American Light Dragoons and Partisan Corps in the Revolutionary War

Towards the end of 1776, Washington formed what became known as Light Dragoons and Partisan Corps or Legions. Light Dragoons were specifically units of mounted cavalry or horse. Partisan Corps were unique, for unlike dragoons of horse, they were elite units consisting of both cavalry and light infantry of foot. Highly mobile, by the summer of 1777, both forms of cavalry became the eyes and ears of the American army. It became common for highly mobile groups of light cavalries to not only provide valuable service during major battles, but to conduct reconnaissance and surveillance, engage enemy troop movements, disrupt delivery of supplies, raid and skirmish enemy positions, and organize expeditions behind enemy lines to gather intelligence.

But realizing their importance had come with a price. When Washington arrived in New York City during the spring of 1776 to prepare for an expected British invasion, he focused on the city’s defenses. Among the troops arriving to defend the city was a volunteer militia of Connecticut cavalry commanded by Colonel Elisha Sheldon. Washington refused their offer of a regular mounted unit. He did not recognize the value of a highly mobile force. It was long thought that the forested terrain of America did not lend itself to an effective cavalry. Companies of Horse were almost nonexistent and rarely saw service during the previous French and Indian war – prejudicing the need of Horse by military commanders leading the rebellion. Washington also claimed that due to the lack of sufficient forage for the horses, he could not sustain a cavalry and sent Sheldon’s unit back to Connecticut. He would soon pay dearly for his decision.

On August 22, 1776. British commander General William Howe landed 15,000 men on Long Island. The Americans had foreseen just such a move and had already prepared a series of forts and redoubts in Brooklyn. Their defensive lines extended both south and east for several miles. Though the British incorporated highly mobile units of horse dragoons to patrol the lines and report on enemy movements, the Americans relied on foot troops, mainly a unit of riflemen rangers under Colonel Thomas Knowlton. Between the British and American lines were four important passes that the Americans guarded. The fourth, at Jamaica Pass was the most distant, five miles from Brooklyn and considered too far for concern. General Sullivan posted only five soldiers to watch for enemy movement while the rebels prepared for the expected British attack.

On the evening of August 26^th, General Howe split his army. He left a force of British and Hessians along the American center and right, while his main army swung to the east to march all night to attack the American left flank by daybreak. In the early morning hours of August 27^th, Howe came through Jamaica Pass and easily overpowered the five guardsmen. Meanwhile, British and Hessians forces confronting the American center and right launched their feint attack. While the American’s attention was focused on this diversionary assault, Howe fell upon the American left and rear. The American line collapsed, entrapping General Sullivan’s division. If not for the sacrifice of nearly four hundred Maryland troops, who held the line and attacked, the entire division would have been lost.

Washington was handed a devastating defeat, but like all the officers of the rebellion, there was a steep learning curve taking place. It became obvious that without a mobile unit of horse to patrol the lines and quickly report back important intelligence on troop movements and strength, Washington and his officers were at a great disadvantage. He began to take steps to improve his army’s abilities to gain enemy information. In the month between the Battle of Long Island and General Howe’s invasion of Manhattan Island, Washington became frustrated by his lack of enemy intelligence. Seeds were sown in the city that would eventually grow into an elaborate spy network. More pressing for immediate needs, Washington turned to his intelligence officer, Colonel Thomas Knowlton. Captain Nathan Hale, of Knowlton’s Rangers, assumed a disguise and was sent to Long Island to gain enemy information, resulting in the schoolteacher’s capture and execution. Washington’s intelligence woes continued as the British army pursued the rebels north to White Plains and across New Jersey, the Americans barely crossing the Delaware River to safety.

By late 1776, any preconceptions of a fruitless and inefficacious cavalry vanished. Washington was thoroughly convinced of his army’s need for corps of highly mobile horse. They would not only improve communications but probe enemy lines and garnish information by staging raids to capture and interrogate prisoners. He applied to Congress who granted him the power to establish a system of cavalry. Without prior experience in organizing a cavalry, Washington set about forming what became Light Dragoons and Partisan Corps of Legions. He re-designated all existing horse to form the basis of his Light Dragoons. Officers were given permission to select their subordinates. Each regiment was commanded by a colonel, lieutenant colonel, and a major. Regiments were divided into six troops, each commanded by a captain, one lieutenant, one cornet (second lieutenant), two sergeants, four corporals, and thirty-two privates. Each company also had a farrier (shoed and took care of horses’ hoofs), armorer, and trumpeter for a regimental total of 267 officers and troopers. Washington’s army would field four regiments of dragoons. Smaller Partisan Corps were also incorporated into the army. They too were labeled light horse, their sizes varied from fifty men to a company size of nearly a hundred (as was the case with Captain Allen McLane’s Partisan Corps). However, a Partisan Corps usually numbered fifty troopers while sixty or more was considered a Legion, such as Major Henry ‘Light Horse Harry’ Lee’s Legion.

Listed are the four regiments of dragoons along with additional partisan corps that were incorporated into the American Continental Army. Given is their date of authorization, organization and original commanding officer:

• 1^st Continental Regiment of Light Dragoons (Bland’s Horse). Authorized June 8, 1776 as Virginia State Troops. Assigned to Continental Army on November 25, 1776, re-designated Virginia Lt. Horse led by Lt. Colonel Theodoric Bland. Organized on March 31, 1777. Consisted of six troops from Virginia.

2^nd Continental Regiment of Light Dragoons (Sheldon’s Horse). Authorized on December 12, 1776, Colonel Elisha Sheldon of Connecticut’s horse became its commander. Organized between Dec. 16, 1776 and June 21, 1777. Consisted of four troops of Connecticut, one from Massachusetts, and one from New Jersey.

3^rd Continental Regiment of Light Dragoons (Baylor & Lady Washington’s Horse). Authorized on January 1, 1777, Lt. Colonel George Baylor from Washington’s personal staff was chosen to command. Organized in the spring of 1777 at Morristown, NY. Consisted of three troops from three troops from Virginia, two from Maryland, and one troop recruited at large.

4^th Continental Regiment of Light Dragoons (Moylan’s Horse). Authorized on January 5, 1777, Colonel Stephen Moylan, Washington’s aide-de-camp commanded. Organized spring of 1777 at Philadelphia. Consisted of six troops from Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland, and New Jersey.

• 1^st Partisan Corps (Armand’s). Organized in the winter of 1777 & spring of 1778 in Boston, Massachusetts, Colonel Charles Armand Tuffin commanding. Adopted to the Continental Army on June 25, 1778 as the Free and Independent Chasseurs. Consisted of three companies. Was assigned to the Highland’s Department north of New York City.
• 2nd Partisan Corps (Lee’s Legion). Authorized on June 8, 1776 in the Virginia State Troops as the 5^th Troop of Light Horse, Major Henry ‘Light Horse Harry’ Lee commanding. Organized in the summer of 1776 at Williamsburg. November 25, 1776, re-designated and incorporated into the 1^st Continental Regiment of Light Dragoons. Withdrawn from the 1^st Dragoons on April 7, 1778 and re-designated at Lee’s Corps of Partisan Light Dragoons. Consisted of three companies from Virginia. July 13, 1779 – Captain Allen McLane’s Partisan Company of Delaware added as a fourth troop. Expanded and re-designated on January 1, 1781 as the 2^nd Partisan Corps or Lee’s Legion. Consisted of three mounted and three dismounted (light infantry of foot).
• Captain Allen McLane’s Company. Authorized on January 1, 1777 as Capt. Allen McLane’s Company assigned to Patton’s Additional Continental Regiment, Colonel John Patton commanding. Organized between February 14 and April 23 at Dover and Wilmington, Delaware. Consisted of one company of troop – 94 men both mounted and light infantry of foot. Re-assigned to Lee’s Legion on July 13, 1779.

• Pulaski’s Legion. Polish cavalry officer Casimir Pulaski arrived from France in July 1777, where he had been in exile. Authorized by Congress on March 28, 1778 to raise an Independent Corps of sixty-eight mounted troops and two hundred Infantry of Foot. Organized at Baltimore, Maryland from April 10 to July 29, 1778. It consisted of one troop of lancers, two troop of dragoons, one company of riflemen, and two companies of light infantry, primarily from Pennsylvania and Maryland.
• Ottendorf’s Corps. Authorized on December 5, 1776, Major Nicholas Dietrich, Baron de Ottendorf commanding. Organized between December 9, 1776 and June 1, 1777 in eastern Pennsylvania. Consisted of one company of light infantry, one company of light infantry and rifle, another independent company of light infantry and rifle, one company of cavalry, and another company of dismounted cavalry. In April 1778, the corps was broken up and re-designated as Armand’s Partisan Corps.

Corps of North Carolina Light Dragoons. Raised on April 13, 1775 as provincial troops. Authorized on April 16, 1776 in the North Carolina State Troops as the Corps of North Carolina Light Dragoons. Organized in the spring and summer 1776 at Wilmington as three troops. Adopted into the Continental Army on July 31, 1776 and assigned to the southern department. Re-assigned on February 5, 1777 to the Main Continental Army. Consisted of four independent companies: 1^st Company commanded by Captain John Dickerson (March 7^th, 1777 placed under Cpt. Samuel Ashe Jr., 2^nd Company by Martin Phifer, 3^rd Company was first under Cpt. James Jones (October 25, 1776 placed under Cpt. Cosmo Medici), 4^th Company was created in June 1778, commanded by Cpt. John Brown.

Whether planned or by accident, these Regiments of Dragoons, and Legions of Partisan Corps filled an important role during the war. Though they rarely changed the course of events or made a major impact on a specific battle, historian William Sherman explained that “they were seen as encouraging initiative and acts of boldness which in turn bolstered the Continental army’s morale; while fostering an offensive spirit in a conflict where pitched major engagements were normally avoided and where, due to both logistical constraints and lack of training, it was generally ill advised for large bodes of American forces to be on the attack.” Washington felt confident that his units of horse gave him time and knowledge, consistently keeping him abreast of enemy strength and motion. This allowed him to plan appropriate tactics and quickly take necessary actions when the need arose. Through trial and error, the Continental Army eventually realized all the necessary limbs required to forge an effective fighting force – no doubt the cavalry forming Washington’s right hand.

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Additional Reading on Revolutionary War Journal

The Baylor Massacre Sept. 28, 1778: British General ‘No-flint’ Grey, Just Like the Paoli Massacre, Ordered a Sudden, Silent, and Savage Nighttime Bayonet Attack on Sleeping American Soldiers.

Capt. Allen McLane: Legendary Hero & Spymaster of the American Revolution or a Regular Soldier Who Just Did His Duty.

Boyrereau Brinch – African American Continental Soldier’s Hand to Hand Combat and Daring Escape from British Dragoons

Deborah Sampson – Continental Soldier in the American Revolution. Disguised as a Man She Fought, Was Wounded, and Received an Honorable Discharge

Source:

American Revolutionary War Continental Regiments. Light Dragoon, Partisan Corps and Legionary Corps in the Continental Army https://revolutionarywar.us/continental-army/mounted-corps/

Garden, Alexander. A Sketch of Allan McLane (1828). Posted 2011 by William Thomas Sherman wts@gunjones.com

Heitman, Francis B. Historical Register of Officers of the Continental Army During the War of the Revolution, April 1775 – December 1783. 1914: The Rare Book Shop Publishing Company, Inc., New York, NY.

Lefferts, Charles M. Uniforms of the Armies in the War of the American Revolution, 1775-1783. 1926: New York Historical Society, New York, NY.

Olson, Gary D. “Thomas Brown, Loyalist Partisan, and the Revolutionary war in Georgia, 1777-1782, Prt. I”. The Georgia Historical Quarterly. Vol. 54, No. 1 (Spring, 1970), pp 1-19.

Piecuch, Jim. Cavalry of the American Revolution. 2014: Westholme Publishing, Yardley, Pennsylvania.