Fourteenth Light Dragoons
 14th Light Dragoons at the charge |
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| Fourteenth Light Dragoons | |
| Title | Fourteenth Light Dragoons (Duchess of York's Own) |
|---|---|
| Branch | Light Cavalry |
| Raised | 1715 |
| Colonel | The Hon. Robert Fitzgerald |
| Engagements | Oporto (12th May 1809), Talavera (27th-28th July 1809), the Côa (11th July 1810), Fuentes de Onoro 3rd-5th May 1811 |
| Nickname | The Duchess of York's Own |
| Motto | Honi soit qui mal y pense (Evil be to him who evil thinks) |
The Fourteenth Light Dragoons are a regiment of Light Cavalry, currently serving in Spain under Lord Wellington. They have seen action at the taking of Oporto in May 1809 and the Battle of Talavera in July 1809, as well as a minor battle at the River Côa in July 1810. They are most often engaged in patrols and outpost duty for the army. In the autumn of 1810, the Fourteenth, along with the rest of the army, withdrew south of the Lines of Torres Vedras, although they were often employed patrolling the country north of the Lines. In the spring of the following year, when the army again moved north, the Fourteenth's colonel, Robbie Fitzgerald (the younger son of the Earl of Rotherham) took command of a patrol which ran into a party of French. In the ensuing confusion, the Colonel's horse was shot under him, throwing him and causing him to break his leg in the fall. The Colonel has been sent to England to convalesce, leaving the regiment in the hands of Major Archibald Fortescue until such time as Robbie can rejoin, or is confirmed an invalid and has to sell out of the Army altogether.
Named Personnel
- Lieutenant-Colonel Robert 'Robbie' Fitzgerald
- Major Archibald Fortescue, the senior Major of the Fourteenth and the man in command during Robbie's absence
- Lt. Benjamin Shotten, Adjutant
- Captain Neal Ogilvy, the troop commander of C Troop
- Captain Latham
- Captain Laming
- Lieutenant Carradine (killed at Fuentes de Onoro)
- Cornet Dancy
- Cornet Ebbetts (promoted Lieutenant after Fuentes de Onoro)
- Mr Widmer, the regiment's surgeon
- Mr Thompson, the regiment's veterinary surgeon
- Private Toby Jackson (Lt-Col Fitzgerald's groom)
- Private Chilton (promoted to Corporal after Fuentes de Onoro)
Service History
This section taken from The Napoleon Series
1793: Ireland; Wexford and Ballinakill; August - Kilkenny; Limerick
1794: Cork; sent 2 troops to Flanders; September - Boxtel
1795: 2 troops in retreat to Bremen; February – 7 troops to West Indies (dismounted); San Domingo; June - 2 troops at
Dublin; to Bristol; men absorbed into 8th Dragoons
1796: San Domingo
1797: San Domingo; June – Mirebelais; 25 remaining men to England; October - Chelmsford
1798: Chelmsford; June – Braintree; August – became Duchess of York’s Own; December – Norwich
1799: Norwich; September – Warwick'
1800: Norwich; received Fencible Cavalry volunteers, increased from 8 to 10 troops; June – Windsor; October –
Canterbury
1801: Canterbury; May – Reading; July – Romford
1802: Romford; reduced from 10 to 8 troops; August – Weymouth
1803: Trowbridge; Devizes; June - Dover; August – Hythe
1804: Hythe; increased from 8 to 10 troops; December – Guildford
1805: Guildford; June - Richmond; July - Hounslow; September – Chichester
1806: Hounslow; January – London, funeral of Lord Nelson; August – Winchester; November - Dorchester
1807: Dorchester; August - Blatchington; September – Brighton
1808: Blatchington; Falmouth; July - Ipswich; October - Romford; Falmouth - to Portugal; December – Lisbon
1809: Douro; Oporto (12 May 1809); Talavera (27-28 July 1809)
1810: Almeida; Barquilla/Villa de Puerco (11th July 1810); Frexadas; Bussaco (27th September 1810); Sobral; Torres Vedras; Rio Mandevilla; received volunteer recruits from the Royal Waggon Train
1811: Pombal; Redinha; Cazal Nova; Foz d’Arouce; Sabugal; Gallegos; Fuentes de Onoro (3rd-5th May 1811, fought since Robbie's return to England; it was reported in the papers on the 21st May.)
Appearances
Due to the setting of the London Life, the Fourteenth has only appeared in fics set before or after the actual period covered by LL.
In Their Flowing Cups - Summer 1804
When the Blast of War Blows in Our Ears - Autumn 1810
So Quick Bright Things Come to Confusion - Spring 1811
The Soonest Winner - (AU) January/February 1812
References
Napoleon Series: 14th Light Dragoons (PDF)
Wellington's Cavalry: 14th Light Dragoons
14th Light Dragoons
Foz de Arouce 1811