About the 3eme Cuirassiers

The times of Napoleon continue to fascinate historians, military hobbyists and enthusiasts, and reenactors worldwide. We, the Third Regiment of Cuirassiers, draw our lineage from the Brigade Napoleon. When formed in 1994, the Brigade introduced Napoleonic Reenacting to the United States. The Brigade is an association of individuals who share their enthusiasm for the period, its events, its people, and its military history.

All of us in the Brigade share an enthusiasm for the Napoleonic period in history. We chose reenacting as a means to experience the history of those times close-up and to immerse ourselves in living history by recreating the lifestyle and events of those times. Many historians note that the cavalry reached its zenith during the Napoleonic Wars. As horsemen and cavalry enthusiasts, we Cuirassiers found it natural to recreate the heavy, armored cavalry in the Brigade.

The 3e Cuirassiers, along with the 16th Dragoons and the renowned light cavalry, the 1st, 5th, and 7th Hussars, form the mounted element of the Brigade. Like all other units of the Brigade we are not a political body but a group of friends sharing a fascination with the heavy cavalry arm of the Napoleonic French Army. We welcome any cavalry enthusiast willing to make a commitment of time and talent to share our impressions and support the activities of the Regiment.

The 3e Cuirassiers participate with the Brigade in a number of activities throughout the calendar year. A listing of Brigade activities appears on its website. The Regiment also participates in a number of other national, community, and international events. Several members of the Brigade and of the Cuirassiers will be participating in the 190th and 200th Anniversary Battles in Europe, including Austerlitz and Waterloo.

The 3e Cuirassiers website contains a wealth of information about the historical period, the Napoleonic cavalry, the Cuirassiers and the history of the 3eme Regiment. The cuirassier uniforms were both functional and aesthetically impressive, and the cuirassier horses were bold and powerful. The organization and formations and tactics of the Napoleonic battle cavalry were designed to achieve shock effect on the battlefield. We are building a list of historical, uniform, reenacting and related articles for the enthusiast. As a service to our members, a Roster of Cuirassiers is available and we maintain a current outfitting table listing the items in our kit, the sources and approximate cost. For a view of our troopers and our activities, visit the 3e Cuirassier Photo Gallery.

If you are interested in enjoying living history from the Napoleonic times, as a reenactor or as an observer, please contact Nick Serafino e-mail: NSerafino@aol.com.

3eme Cuirassiers Webpages