Villavicencio Cavalry

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Origin and History

The regiment was created from independent companies stationed on the coast of Andalusia on 21 May 1703. It had its first review on 2 March 1703.

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

• from 2 March 1703: Rodrigo Villavicencio Negron
• from September 1704: Thomas de Bustamante (died during the siege of Gibraltar in 1705)
• from 17 July 1705 to 1715: Vicente Raja

The regiment was disbanded in 1715.

Service during the War

In 1705, the regiment was at the Siege of Gibraltar.

Uniform

Very little is known about the uniform of this regiment to the exception that the uniform was white with yellow as its distinctive colour. We don't know the metal colour of the regiment.

Privates

Uniform in 1703- Source: Copyright Richard Couture

Uniform Details

Headgear	black tricorne laced yellow or white, with a red cockade fastened with a golden or silver clip and a brass or a pewter button
Neck stock	white
Coat	white with brass or pewter buttons on the right side Collar none Shoulder straps no information found Lapels none Pockets no information found, we assume horizontal pockets, each with 3 buttons Cuffs yellow, each with an unknown number of buttons Turnbacks none
Waistcoat	probably yellow
Breeches	probably yellow
Leather Equipment	Bandolier natural leather Waistbelt natural leather worn above the coat Cartridge Box natural leather ventral cartridge box Scabbard black leather with a white metal tip Footgear natural leather boots
Horse Furniture	Saddlecloth probably yellow edged with a wide white or yellow braid Housings probably yellow edged with a wide white or yellow braid Blanket roll no information found

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

no information found yet

Standards

no information found yet

References

Dragonas Magazine

Caballipedia - Regimiento de Caballería Villavicencio

Acknowledgement

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