of Sir Thomas Fairfax, on 1 March they were formed into a separate unit of 1,000 men, commanded by Colonel John Okey, and played an important part at the Battle of Naseby in June.[10]
Supplied with inferior horses and more basic equipment, the dragoon regiments were cheaper to raise and maintain than the expensive regiments of cavalry. When in the 17th century
A non-military use of dragoons was the 1681
In the Spanish Army, Pedro de la Puente organized a body of dragoons in Innsbruck in 1635. In 1640, a tercio of a thousand dragoons armed with the arquebus was created in Spain. By the end of the 17th century, the Spanish Army had three tercios of dragoons in Spain, plus three in the Netherlands and three more in Milan. In 1704, the Spanish dragoons were reorganised into regiments by Philip V, as were the rest of the tercios.[citation needed]
Dragoons were at a disadvantage when engaged against true cavalry, and constantly sought to improve their horsemanship, armament and social status. By the
An exception to the rule was the British Army, which from 1746 onward gradually redesignated all regiments of "Horse" (regular cavalry) as lower paid "Dragoons", in an economy measure.
Towards the end of 1776,
.19th century
During the
Post 1805, the 7th, 10th, 15th and 18th regiments of Light Dragoons of the British Army were re-designated as
The seven regiments of Dragoon Guards served as the heavy cavalry arm of the British Army, although unlike continental cuirassiers they carried no armour.[19] Between 1816 and 1861, the other twenty-one cavalry regiments were either disbanded or rebadged as lancers or hussars.[16] [a]
The creation of a unified German state in 1871 brought together the dragoon regiments of Prussia, Bavaria, Saxony, Mecklenburg, Oldenburg, Baden, Hesse, and Württemberg in a single numbered sequence, although historic distinctions of insignia and uniform were largely preserved. Two regiments of the Imperial Guard were designated as dragoons.[20]
The Austrian (later Austro-Hungarian) Army of the 19th century included six regiments of dragoons in 1836, classed as heavy cavalry for shock action, but in practice used as multi-purpose medium troops.[21] After 1859 all but two Austrian dragoon regiments were converted to cuirassiers or disbanded.[22] From 1868 to 1918 the Austro-Hungarian dragoons numbered 15 regiments.[23]
During the 18th century, Spain raised several regiments of dragoons to protect the northern provinces and borders of
Prior to the
Between 1881 and 1907 all Russian cavalry (other than
In Japan, during the late 19th and early 20th century, dragoons were deployed in the same way as in other armies, but were dressed as
20th century
In the period before 1914, dragoon regiments still existed in the British and French armies,
The historic German, Russian and Austro-Hungarian dragoon regiments ceased to exist as distinct branches following the overthrow of the respective imperial regimes of these countries during 1917–18. The Spanish dragoons, which dated back to 1640, were reclassified as numbered cavalry regiments in 1931 as part of the army modernization policies of the Second Spanish Republic.[citation needed]
The Australian Light Horse were similar to 18th-century dragoon regiments in some respects, being mounted infantry which normally fought on foot, their horses' purpose being transportation. They served during the Second Boer War and World War I. The Australian 4th Light Horse Brigade became famous for the Battle of Beersheba in 1917 where they charged on horseback using rifle bayonets in hand, since neither sabres or lances were part of their equipment. Later in the Palestine campaign Pattern 1908 Cavalry swords were issued and used in the campaign leading to the fall of Damascus.[citation needed]
Probably the last use of real dragoons (infantry on horseback) in combat was made by the
Dragoner rank
Until 1918 Dragoner (en: dragoon) was the designation given to the lowest ranks in the dragoon regiments of the Austro-Hungarian and Imperial German Armies. The Dragoner rank, together with all other private ranks of the different branch of service, belonged to the so-called
Modern dragoons
Brazil
The
The Independence Dragoons wear 19th-century dress uniforms similar to those of the earlier Imperial Honor Guard, which are used as the regimental full dress uniform since 1927. The uniform was designed by Debret, in white and red, with plumed bronze helmets. The colors and pattern were influenced by the Austrian dragoons of the period, as the Brazilian Empress consort was also an Austrian archduchess.[36] The color of the plumes varies according to rank. The Independence Dragoons are armed with lances and sabres, the latter only for the officers and the colour guard.[37]
The regiment was established in 1808 by the Prince Regent and future
At the time of the Republic proclamation in 1889, horse No. 6 of the Imperial Honor Guard was ridden by the officer making the declaration of the end of Imperial rule, Second lieutenant Eduardo José Barbosa. This is commemorated by the custom under which the horse having this number is used only by the commander of the modern regiment.
Canada
There are three dragoon regiments in the
The Royal Canadian Dragoons is the senior Armoured regiment in the Canadian Army. The regiment was authorized in 1883 as the Cavalry School Corps, being redesignated as Canadian Dragoons in 1892, adding the Royal designation the next year. The RCD has a history of fighting dismounted, serving in the Second Boer War in South Africa as mounted infantry, fighting as infantry with the 1st Canadian Division in Flanders in 1915–1916 and spending the majority of the regiment's service in the Italian Campaign 1944–1945 fighting dismounted. In 1994 when the regiment deployed to Bosnia as part of the United Nations Protection Force, B Squadron was employed as a mechanized infantry company. The current role of The Royal Canadian Dragoons is to provide Armour Reconnaissance support to 2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group (2 CMBG) as well as C Squadron RCD in Gagetown which is a part of 2 CMBG and the RCD Regiment with Leopard 2A4 and 2A6 tanks.[39]
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police were accorded the formal status of a regiment of dragoons in 1921.[40][41] The modern RCMP does not retain any military status however.
Chile
Founded as the Dragones de la Reina (Queen's Dragoons) in 1758 and later renamed the Dragoons of Chile in 1812, and then becoming the Carabineros de Chile in 1903. The Carabineros are the national police of Chile. The military counterpart, that of the 15th Reinforced Regiment "Dragoons" is now as of 2010 the 4th Armored Brigade "Chorrillos" based in Punta Arenas as the 6th Armored Cavalry Squadron "Dragoons", and form part of the 5th Army Division.
Denmark
The Royal
France
The modern French Army retains three dragoon regiments from the thirty-two in existence at the beginning of World War I: the 2nd, which is a nuclear, biological and chemical protection regiment, the 5th, an experimental Combined arms regiment, and the 13th (Special Reconnaissance).
Lithuania
Beginning in the 17th century, the mercenary army of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania included dragoon units. In the middle of the 17th century there were 1,660 dragoons in an army totaling 8,000 men. By the 18th century there were four regiments of dragoons.
Lithuanian cavalrymen served in dragoon regiments of both the Russian and Prussian armies, after the Partitions of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth.
Between 1920 and 1924 and 1935–1940 the Lithuanian Army included the Third Dragoon Iron Wolf Regiment. The dragoons were the equivalent of the present-day Volunteer Forces.
In modern Lithuania the Grand Duke Butigeidis Dragoon Battalion (Lithuanian: didžiojo kunigaikščio Butigeidžio dragūnų batalionas)[42] is designated as dragoons, with a motorized infantry role.
Mexico
During the times of the Viceroyalty, regiments of dragoons (Dragon de cuera) were created to defend
Norway
In the Norwegian Army during the early part of the 20th century, dragoons served in part as mounted troops, and in part on skis or bicycles (hjulryttere, meaning "wheel-riders"). Dragoons fought on horses, bicycles and skis against the German invasion in 1940. After World War II the dragoon regiments were reorganized as armoured reconnaissance units. "Dragon" is the rank of a compulsory service private cavalryman while enlisted (regular) cavalrymen have the same rank as infantrymen: "Grenader".
Pakistan
The Armoured Regiment "34 Lancers" of Pakistan Army Armoured Corps is also known as "Dragoons".
Peru
The
This regiment of dragoons was created in 1904 following the suggestion of a French military mission which undertook the reorganization of the Peruvian Army in 1896. The initial title of the unit was Cavalry Squadron "President's Escort". It was modelled on the French dragoons of the period. The unit was later renamed as the Cavalry Regiment "President's Escort" before receiving its current title in 1949.
The Peruvian Dragoon Guard has throughout its existence worn French-style uniforms of black tunic and red breeches in winter and white coat and red breeches in summer, with red and white plumed bronze helmets with the
, until the 1980s rifles were used for dismounted drill.At
Portugal
The
During the
Spain
The Spanish Army began the training of a dragoon corps in 1635 under the direction of Pedro de la Puente at Innsbruck. In 1640 the first dragoon "tercio" was created, equipped with arquebuses and maces. The number of dragoon tercios was increased to nine by the end of the XVII century: three garrisoned in Spain, another three in the Netherlands and the remainder in Milan.[45]
The tercios were converted into a Regimental system, beginning in 1704. Philip V created several additional dragoon regiments to perform the functions of a police corps in the New World.[46] Notable amongst those units were the leather-clad dragones de cuera.
In 1803 the dragoon regiments were renamed as "caballería ligera" (light cavalry). By 1815 these units had been disbanded.[47]
Spain recreated its dragoons in the late nineteenth century. Three Spanish dragoon regiments were still in existence in 1930.[48]
Sweden
In the
Switzerland
Mounted dragoons existed in the Swiss Armed Forces until the early 1970s, when they were converted into Armoured Grenadiers units. The "Dragoner" had to prove he was able to keep a horse at home before entering the army. At the end of basic training they had to buy a horse at a reduced price from the army and to take it home together with equipment, uniform and weapon. In the "yearly repetition course" the dragoons served with their horses, often riding from home to the meeting point.
The abolition of the dragoon units, believed to be the last non-ceremonial horse cavalry in Europe, was a contentious issue in Switzerland. On 5 December 1972 the Swiss
United Kingdom
As of 2021, the
United States
The 1st and 2nd Battalion, 48th Infantry were mechanized infantry units assigned to the 3rd Armored Division (3AD) in West Germany during the Cold War. The unit crest of the 48th Infantry designated the unit as Dragoons, purely a traditional designation.
The 1st Dragoons was reformed in the Vietnam War era as the 1st Squadron, 1st U.S. Cavalry. It served in the Iraq War and remains as the oldest cavalry unit, as well as the most decorated one, in the U.S. Army. Today's modern 1–1 Cavalry is a scout/attack unit, equipped with MRAPs, M3A3 Bradley CFVs, and Strykers.[51]
Another modern
The 113th Army Band at Fort Knox is also officially nicknamed as "The Dragoons". This derives from its formation as the Band, First Regiment of Dragoons on 8 July 1840.
Company D, 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion of the United States Marine Corps, is nicknamed the "Dragoons". Their combat history includes service in the Iraq War and the War in Afghanistan from 2002 to 2013.[53]
See also
- Carabinier
- Cuirassier
- Gendarmerie
- Harquebusier
- Hobilar
- Hussar
- Motorized infantry
- Reiter – A type of pistol-armed cavalry
- Ulan
Footnotes
- 23rd Light Dragoons, the 24th Regiment of (Light) Dragoons and 25th Dragoons(renumbered as the 22nd Dragoons in 1802).
References
- ^ a b Carman 1977, p. 48.
- ^ "Dragoon". Oxford English Dictionary.
A kind of carbine or musket.
- ^ "took his name from his weapon, a species of carbine or short musket called the dragon" (Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 8 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 471.)
- ^ Bismark 1855, p. 330.
- ^ Bismark 1855, p. 331.
- ^ Espino López 2012, pp. 7–48.
- ^ Bismark 1855, p. 333.
- ^ Reid 2001, p. 96.
- ^ "the definition of dragoon". Dictionary.com.
- ^ Ede-Borrett 2009, pp. 206–207.
- ^ Brzezinski 1993, p. 48.
- ^ Mollo 1972, p. 23.
- ^ Chartrand 1988, p. 37.
- ^ a b Haythornthwaite 2001, p. 19.
- ^ a b Barthorp 1984, p. 22.
- ^ a b Barthorp 1984, p. 24.
- ^ Rothenberg 1978, p. 141.
- ^ Barthorp 1984, pp. 61 & 64.
- ^ Rowe 2004.
- ^ Marrion 1975, pp. 7–11.
- ^ Pavlovic 1999, p. 3.
- ^ Pavlovic 1999, p. 26.
- ^ Knotel 1980, p. 26.
- ^ Torres & Láinez 2008, p. ?.
- ^ Heitman 1903, pp. 79–80.
- ^ Novitsky, N. F., ed. (1911–1915). Cavalry/Encyclopaedia Militera, V.11. Moscow – SPb, Sytin Publishing.
- ^ Jouineau 2008, pp. 23–25.
- ^ Lucas 1987, pp. 101–105.
- ^ Koppen 1890, p. 67.
- ^ Koppen 1890, p. 62.
- ^ Koppen 1890, p. 61.
- ^ Koppen 1890, p. 65.
- ^ Herr 2006, pp. 324–343.
- ^ Barthorp 1984, pp. 183–184.
- ^ Cann 1997, p. ?.
- ^ "Exército Brasileiro – Braço Forte, Mão Amiga" (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on 12 March 2009.
- ^ "Presidência da República – GSI" (in Portuguese). office of the president of Brazil. Archived from the original on 21 June 2008. Retrieved 1 February 2014.
- ^ CARVALHO, José Murilo de. D. Pedro II: Ser ou não ser. São Paulo: Companhia das Letras, 2007, p. 98
- ^ "A Short History of The Royal Canadian Dragoons". Retrieved 28 December 2020.
- ^ "Royal Canadian Mounted Police". Archived from the original on 18 January 2008. Retrieved 1 February 2014.
- ^ "Ottawa Valley Branch of the Heraldry Society of Canada". Archived from the original on 1 August 2001.
- ^ Media, Fresh. "Lietuvos kariuomenė :: Kariuomenės struktūra » Kontaktai » Lietuvos didžiojo kunigaikščio Butigeidžio dragūnų batalionas". kariuomene.kam.lt. Archived from the original on 19 June 2013. Retrieved 24 February 2017.
- ^ "Unidades militares que existieron en la Nueva España. | Secretaría de la Defensa Nacional | Gobierno | gob.mx". Archived from the original on 16 November 2020. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
- ^ "Infonor - Diario Digital". Infonor.com.mx. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
- ^ "Los dragones: ¿infantería a caballo, o caballería desmontada?". Camino a Rocroi (in European Spanish). 10 July 2012. Archived from the original on 3 December 2018. Retrieved 2 December 2018.
- ^ "Dragones de Cuera: Oeste Español | GUERREROS". guerrerosdelahistoria.com (in European Spanish). Retrieved 2 December 2018.
- ^ Gómez, José Manuel Rodríguez. "Uniformidad de los dragones españoles en 1808". www.eborense.es (in European Spanish). Archived from the original on 11 June 2011. Retrieved 2 December 2018.
- ISBN 0-684-16304-7
- ^ Dragons toujours en selle, Éditions Imprimerie centrale, Neuchâtel (1974)
- ^ MOD. "Dragoon units". MOD. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
- ^ "1/1 CAV equipment arrives in Europe". army.mil. 25 September 2014.
- ^ "Regimental Designations and Deployments | 2d Dragoons". History.dragoons.org. Archived from the original on 28 July 2014. Retrieved 9 April 2015.
- ^ "1st Marine Division > Units > 3D LAR BN". 1stmardiv.marines.mil. Retrieved 9 April 2015.
General and cited sources
- Barthorp, Michael (1984). British Cavalry Uniforms Since 1660. Littlehampton Book Services. ISBN 978-0713710434.
- Bismark, Graf Friedrich Wilhelm von (1855). On the Uses and Application of Cavalry in War from the Text of Bismark: With Practical Examples Selected from Ancient and Modern History. Translated by North Ludlow Beamish. London: T. & W. Boone. Retrieved 1 February 2014.
- Brzezinski, Richard (1993). The Army of Gustavus Adolphus (2): Cavalry: Pt. 2. Men-at-Arms). Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1855323506.
- Cann, Jonh P (1997). Counterinsurgency in Africa: The Portuguese Way of War, 1961-1974. Praeger. ISBN 978-0313301896.
- Carman, W. Y. (1977). A Dictionary of Military Uniforms. HarperCollins Distribution Services. ISBN 0-684-15130-8.
- Chartrand (1988). Louis XIV's Army. Men-at-Arms No. 203. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-0850458503.
- Ede-Borrett, Stephen (2009). "Some Notes on the Raising and Origins of Colonel John Okey's Regiment of Dragoons, March to June, 1645". Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research. 87 (351): 206–213. JSTOR 44231688.
- Espino López, Antonio (2012). "El uso táctico de las armas de fuego en las guerras civiles peruanas (1538–1547)". Historica (in Spanish). XXXVI (2).
- Haythornthwaite, Philip (2001). Napoleonic Cavalry. Napoleonic weapons & warfare. W&N. ISBN 978-0304355082.
- Heitman, Francis B. (1903). Historical register and dictionary of the United States Army. War Department. Retrieved 4 September 2014.
- Herr, Ulrich (2006). The German Cavalry from 1871 to 1914. Verlag Militaria. ISBN 978-3902526076.
- Jouineau, Andre (2008). Officers and Soldiers of the French Army 1914. Amber Books Limited. ISBN 978-2-35250-104-6.
- Kannik, Prebben (1968). Military Uniforms in Colour. Blandford Press. ISBN 0-7137-0482-9.
- Knotel, Richard (1980). Uniforms of the World: A Compendium of Army, Navy and Air Force Uniforms, 1700-1937. Arms & Armour Press. ISBN 978-0853683131.
- Koppen, Fedor von (1890). The Armies of Europe (2015 ed.). Naval & Military Press. ISBN 978-1-78331-175-0.
- Lucas, James (1987). Fighting Troops of the Austro-Hungarian Army 1868-1914. Spellmount Publishers Ltd. ISBN 0-946771-04-9.
- Marrion, Richard (1975). Uniforms of the Imperial German Army, 1900-14: Lancers and Dragoons v. 3. Almark Publishing Co Ltd. ISBN 978-0855242015.
- Mollo, John (1972). Military Fashion: Comparative History of the Uniforms of the Great Armies from the 17th Century to the First World War. Barrie & Jenkins. ISBN 978-0214653490.
- Pavlovic, Darko (1999). The Austrian Army 1836–66 (2) Cavalry. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1855328006.
- Reid, Howard (2001). Arthur the Dragon King: Man and myth reassessed. Headline Book Publishing. ISBN 978-0747275572.
- LCCN 77086495. Retrieved 1 February 2014.
- Rowe, David (2004). Head dress of the British heavy cavalry: Dragoon Guards, Household and Yeomanry Cavalry. Schiffer Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7643-0957-1.
- Torres, Carlos Canales; Láinez, Fernando Martínez (2008). Banderas lejanas: la exploración, conquista y defensa por España del territorio de los actuales Estados Unidos (in Spanish). Edaf. ISBN 9788441421196.
- ISBN 1-84022-222-0.
Further reading
- Bennett, James A, Edited by Brooks, Clinton E., Reeve, Frank D. (1948). Forts and Forays, James A. Bennett: A DRAGOON IN NEW MEXICO 1850-1856. The University of New Mexico Press, Albuquerque.
- Hildreth, James (1836). Dragoon Campaigns to the Rocky Mountains, Being a History of the Enlistment, Organization, and first Campaigns of The Regiment Of UNITED STATES DRAGOONS. New York: Wiley & Long, No. 161 Broadway. 1836. D. Fanshaw, Printer.
- Note 1: Possibly from a previous writing, which resulted in a acquitted (p. 8), the author wished to remain anonymousand sometimes listed his name as "By A Dragoon" in lieu of his real name.
- Note 2: At the time of the author's enlistment in 1833, only one regiment of U.S. Dragoons existed, therefore there was no need to designate it with a number. When two more mounted regiments were created by Congressin 1836, the Regiment of Dragoons became the 1st U.S. Dragoons.
- Note 1: Possibly from a previous writing, which resulted in a
- Sawicki, James A. (1985). Cavalry Regiments in the U.S. Army. LCCN 85050072.
External links
- Napoleonic Cavalry: Dragoons, Cuirassiers
- Saskatchewan Dragoons (Canada)
- British Columbia Dragoons (Canada)
- First Regiment of Cavalry (USA) Archived 12 April 2021 at the Wayback Machine
- The Society of the Military Horse
- "Field Marshal Nieto" Regiment of Cavalry (Perú) Archived 10 August 2019 at the Wayback Machine
- Perú 1970: Changing of the Dragoon Guard