Caltojar Cavalry

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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

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.