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  • Old type Army formations

    Can someone please tell me what is the difference between Dragoons,Lancers,Calvalry,Hussars?I have been watching a programme about the Russian Napolean wars and they talk about these different formations.Thank you.
    Hanno
    Hanno

  • #2
    OK. Off the top of my head, from an Infantryman,and subject to correction here goes:

    Dragoon: Mounted infantry, dismounted to fight. Used also to forage (not necessarily for payment, hence dragooned i. e. taken, captured) Armed with a musket or carbine, breathing fire, hence dragon and later dragoon

    Lancer: As the title suggetsts, mounted soldiers, fighting with lances

    Cavalry: As in Cheval or Chevalier (French for horse and horseman) Troops who fight on horseback (also ancient ref to chivalry)

    Hussar: Light horseman originally raised in Hungary. From the Hungarian Huszar; freebooter

    Hope that is of some help!

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    • #3
      The French also had Cuirassiers. :D Which I suppose were Dragoons more or less. They wore armoured breastplates, which were originally made of leather (cuir). Hence Cuirassiers.
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      Originally posted by hedgehog
      My favourite moment was when the
      Originally posted by hedgehog
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      • #4
        Isnt the Breastplate worn by the Household Cavalry still referred to as Cuirassiers?


        Catch-22 says they have a right to do anything we can't stop them from doing.

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        • #5
          Thank you.Believe it or not,it WAS before my time.
          Hanno
          Hanno

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          • #6
            The breastplate itself is a cuirasse.
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            Say NO to violence against Women

            Originally posted by hedgehog
            My favourite moment was when the
            Originally posted by hedgehog
            red headed old dear got a smack on her ginger head

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            • #7
              Its also broken down into two categories(open to correction here)-light & heavy cavalry.Hussars would have fallen into the light category along with light Dragoons.The heavy formations consisted of the Life Guards,Horse Guards & Dragoon guards.The Dragoons fall into both categories.These are British formations circa 1812 - the period Hanno had in question.Of note is that Napoleons formations would have differed.He would have Chausseurs & indeed Cuirassier in his formations as well as heavy & light cavalry from other "Allied" nations.Also G-Hog is correct the French breastplate worn by Cuirassiers is called a cuirasse,hence the name.The British variant being just a breastplate,i think!Hope that shed some light on the subject.
              I just wish to point out that i'm NOT a Party Hat either!! :D
              Live long and prosper!

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              • #8
                Great info. But what is the dif between light and heavy? Presumably equipment and role but what equipment and role?

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                • #9
                  In Australia we have the Hunter River Lancers which must have had its history in the British Army as their badge is an elephant.Main thing we had on horseback was mounted rifles.These became famous when they took Berthsheeba in 1917.They would attack on horseback and dismount and fight as infantry,however,they rode straight over the Turkish guns as the Turk was expecting them to dismount.10Th Light Horse came from Western Australia and they went into battle at a place called the "NECK' at Galipolli and were killed to a man.Their horses were being looked after by another Light Horse until in Egypt and their horses all bolted at the time of the attack.All our APC Squadrons are Cavalry but often they were the 'Light Horse' during WW1.
                  Hanno
                  Hanno

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                  • #10
                    The "cavalry" used by both the Federals and Confederates in the American civil war were in fact mounted infantry.The brigades of Gen Beuford playing a critical role at Gettysburg where fighting on foot they delayed the advance of the rebels and held Cemetery ridge until the arrival of the federal main force.These cavalry units were usually supported by horse artillery.

                    It will be remembered that the famous 7th cavalry did not take their sabres with them to the Little Big Horn.

                    It is said that at Waterloo the sound of the musket balls hitting the breastplates of the French cavalry sounded like hail on a window.

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                    • #11
                      Heavy cavalry was used for shock action on the battlefield. Light cavalry was used for reconnaissance, screening & patrolling.
                      "The dolphins were monkeys that didn't like the land, walked back to the water, went back from the sand."

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                      • #12
                        Heavy cavalry was used for shock action on the battlefield
                        True but in general all cavalry were useless against unbroken troops.The infantry squares at Waterloo destroyed the French cavalry.The big mistake Napoleon made at Waterloo was to send his cavalry into action unsupported by infantry.

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                        • #13
                          On the contrary the cavalry forced the infantry to form square making tham a nice juicy for target for the French artillery. The 27th Foot which became the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers was virtually eliminated by cannon fire the dead lying in square at the end of the day.
                          sigpic
                          Say NO to violence against Women

                          Originally posted by hedgehog
                          My favourite moment was when the
                          Originally posted by hedgehog
                          red headed old dear got a smack on her ginger head

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                          • #14
                            Thanks, but what was the difference in equipment between light and heavy? Was it armour?

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                            • #15
                              The type of horse perhaps? The difference between a Hunter and a Clydesdale


                              Catch-22 says they have a right to do anything we can't stop them from doing.

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