Dragoons

Description

Dragoons were "mounted infantry" and they were dressed similarly to musketeers. Dragoons wore a button jacket called a doublet, hose and hats. Dragoons also usually wore long horse-riding boots just like the reiters. Dragoons were armed with rapiers or backswords and short barreled muskets, although in some cases they also used normal muskets. Dragoons did not wear any armor. The main advantage of dragoons was their mobility - they were able to keep up with cavalry on the march, and then dismount on the battlefield to provide fire support. As dragoons fought on foot a number of soldiers had to be assigned to take care about the horses (usually one man per four horses) which significantly decreased their number on the battlefield.