"In 1815, did the 23rd Light Dragoon carry a dolman?" Topic

Hello everyone,

In 1815, did the 23rd Light Dragoon carry a dolman?

Thank you,

By 'carry' did you mean 'wear'?

See this earlier discussion.

TMP link

Translation from French – porter- I believe. It means both.

More importantly [not really!]- who was the "23rd Light Dragoon" a why did he "carry a dolman"?????

I think the background to this question is a story that the 23rd Light Dragoons wore the old style laced jacket with a shako at Waterloo (see Haythornthwaite Uniforms of Waterloo). Mollo states that this is based on a painting of a trooper of the 23rd dated 1812 but goes onto say that the regiment confirmed to regulation by October 1814. I assume that this is from an inspection report. Based on this, my understanding is that they wore the 1812 Light Dragoon tunic with a plastron front.

There is a similar story for the officers of the 16th LDs based on a laced jacket supposed to have been worn at Waterloo. Again Mollo states that at an inspection in February 1815, they confirmed to regulation except for their belts.

Does this relate to a specifically hussar-style jacket (presupposing a pelisse worn in conjunction?), or, simply, the standard blue light dragoon jacket worn from 1784?

So they didn't wear a dolman, they had the ordinary light dragoon uniform…

Attention the dolman is not the pelisse (also worn by the hussars)

Here's Pimlott's plate from his British Light Cavalry (Nations in Arms 1800-1815) Published in 1977 and a little gem of a book.

Weren't there quite a few non-regulation dolmans knocking about among the Rifles, the RHA etc? I would not be at all surprised if a few officers still wore them. If nothing else it would aid recognition.

< q>Attention the dolman is not the pelisse (also worn by the hussars)

I think the point is that dolman is a term that really applies to hussar uniforms, and those copying that style, rather than to any cavalry jacket with lacing on the chest, for example British Light Dragoon uniforms before the 'plastron' type jacket was adopted (always making allowance for individual officers' flamboyance).

Sorry, yes, was thinking of the pelisse.

Actually that was from Paskal- my error- but, yes, I think perhaps you were, Watson.

I was reading the letters of John Vandeleur who was a junior officer in the 12th LDs in the Peninsula. In October 1813, he wrote to his mother asking her to send cloth for the regimental tailors to make up a jacket of the new pattern and lace plus cloth for a jacket of the old pattern. This was 9 months after the regiment had been required with the plastron tunic. He was an ADC at the time so perhaps he had some latitude in his dress but it does show that we can't be too dogmatic about these things.

I should also add that in August 1813 he mentions that his pelisse is worn out although this may have been the plain type without fur used by Light Dragoon officers.

But we also need to be careful with the reasons for those requests. Was he intending to patch-up his old jacket? or did he use it as part of his dress uniform?

The (non Hussar) Light Dragoons also wore pelisses with the old Uniform. The 11th, 12th, 13th, 16th, 23rd and 26th light Dragoons for instance, wore the Pelisse with the old uniform

11th, 12th, 16th and 23rd are pictured with the pelisse.

Well I understood the 23rd light dragons was dressed like the others, thank you all.