Cavalry

Norwich has maintained a kinship with its cavalry heritage through the years, even though the University was first established to train officers for the Artillery. It was not until 1909 that cavalry training was first introduced and conducted informally by Captain Leslie A. I. Chapman, Professor of Military Science and Tactics. Captain Chapman was the first cavalry office assigned to Norwich University by the War Department.

It did not take much time before this informal training developed a troop of cavalry at Norwich. Under Captain Frank Tompkins, Captain Chapman's successor, cavalry training was instituted as a part of the military training program at Norwich and within The Corps of Cadets. But cavalry training was not the only formal military training conducted. By 1910, training in Infantry and the Signal Corps (communications) were also a part of the military training program at Norwich.

The Corps of Cadets remained a cavalry unit from 1911 to 1950. On September 2, 1950, due to the growing size of The Corps, the Commandant of Cadets, Colonel Briard F. Johnson, reorganized the corps into the regular Army regiment. However, to this day Norwich has remained true to the cavalry traditions. This link to the past can be seen in the crossed sabers worn on the Norwich gray and blue uniforms tunics. The dress blue uniform that is worn by all Norwich Cadets is similar in design to the uniform worn by cavalry officers in 1898.