Regiment of Dragoons

DRAGONI di PIEMONTE

(1690 - today 1° Nizza Cavalry Regiment)

Giovanni Cerino-Badone

The 4 July 1690 the Duke of Savoy Victor Amadeus II signs a capitulation with Bonifacio Antonio Solaro Compte de
Macello to raise a Regiment of Dragoons called Dragons Jaunes, since their coat has to be completely yellow. After in
the year the regiment is recalled Regiment Dragons de Piemont. In 1691 the regiment is officialy completed.

The 30 august 1699 it loses all the horses and it is in service on foot. Only the 20 may 1701 Dragons de Piemont has
again on its horses. In 1704 the Regiment englobes two companys from Savoia Cavalleria and from the Uguenots de
Andrè Regis.

With 10 company Dragoni di Piemonte the 27 march 1713 reaches Sicily, to form the new sabaudian garrison of the
Kingdom of Sicily. The 16 october 1720 the Regiment leaves Sicily, with a total force of 8 companys, to Sardinia. Only
in 1721 Dragons de Piemont comes back in Piedmont.

Service during the Polish Succession War

In the october 1733 the piedmontese cavalry has the opportunity to move very fast in the western plains of the Duchy
of Milan, around the Cityes of Mortara, Vigevano, Novara and Tortona.

In november 1733 the Regiment has 10 companies. After the conquest of Milan at the beginning of 1734, after an
higly manouvred campaign, Dragons de Piemont is present at the fight of Parma (29 june 1734), but, like others cavalry
units, its movements are really quite limited. Another matter is the battle of Guastalla (19 september); on the left of the
french-piedmontese line a major clash of cavalry units happens. The austrian cavalry (Regments Lanthieri, Zungenberg,
Saxe-gotha, Balayra, Chavaignac) charges the allied ones. Before the enemy the austrians stops their horses and they
gives a general volley, but their fire has little effects. So the allied counter-charge completely routs the enemy. Only the
well directed volleys of austrian infantry from the second line crushed the french and piedmontese cavalry. On the right
a gap in the austrian line is discovered by the King Charles Emmanuel III. An austrian counterattack led by Prince
Wuttemberg is beaten off by rifled and foot companies of dragoons Regiments. One of these units is of the Dragons de
Piemont. During the winter the Regiment is in the barracks at Casalpusterlengo In 1735 Dragons de Piemont is again
campaigning in the east of Lombardy. In september it is present on the West side of lake of Garda supporting the french
action on the East side. King Charles Emmanuel III's will of fight is now low and so at the end of the year, the 8
november, Dragons de Piemont takes winter quarters.

In the follow years Dragoni di Piemonte has 5 squadrons of 2 companys each. The total strength is of 662 men. Of
the 10 companys, 1 is of these is of reserve and another one is of depot.

Service during the Austrian Succession War

In 1742 Dragoni di Piemonte is campaigning in Italy and Savoy: the first half of the year is spent campaigning agaist
spanish army in the Padania Plain. In late summer a spanish offensive is launched against Savoy. Charles Emmanuel III
wants a counter offensive and attached to La Salle's column we found Dragoon Regiment Dragoni di Piemonte. Only in
jeunary 1743 the troops come back in Piedmont, leaving Savoy to the spanish. During the enemy offensive against
Varaita Valley, in autumn 1743, the regiment is in the plain around Saluce, while the rifled company is entrenched at
Villaretto during the combats from 24 september to 10 october around the Village of Chateau Dauphin. In 1744 the
Dragoni di Piemonte are again in the country of the city of Saluce, ready to reach the valley where the main french-
spanish offensive will be launched. Conti's army break the front of the Alp in Stura and Varaita Valleys; it conquers in a
second time the Fort of Demonte and it besieges Cuneo. The King trys to break the siege, and he moves his army on the
fields of Madonna dell'Olmo (30 september 1744). The cavalry is on the right of the piedmontese battleline; Dragoni di
Piemonte is situated on the centre of the infantry line, first line, to close a gap in the front. The chevals de frise of the
grenadiers are posted before the cavalry, so the enemy mounted forces has no match to come close. There was only an
exchange of fire. In 1745 at Bassignana (27 september) Dragoni di Piemonte faces with the sabaudian army the
Maillebois' offensive. All the six piedmontese cavalry regiments are on the left, around the village of Bassignana. They
try to stop the advance of the enemy, but the units have to withdraw on Valence. During this movement Dragoni di
Piemonte is on the bottom of the column and near the village of Pelizzari it has to face alone three enemy columns,
Arembourg's, Pignatelli's and Gage's. After a short and violent defence, during that the rifled company led by Captain
Della Villa is destroyed, many troopers surrend. Two regimental flags are lost in such occasion. In 1746 Dragoni di
Piemonte is present in the Leutrum army, first patrolling the country around the city of Moncalieri, then it is present
before the walls od Asti during the short siege (6-7 march 1746). The dragons excort the Leutrum's advance to the
Citadel of Alessandria. Then the cavaly is employed in a campaign around the cities of Alessandria and Valenza. After
the Battle of Pleisance (16 june 1746) a cavalry brigade (Cavalry Regiment Savoia, Dragoons Regiments Dragoni di
Piemonte, Dragoni del Genevese) detached on the right side of the Po river has the possibility to fight in the battle of
the Tidone (10 august 1746). The piedmontese have their best day of the entire war; they first block the french-spanish
counterattack, facing 3 french squadrons (Dauphin, Vieuville) and the infantry line. Then, with the austrian Dragoons
Regiment Savoyen, they charge three times the enemy cavalry, taking many prisoners and two flags (Lusitania,
Dauphin). After such engagement the Regiment Dragoni di Piemonte, without its horses, is in the trench around the
Fortress of Tortona (20 august &endash; 27 november 1746). Then, again monted, the dragoons are patrolling the
mountain front in the west, until the end of the war in 1748.

Commanders of Dragoni di Piemonte under Charles Emmanuel III

Giovanni Domenico Tapparello di Lagnasco 25- 9- 1731

Tommaso Solaro Conte di Moretta 28- 1- 1736
Augustin Martin de Challant 7- 1- 1742
Vittorio Amedeo Compte Maffei 7- 3- 1747
Cesare Agostino Oreglia Chevalier de Castino 6- 9- 1758
Victor Verdina Chevalier de St. Martin 2 -7- 1768

Uniforms

1730-1752: Red coat, waistcoat (white in 1749), breeches white lining, cuffs. From 1750s the coat has also a white
collar. Ten tinned buttons on each side of the coat, in five ranks of two. Three buttons on the cuffs. Horizontal pockets.
Tricorne with dark blue cockade on the left brim and white hem. In 1750 a bearskin cap for grenadiers was introduced.
The tail was red, decorated with a white hem and a red and white pompon. Black leather gaiters.

1750-1773: (only principal differences from the previous issue): Red coat with white lapels. Since 1761 the Regiment
has white breeches.

Colours

Regimental Colour: Red Banner with the great Coat of arms of Piedmont. Golden hem and decorations