3rd Light Cavalry Lancers Regiment of the Imperial Guard (Lithuanian)

Formed during the French invasion of Russia with members of the Lithuanian nobility, the regiment came under the command of General Jan Konopka, Major of the Polish Lancers of the Imperial Guard.

At the start of the Russian campaign in 1812, the Grande Armée was enthusiastically received by the Lithuanian population, so Napoleon decided to take advantage of the situation.

[1] On 5 July 1812, he decreed the formation of the 3rd regiment of lancers integrated into the Imperial Guard,[2] with a theoretical strength of 1,218 men divided into five squadrons.

In October, General Konopka received the order in Grodno to lead his two squadrons to Minsk and decided on the way to stop at the village of Slonim.

[8] On October 19, the night following its departure, the 3rd Lancers were ambushed by General Czaplicz's Russian soldiers, belonging to Admiral Pavel Chichagov's army corps.

The two other squadrons recently formed, under the orders of Colonel-Major Tanski in Grodno, therefore constituted the 3rd Lancers and received in January 1813 a reinforcement of 60 Lithuanian gendarmes.

Unable to establish a store of supplies in a country at war, the lancers receive their effects as and when villages are encountered and contracts made between the clothing officer and the local inhabitants.