IV DRAGOON DOCUMENTATION SOURCES

NOTES ON THE IV DRAGOONS BASED UPON DOUCUMENTATION SOURCES

The battle Identified as Baillou's Causeway in Washington's Eyes is
identified as the road from Savannah to the Ogeachy in Lee's Memoirs.
Lee does not cite any of the participants as Moylan's Dragoons. He
cites Lt. Bowyer of the 1st Dragoons as commander of the dragoon
detachment. Lee's Memoirs and Washington's Eyes agree on the number
of casualties. In People and Events of the American Revolution, it
is reported as: MAY 21 (1782) - Action at Ogechee Road, Georgia;
Green's forces skirmished with British outposts near Savannah.
This event is not cited in Mad Anthony Wayne and the New Republic.

The battle known as Guristersigo's Defeat in Washington's Eyes is
reported in People and Events as: JUNE 21 (1782), Action at Ebenezer,
Georgia; General Anthony Wayne repelled a surprise indian attack led
by Chief Guristersigo, who was killed during the action; his indian
force was routed. Lee's memoirs gives a good account of the action as
occuring on the evening of the 22nd. This event is also detailed in
Mad Anthony Wayne and the New Republic and specifies the location as
Ebeneezer, Georgia.

The list of known Fourth Dragoon Officers has been prepared to
facilitate research using the indexes to published volumes containing
or composed of Revolutionary War Accounts, papers and manuscripts.

Another list of IV Dragoon Officers by rank in order of date of rank
has been prepared to calendar the commission, presence and departure
of 4th Draqoon Officers.

The 4LD and dragoons from the other three regiments, were detached to
all the commanding generals or field commanders during the Revolutionary War.
The dragoons' main function was to provide communication between the commands
and General Washington at Head Quarters, wherever that location may have been
at any given time. The only way to track or verify those detachments, is to
identify the (4th) Dragoon by examining the papers and orders of the generals.

The 4LD served with the other Continental Dragoon regiments just as the other
Continental Dragoons served with the 4LD and the Partizan and independent Legions,
and the Cavalry, Light Horse, mounted ranger or militia units of the states.
A list of Pulaski's, Armand's, the various state and militia Dragoon Officers is
part of our documentation.

Experience has shown that soldiers pension records have vague or incorrect regimental
references if any. Usually, the commander, Captain, Lieuteneant or sergeant that the
soldier served under is stated, spelled phonetically or as best the veteran pensoiner
or widow could remember when an oral account was given and recorded some time well
after the Revolutionary War.

The Fourth Regiment of Continental Light Dragoons is referred to in several shorter (4LD) names and terms.
The term 'Moylans Dragoons' usually refers to the 4th Regt (abbreviation for regiment).
However, after Col Moylan assumed command of all four of the Continental Dragoon Regiments,
that term may refer to all four of the regiments depending on the naritive or associated orders.
Individual men and officer titles, rosters, muster lists and writings may have the 4LD or 4thLD
to identify the unit by number; 1, 2, 3 or 4.
Our recreated unit uses the Roman numeral IV, which may have been used rarely.

Prior to the organization of the Continental Dragoons in 1777, a few states and localities had
Light Horse militia or dragoon units. Some period writers use the term Light Horse in place of Dragoon.
Some of the state and local units continued on and in some cases, there were local Loyalist Light Horse
militia units and some were attached to the Britsh Army. They were usually referred to as Legion units,
where the dragoons were one part of a combined infantry, cavalry and artillery brigade or legion.

The core unit of Light Horse Harry Lee's Legion was Lee's company of 1st (Virginia) Dragoons.
The Continental Dragoon regiments were also designated as legions except that the unmounted dragoons
were in companies of dismounted dragoons to serve as a (light) infantry company in coordination with
the mounted dragoon companies.
After Pulaski resigned as commander of the Horse (the Continental Dragoons), he raised a Legion with a
core unit of dragoons. Upon his death after the Fall of Savannah, most of the men of his legion went
into Col Armans's Legion or returned to the (dragoon) units they were recruited from.
Pulaski's, Lee's, and Armand's Legions operated independently from the four Continental Dragoon regiments.
Although, Lee's unit did operate the 1st and 3rd Dragoons in the Southern Campaign.

The British 16th and 17th Light Dragoon Regiments fought here in America.
The 16th was withdrawn early in the war. A few of the Hessian units were actually dragoon units.
However, many of their mounts did not survive the sea voyage to America and subsequently, those units fought
as (light) infantry. The combination of the British Army, Navy, Loyalist and Hessian units are referred to as
the Crown forces.
The patriot forces, The Continental Army, Navy, the State(s) Army, Navy and Militias, depending on whose
writing you are reading are referred to as rebels.

WASHINGTON'S EYES by BURT G.LOESHER is out of print and may not be available commercially.
Library copies of this important work appear to be abundant. The Moylan biography is one of the sources for the 4th Regiment chapter. The other chapters on the three other regiments also have referencesto the 4th regiment. Anyone interested in Cavalry and Dragoon history should endeavor to read this book.
There are color illustrations of each regimental uniform by Dale Crawford.

THE HORSE SOLDIER, Vol I, Chapter 1, by Randy Stephen is the mounted dragoon bible.
It provides accoutrement documentation and specifications for the Continental Dragoon reenactor.

WEAPONS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION AND ACCOUTREMENTS is a definitive
work on weapons and accoutrements. A color plate of a mounted 4th Dragoon
graces the cover and is reproduced within. It has photographs of existing dragoon
accoutrements and accompanying text. As with most books reenactors want or need,
this book is out of print. However, your library may have a copy.