by
Charles Balthazar Julien Févret de Saint-Mémin Neither the 1st nor the 2nd Regiment were used as consolidated units during the War of 1812. Generals frequently used their assigned dragoons as escorts, couriers and scouts rather than fighting men.
Raid in Massena On April 13, 1813,
Colonel Zebulon Pike ordered a force of 50 men, consisting of light dragoons and riflemen, to raid American smuggling operations at
Massena, New York. The raiders successfully discovered the smugglers, bringing eight prisoners back to
Sackets Harbor, New York. All eight men were accused of smuggling goods across the border with Canada and "consorting with the enemy".
Second Battle of Sacket’s Harbor The regiment fought at the
Second Battle of Sacket's Harbor on May 29, 1813. During the battle,
Lieutenant Colonel Electus Backus rallied American forces, including the regiment's dragoons, to counterattack a British breakthrough on the second American defensive line. The troops Backus rallied fired at the British behind a treeline, inflicting several casualties on the attackers. However, the British conducted a
bayonet charge which forced the Regiment of Light Dragoons to retreat to the third defensive line, which consisted of several
blockhouses. Before the British could overrun the third defensive line, American General Jacob Brown arrived with 300 militia making a feint towards the British ships. In order to prevent themselves from being overwhelmed by Brown's troops, the attackers retreated back to their boats. Through managing to prevent Sacket's Harbor from being captured, the Americans had suffered heavy casualties; Backus was mortally wounded, and died of his injuries on June 7.
Reconnaissance Patrol in Ogdensburg On October 13, 1813, the regiment entered
Ogdensburg, New York on reconnaissance for General
James Wilkinson. The British responded by shelling of Ogdensburg with artillery. To avoid being spotted and engaged, the regiment withdrew from Ogdensburg into the backcountry. Its troops were then distributed in small parties along the river for the purpose of scouting the region and preventing British from obtaining information and supplies.
Engagement at Red Mills On October 16, 1813, the British officer
Francis Cockburn, commanding 200 troops, attacked a detachment of 13 American light dragoons performing reconnaissance duties out of a house in
Red Mills. The Americans had placed sentries around the house, but the British surprised the sentries and surrounded the house. Two dragoons escaped the house and fled while the rest were killed or captured. Cockburn's troops captured a lieutenant and seven other dragoons. Two dragoons were killed and one was wounded; left for dead, he survived and eventually recovered. The British returned to Canda with their prisoners and captured horses.
Bladensburg and Baltimore At the
Battle of Bladensburg on August 24, 1814, Lieutenant Colonel
Jacint Laval led 140 men of the regiment. Laval's troops were placed in support of infantrymen who later broke and ran. Many of the dragoons joined the disorderly retreat. Laval led his remaining troops in an orderly retreat toward
Georgetown. Laval's dragoons took part in the
Battle of Baltimore on September 14, 1814. The dragoons conducted a rear guard action in a fighting retreat with Stansbury's brigade who were withdrawing to Baltimore. Once the Americans discovered that the British were withdrawing from the area around Baltimore, they pursued them but were very exhausted and could only capture a few stragglers.
Skirmish at Kirby’s Windmill On October 31, 1814, American Major
Robert Crutchfield, leading a combined brigade which included light dragoons under Captain
John A. Burd, attempted to ambush a British amphibious raiding force consisting of
Royal Marines and
Royal Navy sailors. Burd's dragoons were ordered to ambush the raiding force in conjunction with the rest of the brigade. However, Burd and his dragoons charged the British when they spotted them instead of waiting for the rest of Crutchfield's brigade. The troops the dragoons attacked were surprised and asked for quarter, though someone shouted an order to retreat and the dragoons began withdrawing. Burd realizing the error, ordered his men to form up and charge again, though by this point the formerly surrendering troops had regrouped and formed a defensive line behind a fence breastwork. The British proceeded to fire a volley at the charging dragoons, wounding Burd. The dragoons withdrew with two prisoners, having suffering two men wounded and a further two captured. The rest of the brigade finally arrived as the raiding party was withdrawing in an orderly matter onto their barges. The Americans opened fire with their small arms and cannons, slightly damaging two barges, but the British warships offshore bombarded Crutchfield's brigade, scattering it and allowing the British to withdraw safely. Despite being forced to withdraw, the brigade captured five more prisoners. ==Notes==