"Portuguese: Heavy / Medium Cavalry" Topic

From Essex in 15mm

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Amicalement
Armand

During the Peninsular War, Portugal didn't have any heavy cavalry! The cavalry didn't have heavy enough horses to be Heavy Cavalry, nor did they have the training to be Dragoons, nor fast enough horses to be Light Cavalry.

If I was Essex, I would just call them "Portuguese Cavalry" and leave it at that!

G'Day Keith

Historically how were they employed?

Best Regards
Art

The cavalry was the least effective arm of the Portuguese army. Some regiments took the field in brigades (e.g. 4th & 10th; 1st & 7th; and 5th & 8th) others served dismounted e.g 2nd as garrison because of the lack horses.

Paper strengths were (but regiments never got anywhere near – circa 300 plus):

1808 July – Regimento de Cavallaria
Headquarters: 17 men
Coronel, Tenente Coronel, Major, Ajudante, Quartel Mestre, Cirurgão Mór, Capellão, Picador, Trombeta Mór, 4 Ajudantes de Cirurgião, Alveitar, 3 Artifices (Selleiro, Coronheiro, Espingardeiro),
Companies: 54 men

1808 October -Regimento de Cavallaria reorganised – 594 men
Headquarters: 14 men
Coronel, Tenente Coronel, Major, Ajudante,Quartel Mestre, Capellão, Cirurgiao Mór, 2 Ajudantes do Cirurgiao, Picador,Trombeta Mór, Selleiro, Coronheiro. Espingardeiro

1o, 3o, 5o& 7o Companhia: 73 men
Capitão, Tenente, Alferes, Sargento, Furriel, Porta-Estandarte, 4 Cabos, 4 Anspeçadas, Trombeta, Ferrador, 57 Soldados

2o, 4o, 6o& 8o Companhia: 72 men
Capitão, Tenente, Alferes, Sargento, Furriel, 4 Cabos, 4 Anspeçadas, Trombeta, Ferrador, 57 Soldados

1809 November – Regimento da Cavallaria .
Headquarters: 21 men (20 horses)
Coronel, Tenente Coronel, Major, Ajudante, Quartel-Mestre, Thesoureigo (or Pagador), Sargento do Brigada, Quartel-Mestre Sargento, 4 Porte-Estandaries, Capellao, Cirurgião Mór, 2 Ajudantes do Cirurgião, Picador, Trombeta Mór, Selleiro, Coronheiro, Espingardeiro

Companhia: 72 men (64 horses)
Capitão, Tenente, Alferes, 2 Sargentos, Furriel, 4 Cabos de Esquadra, 4 Anspeçadas, Trombeta, Ferrador, 56 Soldados (8 dismounted).

G'Day Mr. P

Thank you for your response…

But how was the Regimento de Cavallaria employed?

Lets take the 4th & 10th which operated in a brigade…how were they employed on the field of battle…as cavalerie de ligne?

Best Regards
Art

G'Day Art

Roughly speaking we could say that half of the Portuguese cavalry was employed dismounted in garrison duty and the other half was employed mounted in the field.

Those that were employed in the field were under-strength and brigaded together, two or three regiments to a brigade. Portugal was not good "horse-country" and British observers considered the Portuguese horses to be "too small".

The Portuguese cavalry were employed in the same manner as the British light dragoons and like them were equipped with crested helmets which were replaced by shakos later in the war. Where outpost work was needed, the KGL light cavalry was preferred over both.

They were't in action in many major battles and are perhaps most remembered for d'Urban's Brigade (1st & 11th Regiments) at Salamanca.

The Portuguese cavalry seem to have caught the British cavalry's delight in charging out of control (perhaps because they had British officers). At Campo Maior the Portuguese 7th Cavalry charged with the 13th Light Dragoons, who defeated their French opponents and then followed a wild pursuit of 11km, only their arrival at the fortress of Badajoz brought them to a halt.

G'Day Keith

So if I understand you correctly, taking Salamanca as an example; they were used as cavalerie de ligne (cavalry of the line with small mounts) poor as it may be, and had a tendency to become wild in the pursuit.

Thank you…

Best Regards
Art

G'Day Art

Using Salamanca as an example I would say that D'Urbans's Portuguese Cavalry Brigade was used on the battlefield in exactly the same way as Alten's (Arenschildt's) British/KGL Light Cavalry Brigade – except that Wellington considered the Portuguese as poorer quality.

Prior to the battle, the light cavalry rode ahead of the marching columns, the heavy at the rear; behind all came D'Urban with his Portuguese cavalry brigade having an unhappy time shepherding the baggage train.

D'Urbans's brigade consisted on the 1st, 11th and 12th Cavalry. The 12th was sent to the rear to guard the baggage.

D'Urban and Arenschildt advamced with the 3rd Division, d'Urban protecting the division's right flank and Arenschildt protecting its left.

When the 3rd Division was advancing on the French, d'Urban's two cavalry regiments took a wide sweep and came in behind the French left and attacked the unsuspecting French infantry before they could form square. The French broke and ran, with the Portuguese taking many prisoners.

Probably the most successful Portuguese Cavalry charge of the whole war.

Best Regards

G'Day Keith

Thank you for the information, I really appreciate it!

Best Regards
Art

Art, I'd been looking for a quote from d'Urban about his Portuguese Cavalrymen and now I found it….

"At Salamanca they followed me into the enemy's ranks like British dragoons; yesterday [at Majadahonda] they were so far from doing their duty that in the first charge they just went far enough to land me in the enemy's ranks. In the second, which (having got them rallied) I rashly attempted, I could not get them within 20 yards of the enemy – they left me alone, and vanished before the French helmets like leaves before the autumn wind."

So were I to write wargames rules for Portuguese Cavalry, I would make them completely unpredictable :)