1st Dragoons Regiment

The King’s Dragoons Regiment is renamed as 1st Dragoons Regiment in 1791.

The 1st Dragoons joins the Army of the Rhine in 1792 and is the transferred in the Army of the Moselle where it fights at Valmy. He takes part in the campaign of 1797 in the Army of Sambre-and-Meuse (general Hoche). In 1799, 1st Dragoons belongs to the Army of Danube (general Jourdan) and distinguishes itself during the battle of Zurich. In 1800, the regiment joins the Champeaux brigade in Murat’s Cavalry Corps of the Reserve Army (general Berthier) and fights at Marengo.

At the beginning of the Austrian campaign of 1805, the 1st Dragoons joins the 1st Dragoons Division (general Klein) of the Reserve Cavalry Corps. With that corps, he fights gloriously at the battles of Wertingen, Austerlitz, Jena, Eylau and Friedland. At the end of 1807, regiment is transferred in the Gironde Observation Corps to be posted in Spain where he fights at the battle of Talavera.

On 18 June 1811, the 1st Dragoons Regiment is recalled in France to be converted in 1st Light Horses Lancers Regiment.

Regimental commanders

• 21 mars 1797: Jean-Baptiste Viallanes
• 31 août 1803: Jean Arrighi de Casanova
• 19 juin 1806: Stanislas d’Oullenbourg
• 5 avril 1807: Paul Dermoncourt

Main battles

• 1792: Valmy
• 1794: Fleurus
• 1799: Zurich
• 1800: Marengo
• 1805: Wertingen, Ulm and Austerlitz
• 1806: Jena and Golymin
• 1811: Chiclana

Standards In 1804, each squadron is granted with a standard of Challiot type. One of these standards is given to 1st Lancers Regiment when created.