Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1863-11-10
TIE CAVALRY.


nv, this has been owing to the immense cd
vantascs of tho latter in rcint of arms. Many
of our horsemcn arc still miserably armed
with doublc-barrclcd shot guns, and, until
lately, as wrctchcdly supplied with scrvicea.:
bic saddles while proper forage, horse shoes
and horse shoe nails have often been unat-
tainable. Late cvents, however. have proved
that wherever Southern horscmen at ali APP
proach in perfection of equipment to the Yam
kce cavalry, even though greatly inferior in
number they vindicatc fully the superiority
we have always claimed lnrther.
Happily, the attention Of our military au-
thortieS is aroused TO the necessity OF doing
Justice to this'arm Of the service. Gen. Lee
reviewed the whole cavalry force Of his army
the day before yesterday, on the plain near
Brandy Station. Congress will be very soon
called on to occupy itself with the necessities
of this imoOrfan. arm and, VIC. arc assured.
that with en- energetic eifIrt to remedy what
has been amisS, our cavaliers, under the lead
ership oft that mcdcl.cavaiier. Gcne:al >. +. u.
Stuart, will achieve for US everything we can
ask
On this subject, we reprint an excellent
statement of the case of the cavalry, which
has appeared in the Savannah "E"publican:"
As it has become the fashion for newspapers
correspondents and editors to abuse eur caval-
~ in Virginia, and rs tho community, in
consequence, have grown to regard the caVal-
ry with distrust. if not contempt, it may not
I ,rhnrpe this
and whether injustice is not done 70 brave
men doyoting their lives ap3 fortunes to the
service of their country.
The sighting opinion ab?va referred 70 re-
suits from three causes.
First. The popular ide" concerning cavalry
is very incorrect.
Secondly Extraordinary difficulties have at
tended the organization, dill and. equipment
OF Confederate cavalry.
Thirdly. Correspondents have been iGno-
rant Of the performances Of the c>r"Iry.
First. The popular ieas about cavalry are
erroneous and exaggerated.
The public makes M distinction between
light ard heavy ray;tlry. They make no al
lowance fur the difference between the oFcn
plains which are the battle fields of Europe.
and the w0ods and ciearings, in which battles
are fought in America.
The crSis, if, in Narolcon's age, cavalry
could break squares, take batteries, ride over
columns Of infantry,-and, upon almost every
field, lie used with decisive results, why can
not we do the same? 1t is forgotten that the
troops, 50 used, were hea'y cavalry-2icked,
both man and horse. Gnr SIZE and weight
That they wore cuira-a and helmet ut steel.
w!l;ch would resist muskct ball. That they
we're drilled into the most perfect accuracy ii
movement. That they were never used for
outpost or fatigue duties. That they were
never called upon, until critical moment,
and, then, only when the ground was fayora,
bic
In Euronc. the ca"airy compose from one
fourth to 0ne-sixth If rho entire strength Of
the army. The light cavalry is employed as
ilankcrs and narts;ms, and generally for al
service out of the line. Heavy cavalry belongs
t. tho reserve. and is covered. when necessary,
in marches, camps, or bivoua"s.by light troops
or infantry OF the line. Modern improve
mnnts in ordnance have diminished the i'm
porance Of heavy cavalry in Europe 1t still
exists. but is more rarnly used At Baakla-
va. alone. Of the battles o. the Crimcan and
Italian wars, were the cavalry extcnsirely er-
gagged
There is no heavy cavalry in Ameriea.-
The scarcity Of horses and of forage in the
Confectionery. fnrbiGs the formation and main
tcnance Of troops who require 80 much nursing
and who could be so rarely used. The genius
Of the peorlc is opposed to the division Of
labor, by which alone perfection can be at
tanned in military. as in every art. 1t is
preferred to put tho same instrument to
different uses though i: may he i'll adapted
to some of them we arc compelled to have
ght cavalry. We arc unable 10 have heavy
cavalry. We expect orr light cavalry to Do
their Legitimate duties thoroughly: and, at
the samc time. perform tho functions Of heavy
cavalry. Right ,ioynrsly wou'I our cavalry
seize upon any opportunity 70 realize this
expectation bit physical difficulties have
prevented it in the past upon any extensive
sea c. and may. fo.2'i it in the future, except
upon rare and Singular occasions.
Oar cavalry in Virginia is. norninallv, one
eighth of the array. But, from deficient
forage and c1iiipm"n': nnc.half of thcm arc
always unable to do duty. If destroyed, they
could not he rcrlaccd. Our generals cannot
afford to hazard them unless certain Of instant
success. and Of results sure to compensate for
the injury sustained: or when compelled to
sacrifice the cavalry to save the army.
A~an. The distances 10 Be travcrsed by
our cavalry are immense; the points 10 he
guarded, widely scattered. Hence, with orr
scastv numbers it is difficult to concentrate
the cavalry: and we'll nigh impossible 20
retain upon the battle field IN imposing force
to turn the scale Of battle.
More than all, the haturc Of our country
gives advantages TO infantry and cripplcs cav
airy.
In tho revolutionary war cavalry figures in
in rome Of the battles. The Southern cam
paigns do not disprovc this assertion. Mines
tenths of the horspmcn were mounted imam
try. The number who used the sabre was SO
incnnsiderablc that their exploits can only b"
compared 10 our partisans and guerrillas. In
the Mexican war Mays charge ut Paln Alto
stands alone. It was made with sixteen
men.
In Europe the forests have nearly disap-
reared Most of the land is under cultiya-
ton. The fields are only divided by edges
or narrow bitches. Battles arc fought with
the combatants in full vicw Of each othcr. In
Virginia and Maryland the forests are frc-
oucnt and impcnGtrable TO cavalry. The
fields are small, and everywhere INSTRUCTED
with rail or stone fenccs-impassablc for
horsemcn. Almost every battle has been
fought in woods or behind field-wnrks, upon
ground impracticable for cavalry. The second
battle of Manassas was an exception; and
there single brigade of cavalry charged and
routed three brigades of Yankee cavalry.
Is it not evident, then, that the popular
ideas are incorrect? Has not the public ex-
pectcd the deeds of heavy cavalry from light
caraIry, and in country calculated to para
lie any cavalry?
Secondly. The organization of the cavalry
in the Confederate service has been attended
with greater difficulties than any other branch
Of the army.
All standing armies arc composed, during
pcdce, of from one third to one half cavalry
For all governments know that, when war
% hn nrnn God hr fnrinS from