Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1854-03-08
The Turkish Cavalry.

III
1t is said by Col. Dean. the French Off
Ger despatched to the Danube in order to
examine into the condition of the Turkish
army, that while the infantry are prom
ising set of men, the cavalry is quite inefi-
cient. To hear this asserted of an arm Of
the service, which once was the finest in
the world, seems strange at first, but is new
ertheless susceptible Of easy explanation.
The old Turkish cavalry were the most
superb lrregulars in the world. They rode
with short stirrups, and deep saddles, ard
were familiar with the scimetar from their
youth. Their horses were generally spirit
ed animals, and under admirable training.
The ancient Turkish horseman was in fact
sort of Seljoukan Camanche. In former
wars, it was no unusual thing for body Of
tins magnificent cavalry to charge light up
to the very batteries; and there is one in
stance on record in which troop leaped a
ditch, broke into aphalanx of iHiaHtry, ard
cut down several thousands. Until within
the last century the Turkish horsemer
were regarded as almost lnvlncible. Nc
body of mounted soldiery anywhere had
such skill in arms and in the management
of their horses were so proud and conf
dent; or could point to trophies won in SC
many battles.
But with the introduction of discipline
into European armies the Turkish cavalry
began to lose their superiority. The cred
! it of the first demonstrating, in modern
times, how much more reliable regular cav
airy was to irregular belongs TO Oliver
Cromwell. Until that successful soldier
established his corps of Ironsides, the mount
ed cavaliers of Prince Rupert were consid
cred invincible. Composed as they were
indeed Of the gentry, always an athletic
race in England, and of the better sort o
the peasantry, a race only less athletic
they formed body of irregular cavalry
which, for skill in horsemanship, for mettle
and for muscular strength, have rarely beer
equalled. The earlier levies of Pariamen
tary dragons, made up, as they chiefly
were, of young Londoners unaccustomec
to the saddle. could not stand before thes,
dashing horemen. Oliver Cromwell set a.
bout TO remedy this, by matching the cava
liers with horsemen as bold and skilful, ant
who should in addition. be able to maneu
vre more harmoniously and fight more com
pactly. He selected, accordingly, the sons
of Puritan yeom:n, and having disciplined
them thoroughly, proved the correctness o
his views in the very first battle, by crush
ing Rupert's cavaliers like potter's vessel
From that time regular dragons sup
planted irregular cavalry in all the armies
of ofwestern Europe. Horsemen were taught
to move in solid line, to charge in com
pact body, and to keep togethe: even after
victory; IN short to be, in the hands o
their commander, what even the most spir'
tied horse should be in the hands of the ri
der an obedieEt machine. But, meantime
the fame of the Turkish cavalry, who con
tinued to fight in the old fashion, filled Eu
rope. 1t was conceded that English. French
or German irregulars were inferior to regu
lars of the same nation; but it was occa'
slonally doubted whether the Turkish horse
men were not superior even to the western
regulars. This suspicion gathered force
from the successes of the Turkish cavalry
over their Hungarian neighbors. who helt
high reputation, and were considered reg
ulars, though in reality but half disciplined
1t was reserved for Napoleon, however, tc
demonstrate that even the best of the Turk.
ish horsemen, the famous Mamelukes
could not stand before the French dra-
goons. 81 found in Egypt" he said at St
Helena, "that single Mameluke could Of
ten keep at bay couple of Frenchmen,
and that two could certainly overcome three;
but when 1t came to question of large
bodies on each side, then a thousand French
horsemen could drive two thousand Nam
elukes. The latter" he added, fought best
singly; the former in body
The present Turkish cavalry are neither
dashing mregulars, such as they once were,
nor well-disciplined dragons like the horse
men of Western Europe. The short STIR
rup has been discarded, and the lance sub
stituted for the scimetar. In the attempt
to remedy the evils of the old system, what
was good has been lost, without obtaining
any of the advantages desired. At least
such is the statement of Col. Dean, and Of
other competent judges. The men are poor
riders. and lily disciplined soldiers. They
would not stand moment before a charge
of the British Horse Guards, or probably
even before an assault of Hoaveds from
Hungary.-Phiia. Bulletin.