2° Cavalrymen

2°CAVALRY REGIMENT – REGNO DI NAPOLI 1808-1815

Tolentino 815 Association presents the first Italian Historical Group on horseback, depicting a Regiment of the Army of the Kingdom of Naples from 1808 to 1815. The Association organizes TOLENTINO 815 – historical re-enactment of the Battle of Tolentino was fought on 2 and 3 May 1815 between the army of Gioacchino Murat, King of Naples, and the Austrian Baron Federico Bianchi, considered by many historians as the First struggle for Italian independence.
The event takes place from 1996, once a year at the Rancia Castle and the old town of Tolentino, the first Sunday of the month of May, alternating reconstruction of the battle and gathering historical military bands.
Participate, as re-enactors, the members of the Historical Groups Italians and foreigners in uniform, equipment and weapons of the time; carry parades, maneuvers, exercises and simulations of battles between armies, and is distinguished as the only military reenactment of central Italy. It is a unique initiative, of great national and international importance, which can be defined as a prime example of “experimental archeology”.

The 2nd Cavalry Regiment, derived from the 2nd Hunters on horseback, attended outside of the Kingdom of Naples, the Napoleonic campaign of Spain in 1809, and was present in Figueras in Costa Brava, the siege of Rosas, Gerona and Hostalrich, with behavior so brilliant to be sent to Murat the praises of the French command. The commander of the 2nd Hunters, Colonel Malaspina of Fosdinovo, however, wrote in a report that he had lost, between 1809 and 1811, 256 of the 500 men who had at the beginning.
Ben harder and unfortunate was the campaign of 1813 in Germany. The King Joachim, although reluctant to offer new troops to the imperial cause, after having committed and largely lost in Russia and Poland many soldiers, allowed to send two squadrons of the 2nd Hunters, they comprised 22 officers, 541 soldiers and 530 horsepower. The Regiment participated in the battles of Limbach, Nossen, Konigsbruck, Scewnitz, Bautzen and Jauer; commander Duke of Laviano, he was awarded the Legion of Honor. But it was only a flash, since the campaign ended with the terrible defeat of Leipzig.
During the Battle of Tolentino in 1815, along with the Royal Guard, the regiment of cavalry was more engaged in the clashes. By decree of 11 May 1814 puts on the uniform azure (blue) with exhibitions amaranth, whereas before it was green with yellow exhibitions, and shakot black, comes with lances with streamers and white amaranth, in addition to the standard-bearer, the trumpeter and the captain with saber and sabretache.

The Historical Group has participated in various Pageants in Napoleonic Europe, including Ajaccio, Marengo, San Donato me, Martigny (Switzerland), Cassano d’Adda, Novara, Corps (France) and Ceva.
Performs movements drawn from the military manuals of the time, presenting the training in rows and columns, is to step in the spectacular “charges” of cavalry.
The Group is composed of ten people, including a woman Paparoni Giammario, Marcello Capitani, Stefano Capotosti, Tiziana Del Vecchio, Alberto Eleonori, Giancarlo Leoni, Fabio Mataloni, Natalini Alessio, Pazzelli Tonino, Vitali Mauro.

Video Battaglia di Tolentino del 1815