Dragoons were originally a class ofmounted infantry, who used horses for mobility, but dismounted to fight on foot. From the early 17th century onward, dragoons were increasingly also employed as conventionalcavalry 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 offirearm, called adragon, which was a handgun version of ablunderbuss, carried by dragoons of theFrench Army.[2][3]
The title has been retained in modern times by a number ofarmoured or ceremonial mounted regiments.
The establishment of dragoons evolved from the practice of sometimes transportinginfantry by horse when speed of movement was needed. In 1552,Alexander Farnese, Duke of Parma, mounted several companies of infantry onpack horses to achieve surprise, another example being that used byLouis of Nassau in 1572 during operations nearMons inHainaut, when 500 infantry were transported this way.[4] It is also suggested the first dragoons were raised by the Marshalde Brissac in 1600.[5] According to old German literature, dragoons were invented by CountErnst von Mansfeld, one of the greatest German military commanders, in the early 1620s. There are other instances of mounted infantry predating this. However Mansfeld, who had learned his profession in Hungary and the Netherlands, often used horses to make his foot troops more mobile, creating what was called anarmée volante (French for 'flying army').
During theSpanish conquest of the Inca Empire in the 16th century, Spanishconquistadors fought on horse witharquebuses, prefiguring the origin of European dragoons.[6]
The origin of the name remains disputed and obscure. It possibly derives from an early weapon, a shortwheellock, called adragon because its muzzle was decorated with a dragon's head. The practice comes from a time when all gunpowder weapons had distinctive names, including theculverin, serpentine, falcon,falconet, etc.[7] It is also sometimes claimed a galloping infantryman with his loose coat and the burning match resembled adragon.[1] It has also been asserted that the name was coined by Mansfeld as a comparison to dragons represented as "spitting fire and being swift on the wing".[8] Finally, it has been suggested that the name derives from the Germantragen or the Dutchdragen, both being the verbto carry in their respective languages.Howard Reid claims the name and role descend from the LatinDraconarius.[9]
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 bythe French monarchy topersecute Protestants, particularly by forcingProtestants to lodge a dragoon (dragonnades) in their house to watch over them at the householder's expense.[10]
Early dragoons were not organized insquadrons ortroops as were cavalry, but incompanies like the infantry. Theircommissioned andnon-commissioned officers bore infantry ranks, while they used drummers, not buglers, to communicate orders on the battlefield. The flexibility of mounted infantry made dragoons a useful arm, especially when employed for what would now be termed "internal security" against smugglers or civil unrest, and online of communication security duties.
In Britain, companies of dragoons were first raised during theWars of the Three Kingdoms and prior to 1645 either served as independent troops or were attached to cavalry units. When theNew Model Army was first approved byParliament in January 1645, it included ten regiments of cavalry, each with a company of dragoons attached. At the urging of SirThomas Fairfax, on 1 March they were formed into a separate unit of 1,000 men, commanded by ColonelJohn Okey, and played an important part at theBattle of Naseby in June.[11]
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 centuryGustav II Adolf introduced dragoons into the Swedish Army, he provided them with a sword, an axe and amatchlock musket, using them as "labourers on horseback".[12] Many of the European armies henceforth imitated this all-purpose set of weaponry. Dragoons of the late 17th and early 18th centuries retained strong links with infantry in appearance and equipment, differing mainly in the substitution of riding boots for shoes and the adoption of caps instead of broad-brimmed hats to enable muskets to be worn slung.[13]
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A non-military use of dragoons was the 1681Dragonnades, a policy instituted byLouis XIV to intimidateHuguenot families into either leaving France or re-converting toCatholicism bybilleting ill-disciplined dragoons in Protestant households. While other categories of infantry and cavalry were also used, the mobility, flexibility and available numbers of the dragoon regiments made them particularly suitable for repressive work of this nature over a wide area.[14]
In the Spanish Army, Pedro de la Puente organized a body of dragoons inInnsbruck in 1635. In 1640, atercio of a thousand dragoons armed with thearquebus was created in Spain. By the end of the 17th century, the Spanish Army had threetercios of dragoons in Spain, plus three in the Netherlands and three more inMilan. In 1704, the Spanish dragoons were reorganised into regiments byPhilip V, as were the rest of thetercios.[citation needed]
Dragoons were at a disadvantage when engaged against true cavalry, and constantly sought to improve their horsemanship, armament and social status. By theSeven Years' War in 1756, their primary role in most European armies had progressed from that of mounted infantry to that of heavy cavalry. They were sometimes described as "medium" cavalry, midway between heavy/armoured and light/unarmoured regiments, though this was a classification that was rarely used at the time.[15] Their original responsibilities for scouting andpicket duty had passed tohussars and similar light cavalry corps in the French, Austrian, Prussian, and other armies. In theImperial Russian Army, due to the availability ofCossack troops, the dragoons were retained in their original role for much longer.
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.[16] Starting in 1756, seven regiments oflight dragoons were raised and trained inreconnaissance,skirmishing and other work requiringendurance in accordance with contemporary standards of light cavalry performance. The success of this new class of cavalry was such that another eight dragoon regiments were converted between 1768 and 1783.[17] When this reorganisation was completed in 1788, the cavalry arm consisted of regular dragoons and seven units ofdragoon guards. The designation of dragoon guards did not mean that these regiments (the former 2nd to 8th horse) had become household troops, but simply that they had been given a more dignified title to compensate for the loss of pay and prestige.[16]
Towards the end of 1776,George Washington realized the need for a mounted branch of the American military. In January 1777 four regiments of light dragoons were raised. Short term enlistments were abandoned and the dragoons joined for three years, or "the war". They participated in most of the major engagements of theAmerican War of Independence, including the battles ofWhite Plains,Trenton,Princeton,Brandywine,Germantown,Saratoga,Cowpens, andMonmouth, as well as theYorktown campaign.
During theNapoleonic Wars, dragoons generally assumed a cavalry role, though remaining a lighter class of mounted troops than the armoredcuirassiers. Dragoons rode larger horses than the light cavalry and wielded straight, rather than curved swords.
EmperorNapoleon often formed complete divisions out of his 30 dragoon regiments, while in 1811 six regiments were converted toChevau-Legers Lanciers; they were often used in battle to break the enemy's main resistance.[18] In northern and eastern Europe they were employed as heavy cavalry, while in thePeninsular War they also fulfilled the role of lighter cavalry, for example in anti-guerrilla operations.[15] In 1809, French dragoons scored notable successes against Spanish armies at theBattle of Ocana and theBattle of Alba de Tormes.
Between 1806 and 1808, the 7th, 10th, 15th and 18th regiments of Light Dragoons of the British Army were re-designated ashussars and when theNapoleonic Wars ended in 1815, some becamelancers. The transition from dragoons to hussars was however a slow one, affecting uniforms but not equipment and functions. Even titles often remained ambiguous until 1861, for example, 18th King's Light Dragoons (Hussars).[19]
The seven regiments of Dragoon Guards served as the heavy cavalry arm of the British Army, although unlike continentalcuirassiers they carried no armour.[20] Between 1816 and 1861, the other twenty-one cavalry regiments were either disbanded or rebadged as lancers or hussars.[17][a]
The Kingdom of Prussia in the Napoleonic era included 14 Regiments of Dragoons, designated Numbers 1 through 14, in their Order of Battle at the start of the 1806 Campaign against Napoleon's French Army. Prussian cavalry regiments were better known by their "Chef" or "Inhaber", the titular commander responsible for supporting the regiment, while command in the field might fall to a more junior Colonel, Lt. Colonel, or even a Major. As a result, every time there was a change in "Chef" the name of the regiment changed. By 1806, the Prussian Dragoons wore a very tall bicorn hat worn slanted slightly obliquely with a tall, white plume. Their uniforms had changed by 1802 from coats that had been cut like the infantry to short, medium-blue cavalry tunics. Each regiment had differentiating colors for a variety of uniform accessories such as small pompoms at the side of the hat, tunic facings and shoulder flaps on the left shoulder, woolen tassels for the sabre straps, and the horse saddlecloths. Dragoons were issued a long, straight blade with a single edge, the Dragoon Pallasch sword, which featured a brass basket hilt for hand protection. The Pallasch was designed for powerful cutting and thrusting action, making it effective for cavalry charges.
For the period of 1798 to October of 1806, the majority of Prussian Dragoon regiments were similar to Prussian Cuirassier regiments in staffing and organization. Most were made up of 5 squadrons with an 'on paper' war-time regimental strength of 935 men including soldiers, officers, and all the support staff. The minor difference was that Dragoon regiments had 10 more carabiniers (60 in a Dragoon regiment compared to 50 in a Cuirassier regiment) and therefore ten fewer regular troopers (660 Dragoons compared to 670 Cuirassiers). The average regimental staff of most of the regiments was around 37 officers, 65 NCOs, one staff trumpeter and 14 trumpeters, supported by 5 surgeons led by a regimental surgeon, 9 blacksmiths, a regimental quartermaster, a chaplain and a judge, a horse trainer, a saddlemaker, a gunsmith and a gunstock maker, a provost, and 68 servants. The two regiments that were exceptions were the 5th "Bayreuth" (re-designated in March 1806 as the Queen's or "Königin" Dragoons) and the 6th "Auer" Dragoon regiments, which were double-strength with 10 squadrons and retained 2/3rd German heavy horses.
After the disastrous results of the 1806-07 war with France, most of the Prussian army had ceased to exist. For example, the 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, and 14th Dragoon regiments were totally lost and even the 9th and 14th Dragoon regimental depots had been destroyed. The complete re-organization of the Prussian army in 1808 led to numerous regiments being re-organized and re-designated, mixing surviving Dragoons and Cuirassier veterans with new recruits into a new numeric system and losing the traditional "Chef" naming schema in favor of a mostly geographical designation, with a few exceptions. For example, the old pre-1807 5th "Bayreuth"/"Königin" Dragoons became the 1st "Königin" Dragoon regiment, while the 7th "von Baczko" Dragoons became the 3rd "Lithuanian" Dragoon regiment. The newly designated 5th "Brandenburg" Dragoons were formed from merging the remains of the 5th "von Bailliodz" Cuirassier regiment and its depot with the remains of the old 1st "Konig von Bayern" Dragoon regiment and its depot. This resulted in the reduction of Prussian Dragoon regiments from 14 to 6.[21]
Many of these new Prussian Dragoon regiments fought in the 1813Wars of Liberation in theSixth Coalition against Napoleon in central Europe and France into 1814.
The creation ofa unified German state in 1871 brought together the dragoon regiments ofPrussia,Bavaria,Saxony, Mecklenburg,Oldenburg,Baden,Hesse, andWürttemberg 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.[22]
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.[23] After 1859 all but two Austrian dragoon regiments were converted to cuirassiers or disbanded.[24] From 1868 to 1918 the Austro-Hungarian dragoons numbered 15 regiments.[25]
During the 18th century, Spain raised several regiments of dragoons to protect the northern provinces and borders ofNew Spain, the present-day states of California,Nevada,Colorado,Texas,Kansas,Arizona,Montana,North Dakota, andSouth Dakota.[26] In mainland Spain, dragoons were reclassified as light cavalry from 1803 but remained among the elite units of theSpanish Colonial Army. A number of dragoon officers played a leading role in initiating theMexican War of Independence in 1810, includingIgnacio Allende,Juan Aldama andAgustin de Iturbide, who briefly served as Emperor of México from 1822 to 1823.
Prior to theWar of 1812, the U.S. organized theRegiment of Light Dragoons. For the war,a second regiment was activated; that regiment was consolidated with the original regiment in 1814. The original regiment was consolidated with the Corps of Artillery in June 1815.[27] TheUnited States Dragoons was organized by anAct of Congress approved on 2 March 1833 after the disbandment of theBattalion of Mounted Rangers. The unit became the "First Regiment of Dragoons" when the Second Dragoons was raised in 1836. In 1861, they were re-designated as the 1st and 2nd Cavalry but did not change their role or equipment, although the traditional orange uniform braiding of the dragoons was replaced by the standard yellow of the Cavalry branch. This marked the official end of dragoons in the U.S. Army in name, although certain modern units trace their origins back to the historic dragoon regiments. In practice, all US cavalry assumed a dragoon-like role, frequently usingcarbines andpistols, in addition to theirswords.
Between 1881 and 1907, all Russian cavalry (other thanCossacks andImperial Guard regiments) were designated as dragoons, reflecting an emphasis on the double ability of dismounted action as well as the new cavalry tactics in their training and a growing acceptance of the impracticality of employing historicalcavalry tactics against modern firepower. Upon the reinstatement of Uhlan and Hussar Regiments in 1907 their training pattern, as well as that of the Cuirassiers of the Guard, remained unchanged until the collapse of the Russian Imperial Army.[28]
In Japan, during the late 19th and early 20th century, dragoons were deployed in the same way as in other armies, but were dressed ashussars.
In the period before 1914, dragoon regiments still existed in the British and French armies,[29] as well as the German, Russian, Austro-Hungarian,[30] Canadian, Peruvian, Swiss,[31] Norwegian,[32] Swedish,[33] Danish, and Spanish.[34] Their uniforms varied greatly, lacking the characteristic features of hussar or lancer regiments. Uniforms bore occasional reminders of their mounted infantry origins: the 28 dragoon regiments of theImperial German Army wore the infantryPickelhaube or spiked helmet,[35] while British dragoons worescarlet tunics for full dress while hussars and all but one of the lancer regiments wore dark blue.[36] In other respects however dragoons had adopted the same tactics, roles and equipment as other branches of the cavalry and the distinction had become simply one of traditional titles. Weaponry had ceased to have a historic connection, with both the French and German dragoon regiments carryinglances when serving as mounted troops during World War I.
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 theSecond Spanish Republic.[citation needed]
In 1914, at the outbreak of World War I, France maintained 32 regiments of dragoons. Armed with lances, sabres and carbines they were primarily intended to carry out reconnaissance and infantry flanking functions.[37]
TheAustralian 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 theSecond Boer War andWorld War I. The Australian 4th Light Horse Brigade became famous for theBattle of Beersheba in 1917 where they charged on horseback using riflebayonets in hand, since neithersabres norlances 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 thePortuguese Army in thewar in Angola during the 1960s and 1970s. In 1966, the Portuguese created an experimental horse platoon to operate against the guerrillas in the high grass region of EasternAngola, in which each soldier was armed with aG3battle rifle for combat on foot and with asemi-automatic pistol to fire from horseback. The troops on horseback were able to operate in difficult terrain unsuited tomotor vehicles and had the advantage of being able to control the area around them, with a clear view over the grass that foot troops did not have. Moreover, these unconventional troops created a psychological impact on an enemy that was not used to facing horse troops, and thus had no training or strategy to deal with them. The experimental horse platoon was so successful that its entire parent battalion was transformed from an armored reconnaissance unit to a three-squadron horse battalion known as the "Dragoons of Angola". One of the typical operations carried out by the Dragoons of Angola, in cooperation withairmobile forces, consisted of the dragoons chasing the guerrillas and pushing them in one direction, with the airmobile troops being launched fromhelicopter in the enemy rear, trapping the enemy between the two forces.[38]
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. TheDragoner rank, together with all other private ranks of the different branch of service, belonged to the so-calledGemeine rank group.
Theguard of honour for thePresident of Brazil includes the1st Guard Cavalry Regiment of theBrazilian Army, known as the"Dragões da Independência" (Independence Dragoons). The name was given in 1927 and refers to the fact that a detachment of dragoons escorted thePrince Royal of Portugal and Brazil,Pedro of Braganza, at the time when hedeclared Brazilian independence from theUnited Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves on 7 September 1822.
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 byDebret, in white and red, with plumed bronze helmets. The colors and pattern were influenced by the Austrian dragoons of the period, as theBrazilian Empress consort was also anAustrian archduchess.[39] The color of the plumes varies according to rank. The Independence Dragoons are armed withlances andsabres, the latter only for the officers and the colour guard.[40]
The regiment was established in 1808 by the Prince Regent and futureKing of Portugal,John VI, with the duty of protecting the Portuguese royal family, which had sought refuge in Brazil during theNapoleonic wars. However dragoons had existed in Portugal since at least the early 18th century and, in 1719, units of this type of cavalry were sent to Brazil, initially to escort shipments of gold and diamonds and to guard theViceroy who resided inRio de Janeiro (1st Cavalry Regiment – Vice-Roy GuardSquadron). Later, they were also sent to the south to serve against the Spanish during frontier clashes. After the proclamation of theBrazilian independence, the title of the regiment was changed to that of the Imperial Honor Guard, with the role of protecting theImperial Family. The Guard was later disbanded byEmperor Pedro II and would be recreated only later in the republican era.[41]
At the time of theRepublic 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.
There are three dragoon regiments in theCanadian Army:The Royal Canadian Dragoons and tworeserve regiments, theBritish Columbia Dragoons and theSaskatchewan Dragoons.
The Royal Canadian Dragoons is the seniorArmoured regiment in theCanadian 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.[42]
TheRoyal Canadian Mounted Police were accorded the formal status of a regiment of dragoons in 1921.[43][44] The modern RCMP does not retain any military status however.
Founded as theDragones de la Reina (Queen's Dragoons) in 1758 and later renamed the Dragoons of Chile in 1812, and then becoming theCarabineros de Chile in 1903. TheCarabineros 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 inPunta Arenas as the 6th Armored Cavalry Squadron "Dragoons", and form part of the 5th Army Division.
The RoyalDanish Army includes amongst its historic regiments theJutland Dragoon Regiment, which was raised in 1670.
The modernFrench Army retains three dragoon regiments from the thirty-two in existence at the beginning of World War I: the2nd, which is a nuclear, biological and chemical protection regiment, the5th, an experimentalCombined arms regiment, and the13th (Special Reconnaissance).
Beginning in the 17th century, the mercenary army of theGrand 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 thePartitions of thePolish–Lithuanian Commonwealth.
Between 1920 and 1924, and again between 1935 and 1940, the Lithuanian Army included the Third DragoonIron Wolf Regiment. The dragoons were the equivalent of the present-dayVolunteer Forces.
In modern Lithuania the Grand Duke Butigeidis Dragoon Battalion (Lithuanian: didžiojo kunigaikščio Butigeidžio dragūnų batalionas)[45] is designated as dragoons, with a motorized infantry role.
During the times of the Viceroyalty, regiments of dragoons (Dragon de cuera) were created to defendNew Spain. They were mostly horsemen from the provinces. During and after theMexican war of independence, dragons have played an important role in military conflicts within the country such as theBattle of Puebla during theFrench intervention, until theMexican Revolution. One of the best-known military marches in Mexico is the Marcha Dragona (dragon march), the only one currently used by cavalry and motorized units during the parade on 16 September to commemorate Independence Day.[46][47]
In theNorwegian 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 theGerman invasion in 1940. AfterWorld War II the dragoon regiments were reorganized asarmouredreconnaissance units. "Dragon" is the rank of a compulsory service private cavalryman while enlisted (regular) cavalrymen have the same rank as infantrymen: "Grenader".
The Armoured Regiment "34 Lancers" of Pakistan Army Armoured Corps is also known as "Dragoons".
The"Mariscal Domingo Nieto" Cavalry Regiment Escort, named after Field MarshalDomingo Nieto, a formerPresident of Peru, were the traditional Guard of theGovernment Palace until 5 March 1987 and its disbandment in that year. However, by Ministerial Resolution No 139-2012/DE/EP of 2 February 2012 the restoration of the Cavalry Regiment "Marshal Domingo Nieto" as the official escort of the President of the Republic of Peru was announced. The main mission of the reestablished regiment was to guarantee the security of the President of the Republic and of the Government Palace.
This regiment of dragoons was created in 1904 following the suggestion of a French military mission which undertook the reorganization of thePeruvian 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 thecoat of arms of Peru and golden or redepaulettes depending on rank. They retain their original armament oflances andsabres, until the 1980s rifles were used for dismounted drill.
At13:00 hours every day, the main esplanade in front of theGovernment Palace of Perú fronting Lima's Main Square serves as the stage for the changing of the guard, undertaken by members of the Presidential Life Guard Escort Dragoons, mounted or dismounted. While the dismounted changing is held on Mondays and Fridays, the mounted ceremony is held twice a month on a Sunday.
ThePortuguese Army still maintains two units which are descended from former regiments of dragoons. These are the 3rd Regiment of Cavalry (the former "Olivença Dragoons") and the 6th Regiment of Cavalry (the former "Chaves Dragoons"). Both regiments are, presently, armoured units. ThePortuguese Rapid Reaction Brigade's Armoured Reconnaissance Squadron – a unit from the 3rd Regiment of Cavalry – is known as the "Paratroopers Dragoons".
During thePortuguese Colonial War in the 1960s and the 1970s, thePortuguese Army created an experimental horse platoon, to combat the guerrillas in easternAngola. This unit was soon augmented, becoming a group of three squadrons, known as the "Angola Dragoons". The Angola Dragoons operated as mounted infantry – like the original dragoons – each soldier being armed with apistol to fire when on horseback and with anautomatic rifle, to use when dismounted. A unit of the same type was being created inMozambique when the war ended in 1974.
TheSpanish Army began the training of a dragoon corps in 1635 under the direction of Pedro de la Puente atInnsbruck. In 1640 the first dragoon "tercio" was created, equipped witharquebuses andmaces. The number of dragoon tercios was increased to nine by the end of the XVII century: three garrisoned in Spain, another three in theNetherlands and the remainder in Milan.[48]
Thetercios 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 theNew World.[49] Notable amongst those units were the leather-claddragones de cuera.
In 1803, the dragoon regiments were renamed as "caballería ligera" (light cavalry). By 1815, these units had been disbanded.[50]
Spain recreated its dragoons in the late nineteenth century. Three Spanish dragoon regiments were still in existence in 1930.[51]
In theSwedish Army, dragoons comprise theMilitary Police and Military Police Rangers. They also form the 13th Battalion of theLife Guards, which is a military police unit. The 13th (Dragoons) Battalion have roots that go back as far as 1523, making it one of the world's oldest military units still in service. Today, the only mounted units still retained by the Swedish Army are the two dragoons squadrons of the King's Guards Battalion of the Life Guards. Horses are used for ceremonial purposes only, most often when the dragoons take part in the changing of the guards at The Royal Palace in Stockholm. "Livdragon" is the rank of a private cavalryman.
Uniquely, mounted dragoons continued to exist as combat units in theSwiss 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 cavalry. 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 SwissNational Council approved the measure by 91 votes, against 71 for retention.[52]
As of 2021, theBritish Army contains four regiments designated as dragoons:1st The Queens Dragoon Guards,Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, theRoyal Dragoon Guards, and theLight Dragoons. These perform a variety of reconnaissance and light support activities, including convoy protection, and operate theJackal, theCoyote Reconnaissance Vehicle and theFV107 Scimitar light tank.[53]
The 1st and 2nd Battalion,48th Infantry were mechanized infantry units assigned to the3rd Armored Division (3AD) inWest Germany during theCold War. The unit crest of the 48th Infantry designated the unit as Dragoons, purely a traditional designation.
The 1st Dragoons was reformed in theVietnam War era as the1st Squadron, 1st U.S. Cavalry. It served in theIraq 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 withMRAPs,M3A3 Bradley CFVs, andStrykers.[54]
Another modernUnited States Army unit, informally known as the 2nd Dragoons, is the2nd Cavalry Regiment. This unit was originally organized as the Second Regiment of Dragoons in 1836 and was renamed the Second Cavalry Regiment in 1861, being redesignated as the2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment in 1948. The regiment is currently equipped with theStryker family of wheeled fighting vehicles and was redesignated as the 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment in 2006. In 2011 the 2nd Dragoon regiment was redesignated as the 2nd Cavalry Regiment. The 2nd Cavalry Regiment has the distinction of being the longest continuously serving regiment in the United States Army.[55]
The 113th Army Band atFort 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 theUnited 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.[56]
A kind of carbine or musket.
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