Caltojar Cavalry

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Hierarchical Path: War of the Spanish Succession (Main Page) >> Armies >> Spanish Army (Bourbon) >> Caltojar Cavalry

Origin and History

The regiment was raised in Barcelona on 1 June 1705 from 5 companies of Guardias y Generales de Cataluna:

  1. Corazas de la Guardia
  2. Arcabuceros de la Guardia
  3. Guardia de Cataluna
  4. Guardia del General de Caballeria
  5. Guardia del Teniente General de Caballeria

The unit was known as the "Regimiento de Caballería la Muerte."

During the War of the Spanish Succession, the successive colonels of the regiment were:

  • from 1 June 1705: Marquis de Caltojar
  • from 29 June 1706: Antonio Leiva de la Cerda (killed in action on 7 May 1709 at the Battle of La Gudiña)
  • from 30 July 1709: Bernardo de Salas
  • from 1711: José Manrique de Arana y Aranguren, Marquis de Villalegre

Service during the War

no information found yet

Uniform

Privates

Uniform in 1705 – Copyright Kronoskaf
Uniform Detailsas per a watercolour by Javier Alvarez Barroso in Dragonas
Headgear black tricorne laced white, with a red cockade fastened with a clip and a pewter button
Neck stock white
Coat blue with red lining; pewter buttons on the right side
Collar none
Shoulder straps red epaulets with red ribbons on both shoulders
Lapels none
Pockets horizontal pockets placed very low on the coat, each with 3 pewter buttons
Cuffs red, each with 3 pewter buttons
Turnbacks none
Waistcoat red with pewter buttons
Cape white with blue lining and a blue collar
Breeches blue
Leather Equipment
Bandolier brown leather
Waistbelt brown leather worn above the coat
Cartridge Box brown leather ventral cartridge box
Scabbard black leather with a white metal tip
Footgear black leather boots
Horse Furniture
Saddlecloth straw yellow edged with a wide straw yellow braid
Housings straw yellow edged with a wide straw yellow braid
Blanket roll blue


Troopers were armed with a sword, a pistol and a carbine.

Officers

Officers

Uniforms of officers differed from those of privates and NCOs by the finer material used. Their waistcoat, saddle cloth and housings were edged with a wide golden braid. They always wore a tricorne notwithstanding the headgear worn by soldiers.

The regulation of 30 December 1704 specified the distinctive of each military rank:

  • colonel: a baton with a gold knob
  • lieutenant-colonel: a baton with a silver knob
  • sargento mayor: a baton with a silver topped knob
  • captain: silver or golden epaulettes (according to the metal colour of the regiment) on both shoulders
  • lieutenant: silver or golden epaulette (according to the metal colour of the regiment) on the right shoulder
  • cornet: silver or golden epaulette (according to the metal colour of the regiment) on the left shoulder

NCOs

The regulation of 30 December 1704 specified the distinctive of each military rank:

  • sergeant : baton without knob and halberd
  • mariscal de logis (quartermaster): small woolen epaulette (red or of the distinctive colour of the regiment)
  • brigadier: swagger stick
  • corporal of squadron: swagger stick
  • second corporal of squadron (rank suppressed in 1706): swagger stick

Musicians

Trumpeters wore reversed colours coats: red with blue lining, blue cuffs and blue aiguillettes

Standards

no information found yet

References

Caballipedia - Regimiento de Caballería la Muerte

Dragonas Magazine, 1998

Acknowledgement

Jean-Pierre Loriot for the initial version of this article.