Post
by Churchill » Sun Sep 14, 2014 12:11 pm
Hi Bernhard,
I know this is a old post, but I don't visit the forum as often as I once did.
At Blenheim in 1704 all 12 squadron's of French dragoon's fought dismounted defending a palisade next to Blenheim village.
Another reason why they may have fought dismounted was because of the horse disease called glanders which was killing French horse's by the thousand's.
The Allied dragoon's of which there were 8 squadron's brigaded together under the command of Maj.Gen.Ross formed the 2nd line of cavalry behind the Horse brigades of Maj.Gen.Wood & Brigadier Gen.Palmes (10 squadrons).
These squadrons were held in reserve to support the 20 Foot battalion's under the command of Lord Cutts.
Cutt's ordered two assaults on Blenheim village, first by Rowe's brigade and then by Fergusson's brigade, both of which were repulsed.
It was during a planned third assault that Marlborough ordered Cutt's to surround the village with the aid of the now dismounted dragoon brigade.
Ross's dragoon brigade consisted of Ross's own regiment (2 sqns), Hay's dragoon regiment (2 sqns) and the Hessian Erbprinz dragoon regiment (4 sqns).
Cutt's thus surrounded and captured 27 French battalions...
At Ramillies, Hay's dragoon's (the future Scots Grey's) fought mounted charged the French infantry regiment du Roi capturing their colours.
I hope this gives you the information you were looking for and that during this period dragoon squadrons operated both mounted and dismounted.
Kind Regards,
Ray.