National Cavalry

The National cavalry (Polish: Kawaleria narodowa) was a branch of Polish–Lithuanian cavalry in the Polish armed forces in the last quarter of the 18th century. Formed as a merger of previously-existing units of Polish Hussars and pancerni that were still in service after the Confederation of Bar. In 1777 the Sejm new regulations converted all units of heavy cavalry and medium cavalry and reformed them into a line cavalry, roughly similar to later uhlans popular in Europe in the 19th century. Existing dragoon and Front or Vanguard Regiments were outside this reform The National Cavalry had a very short history of 20 years, and some units stationed in the eastern Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth were forcibly incorporated into the Russian cavalry following the Second Partition of Poland, and the remainder was disbanded together with the rest of Polish–Lithuanian armed forces after the final partition in 1795. The Sejm's 1777 decision was rather late effort to modernize Polish–Lithuanian cavalry, along the much earlier trend of evolution of European cavalry towards more modern organization of the cavalry regiments into more mobile formations. The most modern part of the reform was the establishment of some very modern battle dress uniforms for these cavalrymen, and in turn this uniform of the National Cavalry inspired numerous similar uniforms and employment of 'Polish lance' in the rest of Europe, notably the Austrian, Prussian, Russian cavalry, and later of the French cavalry of the Napoleonic Wars.

Initial reorganization divided the National Cavalry of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth into four brigades (each numbering roughly 737 officers and soldiers and horses), two in the Crown of the Polish Kingdom and two in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The brigades were further composed of 24 banners altogether. The ancient and ineffective companion–retainer system was preserved and the number of companions and retainers was to be equal, companions armed with a painted "kopia" or "kopija" (lance), sabre and pistols, and retainers armed with a cavalry carbine and sabre. In 1784 Sejm increased the number of men in each brigade to 876, divided in 6 squadrons, they in turn divided in 4 banners, each squadron 144 men and horses, while banner roughly 35 men and horses. On November 12, 1788 the Sejm increased the number of cavalrymen in each brigade and since then the brigades were to be 3600 men strong. The division onto banners was also abolished and replaced with a division into squadrons. Each brigade was since then composed of 24 squadrons. Following this reform each squadron of National Cavalry was composed of four cug sub-units. The first cug in every squadron consisted of 32 former "towarzysz" Hussars, while the remaining four were composed of 32 former Pancerni cavalrymen. This allowed the unit to be fairly flexible, with the first cug used for break-through charges and the remaining three in supporting roles.

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