Dragoons?

[Manassas 1861]

Did the US Army use any dragoon regiments during the ACW?

 

[Old Soldier]

I think there´s a certain truth to that. Militaries have fads just like other cultures and the flavor of the month in the late 18th century for cavalry was the Hussar - even though they´re really just light cavalry and could even be called dragoons. But their clothes were so exotic! Kind of like how airborne is sexier than leg infantry, but once they´re on the ground they´re exactly the same.

Hussars? Dragoons? NEVER. They were LIGHT CAVALRY and used as such, preferably sword and saber only! They were the elite - or so they always considered themselves, but the 'Heavies' and the Infantry had a different opinion. Besides, their uniform was soooo expensive compared to the others and a commission (in the British Army) cost a small fortune.

 

[7thWisconsin]

Hussars? Dragoons? NEVER. They were LIGHT CAVALRY and used as such, preferably sword and saber only! They were the elite - or so they always considered themselves, but the 'Heavies' and the Infantry had a different opinion. Besides, their uniform was soooo expensive compared to the others and a commission (in the British Army) cost a small fortune.

I think the key phrase here is ¨or so they considered themselves."

 

[7thWisconsin]

Hussars? Dragoons? NEVER. They were LIGHT CAVALRY and used as such, preferably sword and saber only! They were the elite - or so they always considered themselves, but the 'Heavies' and the Infantry had a different opinion. Besides, their uniform was soooo expensive compared to the others and a commission (in the British Army) cost a small fortune.

I think the key phrase here is ¨or so they considered themselves."

 

[Rhea Cole]

Did the US Army use any dragoon regiments during the ACW?

The answer to your question is no, there were no U.S. dragoons during the Civil War with the exception of the 1st Dragoons in 1860-61.

First Regiment of Cavalry - The Army of the US Historical Sketches of Staff and Line with Portraits of Generals-in-Chief | U.S. Army Center of Military History

On August 3, 1861 the 1st Regiment of Dragoons was redesigned as 1st Regiment of Cavalry.

History of U.S. Cavalry Insignia

Evolution of U.S. Cavalry Insignia

hglanham.tripod.com

US Dragoons wore the familiar crossed saber symbol "upside down" with the edges down. When the dragoons & mounted rifles were consolidated into cavalry crossed sabers with the edge up became the symbol we are all familiar with.

During the Civil War newly formed volunteer regiments had a kaleidoscope of colorful names, dragoons & lancers included.

Our History – National Lancers

nationallancers.org

There were a few companies of lancers. As far as I have been able to discover there was only one charge with lances during the war. It was a textbook example of what rifled muskets could do against a target as big as a man on a horse.

The Only Lancer Charge in the Civil War

When Major General H. H. Sibley invaded New Mexico in 1862, he brought with him two companies of lancers. Handsome and chivalrous heirs of medieval knights, the lancers were the darlings of the...

jenniferbohnhoff.com

 

[Dan Kohli]

I do believe that the two Regular dragoon regiments were considered line or a medium cavalry by the U.S. Army. Which I do believe is more in line with the French doctrine on dragoons at that time.

 

[Old Soldier]

Cavalry were always the 'first in line' in most armies at the time - the most prestigeous arm and units of any army. They were seen as the 'modern' equivalent of knights - landed people who fought on horseback, socially higher than all the others. The royal mounted guard were always top of the list (when there was a 'royal') followed by light cavalry, often hussars or lancers, mainly used for recconnaissance and advances against little opposition - raiders. They originated as irregular cavalry but were never seen as 'battle winners'. They were expected to remain in the saddle for most of the day. They were seen as 'daring' and had their own rules and regulations. They attracted many from the upper echelons of society - and quite a few 'naughty' ones as well! The 'irregular' aspect never seemed to vanish.
'Heavy' cavalry was next - the guys you could use to break an enemy line, often armored in the early days, and were equipped with straight swords used as a 'point' weapon in the charge, using weight and speed to overcome. Finally, way down the bottom, the dragoons who were really mounted infantry. No carbines for them, but 'long' arms (large caliber pistols in the early days). As time went on, there were 'light dragoons' too, often assigned to light cavalry formations but again, rarely 'in charge'. The dragoons were used as mounted skirmishers - a force that could hold ground as the infantry moved up - something the cavalry were not trained to do at the time.
Gradually, the dragoons were incorporated into the heavy cavalry and became dragoons in name only. Their social standing did not seem to improve, however. In Civil War days, there was little variation in uniform so the European traditional asiatic hussar uniform of fur cap, pelisse and sabertasche was rarely seen, although a number of cavalry regiments on both sides were titled 'hussar' and had a braided tunic initially. Like the Zouaves, the preferred uniforn gave way to what Ordnance could supply.