Saturday 25 September 2010

Dragoon Regiment La Reine

Counterparts to the Dutch dragoons that have already featured, this unit is the first of a brigade of three regiments, each two squadrons strong. Although inferior to the more numerous
"horse" in melee, dragoons can be used in a dismounted role, giving them a useful flexibility. One thing I must admit to being unsure of is how flexible they were in this mounted/dismounted role. It doesn't appear that they fought like, for example cavalry in the ACW, using both mounted and dismounted action in quick succession; a large number of French dragoons held the French right at Blenheim, but seem to have remained dismounted throughout the battle and were indeed behind barricades. This may have been due to a lack of horses. At Ramillies, a large force of dragoons that were initially mounted alongside the main body of horse, were subsequently dismounted to assist in an ill-advised counter-attack against the Dutch Guards. they were comprehensively shot up by these Guards and then overrun by Danish horse. This put them out of the battle permanently. This particular regiment had red coats with red facings and caps. The saddle cloths were also red, edged white. Most of their service was in Flanders.

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