The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1863-02-09
Monday Morning, February Q, 1863.
From the Richmond Examiner, Jan. 27.
1.-THE Calvary.''


There are some people who advocate heavy
increase of the cavalry arm of the service.
They would make it outnumber, if possible,
all other descriptions OF troops. They appeal
TO the good solid work of Morgan, Wheeler
and Forest OF the west, and to the clever per-
fornances Of Stuart in the east, in proof OF the
super-excellence OF the mounted service. With
Morgan and Wheeler on their lips, they are
enthusiastic for cavalry. Inspired by trans
porting patriotism, they plead for vast in
crease OF horsemen with the zeal of revival
preachers for converted sinners.
They show by their devotion to their one
idea that they have not been much in camp;
that they are unacquainted with the confeder-
ate service; that they know very little of "the
calvary" and that they know even less of the
feeling toward them cherished by the people
inhabiting the regions traversed by these
troops.
The country people have a propensity to
suit the orthography Of words to the ideas as
sociated with the things which they are in
tended to designate. They cali u Cotswold
sheep Scotch-wool sheep, having the idea
that Scotch wool 10 very long and coarse The
idea Of most horrible crucinction Is ASSOCIATE
ed in the pious mind with the name Of Calva-
ry: and inasmuch as the people and all they
have and own are literally crucified when the
mounted troops come about, in the simplicity
VI bilt uuttlltItu ul.uu tueN cO1IOuuu tile
technical word designating these troops with
the most painful name in all the Scriptures.
few special detachments of 'our calvary
have done great service; but ii we leave out
OF view the daring heroic and individual SER
vices of these brigades, the rest have been a
scourge to the people and curse TO the cause.
The expense ofhorse troops Is enormous; it is
three times as great to the treasury as that of
infantry; and the infiction upon the people of
fhatr raf Naann md a -..as
tenfold more than that suffered IRON any other
troops. There has not been a considerable
battle during the war In which the performan-
ces Of "our calvary have marked any feature
Of the engagement; and In one of the chief du-
ties of mounted troops, that of completing a
victory by running down and utterly destroy
ing routed foe, their services have been be-
low zero.
The war has been remarkable In the fact
that 1t has been fought without that important
element Of European armies, known as drag
oons. Extended level plains suited TO the OPP
erations OF these troops are few on our por-
tion Of the continent. The heavy compact
charge OF cavalry, at the critical moment
OF battle, bearing down everything before it
aud deciding the fate of the day, has not been
witnessed In this war. The surest indication
of imminent battle to the infantry soldier, i'm
patient for the conflict, is the order cavalry
TO the rear" movement which he witnesses
with shouts of derision and exultation. We
have little cavalry in our service; few drag
oons, light or heavy; fewer still that fulfill the
technical idea and purpose of such troops.
When fighting is to be done, the cavalry are
ordered out OF the way.
A faithful description of the general physi-
ognomy OF the Calvary as they are seen in
their camps and upon their strolling marches,
might bring CHASTITY smile TO the rigid lips
OF the most impossible ascetic, provided he
were off at a safe distance; but the terror
which seizes the people on their approach is
overwhelming. They are usually armed with
every conceivable weapon of ofiense except
the saber of the real dragoon. They are as
ignorant of the drill as of the saber practice
They are comfortably clad, but as unwashed
and as unkempt as the urchins that play about
the wigwams in Nebraska. The steeds are
strangers to the curry-comb, stained with
habitual mud, small and rickety, and in the
order which three rations week of corn
supplied by the government, and as much
hay as can be bagged or wrested from the
farmers along their march, together with hard
and reckless riding, may be supposed to pro-
duce.
The sensations they create and the value of
service they render may be inferred from a
single example. A body of Yankee horse
men lately made a raid from distance of
several hundred miles into our lines, dashed
down upon one of our railroads. burnt some
bridges, destroyed several miles of railroad,
and made their way back in no great haste
They passed through certain village going
and coming, stopped few hours each time,
took a few horses, but had no time for other
depredations. The "calvary" went in pur-
suit, did not catch the Yankees, stopped in
the same village, and stripped its owners re-
morselessly Of every blade of hay and fodder
to be found, every bushel of corn they could
put their hands on, and even robbed the
smoke houses Of their meat. The calvary"
accomplish great DEAL but IL is deal of
mischief; they perform vast amount OF SER
vice, but unhappily, as general rule, it in
ures indirectly to the benefit of the enemy.
Their lack of economy is as deplorable as
their lack of drill and discipline, and general
disbanding of at least two thirds of the nu-
merous corps now in the field would be hailed
with joy by all the people whom they claim to
protect.
There are few brigades of splendid mount
ed troops In the confederate service; but that
prodigious body of strolling horsemen who
lead an unsettled, gypsy life in the border
country, stealing here, robbing there, begging
IN this place, and behaving little better in
that; who are never heard of in the vicinity
OF the enemy; who are always too late tc
catch the Yankees when In force, but are
dreadfully ferocious on all individuals ever SO
loyal to the South, whom they choose to de.
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