The lists I've been looking at for the Irish Jacobite cavalry all mention how many troops they have and I seem to remember reading somewhere that 3 or 4 troops were used to form squadrons.Captain of Dragoons wrote:To add to Dave's comments above were dragoon regiments in our period formed in companies or sqds? From what I have read from the earlier 17th Century in regards to Cromwell's Dragoon Regiment in the NMA it was companies.
Edward
The French had a number of dismounted dragoons defending barricades on their right flank at Blenheim but I can't find any reference to how they actually fought, was it in formed ranks firing as line infantry. I'm basically looking for info on the Irish Jacobite dragoons and as most of those were hastily formed with little time for training I would assume they would only skirmish when dismounted. This seemed to be how O'Neil's dragoons fought when defending the ford at Rosnaree.Captain of Dragoons wrote: The Scots Dragoons did dismount at Blenheim and fought as infantry. The failed French counter attacked at Ramillies on the French right/ Confederate Left was made by dismounted dragoons. Edward
I'm trying to figure out how they were fighting, was it skirmishing or did they form ranks like regular infantry but not as well?Churchill wrote: First of all the Boyne, it was Colonel Sir Niall O'Neill's dragoon regiment that defended the ford at Rossnaree against Count Schomberg's flanking column.
Ray.
Thanks Ray but I already knew how they operate under the rules, it was their historical training and use I was trying to discover.Churchill wrote: Dave, in BLB2 they fight mounted as "Bullet Cavalry" which means their slightly worse off than "Blade Cavalry".
They dismount into infantry, but each squadron needs a horse holder and so are based with 5 dragoons to each infantry base.
When I get round to doing mine I'll have 3 figures in the front rank and 2 figures in the 2nd rank.
Cheer's,
Ray.
. I strongly disagee with this. The three Danish regiments of horse were raised by taking drafts from the existing 10 regiments of Danish horse. This was common practice in the period, and wasn't the British Guard battalion in the AWI formed the same way? Where they "inexperienced"? The men and officers in the Danish regiments were exercised and drilled, and were no more inexperienced than the Horse or either side. In fact, compared with the Jacobite and English horse were probably more experiened. I don't know where this "myth" started, but it is completely erroneous. There is no foundation for it.the Danish Horse had been raised specifically to serve in Ireland and were among the most inexperienced troops in William's army.
You prolly already know this, but in the period drill books, the dismounted dragoons drill is identical to the regular infantry drill. And I haven't seen anything in them that has specific instructions for anything we would call a skirmish drill.obriendavid wrote:I'm trying to figure out how they were fighting, was it skirmishing or did they form ranks like regular infantry but not as well?Churchill wrote: First of all the Boyne, it was Colonel Sir Niall O'Neill's dragoon regiment that defended the ford at Rossnaree against Count Schomberg's flanking column.
Ray.
The French dragoons defending at Blenheim I would think because of the small area they were cramped into would try to fight like regular infantry, I assume? but I was just trying to find out if this was something that they practiced.
Cheers
Dave
Thank you!maciek wrote:Imperial dragoons when on foot formed in 3 ranks and used regular infantry tactic.
It could be that they were caught whilst still trying to form up from crossing the river, I seem to remember reading that by the time they were crossing the river it was rising again.toggy wrote:Very interesting regarding the Danish cavalry, I too have seen reference made to the poor quality of the Danish horse at the Boyne, this being attributed to them being newly recruited. I was puzzled as to why they would be new recruits when the Danes were hired out across Europe in an almost permanent arrangement, and as cavalry are both a lot more expensive to equip, and take much more time to train, I would think that they were very unlikely to be recruited at short notice, given the time scale of the Irish campaign.
However that doesn't explain their poor performance against the Jacobite horse, may just have been poorly led on the day, or has been mentioned with the Jacobite regiments, the loss of key commanders can dishearten most troops, even if they have the upper hand.
Bob