The Reserve Cavalry Corps or Cavalry Reserve of the ''

Grande Armée The (; ) was the primary field army of the French Imperial Army (1804–1815), French Imperial Army during the Napoleonic Wars. Commanded by Napoleon, from 1804 to 1808 it won a series of military victories that allowed the First French Empi ...

'' was a French military unit that existed during the

Napoleonic Wars {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Napoleonic Wars , partof = the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars , image = Napoleonic Wars (revision).jpg , caption = Left to right, top to bottom:Battl ...

. In 1805, Emperor

Napoleon Bonaparte Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...

appointed

Marshal Marshal is a term used in several official titles in various branches of society. As marshals became trusted members of the courts of Middle Ages, Medieval Europe, the title grew in reputation. During the last few centuries, it has been used fo ...

Joachim Murat Joachim Murat ( , also ; ; ; 25 March 1767 – 13 October 1815) was a French Army officer and statesman who served during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. Under the French Empire he received the military titles of Marshal of the ...

to command all the cavalry divisions that were not directly attached to the army corps. During the

Ulm campaign The Ulm campaign was a series of French and Bavarian military maneuvers and battles to outflank and capture an Austrian army in 1805 during the War of the Third Coalition. It took place in the vicinity of and inside the Swabian city of Ulm. ...

, Murat led his horsemen in successfully hunting down many Austrian units that escaped the capitulation of Ulm, before fighting at Austerlitz in December 1805. Under Murat, the Cavalry Reserve played a prominent role in the destruction of the Prussian armies after the

Battle of Jena-Auerstedt A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force ...

in 1806. In 1812, the Reserve Cavalry Corps was split up into the I, II, III, and IV Cavalry Corps for the

French invasion of Russia The French invasion of Russia, also known as the Russian campaign (), the Second Polish War, and in Russia as the Patriotic War of 1812 (), was initiated by Napoleon with the aim of compelling the Russian Empire to comply with the Continenta ...

History

1805

At its formation, the ''

'' comprised seven

army corps Corps (; plural ''corps'' ; from French , from the Latin "body") is a term used for several different kinds of organization. A military innovation by Napoleon I, the formation was formally introduced March 1, 1800, when Napoleon ordered Gener ...

, the

Imperial Guard An imperial guard or palace guard is a special group of troops (or a member thereof) of an empire, typically closely associated directly with the emperor and/or empress. Usually these troops embody a more elite status than other imperial force ...

, the artillery reserve, and the Cavalry Reserve. The latter consisted of two

cuirassier A cuirassier ( ; ; ) was a cavalryman equipped with a cuirass, sword, and pistols. Cuirassiers first appeared in mid-to-late 16th century Europe as a result of armoured cavalry, such as man-at-arms, men-at-arms and demi-lancers discarding their ...

, one light cavalry, and five

dragoon Dragoons were originally a class of mounted infantry, who used horses for mobility, but dismounted to fight on foot. From the early 17th century onward, dragoons were increasingly also employed as conventional cavalry and trained for combat wi ...

divisions, including one dismounted. The mass of 22,000 cavalrymen was supported by 24 pieces of artillery, while the remainder of the army's cavalry was distributed among the army corps in brigades or divisions. Napoleon appointed Marshal

to command the Reserve Cavalry. Generals

Étienne Marie Antoine Champion de Nansouty Étienne-Marie-Antoine Champion, comte de Nansouty (; 30 May 1768 – 12 February 1815) was a French cavalry commander during the French Revolutionary Wars who rose to the rank of General of Division in 1803 and subsequently held important milit ...

and

Jean-Joseph Ange d'Hautpoul Jean-Joseph Ange d'Hautpoul (; 13 May 1754 – 14 February 1807) was a French cavalry general of the Napoleonic Wars. He came from an old noble family of France whose military tradition extended for several centuries. Efforts by the French Rev ...

led the cuirassier divisions while Generals

Louis Klein Dominique Louis Antoine Klein (19 January 1761 – 2 November 1845) served in the French military during the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars as a general of cavalry. Initially part of the house guard at the royal residences fo ...

Frédéric Henri Walther Frédéric-Louis-Henri Walther (20 June 1761 – 24 November 1813), was a French general of division and a supporter of Napoleon Bonaparte. He fought in the Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars. He enlisted in 1781 and, in his 30-year career, he saw ...

Marc Antoine de Beaumont Marc-Antoine de Beaumont (; 23 September 1763 – 4 February 1830) a French nobleman, became a page to the king and joined the army of the Old Regime. He stayed in the army during the French Revolution and narrowly escaped being execute ...

, and

François Antoine Louis Bourcier François Antoine Louis Bourcier (; 23 February 1760 – 8 May 1828) was a French cavalry officer and divisional general of the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars. Bourcier was a cavalry lieutenant when the French Revolution figh ...

headed the dragoon divisions and General

Louis Baraguey d'Hilliers Louis Baraguey d'Hilliers (; 13 August 1764 – 6 January 1813) was a French Army general who fought in the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars. He was the father of Achille Baraguey d'Hilliers, a Marshal of France, and the father-i ...

commanded the dismounted unit. On 8 October 1805, at the

Battle of Wertingen In the Battle of Wertingen (8 October 1805) Imperial French forces led by Marshals Joachim Murat and Jean Lannes attacked a small Austrian corps commanded by Feldmarschall-Leutnant Franz Xaver von Auffenberg. This action, the first battle of ...

, Murat and Marshal

Jean Lannes Jean Lannes, 1st Duke of Montebello, Prince of Siewierz (; 10 April 1769 – 31 May 1809), was a French military commander and a Marshal of the Empire who served during both the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. He was one of Napol ...

attacked an isolated Austrian division under General

Franz Xaver von Auffenberg Franz Xaver Freiherr von Auffenberg (1744 – 23 December 1815) was an Austrian general during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars. Biography Von Auffenberg was born in 1744 in Oettingen, in the Electorate of Bavaria. In 1766 he joined ...

. Murat's horsemen included Klein's 3,000-strong dragoon division, Beaumont's 2,400-man dragoon division, and light cavalry brigades under Generals

Antoine Lasalle Antoine-Charles-Louis, Comte de Lasalle (; 10 May 17756 July 1809) was a French cavalry general during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. Often called "The Hussar General," he first gained fame for his role in the Capitulation of S ...

and

Anne-François-Charles Trelliard Anne-François-Charles Trelliard or Treillard or Treilhard (7 February 1764 – 14 May 1832), joined the cavalry of the French Royal Army as a cadet gentleman in 1780. During the French Revolutionary Wars he fought in Germany and Holland, eventuall ...

. With the support of some

V Corps 5th Corps, Fifth Corps, or V Corps may refer to: France * 5th Army Corps (France) * V Cavalry Corps (Grande Armée), a cavalry unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars * V Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperial French Arm ...

infantry, Murat's horsemen rode down the helpless Austrians, inflicting losses of 400 killed and wounded, 2,900 prisoners, six guns, and six flags. The French admitted 174 casualties. The cavalry saw much service during the rest of the

. At the

Battle of Haslach-Jungingen The Battle of Haslach-Jungingen, also known as the Battle of Albeck, fought on 11 October 1805 at Ulm-Jungingen north of Ulm at the Danube between French and Austrian forces, was part of the War of the Third Coalition, which was a part of t ...

on 11 October 1805, the 15th and 17th Dragoon Regiments lost their eagles. However, the action was a French victory over a greatly superior force. Murat led his horsemen in a series of actions between 16 and 18 October before securing the surrender of General

Franz von Werneck Franz Freiherr von Werneck (13 October 1748 – 17 January 1806), enlisted in the army of Habsburg Austria and fought in the Austro-Turkish War, the French Revolutionary Wars, and the Napoleonic Wars. He had a distinguished career until 1797, wh ...

's Austrian corps. In these clashes, Klein's 1st, 2nd, 4th, 14th, 20th, and 26th Dragoon Regiments, the 1st Cuirassier Regiment, and other units were involved. At the

Battle of Schöngrabern The Battle of Schöngrabern, also known as the Battle of Hollabrunn, was an engagement in the Napoleonic Wars during the War of the Third Coalition, fought on 16 November 1805 near Hollabrunn in Lower Austria, four weeks after the Battle of U ...

on 16 November, Klein's troopers were engaged as were the 11th, 13th, and 22nd Dragoons from Walther's division. At the

Battle of Austerlitz The Battle of Austerlitz (2 December 1805/11 Frimaire An XIV French Republican calendar, FRC), also known as the Battle of the Three Emperors, was one of the most important military engagements of the Napoleonic Wars. The battle occurred near t ...

on 2 December, Murat led approximately 7,400 cavalrymen including Nansouty's 1st Heavy Cavalry Division, Hautpoul's 2nd Heavy Cavalry Division, Walther's 2nd Dragoon Division, General

François Étienne de Kellermann François Étienne de Kellermann, 2nd Duke of Valmy (; 4 August 1770 – 2 June 1835) was a French cavalry general noted for his daring and skillful exploits during the Napoleonic Wars. He was the son of François Christophe de Kellermann and the ...

's light cavalry division and General

Édouard Jean Baptiste Milhaud Édouard Jean-Baptiste Milhaud (; 10 July 1766 – 10 December 1833) was a French politician and general. He distinguished himself throughout the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars and is considered one of the best generals of cavalry of ...

's light cavalry brigade. Beaumont's 3rd Dragoon Division was attached to the

IV Corps 4 Corps, 4th Corps, Fourth Corps, or IV Corps may refer to: France * 4th Army Corps (France) * IV Cavalry Corps (Grande Armée), a cavalry unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars * IV Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperi ...

while Bourcier's 4th Dragoon Division with 2,500 men and three guns were attached to the

III Corps III or iii may refer to: Companies * Information International, Inc., a computer technology company * Innovative Interfaces, Inc., a library-software company * 3i, formerly Investors in Industry, a British investment company Other uses * I ...

1806–1807

At the beginning of the

War of the Fourth Coalition The War of the Fourth Coalition () was a war spanning 1806–1807 that saw a multinational coalition fight against Napoleon's First French Empire, French Empire, subsequently being defeated. The main coalition partners were Kingdom of Prussia, ...

, the Reserve Corps under Murat included the 1st and 2nd Cuirassier Divisions, still commanded by Nansouty and d'Hautpoul, the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Dragoon Divisions under Klein, General

Emmanuel de Grouchy Immanuel or Emmanuel (, "God swith us"; Koine Greek: ) is a Hebrew name that appears in the Book of Isaiah (7:14) as a sign that God will protect the House of David. The Gospel of Matthew ( Matthew 1:22 –23) interprets this as a prophecy of ...

, Beaumont, and General

Louis Michel Antoine Sahuc Louis-Michel-Antoine, comte Sahuc (), was a French army general born 7 January 1755 – died 24 October 1813, joined the French Royal Army and spent 20 years there before fighting in the French Revolutionary Wars. He rose to command a French ca ...

respectively, and a light cavalry division led by Lasalle. The pursuit that occurred after the French victory in the

on 14 October has been described as classic. On the 16th, Murat and his cavalry accepted the surrender of Erfurt where 9,000–14,000 Prussians were made prisoners. At the

Battle of Prenzlau In the Battle of Prenzlau or Capitulation of Prenzlau on 28 October 1806 two divisions of French cavalry and some infantry led by Marshal Joachim Murat intercepted a retreating Prussian corps led by Frederick Louis, Prince of Hohenlohe-In ...

on 28 October, Murat bluffed 10,000 Prussians with 64 guns into surrendering. The next day, 4,000 Prussians surrendered to Milhaud's troopers in the

capitulation of Pasewalk The Capitulation of Pasewalk on 29 October 1806 resulted in the surrender of Oberst, Oberst (Colonel) von Hagen's 4,200 Kingdom of Prussia, Prussian soldiers to an inferior force of two France, French light cavalry brigades led by General of ...

. Also on 29 October, Lasalle's light cavalry captured a fortress manned by 5,000 men in the

capitulation of Stettin In the Capitulation of Stettin on 29–30 October 1806, Lieutenant General Friedrich Gisbert Wilhelm von Romberg surrendered the garrison and fortress to a much smaller French light cavalry brigade led by General of Brigade Antoine Lasalle ...

. On 16 December 1806, the Reserve Corps was split into the I Cavalry Corps under Murat and the II Cavalry Corps under Marshal

Jean-Baptiste Bessières Jean-Baptiste Bessières, duc d'Istrie (; 6 August 1768 – 1 May 1813) was a French military leader of the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars. He was made a Marshal of the Empire by Emperor Napoleon in 1804. Born into the ''petit ...

. The II Corps operated with the northern wing of the French corps that advanced across the

Vistula The Vistula (; ) is the longest river in Poland and the ninth-longest in Europe, at in length. Its drainage basin, extending into three other countries apart from Poland, covers , of which is in Poland. The Vistula rises at Barania Góra i ...

. The II Corps consisted of the divisions of d'Hautpoul, Grouchy, and Sahuc, plus a light cavalry division under General

Jacques Louis François Delaistre de Tilly Jacques-Louis-François Delaistre de Tilly (; 2 February 1749, Vernon, Eure – 10 January 1822, Paris) became a general officer in the French army during the French Revolutionary Wars. He led a cavalry division in a number of battles during ...

. The II Corps was disbanded on 12 January 1807 and the Reserve Cavalry Corps was reconstituted. During the winter campaign, the 5th Dragoon Division was formed and assigned to General

Nicolas Léonard Beker Nicolas Léonard Beker or Nicolas Léonard Becker or Nicolas Léonard Bagert, (18 January 1770 – died 18 November 1840) joined the French army as a dragoon before the French Revolutionary Wars and rose in rank to become a general officer. In ...

. It served near

Warsaw Warsaw, officially the Capital City of Warsaw, is the capital and List of cities and towns in Poland, largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the Vistula, River Vistula in east-central Poland. Its population is officially estimated at ...

under Marshal

André Masséna André Masséna, prince d'Essling, duc de Rivoli (; born Andrea Massena; 6 May 1758 – 4 April 1817), was a French military commander of the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars. He was one of the original eighteen Marshal of the ...

. At the

Battle of Eylau The Battle of Eylau (also known as the Battle of Preussisch-Eylau) was a bloody and strategically inconclusive battle on 7 and 8 February 1807 between Napoleon's and the Imperial Russian Army under the command of General Levin August von Be ...

on 8 February 1807, Murat led a grand charge of 80 squadrons of cavalry, altogether 10,700 horsemen. The divisions of Grouchy, d'Hautpoul, Klein, and Milhaud were all engaged. The French cavalry suffered 1,500 casualties but they badly disrupted the Russian lines at a critical point in the battle. D'Hautpoul was killed in the struggle.

1812

In 1812, the Reserve Cavalry Corps was split up into the I, II, III, and IV Cavalry Corps for the invasion of Russia. Each corps consisted of two heavy cavalry divisions and one light cavalry division, except the IV which had one heavy and one light cavalry division. Nansouty led the I, General

Louis-Pierre Montbrun Louis Pierre, comte Montbrun (; 1770, Florensac, Hérault – 1812), French cavalry general, served with distinction in the cavalry arm throughout the wars of the Revolution and the Consulate, and in 1800 was appointed to command his regiment, ...

the II, Grouchy the III, and La Tour-Maubourg the IV Cavalry Corps.

Order of battle

Prussia, 1806

Reserve Cavalry Corps: Marshal

(19,629, 26 guns) * Chief of Staff: General of Brigade

Augustin Daniel Belliard Augustin Daniel Belliard, comte Belliard et de l'Empire (; 25 May 1769 in Fontenay-le-Comte, Vendée – 28 January 1832 in Brussels) was a French general. Biography Revolution Belliard became an officer between 1792 and 1793 under Dumouriez i ...

* 1st Cuirassier Division: General of Division

(2,987, 3 guns) ** Brigade: General of Brigade

Jean-Marie Defrance Jean-Marie Defrance (; 1771–1835) was a French General of the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars. He was also a member of the Council of Five Hundred (the lower house of the legislative branch of the French government under The ...

*** 1st Carabinier Regiment, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th squadrons *** 2nd Carabinier Regiment, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th squadrons ** Brigade: General of Brigade

Armand Lebrun de La Houssaye Armand Lebrun de la Houssaye (; 20 October 1768–19 June 1848) led a cavalry division during the First French Empire of Napoleon. He joined the army of the First French Republic in 1791 and fought at Kaiserslautern in 1793. He was appointed t ...

*** 2nd Cuirassier Regiment, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th squadrons *** 9th Cuirassier Regiment, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th squadrons ** Brigade: General of Brigade Antoine-Louis Decrest de Saint-Germain *** 3rd Cuirassier Regiment, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th squadrons *** 12th Cuirassier Regiment, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th squadrons ** Artillery: 2nd Horse Artillery, 4th company (-), two 6-pound guns, one 6-inch howitzer * 2nd Cuirassier Division: General of Division

(1,927, 3 guns) ** Brigade: General of Brigade Jean Christophe Collin Verdière *** 1st Cuirassier Regiment, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th squadrons *** 5th Cuirassier Regiment, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th squadrons ** Brigade: General of Brigade Raymond-Gaspard de Bonardi de Saint-Sulpice *** 10th Cuirassier Regiment, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th squadrons ** Artillery: 2nd Horse Artillery, 4th company (-), two 6-pound guns, one 6-inch howitzer General Dominique-Louis-Antoine Klein

* 1st Dragoon Division: General of Division

(2,401, 3 guns) ** Brigade: General of Brigade

Jacques Étienne de Fornier Fénerolz Jacques or Jacq are believed to originate from the Middle Ages in the historic northwest Brittany region in France, and have since spread around the world over the centuries. To date, there are over one hundred identified noble families related t ...

*** 1st Dragoon Regiment, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd squadrons *** 2nd Dragoon Regiment, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd squadrons ** Brigade: General of Brigade Auguste Étienne Lamotte *** 4th Dragoon Regiment, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th squadrons *** 14th Dragoon Regiment, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th squadrons ** Brigade: General of Brigade Joseph Denis Picard *** 20th Dragoon Regiment, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd squadrons *** 26th Dragoon Regiment, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd squadrons ** Artillery: 2nd Horse Artillery, 2nd company (-), two 8-pound guns, one 6-inch howitzer * 2nd Dragoon Division: General of Division

(2,915, 3 guns) ** Brigade: General of Brigade

Dominique Mansuy Roget Dominique-Mansuy Roget de Belloquet, knight and later baron Belloguet (; 20 October 1760 – 9 January 1832), was a French general of the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars. He embraced a military career at the age of 17, and p ...

*** 3rd Dragoon Regiment, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd squadrons *** 6th Dragoon Regiment, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd squadrons ** Brigade: General of Brigade Jacques Louis François Milet *** 10th Dragoon Regiment, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd squadrons *** 11th Dragoon Regiment, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd squadrons ** Brigade: General of Brigade André Joseph Boussart *** 13th Dragoon Regiment, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd squadrons *** 22nd Dragoon Regiment, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd squadrons ** Artillery: 2nd Horse Artillery, 2nd company (-), two 8-pound guns, one 6-inch howitzer * 3rd Dragoon Division: General of Division

(3,055, 3 guns) ** Brigade: General of Brigade

Charles Joseph Boyé Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English and French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''*karilaz'' (in Latin alphabet), whose meaning was ...

*** 5th Dragoon Regiment, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th squadrons *** 8th Dragoon Regiment, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th squadrons ** Brigade: General of Brigade Frédéric Christophe Marizy *** 12th Dragoon Regiment, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th squadrons *** 16th Dragoon Regiment, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th squadrons ** Brigade: General of Brigade

Victor de Fay de La Tour-Maubourg Marie-Victor-Nicolas de Faÿ, Marquis de La Tour-Maubourg (; 22 May 1768 – 11 November 1850) was a French cavalry commander under France's Ancien Régime before rising to prominence during the First French Empire. Under the Restoration, he s ...

*** 9th Dragoon Regiment, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th squadrons *** 21st Dragoon Regiment, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th squadrons ** Artillery: 2nd Horse Artillery, 3rd company (-), two 8-pound guns, one 6-inch howitzer General Michel Antoine Sahuc

* 4th Dragoon Division: General of Division

(3,129, 3 guns) ** Brigade: General of Brigade

Pierre Margaron Pierre Margaron (; 1 May 1765 – 16 December 1824) led the French cavalry at the Battle of Vimeiro in 1808. He joined a volunteer battalion in 1792. He rose in rank during the French Revolutionary Wars until he commanded a heavy cavalry regiment i ...

*** 17th Dragoon Regiment, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd squadrons *** 27th Dragoon Regiment, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd squadrons ** Brigade: General of Brigade Jean-Baptiste Antoine Laplanche *** 18th Dragoon Regiment, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd squadrons *** 19th Dragoon Regiment, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd squadrons ** Brigade: unknown commander *** 15th Dragoon Regiment, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd squadrons *** 25th Dragoon Regiment, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd squadrons ** Artillery: 6th Horse Artillery, 4th company (-), two 8-pound guns, one 6-inch howitzer * Light Cavalry Division: General of Brigade

** Light Cavalry Brigade: General of Brigade Lasalle *** 5th Hussar Regiment, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd squadrons *** 7th Hussar Regiment, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd squadrons ** Light Cavalry Brigade: General of Brigade

*** 1st Hussar Regiment, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd squadrons *** 13th ''Chasseurs-à-Cheval'' Regiment, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd squadrons

Notes

References

* * * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Reserve Cavalry Corps (Grande Armee) 1805 establishments in France GAC00