Regiment of Light Dragoons (United States)

Under the designation Regiment of Light Dragoons existed two different units of the U.S. Army in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, respectively. A first unit of its name was short lived, established just prior the Quasi-War with France, in 1798 and discharged in 1800.^[1]

Regiment of Light Dragoons
Active	1798 — 1800 (RoLD, 1798) 1808 — 1815 (RoLD, 1808)
Disbanded	June 15, 1800 (RoLD, 1798) May 17, 1815 (RoLD, 1808)
Country	United States
Branch	United States Army
Type	Dragoons
Size	Regiment
Weapons	Sabers Pistols
Campaigns	RoLD, 1798: Quasi-War RoLD, 1808: War of 1812 Bladensburg Chippewa
Commanders
Commanders	RoLD, 1798: John Watts (1799-1800) RoLD, 1808: Wade Hampton (1808-1809) Leonard Covington (1809-1813) Jacint Laval (1813-1814) James Burn (1814-1815)

The second unit under this designation was activated in 1808. During the War of 1812, it was temporarily designated as the 1st Regiment of Light Dragoons when the War Department created an additional similar regiment. On May 12, 1814, the additional regiment was consolidated with the 1st Regiment, which reverted to its unnumbered designation. The regiment was consolidated with the Corps of Artillery on May 17, 1815.^[1]

The very first unit of the U.S. Army designed as Light Dragoons was a single Squadron of Light Dragoons, assigned to the Legion of the United States, by September 1792.

All these units followed the model of the British Regiments of Light Dragoons that were established in the 1750s.

Background

The RoLD (1798) was formed on July 16, 1798, at the peak of the XYZ Affair and the upcoming Quasi-war with France.

The RoLD (1808) was established on April 12, 1808, following the Chesapeake–Leopard affair, when an Act of Congress passed legislation authorizing an increase in the size of the U.S. Army, to include a regiment of dragoons.^[2][1]

Organization

The origins of the RoLD (1798) traces back to the Squadron of Light Dragoons, established on March 5, 1792. The squadron's four troops were assigned by September 1792 to each of the four sublegions of Legion of the United States. By November 1796 the number of these troops was reduced to only two. Two years later, they were almagamated with six newly raised troops to the Regiment of Light Dragoons. The RoLD (1798) was never completely mounted and parts of it saw service as light infantry before the regiment was dissolved in June 1800. Its two oldest "veterans" troops were discharged on June 1, 1802.

The RoLD (1808) consisted of a regimental headquarters and eight troops. The regiment was never completely organized or mounted and served as light infantry. It was re-designated the 1st Regiment of Light Dragoons since an act on January 11, 1812, created a second regiment (2nd Regiment of Light Dragoons). A further act of Congress of March 30, 1814 resulted in the two regiments being consolidated, on May 12, 1814, into one Regiment of Light Dragoons with eight troops. An act of March 3, 1815 reducing the size of the army led to the regiment being consolidated with the Corps of Artillery on May 17, 1815. Officers whose services were no longer required were discharged on June 15, 1815.^[3][1]

Service

Neither the 1st nor the 2nd Regiment were used as consolidated units during the War of 1812. Generals frequently used their assigned dragoons as escorts, couriers and scouts rather than fighting men.^[4]

Raid in Massena

American dragoons of the 1st Regiment and riflemen numbering together 50 men conducted a raid in Massena bringing back 8 prisoners to Sacket's harbor at the orders of American Colonel Pike on April 13, 1813. The 8 prisoners were accused of smuggling goods and items to British Canada and consorting with the British enemy.^[5]

Second Battle of Sacket’s Harbor

At the Second Battle of Sacket's Harbor May 29, 1813, Lieutenant Colonel Electus Backus rallied Dragoons of the regiment, Regular Army units, and Volunteers to counterattack a British breakthrough on the second American line of defense. The Dragoons, Regulars, and Volunteers fired behind trees inflicting considerable losses on the British.^[6] But the British swarmed the woods rooting out the concealed sheltered Americans with their bayonets. The Dragoons and the other American units fell back to their third line of defense sheltering themselves in blockhouses. The Dragoons, Regulars, and Volunteers fired from within the protection of the blockhouses.^[7] Before the British could overrun the third American line of defense, American general Jacob Brown arrived with 300 American militia making a feint towards the British ships. The British thinking that they were about to be overwhelmed by a larger force retreated. The British force was defeated, but Backus was mortally wounded.^[8] Backus died of his wounds on June 7.^[9]

Reconassisnce Patrol in Ogdensburg

On October 13, 1813. Colonel Luckett's regiment of Dragoons entered Ogdensburg on reconnaissance for General Wilkinson. The British responded with shelling of Ogdensburg with their artillery. To avoid being spotted and engaged, Colonel Luckett and his dragoons withdrew out of Ogdensburg into the backcountry.^[10] The dragoons were then distributed in small parties along the river for the purpose of examining the country and preventing the British from obtaining information and supplies from that side of the river.^[11]

Engagement at Red Mills

On October 16, 1813. A Canadian operative Francis Cockburn commanding 200 Canadian partisans leads a raid across the border between America and Canada to engage a party of 13 American dragoons who were performing reconnaissance are stationed at a house at Red Mills. The American dragoons placed sentries around the house to keep watch. But the Canadian force surprised the sentries and surrounded the house. Some American dragoons escaped while the other dragoons sheltered in the house fire at the Canadians. The Canadians overpower the dragoons capturing a lieutenant and 7 other dragoons. 2 other dragoons are killed and 1 wounded who was left for dead but later survived and recovered. The Canadians with their 8 dragoon prisoners and captured horses withdrew back across the border.^[12][13]

Battle of Bladensburg

At the Battle of Bladensburg on August 24, 1814, Lieutenant Colonel Jacint Laval led 140 men of the regiment. Laval's troops were placed in support of infantrymen who later broke and ran. Many of the dragoons joined the disorderly retreat. Laval led his remaining troops in an orderly retreat toward Georgetown.^[14]

Engagements at Baltimore

Lieutenant Colonel Jacint Laval's dragoons took part in engagements of Baltimore on September 14, 1814. The dragoons conducted a rear guard action in a fighting retreat with Stansbury's brigade who were withdrawing to Baltimore. After the British were driven off and retreated. The U.S. dragoons, American light infantry, and other cavalry pursued the retreating British. But the Americans were very exhausted and could only capture a few British stragglers.^[15][16]

Skirmish at Kirby’s Windmill

On October 31, 1814. An American commander named Major Robert Crutchfield commanded a combined brigade of light infantry, riflemen, artillery, and other infantry. Captain John A. Bird who commanded the dragoons of the 1st regiment was also part of this task force. The Americans attempted to ambush a British amphibious raiding force that was pillaging the land. Captain Bird and his dragoons were commanded to creep up concealed on the British and surprise attack them at the same time with Crutchfield's brigade. However, Bird and his dragoons charged the British when they spotted them instead of waiting for the brigade to show up. The British were surprised by the charge and surrendered. The dragoons was about to achieve victory but someone shouted an order to retreat and the dragoons were withdrawing from the field. Captain Bird realized the error and ordered his dragoons to form up and charge again. But this had given the British time to regroup and from a defense behind a fence breastwork. The British opened a heavy volley decimating the charging dragoons. Captain Bird was wounded. The dragoons withdrew losing 2 wounded, 2 captured, and a number of horses also killed. But the dragoons withdrew with 2 British prisoners. But the American combined brigade showed up much later than expected a bit too late as the British were withdrawing in an orderly matter on their barges. The American brigade opened fire with their small arms and cannons slightly damaging two British barges. The British ships fired their heavy artillery scattering the Americans and allowing the British to withdraw safely. But the American brigade did capture 5 more British prisoners.^[17][18]

Notes

1. Heitman pp. 79—80
2. Fredriksen p. 12
3. Elting p. 2
4. Unwin p. 49
5. "Reminiscences of Ogdensburg, 1749-1907" by Nellie Merriam Pages.31-32.
6. "How Canada was Held for the Empire: The Story of the War of 1812" by James Hannay Pages.155-156.
7. "History of the wars occasioned by the French Revolution: from the commencement of hostilities in 1792, to the end of the year 1816 : embracing a ... of most of the public... Volume 2 of 2" by C H Gifford Page.977.
8. Ganoe p. 131
9. Heitman pp. 179
10. https://slcha.org/warof1812/bicentennial.php
11. https://www.northcountrynow.com/news/war-1812-north-country-200-years-later-061005
12. https://www.northcountrynow.com/news/war-1812-north-country-200-years-later-061005
13. https://www.warof1812.ca/stlawrence1812.htm
14. Neimeyer pp. 33-36
15. https://maryland1812.com/2012/08/13/a-lost-opportunity-colonel-jacint-laval-the-u-s-light-dragoons-at-bladensburg-august-1814/
16. ”PICTORIAL FIELD-BOOK OF THE WAR OF 1812" by BENSON J. LOSSING Chapter.XL.
17. ”Defending the Old Dominion: Virginia and Its Militia in the War of 1812" by Stuart L. Butler Pages.473-475.
18. http://www.losttownsproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Town-Point-2014.pdf#page=10

References

• Cole, David. "Survey of U.S. Army Uniforms, Weapons and Accoutrements" (PDF). Center of Military History United States Army Washington, D.C., 2013. Retrieved October 20, 2014.
• Elting, John R. (1991). Amateurs, to Arms! A Military History of the War of 1812 (1st ed.). Chapel Hill, NC: Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill. ISBN 0-945575-08-4.
• Fredriksen, John C. (November 2000). Green Coats and Glory: The United States Regiment of Riflemen, 1808–1821 (1st ed.). Youngstown, New York: Old Fort Niagara Association, Inc. ISBN 0-941967-22-0.
• Ganoe, William Addleman (1942). The History of The United States Army. New York, New York: D. Appleton-Century Company. Retrieved October 24, 2014.
• Heitman, Francis B. (1903). "Historical register and dictionary of the United States Army". War Department. Retrieved October 19, 2014.
• Neimeyer, Charles P. "The Chesapeake Campaign 1813–1814" (PDF). Center of Military History United States Army Washington, D.C., 2013. Retrieved November 15, 2014.
• Rauch, Steven J. "The Campaign of 1812" (PDF). Center of Military History United States Army Washington, D.C., 2013. Retrieved October 20, 2014.
• Urwin, Gregory J. W. (1983). The United States Cavalry: An Illustrated History, 1776-1944. Norman, Oklahoma: University of Oklahoma Press. ISBN 9780806134758. Retrieved October 23, 2014.

External links

• Bladensburg