Chevalier Guard Regiment
The Chevalier Guard Regiment was a Russian heavy cavalry guard regiment, created in 1800 by the reformation of the Chevalier Guard corps, itself created in 1764 by Catherine the Great. As other Russian heavy cavalry guard regiments, the Chevalier Guards were equipped as cuirassiers.
Campaigns
- 1805 – The regiment first saw combat in the Battle of Austerlitz, in which it fought bravely, covering the retreat of units from the Preobrazhensky and Semenovsky Regiments of the Russian Imperial Guard infantry. The Chevalier Guards were countercharged and defeated by the French Horse Grenadiers of the Old Guard, who inflicted heavy casualties among the Russians.
- 1807 – Battle of Heilsberg
- 1812 – The regiment distinguished itself during the Patriotic War of 1812. The Chevalier Guards lost their colonel early in the Battle of Borodino but, in concert with the Life Guard Horse Regiment, effectively stopped the decisive charge of Saxon cuirassier regiments and defeated French Horse Carabiniers.
- 1813 – Lützen, Kulm, Leipzig
- 1814 – Fère-Champenoise
- 1831 – Polish Campaign
- 1914 – First World War
Many famous men served as Chevalier Guards including Georges-Charles de Heeckeren d'Anthès, Grigory Potemkin, Denis Davydov, Mikhail Skobelev, Alexander Rodzyanko, Pavlo Skoropadskyi, Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim and Alexander Ypsilantis.