Richard Cannon's Historical Record of the Seventeenth Regiment of Light Dragoons;—Lancers is a deep dive into the official story of a famous British cavalry regiment. Published in the 1840s, it was part of a series meant to document every regiment's service. The book follows the regiment from its formation in 1759 all the way up to Cannon's own time.

The Story

There isn't a single plot in the traditional sense. Instead, the book is built from the regiment's own archives. It walks us through each major period of service: the American Revolutionary War, campaigns in India, and the epic battles of the Napoleonic Wars, including their famous charge at Waterloo. But it's not just about fighting. Cannon includes the boring stuff too—where they were stationed during peacetime, changes to their uniforms and weapons, and lists of officers. He pieces together a complete picture of the regiment as a living, changing institution over nearly a century.

Why You Should Read It

What makes this special is the access. Cannon worked directly with the War Office and the regiment itself. You're reading the details they thought were important to remember. You see how a regiment functioned as a community, with its own rules, traditions, and economy. It’s fascinating to watch the unit evolve from Light Dragoons into Lancers, adopting the iconic lance and changing their tactics. While it's an official history and can be very detailed, there are flashes of drama and personality, especially in the descriptions of battles and the occasional mention of a particularly brave or troublesome soldier.

Final Verdict

This isn't a casual bedtime read. It's a primary source, a treasure trove for a specific kind of reader. It's perfect for military history enthusiasts, genealogists, or historical writers who want authentic, granular detail about British cavalry life. If you love Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe novels or are fascinated by the Napoleonic era, this book provides the real-world framework that fiction is built on. Think of it as the ultimate, authoritative reference book on one of history's most recognizable cavalry units. For the right person, it's absolutely gripping.