8th Dragoons Regiment
8th Dragoons Regiment
The Penthièvre Dragoons Regiment raised in 1674 is renames as 8th Dragoons Regiment in 1791. It takes part in the campaigns of 1792 in the Army of the Alps, of 1793 in the Army of the Rhine, of 1794 in the Army of the Moselle, of 1795 and 1796 in the Armies of the Alps and of Italy, of 1797 in the Army of Rhine-and-Danube, of 1798 and 1799 in the Armies of England and of the Inland. Transferred in the Reserve Army in 1800, it fights at Marengo and spends the two following years in the kingdom of Naples. Assigned to the Army of the Coasts of the Ocean, it is garrisoned inside French frontiers in 1802 and 1803.
It then makes the campaigns of Austria, Prussia and Poland with the 2nd Reserve Cavalry Corps of the Grand Army. The regiment fights in Spain and Portugal from 1808 to 1811.
On 18 June 1811, the 8th Dragoons Regiment is recalled in France to be converted in 3rd Light Horses Lancers Regiment.
Regimental commanders
- 3 December 1800: Louis Beckler
- 26 December 1806: Alexandre de Girardin d’Ermenonville
Main battles
- 1796: Lodi and Mincio
- 1797: Rivoli
- 1800: Montebello and Marengo
- 1805: Wertingen, Ulm and Austerlitz
- 1806: Jena
- 1807: Eylau, Heilsberg and Friedland
- 1808: Tudela
- 1809: Oporto
Standards
In 1804, each squadron is granted with a standard of Challiot type. One of these standards is given to 3rd Lancers Regiment when created.