Hat 8033 Napoleonic British Dragoons

The basic heavy cavalry of the British army during the Napoleonic Wars (1799-1815) were primarily the regiments of dragoons (actually "heavy dragoons"). At the beginning of these wars, Great Britain had seven regiments of Dragoon Guards and six regiments of Dragoons. The regular British dragoons regiment consisted of 5 squadrons, one of which was treated as a rear or spare. However, in the course of the 1815 campaign, regiments consisting of 2-3 squadrons started fighting. Theoretically, a single squadron had around 180 men, but over the course of the campaign, this number dropped and, for example, during the Battle of Waterloo, the dragoons had an average of around 150 men. The primary melee weapon of the British dragoons was the Model 1796 single-edged broadsword, suitable primarily for cutting. In turn, the most commonly used firearms were a flintlock rifle or cavalry rifle. All dragoons regiments wore red uniform jackets, and depending on the regiment, they had different colors of lapels and stripes. It is worth adding that, like other British cavalry formations, the dragoons were perceived as having good individual training (both in riding and in using weapons), and they often showed courage. On the other hand, the tactics and executive discipline on the battlefield were quite disadvantages.