The following drawings are the complement of part II of this article. ON THE LEFT, is the picture of a Prussian. Hussar showing the relative size of the carbin( BELOW is the picture of the Austrian light cavalry carbine, the lenght of the barrel is about the same than the Prussian carbine.  In our last issue we have seen the firing equipment of the British and French cavalry. In this issue we are going to see the firing equipment of the Austrian and Prussian cavalries. I. PRUSSIAN CAVALRY (after 1807) After the Peace of Tilsit, the , Prussian cavalry was completely reorganized like the other arms. For practical purposes we can consider here the regular army and the landwehr. The regular army can be divided in the following arms: (1) hussars, (2) Dragoons, (3)Uhlans and (4) Cuirassiers. It appears at first glance that, according to the Prussian Army Maneuvre Regulations of 1812, the mounted regulations provided for the use of flankers. According to PRUSSIAN ARMY 1808-181 (ALTMARK) page 102, these were mounted skirmishers who were sent out to engage an enemy at 150 to 200 paces from the main body of the regiment. The Hussars were well suited to this type of action because of their carbine with which they were armed. When necessary, however, even Khrassiers troopers could be used as such using their pistols. We have very seldom the chance to find such precise information. As usual we come up with some questions. We know for sure that the Hussars could fire from the saddle with their short carbine (see footnote #2). All the others had only a pair of pistols (including the Hussars). The case of the Dragoons is, however, less certain. The Prussian Dragoon of 1808-1815 is no longer the Dragoon of the time of Frederick the Great. At that time (1713-40) the Prussian Dragoon was already converted to battle cavalry, but still carried a short musket sling from a cross-belt, and also a bayonet, and drilled as infantry so that, if required to do so, they could fight on foot as a formed body. Ref. CAVALRY by James Lawford edited by BOBBS-MERRILL CO. page 108. The Prussian Dragoon of 1808-1815 appears to be strictly a battle type cavalry with apparently no infantry capability. Some, if not all, of the Prussian Dragoons regiments did not carry even a carbine. BLUCHER'S ARMY 1813-1815 (Men-At-Arms Series) page 38 says the following: "One would expect dragoons to be armed with carbines as well as sabres, but this is a detail seldom shown in uniform plates." Bourdier shows (plate 12) one of the 1st Konigin Dragoons, with a carbine slung over his right shoulder. Had the Dragoons a carbine? The PRUSSIAN ARMY 1808-1815 page 47 does not think so. Can someone help? The Landwehr Volunteer and Frei Corps cavalry are also some kind of a problem. In my humble opinion almost every unit should be considered by itself. In 1813-1814 most of the Landwehr, Volunteer and Frei Corps cavalry did not carry carbines. According to PERICOLI, THE ARMIES AT WATERLOO, page 168, in 1815, the Prussian Landwehr cavalry (not the Uhlans) had a carbine. Needless to say that more information is required for the Prussian Cavalry. Footnote #1. We would appreciate if one of our readers could cover the Prussian Cavalry firing equipment before 1807. Footnote #2. No data available to the writer. Can anyone help on the length of the Hussar's carbine data needed for PART IV of this article. II. AUSTRIAN CAVALRY Very little is available on Austrian Cavalry. However, the case appears to be clearer than for the Prussian Cavalry. As usual we have some questions but I am sure that our expert RAY JOHNSON can help us to fill up our gaps (or correct us if we are wrong). According to the AUSTRO-HUNGARIAN ARMY OF THE NAPOLEONIC WARS (OSPREY, MEN-AT-ARMS SERIES) page 33. In 1798 all Dragoon regiments and the CHEVAUX-LEGERS regiments (shich were themselves the successors of the horse-grenadiers and carabiniers of Maria Theresa's reign) were amalgamed to form light dragoons. In 1798, the cavalry of the former "FREI KORPS" (regiments BUSSY, ROHAN, CARNEVILLE, and BOURBON) were amalgamed in a regiment called JAGER-REGIMENT zu Pferd Graf Bussy some 8 squadrons strong. They were armed with the short light cavalry carbine of the AUSTRIAN ARMY. They took part in the Italian campaign in 1799 both as cavalry and mounted infantry. The Prussian Jeagers of Frederick were also capable of such action, Ref. CAVALRY, page 110. To help the situation in 1801 the light dragoons were split once more to form dragoons and chevaux-legers. The Austrian Dragoons did carry a short musket apparently longer than the short Austrian light cavalry carbine. Ref. CAVALRY, page 25, showing an Austrian Dragoon circa 1806. The Austrian Dragoons were apparently also capable of infantry action. The case of the light dragoons is not so certain. There is no problem with the Hussars they were armed with the short carbine. The Uhlans and the Cuirassiers were apparently armed with pistols only. The barrel length of the light cavalry Austrian carbine is unknown to the writer and can be evaluated by the writer to be about 24 inches from the following picture. The Dragoon short musket barrel length is also unknown and is evaluated to be a little longer, about 30 to 36 inches. I have no direct reference to specifically telling that the Austrian Dragoons could fire from the saddle. They very likely could do so. Once more the writer published a story full of "holes". It is the very idea of this magazine to provide a forum for the exchange of information. Gentlemen readers, this magazine can be excellent if you "pinch in". Here is your chance. Back to Empire, Eagles, & Lions Table of Contents Vol. 1 No. 22 Back to EEL List of Issues Back to MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1978 by Jean Lochet This article appears in MagWeb.com (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other articles from military history and related magazines are available at http://www.magweb.com