Formed 1811 from the 29th Dragoons
Battle Honours on the Flag; WAGRAM

Campaign of 1812

Commanded by Colonel Marbeuf, attached to the 3rd Infantry Corps under Ney, in the Cavalry Division Wollwarth, in the 9th Light Brigade under Mouriez with the 11th Hussars. Three squadrons comprising 556 men in strength they were at Krasnoe, Smolensk, Valoutina, Borodino, Wijasma and the Beresina. They supported the attack on the Raevski redoubt at Borodino and were cut off with Ney during the retreat but managed to save their eagle.

Campaign of 1813

Commanded by Colonel Perquit, 2nd Cavalry Corps, 4th Division under Exelmans, in the I st Brigade under Maurin. In the order of battle for 25th April 1813 the regiment had only 2 officers and 25 men. By the 15th November strengths had risen to 23 officers and 156 men in three squadrons. Their actions were similar to the 2nd lancers, at the battle of Goldberg they were brought up to break a Prussian square before being forced to withdraw from enemy cavalry.

Campaign of 1814

Actions at Champaubert 10.2.1814, Montmirail 11.2.1814, Vauchamps 14.2.1814, Acris Sur Aube 20th to 21st 3rd and at Saint Dizier. Renamed 'Lanciers de Berry' under the Bourbons.

Campaign of 1815

Commanded by Colonel Galbois, attached to Reilles 2nd Infantry Corps in the 2nd Cavalry Division under Pire in the 2nd Brigade, under Wathiez, 34 officers and 371 men in strength. Actions are as for the 5th Lancers.

Colonel Galbois led a charge at Quatre Bras which crushed a Hanovarian square, caught in a cross fire from the surrounding squares, Galbois was wounded, but was carried safely off the field. Galbois had earlier led the charge that broke the 42nd Highlanders square along with the 5th Lancers.

Internal Organisation

The building block of the regiment was the 'peloton', this comprised approximately 30 to 40 men and was the smallest unit of manoeuvre. Two pelotons formed a company, consisting of a captain, Lieutenant, two Second Lieutenants, one Sergeant Major, four Sergeants, eight Corporals, two trumpeters, one farrier, one Fournier and between 60-80 troopers.

Two companies formed a squadron, this being the tactical fighting unit. Line Lancer regiments were usually formed from four squadrons when manpower allowed.

CONCLUSION

Lancers went from being used in single squadrons and regiments as light cavalry support for the cuirassiers in 1812 and as a counter against the Cossacks to being brigaded together as a shock weapon in the 1815 campaign where they acquitted themselves admirably. They did not however always win. "A Lancer made several lunges at Dooley who was wounded in the arm, being exasperated, he sprang out of the ranks and chased the lancer, the latter returned at full tilt, Dooley faced his antagonist in the open. Everybody expected to see Dooley spitted like a hog, however he caught the lance on his bayonet and threw the point clear of himself, next moment the lancer was on the ground pierced through the body."

Baron de Marbot, or as he was in 1814, Colonel Marbot of the 23rd Chasseurs, declared "I have always had a great predilection for the lance, a terrible weapon in the hands of a good horseman", he therefore obtained permission to distribute lances to his squadrons of the 23rd Chasseurs in 1814, announcing "So well were they appreciated that several other cavalry regiments also asked for them, and were glad to have got them".

Le Chevau-Legere Lanciers Part 2 Uniforms and Regimental Histories

Uniforms and Horse Furniture
The First Line Lancers: Regimental History
The Second Line Lancers: Regimental History
The Third Line Lancers: Regimental History
The Fourth Line Lancers: Regimental History
The Fifth Line Lancers: Regimental History
The Sixth Line Lancers: Regimental History

Part 1: Polish Lancers