The Need for Distinctive Uniforms

The reference to “–––– and his piquet....taken in June" is a reference to the misfortune that befell Captain Lutyens and a contingent of the Eleventh Light Dragoons, newly arrived in Spain and who had lately joined the army in Estremadura on June 18th 1811.

“Having bivouacked in the woods, between Elvas and the Guadiana, the regiment sent forward a strong piquet, under Captain Lutyens, which took post on the Caya, and a piquet of the Second Hussars of the King's German legion was stationed on the Guadiana. The French made a reconnoissance with their cavalry; the horsemen of the army of the south advanced along the Guadiana, and surprised the piquet of the German Hussars, which escaped to Elvas with difficulty and loss. The piquet of the Eleventh was observing a body of French cavalry advancing along its front, and did not know of the surprise of the German Hussars; this last circumstance favoured an attempt to surprise the Eleventh, which an enterprising French officer, Colonel l'Allemand, effected, by gaining their rear with a body of dragoons, which Captain Lutyens mistook for a regiment of cavalry of the allied army advancing to his support. Being thus surprised, the piquet of the Eleventh was unable to make effectual resistance. Four men were killed; Lieutenant William Smith, and twenty-one rank and file were wounded; Captain Benjamin Lutyens, Lieutenant Thomas Binny, and seventy-five non-commissioned officers and private soldiers, were made prisoners.”

(Historical record of the Eleventh, or the Prince Albert’s Own, Hussars,’ Richard Cannon 1843)

Thus the episode was reported in the press in July 1811. In September, this clarification appeared in the home press:

“We are requested to state, by an officer who was on the spot, that Captain Lutyens was not surprised. He had conducted himself and his men with the greatest bravery, but being overpowered by numbers was obliged to surrender.” This desire to clarify might have something to do with a further mishap that had befallen piquet of the 11th two months later, when Marmont had sent forward "twelve hundred cavalry and infantry through the mountains which separate Castille from Estremadura. This detachment surprised a piquet of ten men of the Eleventh Dragoons, under Lieutenant Frederick Wood, at St. Martin de Trebejo on the 15th of August, and made the whole prisoners." This is the mishap to which subsequent tradition has attached the story that, rather than confusing enemy and allied uniforms, the patrol of the 11th Light Dragoons, resting their mounts in the local convent gardens, had been caught napping having found the shade of the Francican's orchards too inviting; hence the regiment's later nickname of "The Cherrypickers."

Convento de San Miguel, San Martin de Trevejo, Sierra de Gata, Caceres province. "Possibly the most isolated town in Spain." Although Estremadura is renowned for its cherry crop, the cerecera, harvested May-July, unfortunately for the story San Martin is better known for its wine and olive oil. It seems the main cherry country is more to the east, and south in Badajoz province.

It would be a problem even under the best of conditions. The best example I can come up with is in the movie "Gettysburg". In one scene the position and woods to the front is engulfed in smoke. All the viewer can see is a silhouette of a line troops coming closer. You can make out their shadow and since the uniforms were similar it was impossible to determine if they were Union or Confederate troops.

Allied armies were particularly prone, with Waterloo being a conspicuous example. The famous Prussian sentiment to the Nassauers “Is it my fault that your men dress like the French?” As well as these and other potential ‘blue on blue’ incidents there is the in some ways even worse sin of falsely perceiving them as friends. This is particularly true of cavalry, who can quickly close the distance before squares can be formed. No wonder some unit commanders adopted the ‘shoot first and and ask questions later’ policy. Indeed, some British light dragoon officers (in their post 1812 French inspired outfit) were quite sanguine about it, commenting that they always inevitably lost a few men in this manner.

Yes despite those reasonable remarks and observation, what did they get? At least for the British Light Dragoons`? Of course in 1813 in Central Europe the silhouette of a lot of armies became quite similar.

Guy, thanks, very interesting, and a fine sign of British self-confidence (Selbstbewusstsein). Wellington refers obviously to the combat of El Bodon - I did not know until now that he was in danger of beeing taken in this engagement.

Best regards, Thomas