1st Polish Light Cavalry Regiment of the Imperial Guard The 1st Polish Light Cavalry Regiment of the Imperial Guard ( Polish : " 1 Pułk Lekkokonny [ Polski ] Gwardii Cesarskiej " ; French : " 1er Régiment des chevaux - légers [ polonais ] de la Garde Impériale " ) was a formation of Polish light cavalry that served Emperor Napoleon during the Napoleonic Wars . The Regiment , as part of Napoleon ' s Imperial Guard , fought in many battles , distinguishing itself at Wagram , Beresina , Hanau and especially Somosierra . On at least three occasions , light - horsemen of the Regiment saved Napoleon ' s life . Origins . The Polish 1st Light Cavalry Regiment of the Imperial Guard , under the command of Wincenty Krasiński , was created by a decree of Napoleon ' s , and signed on 9 April 1807 in Finckenstein ( now Kamieniec Suski in northeast Poland ) : Beginning . Polish efforts to form a prestigious detachment of the Imperial Guard began in 1804 . Napoleon agreed to this during the Polish Campaign of 1806 , when he was escorted by a " Polish Honor Guard " comprising aristocratic youths from the Society of Friends of the Fatherland , leaders of which would in the future be officers of the Regiment . Aspiring Guardsmen distinguished themselves in the Battles of Pułtusk and Gołymin . It is unclear whether Napoleon ' s reason in agreeing to the Regiment ' s formation was a desire to control the Polish aristocracy ( whose loyalty he could not be sure of ) or his appreciation of the Polish contributions to his victories . The Regiment was an elite body of volunteers in respect of income and origin — peasants were not eligible to enlist . The cadre were drawn almost exclusively from aristocratic and wealthy noble families ; most of the rank - and - file soldiers were also noblemen , though burghers — including Jews — were also represented . Some veterans were upset to learn that their officers were callow youths . In June 1807 , the first company of the first squadron was ready to leave Warsaw ' s Mirów Barracks . Earlier , 125 light cavalry under Captain Tomasz Łubieński had presented themselves to the public and won their acclaim . Organization , uniforms and armament . According to intentional " Ordre de Bataille " Wincenty Krasiński ( father of Polish poet Zygmunt Krasiński ) , was nominated as the commanding officer of the Regiment . COs of four squadrons were appointed : Tomasz Łubieński , Ferdynand Stokowski , Jan Kozietulski and Henryk Kamieński . Each squadron was composed of two companies ( demisquadrons ) of 125 chevaulegers each . Each company consisted of 5 troops . Among troop commanders were : Antoni Potocki , Paweł Jerzmanowski , Łukasz Wybicki ( son of Józef Wybicki ) , Józef Szymanowski , Józef Jankowski , Seweryn Fredro . Positions of Lieutenant - Colonels ( grossmajors ) and instructors were taken by Frenchmen : Charles Delaitre of the Mamelukes of the Guard , and Pierre " Papa " Dautancourt of Choice Gendarmerie . The regiment consisted of 60 officers and about 1000 men . In 1812 a fifth squadron under Paweł Jerzmanowski was formed . In the beginning of 1813 remnants of 3rd Lithuanian Light Cavalry , detachment of Lithuanian gendarmes , and a company of Lithuanian Tartars were included , so the number of companies rose to 13 . During May and June of the same year the number of companies rose to 15 ( 117 officers and 1 , 775 men ) , but in December the original organization was restored – 4 squadrons and 8 companies . 3rd Scout Regiment of the Guard under Jan Kozietulski was formed from the remaining officers and men . Polish chevaux - legers were treated as French soldiers and were on the French payroll . In 1809 ( after the battle of Somosierra ) the Regiment was incorporated to the " Old Guard " . According to the Old Guard seniority they were located after Chasseurs à Cheval , but before Mamelukes . After Napoleon ' s abdication ( 6 April 1814 ) chevaulegers and scouts were united ( minus Paweł Jerzmanowski ' s squadron , which accompanied the former emperor to Elba ) . 1 May 1814 the Regiment was transferred from the French Army to the newly created Army of Congress Poland , and on 7 June all squadrons were presented in Saint Denis before their new Commander , Grand Duke Constantine Pavlovich of Russia and then moved to Poland . Uniforms of chevaulegers were modelled upon Cavalry National uniforms from the last decade of the 18th century . Dark blue kurtka had crimson stand - up collar , wristbands and facings . The snug dark blue pantaloons ( breeches ) were lined with leather , and ornamented with a single crimson stripe . Collar and facings of the Grand Uniform were ornamented also with silver wavy line , and pantaloons with double crimson stripes ( officer ' s Gala Full Dress was white and crimson ) . High ( 22 cm ) czapka s had their forehead metals made of brass ( officer ' s of silver ) with a rising sun and the letter " N " . For the parade czapka was crowned with 47 cm long plume of heron ' s or ostrich white feathers , and a cockade with a blue center , broad crimson middle band and a narrow white outer edging , with the blue practically hidden under the silver Maltese cross . Officers had blue , while regular soldiers had off - white overcoats , known as " manteau - capotes " . Chevaulegers were armed with sabre s , initially Prussian of bad quality , and as of March 1809 French sabres . Also , Prussian pistols were replaced gradually with French " mousquetonnes " . Lances , 2 . 75 meters long with crimson - and - white pennons , were obtained not earlier than after the battle of Wagram , where they acquired lances of Austrian uhlan s , and fought victoriously with these . At that time the name of the Regiment was changed to ( fr . " 1er Régiment de chevau - légers lanciers Polonais de la Garde Impériale " ) . The regimental song was " Marsz trębaczy " ( ‘ ’ Trumpetters March ’ ’ ) : Operational history . Spain . The regiment was sent , detachment after detachment , to Spain . The first time chevaulegers fought was on 14 July 1808 , during the battle of Medina del Rio Seco ( two squadrons under Radzimiński ) . On 30 November 1808 their most famous charge up the Somosierra Pass took place . That day the 3rd Squadron under Kozietulski ( ad interim ) was on duty as a personal escort to the Emperor . After the failure of the French infantry attack , Napoleon ordered Polish chevaulegers to take the pass defended by 3000 men and four batteries of Spanish cannons . The narrow road to the top ( 300 meters level difference , 2 , 500 meters long ) , bordered from both sides with waist high stone walls , lined with poplar trees , precluded a demi - squadron or even a troop frontal attack . This was why the attack was conducted in a column four horses wide . After the first battery was taken , chevaulegers , without slowing the full gallop charge gained the top of the Pass in about eight minutes . All four batteries were taken , and the road to Madrid opened for Napoleon ' s Army . The charge was led by Kozietulski who , however , lost his horse after taking the first battery . The squadron was then joined by Lt . Andrzej Niegolewski , who had previously been on reconnaissance with his troop . The charge was continued under Dziewanowski , and when he fell from his horse after taking the third battery , by Piotr Krasiński . The charge , which continued to the last battery , was led by Niegolewski , who miraculously survived when the Spanish attacked him ( he received nine wounds from bayonnettes and two carbine shots to the head ) . According to the official version , Kozietulski led his men into the charge with the standard French war cry " En avant , vive l ' Empereur ! " . However , according to the memoirs of many of the veterans the true battle cry was ( " Forward , you sons of dogs , the Emperor is watching ! " ) . The charge has been noted as the most effective victory of the Polish cavalry during the time of the Napoleonic Wars , and as the least costly victory for Napoleon . It became a legend and later an inspiration for many writers and painters . Soon after the battle the regiment was - by Napoleon ' s decree - included in the " Old Guard " . It stayed in Spain until February 1809 . It took its part in the retaking of Madrid , and in marshal Soult ' s campaign against British forces in Portugal Hundred chevaulegers under Tomasz Łubieński escorted Napoleon on his way back to Paris . 1809 - 1811 . In the spring of 1809 the War of the Fifth Coalition began . The regiment marched to Austria . On 22 May the light horse took part in the Battle of Essling . On 6 July 1809 , during the Battle of Wagram , the light horse again led a charge that enhanced their legend . In one daring attack , they smashed Duke Schwarzenberg ' s uhlan s and prevented the whole army from being separated from the banks of the Danube River . During the melée , they grabbed the uhlans ’ lances and continued their attack further with these new weapons . Most of Schwarzenberg ' s uhlans were Poles from Galicia . After the battle , Napoleon supposedly said : " " Give them these lances , if they can use them so well . " " From this point on , they became light - horse lancers . Over the next two years ( 1810 – 11 ) the Regiment spent time in Chantilly resting , drilling , receiving awards , and from time to time participating in court duties . Some 400 lancers escorted the Emperor and his wife on their trip to Belgium , and Napoleon during his visit to the maritime provinces . Kozietulski was awarded the officer ' s star of the Légion d ' honneur together with the title of baron , and was nominated for the Polish cross of Virtuti Militari . Wincenty Krasiński was appointed brigadier - general and was created a count . Many other officers and men obtained promotions and awards for gallantry . Russia . In February 1812 the Regiment was ordered to go to Germany and further East . On March 11 it stopped in Toruń . Then on June 21 ( enlarged by the fifth squadron which was formed in Poznań ) it crossed the eastern border of the Duchy of Warsaw . On the very next day Napoleon issued in Wyłkowyszki his order , which began the Second Polish War , which was equal with the French invasion of Russia . In the first stage of the war the Regiment was assigned to the Headquarters of the Emperor , and one squadron was the personal guard of Marshal Davout . Chevaulegers acted from time to time as a military police unit . They also fought near Wilno , Mohylew and Smoleńsk . During the Battle of Borodino they were kept in reserve . Only one squadron went to Moscow with Napoleon ( the rest of them followed a few days later ) . Some fifty chevaulegers - lancers escorted the Emperor from the burning Kremlin , covering him - in the most critical moment - with their overcoats . With their experience of the severity of winters in Eastern Europe , the chevaulegers , when leaving Moscow , had their horses fitted with ice - horseshoes . The high morale and discipline of the chevaulegers was especially obvious during the retreat of the Grande Armée . The Regiment was one of very few detachments which remained battle - ready until the end . On 25 October it fought at Borovsk and Maloyaroslavets against the Cossacks . The same day a service squadron saved Napoleon , about to be kidnapped by Cossacks near Horodnia . On 17 November chevaulegers took part in the Battle of Krasnoi , and 28 November in the Battle of Beresina . On 5 December Napoleon left the Army rushing for Paris . He was escorted to Oszmiana by the 7th company of chevaulegers ( newly formed ) . The rest of the regiment escorted the imperial treasure , and reached Wilno on 9 December . During the campaign the Regiment suffered tremendous losses . In the end of December there were only 374 men with 270 horses . However , its numbers were still larger than of the other cavalry detachments of the Guard . Chevaulegers gained the great respect of their enemies . Cossacks , who in the last weeks of the retreat presented a real threat to the remnants of the Grande Armée , often escaped at the sight of chevaulegers . 1813 - 1815 . During the campaign of 1813 the Regiment was fighting , but at the same time was being reorganized . In spring four squadrons ( under Wincenty Krasiński , Dominik Radziwiłł , Paweł Jerzmanowski , Dezydery Chłapowski ) fought battles at Lützen , at Bautzen and at Reichenbach . On 12 July the renovated regiment of seven squadrons was incorporated into the new Grande Armée . This time it was divided into two parts : six companies were attached to the division of the Old Guard under General Walther . Eight younger companies , plus a company of Tartars , were included into the 2nd light cavalry division of General Lefebvre . The first regiment accompanied Napoleon . On September 16 at Peterswalde they smashed a regiment of Prussian hussars under the son of General Blücher . In the battle of Leipzig both regiments took part . After this battle even " old breed " chevaulegers felt disappointed and frustrated . Some fifty of the younger even deserted . However , in the battle of Hanau ( 30 / 31 October ) in another great charge , the chevaulegers , along with other cavalrymen of the Guard opened ways of retreat for the remnants of the Army . In 1814 , while defending France the chevaulegers and scouts took part in nearly every battle of the period . They fought at Saint Dizier , Brienne , La Rothiere , Champaubert , Montmirail , Vauchamps , Montereau , Troyes , Berry - au - Bac , Craonne , Laon , Reims , La Fere - Champenoise , Arcis - sur - Aube and Vitry . They took part in the battle of Paris . To the end they remained loyal to Napoleon . After the betrayal of Marshal Marmont who was supposed to cover Fontainebleau , Kozietulski led two Polish regiments to the Palace . Here for the last time Napoleon reviewed his Polish detachment of the Guard . After his abdication , the victorious powers excluded chevaulegers from the French Army . The soldiers of the regiment returned to their once again occupied country , and went into the newly created army of Congress Poland . Their way back to Poland was not pleasant , especially during the crossing of Prussia , but in Poland they were welcomed with love and respect . One squadron of volunteers under Major Paweł Jerzmanowski accompanied Napoleon to Elba . During the " March on Paris " the squadron marched as a vanguard of Napoleon ' s forces . During the " Hundred Days " campaign , 225 men of the Polish detachment fought as part of Red Lancers division under General Colbert , wearing their Polish uniforms ( in the decree excluding foreigners from the Guard , Napoleon made the only exception for the Squadron of Elba ) . Despite a summons by the Grand Duke Constantine , demanding that Jerzmanowski return with his squadron to Poland , chevaulegers fought at the battle of Ligny and in the battle of Waterloo . After the defeat , the squadron retreated along with Marshal Davout – to the left banks of Loire . On 1 October 1815 all members of the squadron were forced to leave the French Army . The very last accent of the existence of the Regiment was this letter : Registre - Matricule . Archival records on the soldiers of the 1st Regiment can be found in genealogical books known as " Registre - Matricule " . First book , commenced 14 April 1807 in Warsaw , includes chevaulegers with record numbers from 1 to 1800 . Its last entry was 27 February 1812 . The second book , made in the same manner , was started the same day – 27 February 1812 . It covers soldiers registered under numbers 1801 – 3508 . The last chevauleger was recorded on 25 February 1814 . The book contains not only those men who enlisted in the 1st Regiment , but also soldiers of the 3rd Regiment Lithuanian chevaulegers , and a squadron of Lithuanian Tartars included in the 1st Regiment as well . The third book refers to the 3rd Scout Regiment . It was opened 1 January , and closed 21 March 1814 and contains numbers from 1 to 934 . The last , fourth book , refers to the detachment of chevaulegers reconstituted in 1815 and dissolved a few months later , after the fall of Napoleon . One can find there the names of about 200 Poles from the Squadron of Elba , as well as the latest of the volunteers . All books contain names of Poles , Dutchmen , Lithuanians , and Frenchmen . Tradition . In the times of the Second Polish Republic the traditions of the 1st Regiment were maintained by 1 . Pułk Szwoleżerów Józefa Piłsudskiego , an exclusive regiment of cavalry , the 2nd squadron of which was traditionally the Service Squadron for the president of Poland . Each year , since the mid - 1990s , in the middle of August in Ciechanów and Opinogóra the " Return of the Chevaulegers " festival is organized by the city of Ciechanów , Museum of Romanticism in Opinogóra , Faculty of Arts of the Aleksander Giejsztor College , and many other institutions and organizations . During the spectacle many re - enactment groups from countries such as Poland , Great Britain , Belarus , Lithuania and Latvia present themselves in historical uniforms .