The latter, when composed of large men and mounted on heavy horses, are attached to the heavy cavalry.
The _dragoons_ were formerly a mixed body of horse and foot, but it being found impossible to unite these two distinct arms in one, and the attempt having destroyed the usefulness of the body to act in either capacity, the term was applied to a mixed kind of cavalry between the heavy and the light horse.

In more recent wars they have also been instructed as infantry and employed as foot-soldiers, till horses could be found in the enemy's country with which to mount them.

But we believe there is no instance in more modern wars in which they have been employed at the same time in both capacities.
This term is, very improperly, applied to all our cavalry; and some of the congressional wiseacres have recently experimented on one of our so-called regiments of _dragoons_, by dismounting it one year, selling its horses at auction, and changing its arms and equipments, and again, the next year, purchasing new horses, arms, and equipments for remounting it; and all this for _economy!_ The Roman cavalry at first wore a round shield and helmet, the rest of their body being nearly uncovered.

Their arms were a sword and long thin javelin, or lance, with an iron head.

They afterwards reduced the shield to a much smaller size, and made square, and their lance was greatly increased in size and length, and armed at both ends.