"AB's British Dragoons in Watering Caps " Topic

War this just a non reg hat …….? Worn in place of the Bicorn ? ……. How late in the war did they wear this hat ?

This shako-like cap was a regulation item, although its exact shape was not defined and differed slightly between regiments. It was intended to be worn on non-combat (eg watering the horses) duties to preserve the bicorne for more formal wear.
A number of heavy cavalry units seem to have worn it actually in place of the unpopular bicorne hat. In 1800 all the Dragoons are shown in it by C Hamilton-Smith, but the bicorne remained the main regulation headress and made a partial reappearance in the Peninsula.

In some units, officers wore it while the men wore the hat.

Peninsula heavy regiments-

1st Dragoons- 1809-12 hats for men, not sure about officers
4th Dragoons- caps for officers, hats for men.
3rd Dragoons- not sure
3rd Dragoon Guards- hats all ranks I think
4th Dragoon Guards- don't know- not really in Peninsula long enough to worry about though
5th Dragoon Guards- caps for officers, not sure about men.

Caps were worn at least as long as the bicorne, but after the introduction of helmets would have been firmly reduced to non-combat status.

Thank u so much !!!

Seneffe, you are a godsend.

Would you happen to know if the KGL heavy dragoons also wore the cap?

I'm looking at the peninsular war primarily. You see, I have seen the Front Rank minis with cap and am desperately trying to justify buying them over the bicorne version.

I think the KGL wore bicornes, the only pictures of them I have seen have them that way. Ill have to check later.