Napoleonic Austria - The 1805 Campaign

Last Update 13th January 2003

Dragoons/Chevauleger (Medium Cavalry)

There were six Dragoon Regiments and six Chevauleger (Light Dragoon) regiments in this period. They were composed of 8 squadrons nominally totaling 1100 men. However, on campaign this fell to about 800 men. Therefore a formation really varies depending on your area of operations, but for an early campaign regiment, there are 16 figures consisting of:

Command element composed of Officer, Standard Bearer, Bugler (60x40mm base)

3x squadron elements of 3 dragoons (60x40mm base)

1x squadron element of 2 dragoons (40x40mm base)

2x squadron element of 1 dragoon (20x40mm)

Painting Your Austrian Army

All Austrian figures (foot/cavalry/artillery/officers) have a sprig tucked into their helmet. Paint it plant green.

Trooper - The basic uniform for the dragoon and chevauleger consisted of white coat and white breeches. The 1^st, and 2^nd Chevaulegers retained the green jacket. The headgear was the German helmet, black with brass plate and black over yellow crest. The facing colour appeared on the cuffs, collar, and 1" wide border of the turnbacks. Shoulder straps were white, the supported cartridge box white also. The scabbard was black with brass or iron trim, the sword knot red leather for troopers. The carbine is made of walnut, with iron fittings.

Officer - The basic uniform for the dragoon consisted of coat and white breeches as per trooper with the officer adding white gloves. The headgear was the German helmet, black with brass plate and black over gold crest. The crest support was also brass. The red facing colour appeared on the cuffs, collar, and 1" wide border of the turnbacks. Shoulder straps were white, the supported cartridge box white also. The scabbard was black with brass or iron trim, the sword knot gold.

Standard Bearer - as per trooper, carrying the yellow ordinarfahne flag

Bugler - as per trooper, brass bugle with yellow and black chords, red crest to helmet

Saddle & Horse Furniture - The shabraque was red with a yellow/black/yellow band border, and gold imperial cypher. The lambs wool was white with red trim. The portmanteau was red. The rolled great coat was white. General horse furniture was black leather.

Horse - no particular colours

Regimental Variations -

Regiment	Recruiting Area	Facing Colour	Coat Colour
1^st Dragoons - Erzherzog Johann	Inner Austria	Black	White
2^nd Dragoons - Kronprinz von Bayern	Upper & lower Austria	Dark blue	White
3^rd Dragoons - GdK Baron Knesevich	Moravia	Bright red	White
4^th Dragoons - Erbgrossherzog von Toscana	Moravia	Bright red	White
5^th Dragoons - Prinz Eugen von Savoyen	Moravia	Dark green	White
6^th Dragoons - GdK Graf Reisch	Moravia	Light blue	White
1^st Chevaulegers - Kaiser Franz	Upper & Lower Austria	Bright red	Green
2^nd Chevaulegers - GdK Hohenzollern Hechingen	Bohemia	Bright red	Green
3^rd Chevaulegers - GdK Graf O'Reilly	Galicia	Bright red	White
4^th Chevaulegers - GdK Baron Vincent	Bohemia	Dark red	White
5^th Chevaulegers - Vacant	Bohemia	Light blue	White
6^th Chevaulegers - FML Graf Johann Nostitz	Bohemia	Dark red	White

Here we have two bases of Front Rank Chevaulegers, command to the left and troopers to the right. Note the buglers red helmet crest and brass bugle with yellow chords. The officer has a higher helmet with gold inlay detail to the crest support. Dragoons would look exactly the same except for their white coats. [Spot the mistakes? Rolled great coat to the front of the saddle should be white, not light grey. Portmanteau to the rear saddle should be red, not light grey. Offciers helm crest gold and black, not yellow and black, and white gloves not red! Sheepskin saddle cloth should be red trimmed, not yellow. The red shabraque should have a yellow edging]

Service History

1st Dragoon Regt Erzherzog Johann - Class 3

2 sqns served at Austerlitz 2/12/1805

2nd Dragoon Regt Hohenloe - Class 3

3rd Dragoon Regt Wurrtemburg - Class 3

4th Dragoon Regt Levenehr - Class 2

5th Dragoon Regt - Savoyen - Class 2

Posted to the Italian Invasion Army

6th Dragoon Regt Melas - Class 2

1st Chevauleger Regt Kaiser - Class 4

Posted to the Italian Invasion Army

2nd Chevauleger Regt Hohenzollern - Class 4

3rd Chevauleger Regt O'Reilly - Class 4

8 sqns Served at Austerlitz 2/12/1805

4th Chevauleger Regt Latour - Class 4

Posted to the Bavarian Invasion Army

2sqns served at Wertingen 8/10/1805 and were almost destroyed

8 sqns Served At Haslach-Jungingen 11/10/1805

5th Chevauleger Regt Klenau - Class 5

6th Chevauleger Regt Rosenberg - Class 4

Posted to the Tyrol Army?

2sqns served in the Bavarian Invasion Army

2sqns served at Gunzburg 9/10/1805

8 sqns Served At Haslach-Jungingen 11/10/1805