"Questions regarding dismounted British Lt. Dragoons" Topic

My question(s) concerning the British 16th and 17th Light Dragoon Regiments in the American War of Independence are:
* When dismounted, what was the usual combat formations used?
* When dismounted, where these regiments able to attach a bayonet to their carbines for close combat?

Thanks much!
Tom Semian
Avalon, Pa. 15202

Auttie,

There were two types of dis-mounted dragoons: the first would involve the mounted troopers simply, well, dismounting in order to – for example – clear a building; the second – which I think is the type you are taling about – is something different.

In late 1775/early 1776, there was an "augmentation" which added about 20 NCOs and men to an infantry company, and a junior officer (cornet), a sergeant, two corporals, and 29 privates to each of the six troops in a Light Dragoon corps. (At the same time, another 9 privates were added to the mounted component of each troop.)

The men were never mounted and were intended to serve as light infantry from the start. As such, they were taught light infantry drill and armed with rifled carbines which could take a bayonet. The dismounted elements of each troop generally served together as a dismounted division, thus each of the two British light dragoon regiments was a legionary corps with a roughly equal mix of horse and foot.

Each of the two regiments in America, at full war establishment, numbered just under 500 men, including officers. The dismounted divisions, plus reinforcements for the mounted division, landed in America in September 1776, and both the 16th and 17th took part in the New York campaign. Some dismounted men of the 16th were at Princeton, and the whole of the 16th took part in the Philadelphia campaign and, later on, the battle of Monmouth.

When the 16th was sent home in late 1778, the dismounted men were transferred to the 1st Light Infantry; the senior sergeant actually became the Sergeant-Major (nowadays the Regimental Sergeant Major) of that battalion. Here's Don Troiani's interpretation of them as they would have looked on arrival in America:-

link

(You need to click on the title in the contents page, fifth one down.)

Does that answer your questions? If not, don't hesitate to ask more.

SM:

My reading of the activities of both cav regiments is mixed at best. IIRC, the 16th were buried in the march column at Brandywine – perhaps because the mounts weren't very good. I honestly don't recall to many details about the foot element of either unit during the war. Any further insights?

Also, in looking at the rifles they carried, I am having trouble seeing how the mounted a bayonet, especially since the stock appears to go the end of the muzzle.

I also don't see how the 1776 Pattern rifle carried a bayonet either, as it had the same full stock issue.

Carbine:
link

Here is info and a look at the 1776 rifle, also fully stocked:

link

I couldn't find anything in my Neuman books on cavalry rifles, though the CW collection has one on display, unfortunately no online picture that I could find.

Pretty sure they led the army into Philadelphia.

You may be right on the weapons; I was fairly sure that the mounted men had bayonets, though. I'll check that – I have de Witt Bailey, who is better than Neumann (IMO).

It depends on which carbine they carried. The Elliot carbine did mount a bayonet, but it is uncertain if they made it here during the war – though they were produced in Ireland. Other carbines did not mount a bayonet.

The Pattern 1776 rifle does not appear able to mount a bayonet due to the stock going to the end of the barrel.

New to me. I had to look them up. :-)

So back to the foot element – did they all carry rifles to your knowledge? I haven't seen a lot about the foot elements of the cav, though in orders of battles I have seen they don't always seem to make a distinction between the foot and mounted element.

Wasn't it 5 rifles per troop, or similar ratio, the rest armed with smothbores ?

At Princeton they were put in skirmish order and fought against Patriot riflemen.

Each mounted troop in the LD regiments had two rifled weapons, and it was approximately the same in each light company of an infantry battalion (although in some cases more than two rifles were acquired – if not strictly allocated!).

I'll have to go back to the 17th LD re-enactment website and ask them what they think that dismounted men received.