APRIL SPEAKER:  NICK COMBS – DRAGOONS IN TEXAS 1848-1855: THE MEN AND THE REVOLVER

A Dragoon was typically a mounted soldier – light cavalry with firearms.  Dragoon was a derivation of Dragon.  First use was France circa 1550.  First use in U.S., in Continental Army 1775-6, then in War of 1812.  The weapon was also called a Dragoon, no matter the type.  The Second Regiment formed in 1834-35 was mainly college educated, including from West Point.  It had strict physical requirements.  Officers had to bring their own weapons, but sergeant and below had weapons furnished. Between 1848 and 1858 a Dragoon Revolver was developed.  As evidence of the quality development “in 1850, 2082 arms were tested, and only one barrel and one cylinder burst…which is attributed by the inventor to the peculiar excellence of the material used and the great strength of the model of arms.”  The e-newsletter has the full presentation including excellent maps and charts showing the evolution of Texas through forts and military encampments from 1848 to 1855.