Monday 4 April 2011

Recently painted No 22 U.S 1st Light Dragoons 1812



Once again, another of Posties units I have recently painted, the figures represent the 1st U.S Light Dragoons, for the War of 1812. The figures are Mini-Figs and are based up for Posties GdB rules. We were not sure if the unit carried any flag and what kind of flag it would be, so Postie has put a generic U.S flag, which look good in my opinion!!

On the 12th April 1808 by U.S congress decree, five regiments of infantry, one Rifle, one light artillery and one Light Dragoon were raised, consisting of 8 companies of 54 men. Their sole qualification to join was that they had to be good Jeffersonians. The Federal government equipped and accoutred the new Dragoons as light infantry, as they were unwilling to pay for horses until war broke out!!
In May 1813, during the War of 1812, a British landing party of 1200 men tried to take Sackett's Harbour, the only decent harbour on the American side of Lake Ontario. They were opposed by Brigadier General Jacob Brown, 400 regulars and 250 volunteers. Brown was stubborn and 250 of his regulars belonged to the 1st & 2nd Light Dragoons. Together with some local militia, whom the regulars had to constantly rally fought the British to a standstill ans saved the port.






30 comments:

  1. Excellent painting Ray and useful background about the Unit too

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  2. General Brown was a good fighting commander in a war where many times the incompetence of others is played up in the accounts.

    Often the books are written by guys with the agenda of promoting a strong regular army versus the volunteers and militias.

    This is one of their favorite wars to push that theme, but it really wasn't always the way they say. At New Orleans Jean Lafitte joined in with Pirates, and look what happened there.

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  3. Very nice mini's

    I really like gaming the War of 1812 - lots of unique actions and terrain

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  4. Nice work there. I disagree with your statement that Sackett's Harbor is the only decent harbor on the US side of Lake Ontario though. We also defeated a British force landing at Oswego. I used to take my kids swimming down where the British landing force came ashore.

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  5. I'm afraid that fact came straight out of a book, apologies if it's wrong!!

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  6. great, as usual, thanks for the history lesson too, very interesting background.

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  7. Jagatai is right, I was there in '72 myself.

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  8. You were 4 year old in 1972 you old git!!!

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  9. @ lurker I was there in '72 too. That's the year I turned three. I was born there and have lived nearby for most of my life.

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  10. Nicely painted and based unit. I really like the historical background you give as well. Helps bring the unit to life.

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  11. those are awesome, must have taken an age

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  12. Another interesting read! Great blogger!

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  13. Nice work, Ray. I'd love to do War of 1812 myself. Lundy's Lane,Chippewa and Queenston Heights would be my picks. Napoleonics with Injuns!

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  14. Great looking unit....again.

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  15. Very nice history summary and painted models :D

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  16. awesome post sir, I started hearing my national anthem in the back of my head as I neared the bottom of the page!

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  17. I think it's just the angle, but the horses look pretty small (Relatively speaking, of course.) from the side.

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  18. lol burn the white house down

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  19. those look very cute. i love the details on the horses. this has to be so much work

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