From: Mike Campbell <mike@aloysius.equinox.gen.nz>
Subject: Uhlans
Organization: Me?  Organized?
Date: Mon, 4 Jan 1993 17:39:20 GMT


From Mike Campbell <mike@aloysius.equinox.gen.nz>

> From "Edward J. Rudnicki" (FSAC-SID) <erudnick@pica.army.mil>
> 
> 
> Mike Campbell writes:
> #The Russian model apparently became the basis of the troop type
> #throughout Europe in the 19th century, and all Uhlans wore the
> #distinctive square-topped Czapska"
> 
> I thought the Western lancers were modeled after the Polish units
> used by Napoleon. "Czapka" is Polish for cap or cover (headgear),
> and the Polish army used the square-topped headgear for all
> branches. In modified form it is retained to this day.

All Uhlan units owed their distinctive uniforms to Polish influences.  
The Russian units were officialy called Uhlans in 1803, and, although 
there were not necessarily a lot of Poles involved, the Russian army 
had 6 Uhlan Regts in 1810 - of 10 squadrons each they were twice as 
strong as most other nation's regiments (the Imperial Guard Regt was 
only 5 sqns).  After the 1812 campaign all Russian Cav Regts were 
established as 6 sqns (5 field, 1 depot), and an aditional 7 Uhlan 
Regts were raised by converting Dragoon Regts.

All of these troops wore the Czapka and Polish style uniform.

By comparison Austria-Hungary had 3 Uhlan Regts in 1804, a fourth 
being formed in 1813.  All had 6 sqns.

Napoleon only ever had 1 regiment of Polish Lancers, although there 
were many more in the Army of the Duchy of Warsaw, which he created 
after defeating the Russians in 1807-08.  This regiment was the 1st 
Chevaux-leger Lancier of the Guard, and was raised on 2 March 1807.  
This regt was very large, having 7 sqns totalling some 1500 men.  A 
2nd Regiment of Guard lancers was raised on 13 Sept, 1810 from the 
Hussars of the Dutch Guard of Louis Napoleon, and were known as the 
Red Lancers due to their uniform colour.  This regt also had some 1500 
men, being organised in 10 squadrons.  A 3rd regt of the guard was 
raised in Lithuania on 12 Sept 1812, but was destroyed in Russia.

All of these troops wore the distinctive headgear and the uniforms 
were generally Polish in nature.

In adition the 3rd Regt of Eclaireurs was recruited largely from 
Poles, and wore a uniform similar to the 1st Lancers.  The Eclaireur 
Regts were armed 1/2 with Lance, 1/2 with Carbine, and were intended 
to act as scouts for the Guard, but were usually used as standard 
light cavalry.

The majority of French lancers were designated "Chevaux-leger 
lanciers", or Light Horse Lancers.  They were first raised in 1811, 
and wore a uniform similar to the Chasseurs a Cheval, but with a 
Dragoon style helmet with a "caterpiller" crest.  The 8th and 9th 
regiments were raised from Poles, but wore the French uniform.

The Grand Duchy of Warsaw had 12 Regiments of Uhlans in service in 
1812, and the Vistula Legion, which served under French control, had 
one further regt.

The Prussians also fielded a large number of lancers, but most of 
these were, in 1813-14, Landwher - reservists, and their uniform did 
not have any Polish influence.  There was a single Regt of Uhlans of 
the Guard.  Before the defeat of 1807 there had been 25 squadrons of 
"towarczys" - uhlans recruited from minor Polish nobility (Austria, 
Prussia and Russia had divied up Poland some time before, so each was 
able to recruit Poles).

The Russian Uhlans, therefore, were the dominant Lance-armed cavalry 
after the defeat of Napoleon.  As with many other Russian influences 
at the time (eg the "Kiwer" shako), the rest of the victors adopted 
the Uhlan uniform off the Russian model.  Oh - Russia now included 
most of Poland also :-).
-- 
Mike Campbell, Christchurch, New Zealand
mike@aloysius.equinox.gen.nz 

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