Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Pair: Private John Urlaub, 2nd Light Dragoons, King’s German Legion

Military General Service 1793-1814, 3 clasps, Salamanca, Vittoria, Toulouse (J. Erlaub, 2nd L. Dgns. K.G.L.); Waterloo 1815 (John Urlaub, 2nd Reg. Light Drag. K.G.L.) fitted with original steel clip and later ring suspension, light contact marks, otherwise good very fine (2) £2800-3200

The 1st and 2nd Light Dragoons K.G.L. were actually equipped as Heavy Dragoons and achieved fame as being the only cavalry recorded to have broken properly formed squares of well-disciplined infantry. On the morning after the battle of Salamanca [23 July 1812] the two regiments attacked Marmont’s rearguard of fresh infantry at Garcia-Hernandez in what the French General, Foy, described as the finest cavalry charge he had ever seen. Two squares, each composed of a battalion of the 6th Léger, were broken. At the first square a mortally wounded horse carrying a dead rider leaped onto the front rank, which was kneeling, bringing down half a dozen men in its struggles. A King’s German Legion officer, Captain Gleichen, spurred his horse into the gap, and the troopers followed him, driving a wedge into the square and breaking it up. Most of the 6th Léger, attacked from the front and back, then surrendered.

The second square, shaken by the disaster that had befallen its sister battalion, when they too were charged, fired a wild volley at the oncoming cavalry, wavered, gave ground and broke. Some 1400 prisoners were taken, and about 200 French were killed or wounded. The K.G.L. Dragoons, whose combined strength was only 700, lost 4 officers and 50 men killed, and 2 officers and 60 men wounded.

This incident is unique in the annals of British Military History; never before recorded or again to be repeated. Eye-witnesses stated that after the action the Dragoons, supporting their wounded, made their way slowly back to the rear, through the cheering ranks of the famous Light Division. Wellington, seldom lavish in his praise, wrote in his official despatch, “I have never witnessed a more gallant charge than that made upon the enemy’s infantry by the Heavy Brigade of the King’s German Legion... which was completely successful.” Sold with some muster details.