Great Britain On 25 April 1779 warrants were issued to raise three regiments of light dragoons, the 19th, 20th and 21st, to address potential French aggression during the
American Revolutionary War. The 19th was made up of drafts from the 1st and 2nd Dragoon Guards and the 4th and 10th Dragoons. The 19th did not see overseas service and was disbanded in June 1783.
India The regiment was raised by Colonel Sir John Burgoyne (a cousin of General
John Burgoyne) as the
23rd Regiment of Light Dragoons on 24 September 1781 for service in India. There had been no European cavalry to that date in India, and successive commanders there had called upon the regular British Army to supply a cavalry unit. The regiment arrived at
Fort St. George,
Madras in 1782 and became the first British cavalry regiment to serve in India. In 1786, the regiment was renumbered as the
19th Regiment of Light Dragoons. The 19th played a major role in the
Anglo-Mysore Wars and
Anglo-Maratha Wars. Their first campaign was against
Tipu Sultan of
Mysore from 1790 to 1792. After defeating Tipu, the 19th were on garrison duty until 1799 when war broke out with Tipu again. This time, the Sultan was killed during the
Siege of Seringapatam in May 1799. In 1800, the 19th fought
Dhondia Wagh's rebel army and in 1803, led by Major-General
Arthur Wellesley (who later became the
Duke of Wellington), they participated in the
Battle of Assaye in September 1803. In this battle, the outnumbered British troops defeated a
Maratha army and the regiment was subsequently awarded the
battle honour of "
Assaye" and presented with an honorary
colour. The 19th Light Dragoons then spent time garrisoning various British outposts. They were stationed at Cheyloor in 1802, at
Arcot in 1803, in
Bombay in 1804, and at Arcot again from 1805 to 1806. The regiment was summoned to
Vellore on the night of 10 July 1806 to rescue the
69th Regiment of Foot who had been the victims of a
revolt by Indian
sepoys.
North America The regiment embarked for England on 20 October 1806, and remained in Britain until the outbreak of the
war with the United States in 1812. The 19th were one of three British regular cavalry units that served in North America during the War of 1812, and the only one to serve in Canada. (The
14th Light Dragoons served on campaign in New Orleans but had no horses, The 6th Inniskilling Dragoons served on the East coast of the United States.) The regiment's first three squadrons arrived at
Quebec City in May 1813 and were mounted on horses procured in
Lower Canada. Two squadrons were sent to
Upper Canada where they were involved in the blockade and re-capture of
Fort George, and the destruction of
Black Rock and
Buffalo in
New York State. Elements of the two squadrons participated in Colonel
Thomas Pearson's delaying action against Brigadier General
Winfield Scott's brigade during the American invasion of 1814. They subsequently fought at the
Battle of Chippawa in July 1814, the
Battle of Lundy's Lane later in the month and the
Siege of Fort Erie in August 1814. Another troop pursued American raiders who had struck at
Battle of Malcolm's Mills in November 1814. For these actions, the regiment earned the battle honour of "Niagara". The other squadron had been stationed south of
Montreal at The Halfway house (Saint Luc area as well as Fort Lennox and The Block houses along the Lacolle border) and participated in the
Battle of Plattsburgh in September 1814. In the autumn of 1814, the two squadrons serving on the Niagara rejoined the other squadron. The regiment served south of Montreal until the end of the war. They were sent back to England in August 1816.
Disbandment The 19th Light Dragoons were re-equipped as
lancers in September 1816 and renamed the
19th Lancers. ==Regimental Colonels==