History

The Chassuers d'Afrique (Hunters of Africa) were 12 cavalry regiments borne from France's North African conquests. They were derived from the famous Zouave units. The first one was established in 1834 (ours in 1838).

Here is a link showing our regimental lineage, and the current French regiment that bears the colors today. Also note the motto of 4RCA, which translates to "Our Life Is Action". Just about the best WWIIOL motto going, I should think.

http://www.memopnha.com/chasaf11.html

Here is the insignia of the 12 regiments of the Chasseurs D'Afrique.

http://mapage.noos.fr/4edmm/chasseurs_d'_afrique.htm

The distinctive badge of 4RCA is derived from the regiment being based in Tunis.

4RCA's mission was maintaining France's colonial holdings in Algeria and Tunisia. So it's first three battle honors were for actions in that role (Milliana, Taguin and Isly). But the battle honor that 4RCA won that was probably the most famous for was it's gallant role in assisting the Light Brigade during it's fatal Charge at Balaklava. Yes, THAT Charge of the Light Brigade.

The Crimean War saw France and Britain teamed up against Russia. During the battle of Balaklava (English spelling Balaclava) Lord Cardigan got his near suicidal orders to attack a Russian gun position at the other end of a valley with Russian soldiers on the heights on both sides of that valley. Feeling honorbound to follow those orders, he attacked.

Once they were in the Valley of Death, 4RCA charged the Russian guns to the Light Brigade's right and helped the Light Brigade escape.

http://www.victorianweb.org/history/crimea/chargelb.html

To this day 4RCA's gallantry is remembered by the units that are heir to the colors and honors of the units involved, 4th Chasseurs at Gap and the British Light Dragoons. They exchange telegrams and go skiing, as positive a result as one could hope from such a gallant yet pointless sacrifice.

http://www.lightdragoons.org.uk/regiment_today/affiliations.php

In a sense the Chasseurs and the US Army were intertwined due to the career of General Kearny. He signed on for the French cavalry school, then himself became a member of 1RCA. He earned the Legion of Honor during the battle of Solferino, the first American to do so.

http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Aegean/6732/files/kearny1.html

http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Delphi/1316/kearny.html

Actions such as this made the Chassuers famous and a reason why there were Union Army units that imitated the Zoaves and Chasseurs.

Kearny also invented the Corps patch, the predecessor to the unit patches used ever since.

http://www2.powercom.net/~rokats/corps1.html

(4RCA was the only active RCA that did not participate in Solferino, but likely Kearny operated in Algeria with 4RCA at some point).

One of the most interesting Chasseurs d'Afrique was Monet, as in the painter.

http://www.hlla.com/reference/monet-chron.html

That pretty much sums it up, Monet was essentially drafted into an RCA, got sick, came home, and his rich family bailed him out of service. In virtually every respect the exact polar opposite of Kearny.

But his RCA service did open my eyes to one possibility- I'll bet he was attracted to staying around that darn lily pond due to his desert time.

4RCA was temporarily disbanded and 'missed out' on many colonial battles of the Third Republic. The other three RCAs were everywhere- Indochina, China, France itself, and Mexico.

This last one is interesting, in that the battle honors the RCAs earned in Mexico revolved around the Battle of Puebla. The Mexicans won the battle, although ultimately they lost the region and the war.

During the battle the Chasseurs won reknown by charging in and fighting fiercely, becoming known and feared as 'The Blue Butchers'.

You likely know the battle as Cinco de Mayo.

http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Bunker/7475/puebla.htm

Interestingly enough this battle among others is cited as the reason 1RCA has been given the Legion of Honor as a unit, the only cavalry unit in the entire French Army to be authorized to bear this honor for all of the French cavalry units throughout their gallant history.

Here is a link in French that talks about the website's father being a 4RCA guy and fighting it out in interventions and in Serbia during WWI.

It has a nice overview of the changes of uniform over the horse cavalry years, an appreciation of the French colonial nastiness on both sides during the years of Empire, and jolly WWI German whacking sure to please any allied heart. Plus, the story of where that 4RCA mosque icon came from.

Ahhhh, but the real treasure is that little bibliography section that tells where the 4RCA action archives are stored.

Now I know where to get every bit of info on all the battle honors 4RCA had. Including what happened in that WWII battle honor.