This paper will be presented at ColdWars 2003 along with two others that are part of my book on the French Cavalry during the Wars of the French Revolution and of the Empire, now in preparation. They are quite important in that they explore some facts that have been long ignored by rule makers, and that go against the practice of many wargamers.
The three types of Cavalry were intermixed. In the permanent Divisions of the armies of the Revolution, the cavalry apparently being distributed on an availability basis rather that on the principles outlined.
After several organizational attempts, the decree of the 1st Vendémaire Year XII (September 24, 1805) definitely set the composition of the French line Cavalry to 80 regiments:
The same decree also established the theoretical strength of each regiments:
This strength was never reached in 1805 or 1806 since, in theory, the total Cavalry strength would have been close to 75,000 sabers. The official returns dated September 4, 1806, just before the Campaign of 1806 against Prussia, show that the strength for each of the 78 cavalry regiments ranged from 800 to 900 men (800 for the Heavies, 850 to 900 for the Dragoons and Light regiments), that is a total of only 65,000 sabers for the 345,000 combatants of the Grande Armée.
From then on and until 1812, the Cavalry strength was constantly increased in an attempt to reach the theoretical strength. The increase continued until 1812, when it reached 100,000 sabers, well past the original goal.
After the retreat from Russia, Napoleon’s Cavalry never recovered its original strength or its original quality. It simply took much longer to train a Cavalryman than it did an infantryman.
The Three Types of Cavalry
Perhaps one of the most significant aspects of the French Cavalry reform of 1803, was the separation of the cavalry into three types.
The differences between the three types of cavalry is a subject often misunderstood and has been, over the years, debated many times in Empires, Eagles & Lions. (ED NOTE: See MagWeb.com for back issues of this fine Napoleonic period Magazine).
It is important to understand these differences since within these large masses of the imperial cavalry, there was a strict segregation among the 3 different types. Each Cavalry brigade or Division was entirely formed of Light Cavalry or Dragoons or Cuirassiers. In 1815, not only Divisions were so organized but entire Corps. Yet, wargamers tend to mix cavalry types together. So I am going to undertake to prove that the three types of French cavalry were not intermixed brigades or Divisions. (It took over year to accumulate the necessary data.)
Specialization of the Three Types of Cavalry
Napoleon introduced the concept of cavalry concentration and specialization with the creation of the Reserve Cavalry (to be described later).
In Napoleon’s mind there were two kinds of Cavalry; One always assigned to the Cavalry Corps (the Light Cavalry) and the others (Dragoons and Cuirassiers and Carabiniers) always organized in Cavalry Divisions.
That was the direct opposite of what had been done in the armies of the Revolution. In the armies of the Revolution, Light Cavalry, Dragoons and Heavy Cavalry were mixed together in the Divisions, although some attempts had been made in some armies to organize heavy Cavalry in a Reserve Cavalry.
Chasseurs à Cheval and Hussars
In Napoleon’s mind as well as in that of many others, the Light Cavalry, was best suited for all kinds of independent missions, vanguard, reconnaissance, etc. because it was the most mobile and that its scattering was the least damaging to the army in a battle. Do not forget that for Napoleon the objective of a campaign was always to win battles and destroy the enemy.
Napoleon wrote: The Light Cavalry must scout for the army considerably ahead of it, it’s necessary at the vanguard, at the rear-guard and on the flanks. And a little further: If the Light Cavalry is to form vanguards, it is imperative to organize it in brigades and Divisions so it can maneuver.
Maneuvering here was not to change formation (or the like) but to advance, withdraw, threaten, hide and also take the necessary steps to send reconnaissance parties, harass and slow down the enemy’s columns.
THE DRAGOONS
Between the Light Cavalry and the Cuirassiers, both extremely specialized cavalry species, the Emperor needed a third one: the Dragoons, genuine line Cavalry, (often improperly called Medium Cavalry by many English language historians) capable in emergency to perform the task of either of the other two cavalrie types.
In addition, the Dragoons had the necessary mobility to follow the Light Cavalry to support it and back it up if necessary. On occasion, (like in Spain) it became the Cavalry Reserve. In addition, because of it dismounted training as infantry, it could escort the infantry and, if necessary, replace it momentarily. Napoleon wrote:
The Dragoons are necessary to support the Light Cavalry at the vanguard, rear-guard and on the flanks....A Division of 2,000 Dragoons that moves quickly to a given target with 1,500 Light Cavalrymen can dismount to defend a bridge, a defile a wood, a height, etc. and await the infantry. That arm is also invaluable in a retreat.
Consequently, very often a Light Cavalry brigade or Division was supported by a brigade or, most of the time, by a full Division of Dragoons.
By the same token Napoleon tried to provide, when ever possible, a brigade of Light Cavalry as vanguard for a Division of Cuirassiers. Only the Dragoons were sufficient onto themselves.
Napoleon had in mind to raise a fourth kind of Cavalry. They were the Eclaireurs (or scouts) so to relieve the Cavalry from non battlefield tasks. Napoleon wrote:
The Eclaireurs, because the small size of their horses (4 feet 6 inches) renders them unsuitable for the charge, will be part of the infantry. There will be a squadron of 260 men for each infantry Division of 9000 men.. They will provide orderlies for the generals, escorts for convoys, etc.
Eclaireurs were also to be provided to the Dragoons and the Cuirassiers. That type of Cavalry did not materialize with the exception of a very limited effort in 1814 with the 3 regiments of the Eclaireurs of the Guard.
However, there was a beginning of application of the idea of Eclaireurs in 1812, when 1 squadron of Chevau-Légers (i.e. Lancers) were added to each Heavy Cavalry Division (Cuirassiers and Carabiniers).
French Cavalry Reforms 1803
Related
Heavy Cavalry (grosse cavalerie): 14 regiments
Dragoons: 36 regiments
Light Cavalry: 26 regiments (Chasseurs à Cheval and Hussars)Heavy Cavalry: 820 men
Dragoons: 880 men
Light Cavalry: 1075 menLIGHT CAVALRY
THE ECLAIREURS
The Three Types of Cavalry
Cavalry Segregation and Distribution
Reserve Cavalry, Cavalry Missions, and Bibliography
Napoleonic French Cavalry Combat Tactics [Courier 88]
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