Weekly Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1853-1861, 1855-03-08
South American Cavalry.

Gen. Paez, the exiled ex- President of Ven
ezuela, who is now residing in New York, has
written TO the London Times singular letter,
giving some hints to the Britain's sons, which
he thinks might be useful to them in the
Crimean campaign. He says:
II am myself Venezuelan Lanero, and
you will not be surprised that my sympathies
are with your poor cavalry and their unfortu-
nate horses in the Crimea You are aware
that NV country was the scene Of much hard
fighting during the war of Independence, and
that in the course of that interesting struggle
the Spanish cavalry, both heavies and lights,
were destroyed. As myself had something
to do therein, allow me 10 give you the fruits
of nv experience, and TO explain to you our
tactics. Ny men were mounted upon small
active horses all under fifteen hands, and
they were not selected according TO any STAN
dard; in fact they were the Llaneros, or men
of the plains.
Their arms consisted Of the 'rejo' or lasso.
"a stout leather moose, forty yards in lengthy
and a light and fought lance. Very few of
them had swords, and their dress consisted
of large 'ruana' (pouche) not one in ten of
them having even pair of drawers besides
You will thus perceive that they had neither
pipeclay nor 'dangleums' of any sort to inn
pede their movements, nor any useless
weight 10 bear down their horses with. As
few of them had stinups, you may suppose
that they rode du'ndturdl, and not IN the pig
tail fashion or as we call it in Venezuela
"eniuaga botella," (bottle washing) fashion
which understood was introduced into the
British cavalry. by the Duke of Cumberland.
century ago, i'm order to frighten the Scot
tish partizans of the Pretcnder. This was a
great advantage TO the poor horses in the
campaign, as their backs and ribs we're never
sore; as also to the riders, as they nescs lost
leather.
Our tactics in the presence of the enemy
were as follows:-ln dealing with infantry.
we would endeavor 10 get TO windward and
kick up a great dust, or set fire 10 the long
grass of the plains so that lots Of dust and
smoke would blow in their faces and we
would charge and wheel about ad iibitups.-
| Ii regular cavalry, heavy or light, opposed us
we would send out small troops of f6rty on
fifty men TO lasso them by throwing the moose
either right over the mems heads and arms
and bodily drag them of their horses, or by
catching the latter by the legs, thus throwing
both horse and rider. 70ur men in the rear
weald then dash forward aud lance the poor
regulars as they lay sprawling on the ground
Another plan was, 10 take few unbrokef
mares and turn them loose with dry raw hides
attached to their tails in the midst Of the Span
iards. The noise thus created caused houi.
ble confusion among the Spanish pipe-clay,
(and they were fine troops) and we had moth
ing to do but TO spear them. With sixty mel
/ once destroyed whole regiment thus.
Depend upon it, that light horses and iish
men, with strong right arms, form the mos
efficient cavalry. The lancers, from the hab
it of throwing the lasso among the wild cattle
of the plains, were hardy, strong. and immits
ble borsemen. AS weapon. should prob
bly prefer a good useful cut and thrus
sword TO lance, and would only add theret
that modem invention the revolver, caryin
: the cartridges in belt around the wais
{ after the fashion Of the Spanish contrabandist'
'canana,' from which / would also suspen
e the sword. BY these means, all straps buck
les, and encumbrances would be avoided, an
4 the horse would have less weight 10 carr,
and the whole be more elective"
I Gen. Paez SAYS he would be most happy I
: cross over to England TO aid in any mar
T ner in the equipment Of some effective cava
| IN for the forthcoming campaign in n
: Crimea-C Cinci,fpati Columbian.