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- taking the flag
Originally, the word "dragon" designates a fighter who can fight either on foot or on horseback.
It was Turenne who created the first two regiments, La Ferté and du Roi, in 1668. There were 14 in 1678, 43 in 1690, reduced to 18 in 1789.
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- the sentinel by Messonier
The dragoons are distinguished by their charges at Arcole, at Rivoli, at the Pyramids, at Aboukir, at Marengo. They took part in all the great battles of the Grande Armée and often struck the decisive blow, at Wertingen and Austerlitz (1805), at Jena and Prentzlow (28 October 1806), where they annihilated Prince Auguste's cavalry, "the most beautiful load I have ever seen”, Murat will say.
As early as 1806, a guard dragoon regiment was formed. It was during the Spanish Civil War that the dragoons acquired their greatest reputation, under the command of Milhaud and La Tour-Maubourg, at Tudela, Ocana, Medellin, Fuentes de Onoro, where they charged the squares of the English infantry.
The 1791 uniform continued until 1812:helmet with copper crest, trimmed around the edges with a sealskin turban, surmounted by a black mane, dark green cloth coat, white jacket and breeches. In 1812, they took the green infantry coat-jacket. The dragoons are armed with the straight saber, the pistol and the 1777 model rifle.
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- dragon by Messonier