1st Lithuanian Dragoon Regiment (; ) was a dragoon regiment of the Royal Prussian Army, which recruited heavily among the Prussian Lithuanians of Lithuania Minor. The regiment was formed in spring 1717 and disbanded in June 1919. This regiment was one of the oldest in the whole Prussian army.
The regiment was recruited almost exclusively from volunteers from its immediate homeland, i.e., Lithuania Minor, and was well-regarded in the army at all times for having the best horses and riders. In the memoirs of the inhabitants of Lithuania Minor, it is written that they were proud of serving in this regiment. Even until the end of the First World War, the signs outside the soldiers' barracks were in Lithuanian and German languages.
Formation
1710s On 19 April 1717, King Frederick William I of Prussia ordered major general to form a regiment from 780 Saxon cavalrymen and dragoons, which Augustus II the Strong gifted the Prussian King.
As early as May, von Wuthenau divided the regiment into 8 companies. The uniform consisted of a white coat with light blue embroidery, because of which the regiment was called the "Porcelain regiment".
In December, the regiment was ordered to march to Insterburg, Tilsit, Ragnit, Goldap, Stallupönen and Pillkallen.
In 1718, the whole regiment was assembled in a single place for a military exercise in Insterburg, and by August of that year, it already had 10 companies. In 1725, it was established that each company would have 110 dragoons, and each company was renamed a squadron.
1720s When General von Wuthenau died in 1727, the regiment was divided into two regiments, which were that of and von Dockum. The regiment von Cosel maintained the same uniform and was assigned all of the same garrisons except Tilsit. The Dragoon Regiment von Dockum remained in Tilsit with its 5 squadrons and received white coats with red embroidery and received silver timpani the next year. The Dragoon Regiment von Dockum was later called the 7th Dragoon Regiment.
Frederick the Great Between 1734 and 1746, the regiment was often relocated to various places, such as Berlin, Magdeburg, Potsdam, or Tilsit. Finally, in 1746, Tilsit was established as the regiment's permanent garrison.
First Silesian War (1740–1742) In the final, extremely costly battle of the First Silesian War – the hard-fought Battle of Chotusitz – the dragoons, under the command of General Buddenbrock, engaged the Imperial–Royal von Birkenfeld Cuirassier Regiment, but suffered such heavy losses during the subsequent Austrian counter-attack that the Prussian cavalry could no longer be deployed. In the process, the Leibstandarte was lost when Austrian grenadiers snatched the banner from the severely wounded Ensign Paul Wilhelm von Roop in the heat of battle.
The regiment's casualties were the following: 4 officers and 152 men killed, 6 officers and 71 men wounded, and 3 officers and 280 men taken prisoner.
Second Silesian War (1744–1745) During the Second Silesian War, on 13 December 1745, the Dragoon Regiment, together with the left wing of the Prussian cavalry, came under a surprise attack by strong Saxon cavalry units in a sunken road near Nieder-, in conditions of black ice and darkness, sustaining numerous casualties. The regimental commander, Major General , was stabbed to death, whilst the regimental adjutant, Lieutenant Friedrich Wilhelm von Blankenburg, lost the kettledrums and the Leibstandarte, which had already been brought to safety.
Two days later, the dragoon regiment fought in the Battle of Kesselsdorf. Initially, the regiment faced the Saxon mounted Carabiniers Guard and Grenadiers à cheval. It attacked the Electoral Saxon Guard on foot and the . The dragoon Stiecklies captured the regimental standard of the Niesemeuschel regiment, whilst a standard and a pair of silver kettledrums were seized from the Carabiniers Guard. The Saxon colonel and regimental commander was taken prisoner by the Prussians three days later in Dresden.
Seven Years' War (1757–1763) During the Seven Years' War, the regiment faced the Hungarian–Serbian Hussar Regiment and the at the Battle of Gross-Jägersdorf (30 August 1757), driving them back behind the Russian infantry as the battle progressed. Together with the Leib Squadron, an enemy battery of 10 heavy guns was captured, and a grenadier battalion was successfully engaged. Three squadrons, together with the von Platen Dragoon Regiment, attacked the Vologda and Suzdal infantry regiments, inflicting significant losses (136 men) upon them. In mid-September/early October 1757, the dragoons fought at Setzlaken and Tilsit.
1758 They then marched to Pomerania, taking part in the skirmish at Sternberg on 5 August 1758 and in the advance on Zielenzig from 9 to 14 August 1758. At the Battle of Zorndorf, the dragoons were able to effectively engage several Russian regiments pursuing the defeated vanguard. In the process, 5 cannons were captured. The vanguard was subsequently able to regroup in an orderly fashion. Their own losses amounted to 4 officers, 59 men and 115 horses.
On 23 September 1758, the skirmish at Zehdenick took place, followed by the skirmish at Linum on 25 September 1758. During these engagements, the Swedish Leib-Cuirassier Regiment lost a total of 3 officers and 300 men were taken prisoner. In an attack on a Swedish battalion, however, the regiment lost 2 officers and 104 men. This was followed by the Battle of Fehrbellin on 28 September 1758, the skirmish at on 15 October 1758 and the skirmish at Eilenburg on 15 November 1758. Together with the Hussar Regiment, 2 cannons and 2 ammunition wagons were captured during these engagements. This was followed by another march to the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth.
1759 On 1 January 1759, the regiment took part in the assault on Damgarten and the capture of Anklam. This was followed on 27 August 1759 by the skirmish at Zahna, on 29 August 1759 by a skirmish at Torgau, and on 4 September 1759 by the skirmish at Großenhain. Here, the Imperial–Royal Palatinate Hussar Regiment suffered losses of 368 men and 500 horses. On 5 September 1759, the skirmish at Dresden took place, followed by another skirmish at Torgau on 8 September 1759. Once again, 8 cannons and 16 ammunition wagons were captured, and 26 officers and 850 men were taken prisoner. Own losses were estimated at 4 officers and 186 men. In the skirmish at Triebsche on 16 September and that at on the same day, the Serbelloni Cuirassier Regiment was driven into a ravine near . As many as 10 enemy officers and 64 men were taken prisoner. The regiment lost 8 officers, 180 men and 68 horses in the process. The next encounters with the enemy took place on 7 November 1759 at the skirmish near Niederzehren, on 9 November at the skirmish near Meissen, and on 23 November 1759 at the skirmish near Unsewitz.
1760 In 1760, battles were fought in Pomerania, at Kavelpaß, Lübbersdorf, Jogow, , Prenzlau, Röppersdorf, Schiedeberg and near Berlin. Near Berlin, the regiment lost two officers and 80 men. This was followed by engagements at Belzig, Leipzig, on 19 October 1760 at Taschenberg, and the skirmish at Tessin (Zarnewanz). Here, a squadron routed the Swedish cavalry and captured a cannon.
1761 The campaign in Pomerania continued into 1761. Skirmishes took place near Belgard from 12 to 18 June. These were followed by the skirmish at Körlin on 19 August, the skirmish at Gröpfack-Krug on 4 September, and the skirmish at Garrin on 6 September. Here, the Russian was defeated and three standards captured. In the skirmish at Treptow on 12 September, the dragoon Kleibitz managed to capture Colonel Count Wittgenstein. In the skirmish at Körlin, two unicorns (long, smooth-bore howitzers) were captured.
The regiment also fought on 2 October in the skirmish at Spie, on 10 October in the skirmish at Gervin, on 16 October in the skirmish at Triglaff, on 20 October in the skirmish at Schwanteshagen, on 20 October at Kantecker Wald, and on 22 October during the bombardment of Gollnow. This was followed by participation on 3 November in the skirmish at Paßkrug, on 15 November in the skirmish at , on 12 December in the assault on Spie, and finally in the skirmish at Klempin. The regiment lost one officer, 136 men and 154 horses.
1762 The year 1762 began with the skirmish at Malchin. From 4 to 10 January, the regiment conducted patrols in Mecklenburg and took part in the skirmish at Döbeln. The regiment recaptured the redoubt at Klingenberg, which had been lost by the von Bähr Grenadier Battalion, taking 500 prisoners in the process. On 15 October, skirmishes took place at , and . On 16 October, the regiment was stationed at .
In the Battle of Freiberg, the Bayreuth Cuirassier Regiment was defeated, and the von Salm regiment was scattered. Eight cannons were captured in the process. Two of the dragoon regiment's squadrons also routed the 51st and 33rd Regiments, taking 17 officers and 700 men prisoner, whilst losing one officer, 66 men and 72 horses.
War of the Bavarian Succession (1778–1779) During the War of the Bavarian Succession, the regiment took part in the skirmish at Braunsdorf on 28 July 1778 and in the raid at Eckertsdorf against the Austrians on 11 August 1778. Its own losses amounted to two officers, 151 men and 157 horses.
Napoleonic Wars
War of the Fourth Coalition (1806–1807) The regiment was one of the few pre-war regiments that survived the War of the Fourth Coalition.
At Schulitz in 1806, Lieutenant von Sydow succeeded in breaking through a line of 500 hussars with 50 men and Lieutenant Heinrich Erdmann Gottlieb von Massow (13th Dragoon Regiment); on 6 December 1806, the rearguard succeeded in breaking out of Thorn, which had by then been occupied by the French; from 20 to 23 December, skirmishes took place at Biezun on the Soldau; in 1807, the skirmish at Schippenbeil.
At the Battle of Eylau, Lieutenant von Turau saved a gun; this was followed by skirmishes at Spanden and Dietrichsdorf. The regiment fought at the Battle of Heilsberg. It is claimed that there it fought the Gens-d'armes d'élite (which perhaps refers to the ).
Peacetime After the Treaties of Tilsit and the cabinet order of 14 September 1808, regiments were no longer named after their commanders. During the Prussian Army's reorganisation, the regiment was initially called the East Prussian Dragoon Regiment (), and after the cabinet order of 14 September 1808, the regiment was called the 3rd Dragoon Regiment. The Lithuanian Dragoon Regiment was at first garrisoned in Tilsit and Insterburg.
French invasion of Russia Two of the regiment's squadrons were made part of the 1st Mobile Dragoon Regiment, which was part of Yorck's Prussian Auxiliary Corps. This corps fought on Napoleon's side in the French invasion of Russia in 1812.
At the end of July 1812, the regiment was stationed at Eckau, where it celebrated the King's birthday on 3 August and Napoleon's birthday on 15 August – Prussia being, at that time, forced into an alliance with him. After the fighting began, on 22 August 1812 near Dahlenkirchen (not far from Ķekava), Lieutenant Kyckbusch and five dragoons captured 45 Russian skirmishers; this was followed by further skirmishes at Bauske, Gräfenthal and Dahlenkirchen from 27 to 30 September.
The Lithuanian Dragoon Regiment broke through two Russian infantry squares and captured a cannon ; on 28 December 1812, the skirmish at Ragnit took place. Then, the convention of Tauroggen () was signed on 30 December 1812.
War of the Fifth Coalition (1813–1814) Later, the Lithuanian Dragoons Regiment fought in Germany and France in 1813 and 1814 and repeatedly distinguished themselves in Yorck's Corps, especially at Möckern. In the Battle of Leipzig, the regiment captured a French Imperial Eagle.