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Cavalry Units
Hussars
| Hussars constituted a light cavalry force used for bold raids to the enemy's rear, reconnaissance, manning outposts and frontier service.
In the period of linear tactics, hussar squadrons took on a special significance.
They escorted infantry squads and intercepted deserters. This way they helped maintain discipline and order in the infantry, which often consisted mainly of riffraff.
Hussars were usually regarded as adventurous people. The main features of this force were its speed and manoeuvrability.
They were excellent horsemen capable of performing numerous tactical moves in a battle.
Naturally, they were inferior to heavy cavalry concerning attack power, but that was easily countervailed by their manoeuvres, ambushes and sudden charges to the rear or flanks. Hussars were armed with a sabre, a pair of pistols and a short flint musket or blunderbuss (for short-range buckshot fire).
Their equipment had many traditional Hungarian features and comprised a dolman (a jacket embroidered with gold or silver cords), a pelisse (an outer jacket with fur worn on the left shoulder), chuckchirs (leather-cased trousers) or riding breeches, boots with tassels and a sabretache worn on the left side. |
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