Standard bearer Dragoons

Standard bearer Dragoons

Dragoons were originally infantrymen travelling on horseback. From the 17th century on, the corps had been used both as infantry and cavalry, but during the Empire, they were more and more used like the heavy cavalry and partly lost this dual role.

In 1803, companies of Foot Dragoons were formed.

The dragoons wore a green woolen cloth coat and a copper helmet, lined with a sealskin headband and topped by a black plume.
Their weapons were adapted to their style of combat: a straigt sabre for horse combat, and a rifle, shorter than the infantry rifle, for ffot combat.

The draggons fought brilliantly during all the campagns of the Empire but it was in Spain that they showed their best, expecailly at the battles of Tudela, Ocana and Medellin.
In 1814, when these units were recalled to fight in campaign in France, this was considered by all to be a true hope for victory.