Forces of the Confederation of the Five Duchies - The Burgoyne Hussars

 The Burgoyne Hussars

Commanding officer: Count Gui Leblanc

Motto: "We get knocked down, but we get up again"

Garrison/HQ: Lynn de la Duchesse.

Nick name: The Ragged Brigade

Origin

The regiment was raised in Lynn de la Duchesse by James R Montague as James Montague`s Regiment of Dragoons in 1715 as part of the response to a Volgan invasion. During the invasion it took part in the Battle of Capel-le-Ferne in October 1715, after which it escorted the captured Volgan soldiers to the waiting prison ships.

The Peasants` Revolt of 1745

During the 1745 Peasants revolt, a major uprising across large parts of the Confederation of the five Duchies, the regiment was largely made up of recruits and commanded by an inexperienced officer, Francois Baskerville. On 13th September, the regiment was faced by a small party of disgruntled Oast workers and was routed in the so-called 'Kiln Canter`. Francois Baskerville was almost stripped of his command for the poor handling of the situation, but he put it down to the soldiers sympathising with the workers and their lack of battlefield experience.

The regiment, though, was demoralised by both their conduct and the way their commanding officer had been treated. In the Battle of Maison Dieu, on 21st September, which lasted only15 minutes, a large group of peasants once again routed the regiment and killed Francois Baskerville as he tried to rally his men. The command of the regiment was given over to Jacques Hiver but the equally disastrous Battle of Colline Militaire in January 1746 saw the regiment once more routed from the field. Shortly after this, Baskerville's replacement Jacques Hiver died of Malaria and was replaced by David Marais. Under David Marais` guiding hand the regiment underwent many changes. The regiment was renamed from Montague`s Regiment of Dragoons to the Burgoyne Hussars, the recruiting process was reorganised, the regiment no longer settled with former prisoners of war, murderers, debtors, and rejects from other regiments, instead they would look to entice the yeomanry. The old drill sergeant also, exercised the troops relentlessly, and installed rigid discipline with some of the harshest punishments in the army.