The War of 1812 Maryland Light Dragoons is a mounted living history unit that did its first event in August 2003. Currently (late 2005) we have ten members (all riders and most owning one or more horses), collectively performing historical, safety and period uniform research and portraying an 1812 cavalry unit (and civilian support/visitors) in the northern Chesapeake region.
The group has selected to represent a typical Maryland Militia cavalry unit of summer and fall, 1814...the height of the British Chesapeake Campaign of the War of 1812 which culminated in the successful defense of Baltimore in September. There were over four dozen troops of Maryland horse, each authorized to 48 mounted men but perhaps averaging 40 horsemen, for a total of about 2000 Maryland militia cavalrymen in 1814.
Maryland termed their horse militia "light dragoons". In Europe, this would typically denote more agile, smaller horses, but with heavily armed riders often capable of fighting afoot, and traditionally with a dragoon-style leather helmet. However, in the United States, light dragoons was more a generic term for light, mobile, scouting cavalry. Our research indicates that by September 1814 less than a quarter of the MdLD troops were in helmets (most were in easier-to-obtain shakos, probably mostly of leather) and they were armed with pistols (vice the more typical carbine of European light dragoons of this period). The curved light dragoon sword was the primary weapon in both Europe and in North America.
We of MdLd-recreated have selected to be able to shift headgear (helmet/shako) to be able to portray most Maryland Light Dragoon units accurately depending on the commemorative events we are assisting with and what MdLD units were in action or in the region, scouting, of the particular action. We have information from a surviving original Maryland Light Dragoon jacket and several period and primary sources (text and pictoral).
Whereas the British, French and some other European light dragoons had brought the art of light cavalry to a high state of professionalism, the Maryland Militia light dragoons were a part-time and volunteer force, useful for scouting and rapid redeployment, but limited in their combat expertise. They were unopposed by enemy cavalry... the British were landing numerous raiding parties consisting typically of Royal Navy seamen and Royal Marines (a dozen to several hundred men). Then in August and September of 1814, General Ross of the British Army led a significant force of nearly 5000 men (Army, Navy and Marines, with artillery and rockets) to take and burn Washington DC and then challenge Baltimore. The Maryland Militia Light Dragoons did perform a couple charges against infantry during the campaign (elements of the 1st at Defense of Baltimore and 8th/Wilson's at Caulk's Field).
The MdLD living history unit is sponsored by Hancock's Resolution, a historical site near Baltimore and has regular annual arrangements with several 1812 historic sites such as Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum in southern Maryland. Our continuing goal is to continue our progress in fielding a safe, active, accurate and experienced Maryland Light Dragoon unit portraying Maryland militia cavalry in all its skills and equipment in time for the War of 1812 bicentennial.
We also field a limited number of 'visiting sidesaddle ladies' and 'wagoneers', besides our primary impression of MdLD dragoons.
Please visit the official website at Maryland Light Dragoons
or contact Quartermaster Dragoon Michael Bosworth at Michael.bosworth@verizon.net
telephone (703) 864-4174