Under the designation Regiment of Light Dragoons existed two different units of the U.S. Army in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, respectively.
The RoLD (1808) was established on April 12, 1808, following the Chesapeake–Leopard affair, when an Act of Congress passed legislation authorizing an increase in the size of the U.S. Army, to include a regiment of dragoons.
[2][1] The origins of the RoLD (1798) traces back to the Squadron of Light Dragoons, established on March 5, 1792.
The RoLD (1798) was never completely mounted and parts of it saw service as light infantry before the regiment was dissolved in June 1800.
An act of March 3, 1815 reducing the size of the army led to the regiment being consolidated with the Corps of Artillery on May 17, 1815.
[5] At the Second Battle of Sacket's Harbor May 29, 1813, Lieutenant Colonel Electus Backus rallied Dragoons of the regiment, Regular Army units, and Volunteers to counterattack a British breakthrough on the second American line of defense.
Colonel Luckett's regiment of Dragoons entered Ogdensburg on reconnaissance for General Wilkinson.
To avoid being spotted and engaged, Colonel Luckett and his dragoons withdrew out of Ogdensburg into the backcountry.
[12][13] At the Battle of Bladensburg on August 24, 1814, Lieutenant Colonel Jacint Laval led 140 men of the regiment.
[14] Lieutenant Colonel Jacint Laval's dragoons took part in engagements of Baltimore on September 14, 1814.
The dragoons conducted a rear guard action in a fighting retreat with Stansbury's brigade who were withdrawing to Baltimore.
Captain John A. Burd who commanded the dragoons of the 1st regiment was also part of this task force.
Captain Burd and his dragoons were commanded to creep up concealed on the British and surprise attack them at the same time with Crutchfield's brigade.
But the American combined brigade showed up much later than expected a bit too late as the British were withdrawing in an orderly matter on their barges.
The American brigade opened fire with their small arms and cannons slightly damaging two British barges.