Polish 1st Light Cavalry Regiment of the Imperial Guard
Encyclopedia
The [Polish] 1st Light Cavalry Lancer Regiment of the Imperial Guard (Polish
: 1 Pułk Lekkokonny [Polski] Gwardii Cesarskiej; French
: 1er Régiment des chevaux-légers [polonais] de la Garde Impériale) was a formation of Polish
light cavalry
that served Emperor Napoleon during the Napoleonic Wars
.
The Regiment, as part of Napoleon's Imperial Guard
, fought in many battles, distinguishing itself at Wagram
, Beresina, Hanau
and especially Somosierra
. On at least three occasions, light-horsemen
of the Regiment saved Napoleon's life.
, was created by a decree of Napoleon's, and signed on 9 April 1807 in Finckenstein (now Kamieniec Suski in northeast Poland):
Polish efforts to form a prestigious detachment of the Imperial Guard began in 1804. Napoleon agreed to this during the Polish Campaign
of 1806, when he was escorted by a "Polish Honor Guard" comprising aristocratic youths from the Society of Friends of the Fatherland
, leaders of which would in the future be officers of the Regiment. Aspiring Guardsmen distinguished themselves in the Battles of Pułtusk and Gołymin
. It is unclear whether Napoleon's reason in agreeing to the Regiment's formation was a desire to control the Polish aristocracy (whose loyalty he could not be sure of) or his appreciation of the Polish contributions to his victories.
The Regiment was an elite body of volunteers in respect of income and origin—peasants were not eligible to enlist. The cadre were drawn almost exclusively from aristocratic and wealthy noble families; most of the rank-and-file soldiers were also noblemen, though burgher
s—including Jews—were also represented. Some veterans were upset to learn that their officers were callow youths.
In June 1807, the first company of the first squadron was ready to leave Warsaw
's Mirów Barracks. Earlier, 125 light cavalry
under Captain Tomasz Łubieński
had presented themselves to the public and won their acclaim.
), was nominated as the commanding officer of the Regiment. COs of four squadrons were appointed: Tomasz Łubieński, Ferdynand Stokowski
, Jan Kozietulski and Henryk Kamieński
. Each squadron was composed of two companies (demisquadrons) of 125 chevaulegers each. Each company consisted of 5 troops.
Among troop commanders were: Antoni Potocki, Paweł Jerzmanowski, Łukasz Wybicki (son of Józef Wybicki
), Józef Szymanowski, Józef Jankowski, Seweryn Fredro. Positions of Lieutenant-Colonels (grossmajors) and instructors were taken by Frenchmen: Charles Delaitre of the Mamelukes of the Guard, and Pierre "Papa" Dautancourt of Choice Gendarmerie
. The regiment consisted of 60 officers and about 1000 men. In 1812 a fifth squadron under Paweł Jerzmanowski was formed. In the beginning of 1813 remnants of 3rd Lithuania
n Light Cavalry, detachment of Lithuanian gendarmes, and a company of Lithuanian Tartars were included, so the number of companies rose to 13. During May and June of the same year the number of companies rose to 15 (117 officers and 1,775 men), but in December the original organization was restored – 4 squadrons and 8 companies. 3rd Scout Regiment of the Guard under Jan Kozietulski was formed from the remaining officers and men. Polish chevaux-legers were treated as French soldiers and were on the French payroll. In 1809 (after the battle of Somosierra
) the Regiment was incorporated to the Old Guard.
According to the Old Guard seniority they were located after Chasseurs à Cheval
, but before Mamelukes. After Napoleon's abdication (6 April 1814) chevaulegers and scouts were united (minus Paweł Jerzmanowski's squadron, which accompanied the former emperor to Elba
). 1 May 1814 the Regiment was transferred from the French Army to the newly created Army of Congress Poland
, and on 7 June all squadrons were presented in Saint Denis before their new Commander, Grand Duke Constantine Pavlovich of Russia
and then moved to Poland.
Uniforms of chevaulegers were modelled upon Cavalry National
uniforms from the last decade of the 18th century. Dark blue kurtka
had crimson stand-up collar, wristbands and facings. The snug dark blue pantaloons (breeches
) were lined with leather, and ornamented with a single crimson stripe. Collar and facings of the Grand Uniform were ornamented also with silver wavy line, and pantaloons with double crimson stripes (officer's Gala Full Dress was white and crimson). High (22 cm) czapka
s had their forehead metals made of brass (officer's of silver) with a rising sun and the letter "N". For the parade czapka was crowned with 47 cm long plume of heron's or ostrich white feathers, and a cockade
with a blue center, broad crimson middle band and a narrow white outer edging, with the blue practically hidden under the silver Maltese cross
. Officers had blue, while regular soldiers had off-white overcoats, known as manteau-capotes.
Chevaulegers were armed with sabre
s, initially Prussian
of bad quality, and as of March 1809 French sabres. Also, Prussian pistols were replaced gradually with French mousquetonnes
. Lances, 2.75 meters long with crimson-and-white pennons, were obtained not earlier than after the battle of Wagram
, where they acquired lances of Austrian uhlan
s, and fought victoriously with these. At that time the name of the Regiment was changed to (fr. 1er Régiment de chevau-légers lanciers Polonais de la Garde Impériale).
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The regimental song was "Marsz trębaczy" (‘’Trumpetters March’’):
(two squadrons under Radzimiński).
On 30 November 1808 their most famous charge up the Somosierra Pass
took place. That day the 3rd Squadron under Kozietulski (ad interim) was on duty as a personal escort to the Emperor. After the failure of the French infantry attack, Napoleon ordered Polish chevaulegers to take the pass defended by 3000 men and four batteries of Spanish cannons. The narrow road to the top (300 meters level difference, 2,500 meters long), bordered from both sides with waist high stone walls, lined with poplar trees, precluded a demi-squadron or even a troop frontal attack. This was why the attack was conducted in a column four horses wide. After the first battery was taken, chevaulegers, without slowing the full gallop charge gained the top of the Pass in about eight minutes. All four batteries were taken, and the road to Madrid
opened for Napoleon's Army. The charge was led by Kozietulski who, however, lost his horse after taking the first battery. The squadron was then joined by Lt. Andrzej Niegolewski, who had previously been on reconnaissance with his troop. The charge was continued under Dziewanowski, and when he fell from his horse after taking the third battery, by Piotr Krasiński. The charge, which continued to the last battery, was led by Niegolewski, who miraculously survived when the Spanish attacked him (he received nine wounds from bayonnettes
and two carbine shots to the head).
According to the official version, Kozietulski led his men into the charge with the standard French war cry "En avant, vive l'Empereur!". However, according to the memoirs of many of the veterans the true battle cry was (Forward, you sons of dogs, the Emperor is watching!).
The charge has been noted as the most effective victory of the Polish cavalry during the time of the Napoleonic Wars
, and as the least costly victory for Napoleon. It became a legend and later an inspiration for many writers and painters.
Soon after the battle the regiment was - by Napoleon's decree - included in the Old Guard. It stayed in Spain until February 1809. It took its part in the retaking of Madrid, and in marshal
Soult
's campaign against British forces in Portugal Hundred chevaulegers under Tomasz Łubieński escorted Napoleon on his way back to Paris.
In the spring of 1809 the War of the Fifth Coalition
began. The regiment marched to Austria. On 22 May the light horse took part in the Battle of Essling.
On 6 July 1809, during the Battle of Wagram
, the light horse again led a charge that enhanced their legend. In one daring attack, they smashed Duke Schwarzenberg
's uhlan
s and prevented the whole army from being separated from the banks of the Danube River. During the melée
, they grabbed the uhlans’ lances and continued their attack further with these new weapons. Most of Schwarzenberg's uhlans were Poles from Galicia. After the battle, Napoleon supposedly said: "Give them these lances, if they can use them so well." From this point on, they became light-horse lancers.
Over the next two years (1810–11) the Regiment spent time in Chantilly
resting, drilling, receiving awards, and from time to time participating in court duties. Some 400 lancers escorted the Emperor and his wife on their trip to Belgium, and Napoleon during his visit to the maritime provinces. Kozietulski
was awarded the officer's star of the Légion d'honneur
together with the title of baron
, and was nominated for the Polish cross of Virtuti Militari
. Wincenty Krasiński
was appointed brigadier-general and was created a count
. Many other officers and men obtained promotions and awards for gallantry.
. Then on June 21 (enlarged by the fifth squadron which was formed in Poznań
) it crossed the eastern border of the Duchy of Warsaw
. On the very next day Napoleon issued in Wyłkowyszki
his order, which began the Second Polish War, which was equal with the French invasion of Russia
.
In the first stage of the war the Regiment was assigned to the Headquarters of the Emperor, and one squadron was the personal guard of Marshal Davout
. Chevaulegers acted from time to time as a military police unit. They also fought near Wilno, Mohylew and Smoleńsk
. During the Battle of Borodino
they were kept in reserve. Only one squadron went to Moscow with Napoleon (the rest of them followed a few days later). Some fifty chevaulegers-lancers escorted the Emperor from the burning Kremlin, covering him - in the most critical moment - with their overcoats. With their experience of the severity of winters in Eastern Europe, the chevaulegers, when leaving Moscow, had their horses fitted with ice-horseshoes.
The high morale and discipline of the chevaulegers was especially obvious during the retreat of the Grande Armée. The Regiment was one of very few detachments which remained battle-ready until the end. On 25 October it fought at Borovsk
and Maloyaroslavets
against the Cossacks. The same day a service squadron saved Napoleon, about to be kidnapped by Cossacks near Horodnia. On 17 November chevaulegers took part in the Battle of Krasnoi
, and 28 November in the Battle of Beresina. On 5 December Napoleon left the Army rushing for Paris. He was escorted to Oszmiana by the 7th company of chevaulegers (newly formed). The rest of the regiment escorted the imperial treasure, and reached Wilno on 9 December. During the campaign the Regiment suffered tremendous losses. In the end of December there were only 374 men with 270 horses. However, its numbers were still larger than of the other cavalry detachments of the Guard. Chevaulegers gained the great respect of their enemies. Cossacks, who in the last weeks of the retreat presented a real threat to the remnants of the Grande Armée, often escaped at the sight of chevaulegers.
During the campaign of 1813 the Regiment was fighting, but at the same time was being reorganized. In spring four squadrons (under Wincenty Krasiński, Dominik Radziwiłł, Paweł Jerzmanowski, Dezydery Chłapowski) fought battles at Lützen
, at Bautzen
and at Reichenbach. On 12 July the renovated regiment of seven squadrons was incorporated into the new Grande Armée. This time it was divided into two parts: six companies were attached to the division of the Old Guard under General Walther. Eight younger companies, plus a company of Tartars, were included into the 2nd light cavalry division of General Lefebvre
. The first regiment accompanied Napoleon. On September 16 at Peterswalde they smashed a regiment of Prussian hussars under the son of General Blücher
. In the battle of Leipzig
both regiments took part. After this battle even "old breed" chevaulegers felt disappointed and frustrated. Some fifty of the younger even deserted. However, in the battle of Hanau
(30/31 October) in another great charge, the chevaulegers, along with other cavalrymen of the Guard opened ways of retreat for the remnants of the Army.
In 1814, while defending France the chevaulegers and scouts took part in nearly every battle of the period. They fought at Saint Dozier, Brienne, La Rohtiere, Champaubert
, Montmirail
, Vauchamps
, Montereu, Troyes
, Berry-au-Bac
, Craonne
, Laon
, Reims
, La Fere-Champenoise, Arcis-sur-Aube
and Vitry
. They took part in the battle of Paris
. To the end they remained loyal to Napoleon. After the betrayal of Marshal Marmont who was supposed to cover Fontainebleau
, Kozietulski led two Polish regiments to the Palace. Here for the last time Napoleon reviewed his Polish detachment of the Guard. After his abdication, the victorious powers excluded chevaulegers from the French Army. The soldiers of the regiment returned to their once again occupied country, and went into the newly created army of Congress Poland
.
Their way back to Poland was not pleasant, especially during the crossing of Prussia
, but in Poland they were welcomed with love and respect.
One squadron of volunteers under Major Paweł Jerzmanowski accompanied Napoleon to Elba
. During the "March on Paris" the squadron marched as a vanguard of Napoleon's forces. During the "Hundred Days
" campaign, 225 men of the Polish detachment fought as part of Red Lancers division under General Colbert, wearing their Polish uniforms (in the decree excluding strangers from the Guard, Napoleon made the only exception for the Squadron of Elba). Despite a summons by the Grand Duke Constantine, demanding that Jerzmanowski return with his squadron to Poland, chevaulegers fought at the battle of Ligny
and in the battle of Waterloo
. After the defeat, the squadron retreated along with Marshal Davout – to the left banks of Loire
. On 1 October 1815 all members of the squadron were forced to leave the French Army.
The very last accent of the existence of the Regiment was this letter:
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Archival records on the soldiers of the 1st Regiment can be found in genealogical books known as Registre-Matricule.
First book, commenced 14 April 1807 in Warsaw, includes chevaulegers with record numbers from 1 to 1800. Its last entry was 27 February 1812.
The second book, made in the same manner, was started the same day – 27 February 1812. It covers soldiers registered under numbers 1801 – 3508. The last chevauleger was recorded on 25 February 1814. The book contains not only those men who enlisted in the 1st Regiment, but also soldiers of the 3rd Regiment Lithuanian chevaulegers, and a squadron of Lithuanian Tartars included in the 1st Regiment as well.
The third book refers to the 3rd Scout Regiment. It was opened 1 January, and closed 21 March 1814 and contains numbers from 1 to 934. The last, fourth book, refers to the detachment of chevaulegers reconstituted in 1815 and dissolved a few months later, after the fall of Napoleon. One can find there the names of about 200 Poles from the Squadron of Elba, as well as the latest of the volunteers.
All books contain names of Poles, Dutchmen, Lithuanians, and Frenchmen.
the traditions of the 1st Regiment were maintained by 1. Pułk Szwoleżerów Józefa Piłsudskiego, an exclusive regiment of cavalry, the 2nd squadron of which was traditionally the Service Squadron for the president of Poland.
Each year, since the mid-1990s, in the middle of August in Ciechanów
and Opinogóra
the "Return of the Chevaulegers" exhibition is organized by the city of Ciechanów, Museum of Romanticism in Opinogóra, Faculty of Arts of the Aleksander Giejsztor College, and many other institutions and organizations. During the spectacle many re-enactment groups from countries such as Poland, Great Britain, Belarus
, Lithuania and Latvia
present themselves in historical uniforms.
Dezydery Chłapowski, Memoirs of a Polish Lancer, Chicago 1992, ISBN 0-9626655-3-3
David G. Chandler, The Illustrated Napoleon, Henry Holt & Co., New York 1973, ISBN 0-8050-0442-4
John R. Elting, Napoleonic Uniforms, t. 2, New York 1993, ISBN 0-02-897115-9
Eligiusz Kozłowski & Mieczysław Wrzosek, Historia oręża polskiego 1795-1939, Warszawa 1984, ISBN 83-214-0339-5
Marian Kukiel, Dzieje oręża polskiego w epoce napoleońskiej 1795-1815, Poznań 1912
Włodzimierz Kwaśniewski, Dzieje szabli w Polsce, Bellona, Warszawa 1999, ISBN 83-11-08921-3
George Nafziger, Mariusz Wesolowski, Poles and Saxons of the Napoleonic Wars, Chicago 1991, ISBN 0-96-222552-5
Ronald Pawly, Napoleon's Polish Lancers of the Imperial Guard, Osprey Pyblishing 2007, ISBN 9781-84603-2561
Ronald Pawly, Napoleon's Scouts of the Imperial Guard, Osprey Publishing 2006, ISBN 1-84176-9568
Jan Pachoński, Generał Jan Henryk Dąbrowski 1755-1818, Warszawa 1981, ISBN 83-11-07252-3
Rocznik Woyskowy Królestwa Polskiego na rok 1825, Warszawa 1825
Polish language
Polish is a language of the Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages, used throughout Poland and by Polish minorities in other countries...
: 1 Pułk Lekkokonny [Polski] Gwardii Cesarskiej; French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
: 1er Régiment des chevaux-légers [polonais] de la Garde Impériale) was a formation of Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
light cavalry
Light cavalry
Light cavalry refers to lightly armed and lightly armored troops mounted on horses, as opposed to heavy cavalry, where the riders are heavily armored...
that served Emperor Napoleon during the Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
.
The Regiment, as part of Napoleon's Imperial Guard
Imperial Guard
The Imperial Guard was originally a small group of elite soldiers of the French Army under the direct command of Napoleon I, but grew considerably over time. It acted as his bodyguard and tactical reserve, and he was careful of its use in battle...
, fought in many battles, distinguishing itself at Wagram
Battle of Wagram
The Battle of Wagram was the decisive military engagement of the War of the Fifth Coalition. It took place on the Marchfeld plain, on the north bank of the Danube. An important site of the battle was the village of Deutsch-Wagram, 10 kilometres northeast of Vienna, which would give its name to the...
, Beresina, Hanau
Battle of Hanau
The Battle of Hanau was fought on between Karl Philipp von Wrede’s Austro-Bavarian corps and Napoleon's retreating French during the War of the Sixth Coalition....
and especially Somosierra
Battle of Somosierra
The Battle of Somosierra occurred November 30, 1808 in the Peninsular War, when a French army under Napoleon I forced a passage through the Sierra de Guadarrama shielding Madrid....
. On at least three occasions, light-horsemen
Light cavalry
Light cavalry refers to lightly armed and lightly armored troops mounted on horses, as opposed to heavy cavalry, where the riders are heavily armored...
of the Regiment saved Napoleon's life.
Origins
The Polish 1st Light Cavalry Regiment of the Imperial Guard, under the command of Wincenty KrasińskiWincenty Krasinski
Count Wincenty Krasiński was a Polish nobleman , political activist and military leader.He was the father of Zygmunt Krasiński, one of Poland's Three Bards—Poland's greatest romantic poets.-Life:...
, was created by a decree of Napoleon's, and signed on 9 April 1807 in Finckenstein (now Kamieniec Suski in northeast Poland):
Beginning
War of the Fourth Coalition
The Fourth Coalition against Napoleon's French Empire was defeated in a war spanning 1806–1807. Coalition partners included Prussia, Russia, Saxony, Sweden, and the United Kingdom....
of 1806, when he was escorted by a "Polish Honor Guard" comprising aristocratic youths from the Society of Friends of the Fatherland
Society of Motherland Friends
Society of Motherland Friends was a secret society of patriotic youth created in Warsaw under the Prussian partition in 1803 by son of starosta Society of Motherland Friends (pol. Towarzystwo Przyjaciół Ojczyzny) was a secret society of patriotic youth created in Warsaw under the Prussian...
, leaders of which would in the future be officers of the Regiment. Aspiring Guardsmen distinguished themselves in the Battles of Pułtusk and Gołymin
Battle of Golymin
The Battle of Golymin took place on 26 December 1806 during the Napoleonic Wars at Gołymin, Poland, between around 17,000 Russian soldiers with 28 guns under Prince Golitsyn and 38,000 French soldiers under Marshal Murat. The Russian forces disengaged successfully from the superior French forces...
. It is unclear whether Napoleon's reason in agreeing to the Regiment's formation was a desire to control the Polish aristocracy (whose loyalty he could not be sure of) or his appreciation of the Polish contributions to his victories.
The Regiment was an elite body of volunteers in respect of income and origin—peasants were not eligible to enlist. The cadre were drawn almost exclusively from aristocratic and wealthy noble families; most of the rank-and-file soldiers were also noblemen, though burgher
Bourgeoisie
In sociology and political science, bourgeoisie describes a range of groups across history. In the Western world, between the late 18th century and the present day, the bourgeoisie is a social class "characterized by their ownership of capital and their related culture." A member of the...
s—including Jews—were also represented. Some veterans were upset to learn that their officers were callow youths.
In June 1807, the first company of the first squadron was ready to leave Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
's Mirów Barracks. Earlier, 125 light cavalry
Light cavalry
Light cavalry refers to lightly armed and lightly armored troops mounted on horses, as opposed to heavy cavalry, where the riders are heavily armored...
under Captain Tomasz Łubieński
Tomasz Łubieński
Tomasz Łubieński, comte de Pomian was a brigadier general in the Polish army, senator, landowner in Kalisz and businessman. Hoping to liberate Poland, he fought on the French side in the Napoleonic Wars, fighting at Essling, , , , , and , for which Napoleon made him a baron de l'Empire...
had presented themselves to the public and won their acclaim.
Organization, uniforms and armament
According to intentional Ordre de Bataille Wincenty Krasiński (father of Polish poet Zygmunt KrasińskiZygmunt Krasinski
Count Napoleon Stanisław Adam Ludwig Zygmunt Krasiński , a Polish count, is traditionally ranked with Mickiewicz and Słowacki as one of Poland's Three National Bards — the trio of great Romantic poets who influenced national consciousness during the period of Poland's political bondage.-Life and...
), was nominated as the commanding officer of the Regiment. COs of four squadrons were appointed: Tomasz Łubieński, Ferdynand Stokowski
Ferdynand Stokowski
Ferdynand Ignacy Stokowski was a Polish officer in the French army of the Napoleonic Wars. He was one of the squadron commanders of the Polish 1st Light Cavalry Regiment of the Imperial Guard and made a baron de l'Empire in 1811, before being dismissed from the French army with the rank of...
, Jan Kozietulski and Henryk Kamieński
Henryk Ignacy Kamieński
Henryk Ignacy Kamieński was a Polish brigadier general. He fought on the French side in the Napoleonic Wars and then on the Polish side in the November Uprising.-Life:...
. Each squadron was composed of two companies (demisquadrons) of 125 chevaulegers each. Each company consisted of 5 troops.
Among troop commanders were: Antoni Potocki, Paweł Jerzmanowski, Łukasz Wybicki (son of Józef Wybicki
Józef Wybicki
Józef Rufin Wybicki was a Polish general, poet and political figure.-Life:He was a close friend of General Jan Henryk Dąbrowski, and in 1797 he wrote Mazurek Dąbrowskiego , which in 1927 was adopted as the Polish national anthem.During the Kościuszko Uprising, he was counselor of the Military...
), Józef Szymanowski, Józef Jankowski, Seweryn Fredro. Positions of Lieutenant-Colonels (grossmajors) and instructors were taken by Frenchmen: Charles Delaitre of the Mamelukes of the Guard, and Pierre "Papa" Dautancourt of Choice Gendarmerie
Military police
Military police are police organisations connected with, or part of, the military of a state. The word can have different meanings in different countries, and may refer to:...
. The regiment consisted of 60 officers and about 1000 men. In 1812 a fifth squadron under Paweł Jerzmanowski was formed. In the beginning of 1813 remnants of 3rd Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
n Light Cavalry, detachment of Lithuanian gendarmes, and a company of Lithuanian Tartars were included, so the number of companies rose to 13. During May and June of the same year the number of companies rose to 15 (117 officers and 1,775 men), but in December the original organization was restored – 4 squadrons and 8 companies. 3rd Scout Regiment of the Guard under Jan Kozietulski was formed from the remaining officers and men. Polish chevaux-legers were treated as French soldiers and were on the French payroll. In 1809 (after the battle of Somosierra
Battle of Somosierra
The Battle of Somosierra occurred November 30, 1808 in the Peninsular War, when a French army under Napoleon I forced a passage through the Sierra de Guadarrama shielding Madrid....
) the Regiment was incorporated to the Old Guard.
Chasseur
Chasseur [sha-sur; Fr. sha-sœr] is the designation given to certain regiments of French light infantry or light cavalry troops, trained for rapid action.-History:...
, but before Mamelukes. After Napoleon's abdication (6 April 1814) chevaulegers and scouts were united (minus Paweł Jerzmanowski's squadron, which accompanied the former emperor to Elba
Elba
Elba is a Mediterranean island in Tuscany, Italy, from the coastal town of Piombino. The largest island of the Tuscan Archipelago, Elba is also part of the National Park of the Tuscan Archipelago and the third largest island in Italy after Sicily and Sardinia...
). 1 May 1814 the Regiment was transferred from the French Army to the newly created Army of Congress Poland
Congress Poland
The Kingdom of Poland , informally known as Congress Poland , created in 1815 by the Congress of Vienna, was a personal union of the Russian parcel of Poland with the Russian Empire...
, and on 7 June all squadrons were presented in Saint Denis before their new Commander, Grand Duke Constantine Pavlovich of Russia
Grand Duke Constantine Pavlovich of Russia
Constantine Pavlovich was a grand duke of Russia and the second son of Emperor Paul I. He was the Tsesarevich of Russia throughout the reign of his elder brother Alexander I, but had secretly renounced his claim to the throne in 1823...
and then moved to Poland.
Uniforms of chevaulegers were modelled upon Cavalry National
National Cavalry
The National cavalry was a branch of Polish-Lithuanian cavalry in the Polish armed forces in the last quarter of the 18th century. Formed as a merger of previously-existing units of Polish Hussars and pancerni that were still in service after the Confederation of Bar...
uniforms from the last decade of the 18th century. Dark blue kurtka
Kurtka
A kurtka is the generic word for a jacket in a number of European languages, most notably in Polish and Russian. The word itself is a Slavic diminutive of the original Hungarian word kurta, which in turn was derived of the Latin word curtus, "excurtus", meaning short .In addition to the general...
had crimson stand-up collar, wristbands and facings. The snug dark blue pantaloons (breeches
Breeches
Breeches are an item of clothing covering the body from the waist down, with separate coverings for each leg, usually stopping just below the knee, though in some cases reaching to the ankles...
) were lined with leather, and ornamented with a single crimson stripe. Collar and facings of the Grand Uniform were ornamented also with silver wavy line, and pantaloons with double crimson stripes (officer's Gala Full Dress was white and crimson). High (22 cm) czapka
Czapka
Czapka is a Polish and Belorussian generic word for a cap. However, it is perhaps best known to English speakers as a word for the 19th century Polish cavalry headgear, consisting of a high, four-pointed cap with regimental insignia on the front to which feathers or rosettes were sometimes...
s had their forehead metals made of brass (officer's of silver) with a rising sun and the letter "N". For the parade czapka was crowned with 47 cm long plume of heron's or ostrich white feathers, and a cockade
Cockade
A cockade is a knot of ribbons, or other circular- or oval-shaped symbol of distinctive colors which is usually worn on a hat.-Eighteenth century:...
with a blue center, broad crimson middle band and a narrow white outer edging, with the blue practically hidden under the silver Maltese cross
Maltese cross
The Maltese cross, also known as the Amalfi cross, is identified as the symbol of an order of Christian warriors known as the Knights Hospitaller or Knights of Malta and through them came to be identified with the Mediterranean island of Malta and is one of the National symbols of Malta...
. Officers had blue, while regular soldiers had off-white overcoats, known as manteau-capotes.
Chevaulegers were armed with sabre
Sabre
The sabre or saber is a kind of backsword that usually has a curved, single-edged blade and a rather large hand guard, covering the knuckles of the hand as well as the thumb and forefinger...
s, initially Prussian
Kingdom of Prussia
The Kingdom of Prussia was a German kingdom from 1701 to 1918. Until the defeat of Germany in World War I, it comprised almost two-thirds of the area of the German Empire...
of bad quality, and as of March 1809 French sabres. Also, Prussian pistols were replaced gradually with French mousquetonnes
Musketoon
The musketoon is a shorter barrelled version of the musket, and served in the roles of a shotgun or carbine. Musketoons could be of the same caliber as the issue musket, or of a much larger caliber, 1.0-2.5 inches . The musketoon is most commonly associated with naval use, and pirates in...
. Lances, 2.75 meters long with crimson-and-white pennons, were obtained not earlier than after the battle of Wagram
Battle of Wagram
The Battle of Wagram was the decisive military engagement of the War of the Fifth Coalition. It took place on the Marchfeld plain, on the north bank of the Danube. An important site of the battle was the village of Deutsch-Wagram, 10 kilometres northeast of Vienna, which would give its name to the...
, where they acquired lances of Austrian uhlan
Uhlan
Uhlans were Polish light cavalry armed with lances, sabres and pistols. The title was later used by lancer regiments in the Russian, Prussian, and Austrian armies....
s, and fought victoriously with these. At that time the name of the Regiment was changed to (fr. 1er Régiment de chevau-légers lanciers Polonais de la Garde Impériale).
Witamy was, witamy was, Jeżeliście nasi kochajcie nas, kochajcie nas. Witamy was, witamy was, Jeżeliście wrogi szanujcie nas, szanujcie nas. Do zwycięstw przywykli wkraczamy do was, Obejścia wzglęgnego żądamy po was, A wy się nic złego, a wy się nic złego Nie bójcie od nas! Do zwycięstw przywykli wkraczamy do was, Polacy po świecie wojujemy was! My za Polskę naszą i za sławę naszą Wojujemy was! |
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Operational history
Spain
The regiment was sent, detachment after detachment, to Spain. The first time chevaulegers fought was on 14 July 1808, during the battle of Medina del Rio SecoBattle of Medina del Rio Seco
The Battle of Medina de Rioseco was fought during the Peninsular War on 14 July 1808 when a combined body of Spanish militia and regulars moved to rupture the French line of communications to Madrid...
(two squadrons under Radzimiński).
On 30 November 1808 their most famous charge up the Somosierra Pass
Somosierra
Somosierra is a mountain pass in the Sierra de Guadarrama north of Madrid in Spain. It connects the north of the Community of Madrid with the east of the province of Segovia...
took place. That day the 3rd Squadron under Kozietulski (ad interim) was on duty as a personal escort to the Emperor. After the failure of the French infantry attack, Napoleon ordered Polish chevaulegers to take the pass defended by 3000 men and four batteries of Spanish cannons. The narrow road to the top (300 meters level difference, 2,500 meters long), bordered from both sides with waist high stone walls, lined with poplar trees, precluded a demi-squadron or even a troop frontal attack. This was why the attack was conducted in a column four horses wide. After the first battery was taken, chevaulegers, without slowing the full gallop charge gained the top of the Pass in about eight minutes. All four batteries were taken, and the road to Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
opened for Napoleon's Army. The charge was led by Kozietulski who, however, lost his horse after taking the first battery. The squadron was then joined by Lt. Andrzej Niegolewski, who had previously been on reconnaissance with his troop. The charge was continued under Dziewanowski, and when he fell from his horse after taking the third battery, by Piotr Krasiński. The charge, which continued to the last battery, was led by Niegolewski, who miraculously survived when the Spanish attacked him (he received nine wounds from bayonnettes
Bayonet
A bayonet is a knife, dagger, sword, or spike-shaped weapon designed to fit in, on, over or underneath the muzzle of a rifle, musket or similar weapon, effectively turning the gun into a spear...
and two carbine shots to the head).
According to the official version, Kozietulski led his men into the charge with the standard French war cry "En avant, vive l'Empereur!". However, according to the memoirs of many of the veterans the true battle cry was (Forward, you sons of dogs, the Emperor is watching!).
The charge has been noted as the most effective victory of the Polish cavalry during the time of the Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
, and as the least costly victory for Napoleon. It became a legend and later an inspiration for many writers and painters.
Soon after the battle the regiment was - by Napoleon's decree - included in the Old Guard. It stayed in Spain until February 1809. It took its part in the retaking of Madrid, and in marshal
Marshal of France
The Marshal of France is a military distinction in contemporary France, not a military rank. It is granted to generals for exceptional achievements...
Soult
Nicolas Jean de Dieu Soult
Nicolas Jean-de-Dieu Soult, 1st Duke of Dalmatia , the Hand of Iron, was a French general and statesman, named Marshal of the Empire in 1804. He was one of only six officers in French history to receive the distinction of Marshal General of France...
's campaign against British forces in Portugal Hundred chevaulegers under Tomasz Łubieński escorted Napoleon on his way back to Paris.
1809-1811
War of the Fifth Coalition
The War of the Fifth Coalition, fought in the year 1809, pitted a coalition of the Austrian Empire and the United Kingdom against Napoleon's French Empire and Bavaria. Major engagements between France and Austria, the main participants, unfolded over much of Central Europe from April to July, with...
began. The regiment marched to Austria. On 22 May the light horse took part in the Battle of Essling.
On 6 July 1809, during the Battle of Wagram
Battle of Wagram
The Battle of Wagram was the decisive military engagement of the War of the Fifth Coalition. It took place on the Marchfeld plain, on the north bank of the Danube. An important site of the battle was the village of Deutsch-Wagram, 10 kilometres northeast of Vienna, which would give its name to the...
, the light horse again led a charge that enhanced their legend. In one daring attack, they smashed Duke Schwarzenberg
Karl Philipp, Prince of Schwarzenberg
Karl Philipp Fürst zu Schwarzenberg Karl Philipp Fürst zu Schwarzenberg Karl Philipp Fürst zu Schwarzenberg (or Charles Philip, Prince of Schwarzenberg (April 18, 1771 – October 15, 1820) was an Austrian field marshal.- Life :...
's uhlan
Uhlan
Uhlans were Polish light cavalry armed with lances, sabres and pistols. The title was later used by lancer regiments in the Russian, Prussian, and Austrian armies....
s and prevented the whole army from being separated from the banks of the Danube River. During the melée
Mêlée
Melee , generally refers to disorganized close combat involving a group of fighters. A melee ensues when groups become locked together in combat with no regard to group tactics or fighting as an organized unit; each participant fights as an individual....
, they grabbed the uhlans’ lances and continued their attack further with these new weapons. Most of Schwarzenberg's uhlans were Poles from Galicia. After the battle, Napoleon supposedly said: "Give them these lances, if they can use them so well." From this point on, they became light-horse lancers.
Over the next two years (1810–11) the Regiment spent time in Chantilly
Chantilly, Oise
Chantilly is a small city in northern France. It is designated municipally as a commune in the department of Oise.It is in the metropolitan area of Paris 38.4 km...
resting, drilling, receiving awards, and from time to time participating in court duties. Some 400 lancers escorted the Emperor and his wife on their trip to Belgium, and Napoleon during his visit to the maritime provinces. Kozietulski
Jan Kozietulski
Baron Jan Leon Hipolit Kozietulski was a Polish noble, military commander and an officer of the armed forces of the Duchy of Warsaw during the Napoleonic Wars. He is best remembered as the heroic commander of the Polish cavalry charge at the Battle of Somosierra.Jan Leon Hipolit Kozietulski was...
was awarded the officer's star of the Légion d'honneur
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
together with the title of baron
Baron
Baron is a title of nobility. The word baron comes from Old French baron, itself from Old High German and Latin baro meaning " man, warrior"; it merged with cognate Old English beorn meaning "nobleman"...
, and was nominated for the Polish cross of Virtuti Militari
Virtuti Militari
The Order Wojenny Virtuti Militari is Poland's highest military decoration for heroism and courage in the face of the enemy at war...
. Wincenty Krasiński
Wincenty Krasinski
Count Wincenty Krasiński was a Polish nobleman , political activist and military leader.He was the father of Zygmunt Krasiński, one of Poland's Three Bards—Poland's greatest romantic poets.-Life:...
was appointed brigadier-general and was created a count
Count
A count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
. Many other officers and men obtained promotions and awards for gallantry.
Russia
In February 1812 the Regiment was ordered to go to Germany and further East. On March 11 it stopped in ToruńTorun
Toruń is an ancient city in northern Poland, on the Vistula River. Its population is more than 205,934 as of June 2009. Toruń is one of the oldest cities in Poland. The medieval old town of Toruń is the birthplace of the astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus....
. Then on June 21 (enlarged by the fifth squadron which was formed in Poznań
Poznan
Poznań is a city on the Warta river in west-central Poland, with a population of 556,022 in June 2009. It is among the oldest cities in Poland, and was one of the most important centres in the early Polish state, whose first rulers were buried at Poznań's cathedral. It is sometimes claimed to be...
) it crossed the eastern border of the Duchy of Warsaw
Duchy of Warsaw
The Duchy of Warsaw was a Polish state established by Napoleon I in 1807 from the Polish lands ceded by the Kingdom of Prussia under the terms of the Treaties of Tilsit. The duchy was held in personal union by one of Napoleon's allies, King Frederick Augustus I of Saxony...
. On the very next day Napoleon issued in Wyłkowyszki
Vilkaviškis
Vilkaviškis Until 1940 the city had a large Jewish Community which was annihilated by the Nazis and their local collaborators. The whole Jewish population was killed in a single day,, after the entry of the Germans into the city.-Names:...
his order, which began the Second Polish War, which was equal with the French invasion of Russia
French invasion of Russia
The French invasion of Russia of 1812 was a turning point in the Napoleonic Wars. It reduced the French and allied invasion forces to a tiny fraction of their initial strength and triggered a major shift in European politics as it dramatically weakened French hegemony in Europe...
.
In the first stage of the war the Regiment was assigned to the Headquarters of the Emperor, and one squadron was the personal guard of Marshal Davout
Louis Nicolas Davout
Louis-Nicolas d'Avout , better known as Davout, 1st Duke of Auerstaedt, 1st Prince of Eckmühl, was a Marshal of France during the Napoleonic Era. His prodigious talent for war along with his reputation as a stern disciplinarian, earned him the title "The Iron Marshal"...
. Chevaulegers acted from time to time as a military police unit. They also fought near Wilno, Mohylew and Smoleńsk
Smolensk
Smolensk is a city and the administrative center of Smolensk Oblast, Russia, located on the Dnieper River. Situated west-southwest of Moscow, this walled city was destroyed several times throughout its long history since it was on the invasion routes of both Napoleon and Hitler. Today, Smolensk...
. During the Battle of Borodino
Battle of Borodino
The Battle of Borodino , fought on September 7, 1812, was the largest and bloodiest single-day action of the French invasion of Russia and all Napoleonic Wars, involving more than 250,000 troops and resulting in at least 70,000 casualties...
they were kept in reserve. Only one squadron went to Moscow with Napoleon (the rest of them followed a few days later). Some fifty chevaulegers-lancers escorted the Emperor from the burning Kremlin, covering him - in the most critical moment - with their overcoats. With their experience of the severity of winters in Eastern Europe, the chevaulegers, when leaving Moscow, had their horses fitted with ice-horseshoes.
The high morale and discipline of the chevaulegers was especially obvious during the retreat of the Grande Armée. The Regiment was one of very few detachments which remained battle-ready until the end. On 25 October it fought at Borovsk
Borovsk
Borovsk is a town and the administrative center of Borovsky District of Kaluga Oblast, Russia, located just south from the oblast's border with Moscow Oblast. It is situated on the Protva River, about southwest of Moscow.Population: 12,000 ....
and Maloyaroslavets
Maloyaroslavets
Maloyaroslavets is a town in Kaluga Oblast, Russia, located on the right bank of the Luzha River , southwest of Moscow and northeast of Kaluga. Population: 21,200 ....
against the Cossacks. The same day a service squadron saved Napoleon, about to be kidnapped by Cossacks near Horodnia. On 17 November chevaulegers took part in the Battle of Krasnoi
Battle of Krasnoi
The Battle of Krasnoi was a series of skirmishes fought in the final stage of Napoleon's retreat from Moscow. This encounter was noteworthy because of the heavy losses inflicted on the remnants of the Grande Armée by the Russians under General Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov...
, and 28 November in the Battle of Beresina. On 5 December Napoleon left the Army rushing for Paris. He was escorted to Oszmiana by the 7th company of chevaulegers (newly formed). The rest of the regiment escorted the imperial treasure, and reached Wilno on 9 December. During the campaign the Regiment suffered tremendous losses. In the end of December there were only 374 men with 270 horses. However, its numbers were still larger than of the other cavalry detachments of the Guard. Chevaulegers gained the great respect of their enemies. Cossacks, who in the last weeks of the retreat presented a real threat to the remnants of the Grande Armée, often escaped at the sight of chevaulegers.
1813-1815
Battle of Lützen (1813)
In the Battle of Lützen , Napoleon I of France lured a combined Prussian and Russian force into a trap, halting the advances of the Sixth Coalition after his devastating losses in Russia. The Russian commander, Prince Peter Wittgenstein, attempting to undo Napoleon's capture of Leipzig, attacked...
, at Bautzen
Battle of Bautzen
In the Battle of Bautzen a combined Russian/Prussian army was pushed back by Napoleon, but escaped destruction, some sources claim, because Michel Ney failed to block their retreat...
and at Reichenbach. On 12 July the renovated regiment of seven squadrons was incorporated into the new Grande Armée. This time it was divided into two parts: six companies were attached to the division of the Old Guard under General Walther. Eight younger companies, plus a company of Tartars, were included into the 2nd light cavalry division of General Lefebvre
Charles, comte Lefebvre-Desnouettes
Charles, comte Lefebvre-Desnouettes or Lefèbvre-Desnoëttes became a French officer during the French Revolutionary Wars and a general during the Napoleonic Wars...
. The first regiment accompanied Napoleon. On September 16 at Peterswalde they smashed a regiment of Prussian hussars under the son of General Blücher
Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher
Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher, Fürst von Wahlstatt , Graf , later elevated to Fürst von Wahlstatt, was a Prussian Generalfeldmarschall who led his army against Napoleon I at the Battle of the Nations at Leipzig in 1813 and at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815 with the Duke of Wellington.He is...
. In the battle of Leipzig
Battle of Leipzig
The Battle of Leipzig or Battle of the Nations, on 16–19 October 1813, was fought by the coalition armies of Russia, Prussia, Austria and Sweden against the French army of Napoleon. Napoleon's army also contained Polish and Italian troops as well as Germans from the Confederation of the Rhine...
both regiments took part. After this battle even "old breed" chevaulegers felt disappointed and frustrated. Some fifty of the younger even deserted. However, in the battle of Hanau
Battle of Hanau
The Battle of Hanau was fought on between Karl Philipp von Wrede’s Austro-Bavarian corps and Napoleon's retreating French during the War of the Sixth Coalition....
(30/31 October) in another great charge, the chevaulegers, along with other cavalrymen of the Guard opened ways of retreat for the remnants of the Army.
In 1814, while defending France the chevaulegers and scouts took part in nearly every battle of the period. They fought at Saint Dozier, Brienne, La Rohtiere, Champaubert
Champaubert
Champaubert is a commune in the Marne department in north-eastern France....
, Montmirail
Montmirail
Montmirail is the name of several communes in France:* Montmirail, in the Marne département* Montmirail, in the Sarthe départementMontmirail may also refer to the Dentelles de Montmirail, mountains in Vaucluse, southern France. The Battle of Montmirail took place in 1814 near Montmirail, Marne....
, Vauchamps
Vauchamps
Vauchamps may refer to the following places in France:* Vauchamps, Doubs, a commune in the Doubs department* Vauchamps, Marne, a commune in the Marne department...
, Montereu, Troyes
Troyes
Troyes is a commune and the capital of the Aube department in north-central France. It is located on the Seine river about southeast of Paris. Many half-timbered houses survive in the old town...
, Berry-au-Bac
Berry-au-Bac
Berry-au-Bac is a commune in the department of Aisne in Picardy in northern France.-References:*...
, Craonne
Craonne
Craonne is a commune in the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France.-History:It was the site of the Napoleonic Battle of Craonne in 1814. The former town was totally destroyed by artillery in World War I and is now an arboretum; today's town was rebuilt in the 1920s.-References:*...
, Laon
Laon
Laon is the capital city of the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France.-History:The hilly district of Laon, which rises a hundred metres above the otherwise flat Picardy plain, has always held strategic importance...
, Reims
Reims
Reims , a city in the Champagne-Ardenne region of France, lies east-northeast of Paris. Founded by the Gauls, it became a major city during the period of the Roman Empire....
, La Fere-Champenoise, Arcis-sur-Aube
Battle of Arcis-sur-Aube
The Battle of Arcis-sur-Aube was Napoleon’s penultimate battle before his abdication and exile to Elba...
and Vitry
Vitry
Vitry is part of the name of several communes in France:* Vitry-aux-Loges, in the Loiret département* Vitry-en-Artois, in the Pas-de-Calais département* Vitry-en-Charollais, in the Saône-et-Loire département...
. They took part in the battle of Paris
Battle of Paris (1814)
The Battle of Paris was fought during the Napoleonic Wars in 1814. The French defeat led directly to the abdication of Napoleon I.-Background:...
. To the end they remained loyal to Napoleon. After the betrayal of Marshal Marmont who was supposed to cover Fontainebleau
Fontainebleau
Fontainebleau is a commune in the metropolitan area of Paris, France. It is located south-southeast of the centre of Paris. Fontainebleau is a sub-prefecture of the Seine-et-Marne department, and it is the seat of the arrondissement of Fontainebleau...
, Kozietulski led two Polish regiments to the Palace. Here for the last time Napoleon reviewed his Polish detachment of the Guard. After his abdication, the victorious powers excluded chevaulegers from the French Army. The soldiers of the regiment returned to their once again occupied country, and went into the newly created army of Congress Poland
Congress Poland
The Kingdom of Poland , informally known as Congress Poland , created in 1815 by the Congress of Vienna, was a personal union of the Russian parcel of Poland with the Russian Empire...
.
Their way back to Poland was not pleasant, especially during the crossing of Prussia
Kingdom of Prussia
The Kingdom of Prussia was a German kingdom from 1701 to 1918. Until the defeat of Germany in World War I, it comprised almost two-thirds of the area of the German Empire...
, but in Poland they were welcomed with love and respect.
One squadron of volunteers under Major Paweł Jerzmanowski accompanied Napoleon to Elba
Elba
Elba is a Mediterranean island in Tuscany, Italy, from the coastal town of Piombino. The largest island of the Tuscan Archipelago, Elba is also part of the National Park of the Tuscan Archipelago and the third largest island in Italy after Sicily and Sardinia...
. During the "March on Paris" the squadron marched as a vanguard of Napoleon's forces. During the "Hundred Days
Hundred Days
The Hundred Days, sometimes known as the Hundred Days of Napoleon or Napoleon's Hundred Days for specificity, marked the period between Emperor Napoleon I of France's return from exile on Elba to Paris on 20 March 1815 and the second restoration of King Louis XVIII on 8 July 1815...
" campaign, 225 men of the Polish detachment fought as part of Red Lancers division under General Colbert, wearing their Polish uniforms (in the decree excluding strangers from the Guard, Napoleon made the only exception for the Squadron of Elba). Despite a summons by the Grand Duke Constantine, demanding that Jerzmanowski return with his squadron to Poland, chevaulegers fought at the battle of Ligny
Battle of Ligny
The Battle of Ligny was the last victory of the military career of Napoleon I. In this battle, French troops of the Armée du Nord under Napoleon's command, defeated a Prussian army under Field Marshal Blücher, near Ligny in present-day Belgium. The bulk of the Prussian army survived, however, and...
and in the battle of Waterloo
Battle of Waterloo
The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815 near Waterloo in present-day Belgium, then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands...
. After the defeat, the squadron retreated along with Marshal Davout – to the left banks of Loire
Loire
Loire is an administrative department in the east-central part of France occupying the River Loire's upper reaches.-History:Loire was created in 1793 when after just 3½ years the young Rhône-et-Loire department was split into two. This was a response to counter-Revolutionary activities in Lyon...
. On 1 October 1815 all members of the squadron were forced to leave the French Army.
Registre-Matricule
First book, commenced 14 April 1807 in Warsaw, includes chevaulegers with record numbers from 1 to 1800. Its last entry was 27 February 1812.
The second book, made in the same manner, was started the same day – 27 February 1812. It covers soldiers registered under numbers 1801 – 3508. The last chevauleger was recorded on 25 February 1814. The book contains not only those men who enlisted in the 1st Regiment, but also soldiers of the 3rd Regiment Lithuanian chevaulegers, and a squadron of Lithuanian Tartars included in the 1st Regiment as well.
The third book refers to the 3rd Scout Regiment. It was opened 1 January, and closed 21 March 1814 and contains numbers from 1 to 934. The last, fourth book, refers to the detachment of chevaulegers reconstituted in 1815 and dissolved a few months later, after the fall of Napoleon. One can find there the names of about 200 Poles from the Squadron of Elba, as well as the latest of the volunteers.
All books contain names of Poles, Dutchmen, Lithuanians, and Frenchmen.
Tradition
In the times of the Second Polish RepublicSecond Polish Republic
The Second Polish Republic, Second Commonwealth of Poland or interwar Poland refers to Poland between the two world wars; a period in Polish history in which Poland was restored as an independent state. Officially known as the Republic of Poland or the Commonwealth of Poland , the Polish state was...
the traditions of the 1st Regiment were maintained by 1. Pułk Szwoleżerów Józefa Piłsudskiego, an exclusive regiment of cavalry, the 2nd squadron of which was traditionally the Service Squadron for the president of Poland.
Each year, since the mid-1990s, in the middle of August in Ciechanów
Ciechanów
Ciechanów is a town in north-central Poland with 45,900 inhabitants . It is situated in Masovian Voivodeship . It was previously the capital of Ciechanów Voivodeship.-History:The grad numbered approximately 3,000 armed men....
and Opinogóra
Opinogóra Górna
Opinogóra Górna is a village in Ciechanów County, Masovian Voivodeship, in east-central Poland. It is the seat of the gmina called Gmina Opinogóra Górna. It lies approximately north-east of Ciechanów and north of Warsaw....
the "Return of the Chevaulegers" exhibition is organized by the city of Ciechanów, Museum of Romanticism in Opinogóra, Faculty of Arts of the Aleksander Giejsztor College, and many other institutions and organizations. During the spectacle many re-enactment groups from countries such as Poland, Great Britain, Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
, Lithuania and Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
present themselves in historical uniforms.
Further reading
- Marian Brandys, Koniec świata szwoleżerów, t. 1, Warszawa 1972
- Marian Brandys,