In 1740, Richard St. George took command of a British regiment of dragoons in Ireland that became known as “St. George’s Dragoons.” It was designated as the 8th Regiment of Dragoons in the 1750s. St. George remained the regimental colonel until his death in 1755.

Private, 8th Dragoons, 1751
David Morier
1751-1760
Oil on canvas 
Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2019

This pistol is engraved with Richard St. George’s name and rank on its barrel. As a colonel, St. George commanded a British regiment of dragoons in the 1740s. Dragoons, a name for soldiers who fought on horseback and on foot, were armed with short muskets, sabers, and pistols.

Pistol
Made by John Govers
ca. 1745
Iron, Wood, Brass, Steel
Courtesy of the Council of the National Army Museum, London

This pistol is engraved with Richard St. George’s name and rank on its barrel. As a colonel, St. George commanded a British regiment of dragoons in the 1740s. Dragoons, a name for soldiers who fought on horseback and on foot, were armed with short muskets, sabers, and pistols.

Pistol
Made by John Govers
ca. 1745
Iron, Wood, Brass, Steel
Courtesy of the Council of the National Army Museum, London