About Us
The
3d Light Dragoons

Photo by Bob Yankle and
SCAR
The 3d Light Dragoons
are a troop of interpretive historians
dedicated to educating the public and
themselves through research, integration
and interpretation of the American
experience and particularly the experience
of the American
Revolution dragoon.
Organization
The 3d Light
Dragoons, Inc. is a North
Carolina
not for profit corporation and
may seek IRS Code Section 501(c)(3)
status for the purposes contained in its
mission statement and those included in its
Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws.
Unit
Affiliations
The 3d
Light Dragoons, Inc. is a new member of
Continental Line,
Inc..
We are also affiliated with the
Carolina
Brigade
What
is a Dragoon?
The Oxford
English Dictionary first recognized the
word dragoon in 1604 as a French term
describing mounted soldiers armed with
muskets. The French word dragon predates
this by half a century and refereed to a
short, carbine length musket. By the
eighteenth century most European armies
incorporated dragoons, horse soldiers
armed with a carbine and trained to fight
both from the saddle and on foot. The term
dragooning even entered the vernacular
meaning to pull double duty similar to
today’s term, multitasking. However,
theory proved better than practice and
instead of mounted infantry, dragoons
typically filled the role of heavy cavalry
in European armies.
Halfway
through the eighteenth century Hungarian
style light cavalry, called hussars,
proved their worth through rapid
deployment and pursuit roles on the
battlefield and on campaign by excelling
at screening and reconnaissance missions.
Light cavalry then became an essential
part of European military forces and the
British developed several regiments of
Light Dragoons to fill the role and
specialize as mounted skirmishers with
pistols and carbines.
During the
American Revolution four troops of
Continental Light Dragoons were formed.
Unlike in Europe, the Continental Light
Dragoons performed both heavy and light
cavalry roles during the war. An excellent
example of this is the 3d Light Dragoons
performance during the battle of Guilford
Courthouse. They start the battle
screening the right flank of the American
lines from Hessian Jaegers and British
Light Infantry, a typical light cavalry
role, and later make a saber charge
against the British Foot Guards,
successfully fulfilling the role of heavy
cavalry. One could say they were
“dragooning” it!
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