19th Light Dragoons

19th Light Dragoons
Squadron guidon of the 19th Light Dragoons
Active	1781–1821
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	British Army
Type	Cavalry
Role	Dragoon
Size	Regiment
Engagements	Third and Fourth Anglo-Mysore Wars (1790–1792 & 1798–1799) including: Cannanore; Bangalore; Seringapatam (1792); Pondicherry; Mallavelly; Seringapatam (1799) Second Anglo-Maratha War (1803–1805) including: Assaye; Battle of Argaon Vellore Mutiny (1806) War of 1812 (1812–1815) including: Fort George; Buffalo; Lundy's Lane; Fort Erie
Battle honours	Seringapatam Assaye Niagara
Disbanded	1821

The 19th Light Dragoons was a cavalry regiment of the British Army created in 1781 for service in British India. The regiment served in India until 1806, and in North America during the War of 1812, and was disbanded in Britain in 1821.

On 25 April 1779 warrants were issued to raise three regiments of light dragoons, the 19th, 20th and 21st, to address potential French aggression during the American Revolutionary War. The 19th was made up of drafts from the 1st and 2nd Dragoon Guards and the 4th and 10th Dragoons. The 19th did not see overseas service and was disbanded in June 1783.

The regiment was raised by Colonel Sir John Burgoyne (a cousin of General John Burgoyne) as the 23rd Regiment of Light Dragoons on 24 September 1781 for service in India. There had been no European cavalry to that date in India, and successive commanders there had called upon the regular British Army to supply a cavalry unit. The regiment arrived at Fort St. George, Madras in 1782 and became the first British cavalry regiment to serve in India. In 1786, the regiment was renumbered as the 19th Regiment of Light Dragoons.

The 19th played a major role in the Anglo-Mysore Wars and Anglo-Maratha Wars. Their first campaign was against Tipu Sultan of Mysore from 1790 to 1792. After defeating Tipu, the 19th were on garrison duty until 1799 when war broke out with Tipu again. This time, the Sultan was killed during the Siege of Seringapatam in May 1799.

In 1800, the 19th fought Dhondia Wagh's rebel army and in 1803, led by Major-General Arthur Wellesley (who later became the Duke of Wellington), they participated in the Battle of Assaye in September 1803. In this battle, the outnumbered British troops defeated a Maratha army and the regiment was subsequently awarded the battle honour of "Assaye" and presented with an honorary colour.