The 1st Polish Light Cavalry Lancers Regiment of the Imperial Guard (; ) was a foreign Polish light cavalry lancers regiment which served as part of Napoleon's Imperial Guard during the Napoleonic Wars. The regiment fought in many battles, distinguishing itself at Wagram, Berezina, Hanau and especially Somosierra. On at least three occasions, light-cavalrymen of the regiment saved Napoleon's life.Brandys: Kozietulski...: Escorting the Emperor from the burning Kremlin; on October 25, 1812, near the village of Horodnia; and on March 20, 1814, during the Battle of Arcis-sur-Aube.Owen Connelly, "Historical dictionary of Napoleonic France, 1799-1815", Greenwood Press, 1985, pg. 279
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 1807Three days after the document was prepared, because of many of changes and correction made by the Emperor himself in Finckenstein (now Kamieniec Suski in northeast Poland):
Beginning
Polish efforts to form a prestigious detachment of the Imperial Guard began in 1804.Brandys, Kozietulski... p. 78: when Krasiński visited Paris and came into contact with the Emperor 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,Pawly, Napoleon's Polish Lancers... p. 6 leaders of which would in the future be officers of the regiment. Aspiring Guardsmen distinguished themselves in the Battles of Pułtusk and Gołymin.Brandys, Kozietulski... p. 79 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.Brandys, Kozietulski... p. 80
The regiment was an elite body of volunteers in respect of incomeBecause they had to equip themselves. 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.Józef Załuski, "Notice historique sur le Régiment de Chevau-légers lanciers polonais", Czas monthly, Kraków, 1858-1862 Some veteransOf the Polish Legions in Italy were upset to learn that their officers were callow youths.Załuski, Notice historique...
In June 1807, the first company of the first squadron was ready to leave Warsaw's Mirów Barracks.Bronisław Gembarzewski, Rodowody pułków polskich i oddziałów równorzędnych od r. 1717 do r. 1831, Warszawa 1925: Mirów Barracks were built in the 18th century for the Royal Cavalry Regiment of the Guard Earlier, 125 light cavalry under Captain Tomasz Łubieński had presented themselves to the public and won their acclaim.Pawly, Napoleon's Polish Lancers..., p. 10.
Organisation, 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.Marian Kujawski, "Z bojów polskich w wojnach napoleońskich: Maida-Somosierra-Fuengirola-Albuera", Nakł. Polskiej Fundacji Kulturalnej/University of Michigan, pg. 54, 1967 Each squadron was composed of two companies (demi-squadrons) of 125 each. Each company consisted of five troops.
Among troop commandersBrandys, Kozietulski..., p. 83: list incomplete, never finished 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 Imperial 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.Brandys, Kozietulski..., p. 122 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.Brandys, Kozietulski..., p. 147 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.Brandys, Kozietulski..., p. 164 3rd Scout Regiment of the Guard under Jan Kozietulski was formed from the remaining officers and men.Pawly: Napoleon's Scouts..., p. 14 Polish chevaux-legers were treated as French soldiers and were on the French payroll.Brandys, Kozietulski..., p. 88 In 1809 (after the Battle of Somosierra) the regiment was incorporated to the Old Guard.Pawly, Napoleon's Polish Lancers..., p. 21
According to the Old Guard seniority they were located after Chasseurs à Cheval, but before Mamelukes. After Napoleon's abdication (6 April 1814) and scouts were united (minus Paweł Jerzmanowski's squadron, which accompanied the former emperor to Elba).Pawly, Napoleon's Polish Lancers..., p. 43 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 Konstantin Pavlovich of RussiaBrandys, Kozietulski..., p. 414 and then moved to Poland.Restoration of Regiment's last OdB is impossible.
Uniforms of were modelled upon National Cavalry uniforms from the last decade of the 18th century.Brandys, Koniec... p. 84 Dark blue kurtka had crimsonElting, Plate 88: "it was beet root color, what the French called amaranth" stand-up collar, wristbands and facings. The snug dark blue pantaloons (breeches) were lined with leather, and ornamented with a single crimson stripe.Officer pantaloons were of the opposite colors 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) czapkas 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,Pawly, Napoleon's Polish Lancers... p. 45 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.Elting, plate 91. These crosses often saved lives of Polish in Spain, because devouted Spaniards saw them as a proof of the Polish Catholicism. Officers had blue, while regular soldiers had off-white overcoats,Elting, Plate 90 known as manteau-capotes.
were armed with sabres, initially Prussian of bad quality,Kwaśniewski, p. 113 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,Pawly, Napoleon's Polish Lancers..., p. 46 were obtained not earlier than after the Battle of Wagram, where they acquired lances of Austrian uhlans, 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" (‘’Trumpeters March’’):
Operational history
Spain
The regiment was sent, detachment after detachment, to Spain. The first time fought was on 14 July 1808, during the Battle of Medina de Rioseco (two squadrons under Radzimiński).Brandys, Kozietulski..., p. 126
On 30 November 1808 their most famous charge up the Somosierra Pass took place. That day the 3rd Squadron under Kozietulski (ad interim)Brandys, Kozietulski..., p. 142: CO of the squadron, Stokowski, did not arrive yet from France was on duty as a personal escort to the Emperor. After the failure of the French infantry attack, Napoleon ordered Polish 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.Pawly, Napoleon's Polish Lancers..., p. 18 After the first battery was taken, , 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 bayonets and two carbine shots to the head).Pawly, Napoleon's Polish ancers..., p. 20
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!).Brandys, Kozietulski..., p. 146
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.Brandys, Kozietulski..., s. 160 It became a legend and later an inspiration for many writers and painters.Ex: writers Stefan Żeromski, Louis Adolphe Thiers, Wacław Gąsiorowski, painters January Suchodolski, Louis-François, Baron Lejeune, Juliusz Kossak, Horace Vernet, poet Adam Mickiewicz, song writer Jacek Kaczmarski, film director Andrzej Wajda, and many others
Soon after the battle the regiment was - by Napoleon's decree - included in the Old Guard.Chłapowski, p. 46: in January 1809 It stayed in Spain until February 1809. It took its part in the retaking of Madrid,Chłapowski, p. 46 and in Marshal Soult's campaign against Coalition forces in Portugal.Chłapowski, p. 48; Józef Bonawentura Załuski wrote in his diary: "During the winter campaign 1808-1809 against British, by the banks of Esla river and close to the town of Beneventa, I was saved by Zwierkowski and Fredro, and both of them were wounded from the English sabres". Hundred 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 Aspern-Essling.Chłapowski, p. 73.
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 uhlans and prevented the whole army from being separated from the banks of the Danube river. During the melee, 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."Chłapowski, p. 85: The ensuing charge succeeded, and Delaitre later thanked Kozietulski most sincerely. From this point on, they became light-horse lancers.