Waterloo

 

Illustration of a dragoon from Picturesque Representations of the Dress and Manners of the English(1814)by William Alexander (1767-1816). Original from The New York Public Library. Digitally enhanced by rawpixel.

The British cavalry may certainly, in every respect, be considered as tlie finest and the best in Europe ; and, wherever it has been in actual service, its decided superiority in point of intrepidity, courage, and the celerity of its movements has ever been conspicuous, though it has almost in every campaign been inferior in numbers to the same description of force opposed to it. It may be divided, generally, into three classes — Dragoons, Light Dragoons, and Hussars, not including the three regiments of Life Guards, which will be noticed in a subsequent page. The Plate represents a private of Dragoons, in the uniform which has lately been adopted; instead of cockedhats, as formerly, they now wear strong helmets in great part made of brass, and fastened under the chin by a band of the same metal : late experience in the field, pointed out the absolute necessity of a more secure head-covering for the cavalry, than what was formerly in use, and this now seems to be completely attained in the late regulations.