The heavy dragoons attacked again, this time breaking the division for good, but Le Marchant was killed in the action.
They have been known by a variety of other names, including wall louse, mahogany flat, crimson rambler, heavy dragoon, chinche bug, and redcoat.
On that occasion, the British heavy dragoons rode down one French infantry division and part of a second before being repulsed.
The heavy dragoons mauled Brenier's hastily formed first line, but Le Marchant pressed his luck too far.
Bock's heavy dragoons soon arrived and the Portuguese horsemen rallied behind them.
Next, British heavy dragoons broke Antoine François Brenier de Montmorand's division.
The Duke of Brunswick signed a treaty to provide 4,000 foot soldiers and 350 heavy dragoons.
Being large men on large horses, the British heavy dragoons were used as shock troops in battle.
In 1797 Nock put into production a 9-inch pistol (pattern 1796) for heavy dragoons with a calibre matching their carbines.
This 9,000-man formation comprised five battalions of grenadiers and 12 squadrons each of cuirassiers and heavy dragoons.