The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1853-03-01

About two years ago sic of the eight companies
of light or flying artillery in the United States SER
vice were dsmounted in consequence of serious
reduction in the army estimates This reduction
was made by Congress, we understand, in order
to counteract the great expenditures OF the Quar-
termaster's Department, which have since been
diminished about million yearly; and of course
there is now good reason why this important
force should not be again set on horseback mas,
much its efficacy depends on its admirable COM
bination of cannon and cavalry.
Since 1851 the period of the unfortunate dis
mounting, two of the six companies have been re.
supplied with horses but the great harm was
already done to the service by the sale of the
trained animals and the loss Of drilled veterans
who would not continue in the army as foot
soldiers.
w hilst the country is able to produce, in an ex
traordnarily short time, efficient infantry force,
it is quite impossible to form, from material a
mounted field artillery upon which the fate of bat
ties is to be staked. Incessant practice realizing
the fable of the centaur, and almost uniting the
man and his horse in concentrated impulse and
action, can alone form the perfect light-artierst.
This is well known to Baltimoreans, who witnessed
the patient skill of Ringgold whilst organizing this
arm of defence at Fort McHenry. To be efficient,
it must be thoroughly in tructed in it's mounted
duties, while the knowledge thus acquired must
be rendered instinctive by daily exercise Rapidly
of movement and man@uyre with cannon is the
soul of the service; and it is this quality that made
the light artillery of Ringgold, Duncan, Ridgely,
O'Brien, Bragg, Hunt, Sherman, and Donaldson,
give glorious an account of American valor on
the fields OF Palo Alto Resaca de la Palma, Buena
Vista, and the Valley of Mexico.
We understand from good authority that lit is
likely Congress will make a suitable appropriation
for the purchase of horses to remount the ,Chole of
this admirable force. We hope The people
will justify the expenditure to the last fraction that
may be needed. We hope, moreover, that wien
Congress shall have appropriated the requisite sum
the new Secretary of War will at once take mea-
sures to use it benefciaily. We desire this espe-
cally in order that the instructed and tried vete-
rans who are yet in the service may be induced to
re-enlist as their terms expire-which, we learn,
they refuse to do long their duties are to be
performed foot If called suddenly into the
| field, we think it not improbable that every old
soldier Of this class would quit the army and thus
all the mtnutiR of instructions the accumulation of
years of experience, together with the well known
advantages Of an Esprit de corps would be lost for
ever Officers and men are both enlisted in mounted
artillery. They must have horses. They feel that
they placed in degraded state OF mongrel use.
| lessness, when man ia temporarily converted into
beast; and yet cannot perform the functions which
| he knows it 10 his duty to fulfil. man might as
well own carriage and drag it himself for his
| amusement, instead of riding behind span of
| spirited animals. @ IS
| If there 10 spark of justice or sense Of
elected and misused utility in our national legs-
lators, we that we do not vainly urge the
claims of those splendid companies the skeletons of
which are yet commanded by the gallant men
who fred the first and the last victorious guns in
Mexico Our friends in Congress will not consider
| this appeal Inappropriate from Baltimore. II wa
| here in 1903 that Sergeant Baum prepared the
| wood work of the first "Horse Artillery" that was
| organized in country by the brave Captain
George Peter; and it was here, also, some twelve
| years since, that Ringgold reconstructed the
vice, and impaired to it the chivalry of his noble
character. itJHissss 55Etlsg sE94g-lG q
l i. -