Part III of FIRING FROM THE SADDLE is trying to cover the Russian cavalry. It is once a very difficult subject with conflicting data. Some of my references come from BORODINO and for the reasons given in the preceding article could be not too reliable. Furthermore, page 43, BORODINO tell us; "At the beginning of the operations in 1812 the Russian regular cavalry was composed of 5 regiments of heavy Lifeguard cavalry, & cuirassiers regiments, 36 dragoons regiments, 3 uhlans (lancers) and some small units of Lifeguard cossacks." No mention is made of the horse-eger (horse-chasseurs) describe d in THE RUSSIAN ARMY OF THE NAPOLEONIC WARS (MEN-AT-ARMS SERIES)and in L'UNIFORME ET LES ARMES DES SOLDATS DU PREMIER EMPIRE, vol.2. According to the second reference, page 148, the "konno ieguerski" were raised in 1812 from 8 regiments of dragoons. According to the first reference, page 39, the newly raised horse-yeagers were intended to provide the Russian cavalry with skirmishers scouts and finding the screens and standing patrols for cavalry as well as infantry. They were supposed to be able to fight as cavalry, for they carried the heavy pattern curved cavalry sword. The types of firearms they carried is not described in any of the references. Only a picture published in reference # 1, page G, shows a horse-eger of the Livonia Regiment with a rifle or a carbine. Did they carry a carbine of the hussar-type as shown in the Funken's book, vol.2, page 143 and reproduced? Apparently, the Russian carbine is slightly shorter than the equivalent French carbines in use by light cavalry. According to BORODINO, page 42, in 1812, the Russian had eleven kinds of short rifles which were used on the basis of 16 to every squadron. of cuirassiers and dragoons, and 12 to the NCO and best shots of each yeager companies (foot-yeagers only?). Then page 44: "In 1812, the standard carbines were withdrawn from all cavalry regiments, leaving 16 men in each squadrons with specialized firearms for their duties as flankers: the skirmishers of the heavy cavalry retained diminutive rifled carbines which were little more than stocked pistols, while the flankers of the hussars scattered small shot in every direction from an alarmingly unselective blunderbuss, the muzzle of which was in the shape of a flattened bell." It is of interest to note that UNIFORMS OF THE RETREAT FROM MOCSOW,, by Philip Haythornwaite and Michael Chappell(Hippocrene Books, Inc.) page 153, does not agree with the above quotation from BORODINO: "The front rank of hussar regiments was armed with lances and 16 men in each squadrons were equipped with carbinesto act as 'flankers.'" Please note BORODINO says blunderbuss and the UNIFORMS OF THE RETREAT FROM MOSCOW says carbines. I don't know who is right or who is wrong I am just reporting a discrepency. Perhaps both are right; however, if one looks at the picture of the "flanker" page 53, one can note that the picture is shown sideways and that it's impossible to see what kind of firearm is carried by the "flanker". According to the text of page 153, the picture has been made from Knotel. Unfortunately, I don't have Knotel available. Perhaps someone can help us here. Also of interest is the fact that in 1812, the front rank of Russian hussars regiments was armed with the lance. Did the horse-eger followed the above trend? Were they equipped partially with rifles and partially with carbines? The case of the dragoons also deserve special consideration. They apparently kept some kind of firing capability. According to THE RUSSIAN ARMY OF THE NAPOLEONIC WARS, page 39, "...the dragoons was meant to be the heavy mounted infantryman, the horse-eger filled the need for mounted rifles". Prior to 1812, the dragoons had a short musket with a bayonet. In the Funkens' book the horse-eger are shown with a short musket or a carbine or a rifle. I hope someone can help. PERIOD PRIOR-TO 1812. In 1790, the Russian cavalry had 2 horse-eger regiments. They apparently were disbanded. It appears that prior to 1812, the Russian cavalry was equipped with short muskets or carbines and trained to fire from the saddle. Hussars, uhlans and even cuirassiers had a carbine, and the dragoons had apparently a short musket with a bayonet. I don't know if the dragoons were capable of firing from the saddle. As usual we have an incomplete story and it is difficult to fully evaluate the Russian cavalry with incomplete data. Once more we need help. Back to Empire, Eagles, & Lions Table of Contents Vol. 1 No. 23 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