Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1863-01-22
From the Richmond En-

The neompetenees OF the victories in this war
must have struck the careless person. who is the
least acquainted with the history Of the great of
the world. While the armies engaged have inflicted
upon their adversaries losses equal to any inflicted In
the bloodiest contests of the old world there has
followed that rout and disorganlzaton produced by
| Napoleon at Austerlitz, Lena al Eylau With the
exception Of the battles around Richmond the defeated
army has always been able to renew the conflict, and
even Mcclellan brought his defeated columns again
into action at Sharpsbug and fought them with reso
luton and frmness.
Napoleon was able to turn his victories into utter
route of his enemies by the skiu of that powerful
arm of the service, the cavalry. The Confederate
States have demonstrated in this war, that their people
possess all the requisites necessary to complete the most
splendid and efficient cavalry in the world. With more
horses than France possessed with riders skilled in the
management OF the horse from their earliest boyhood,
the cavalry of tho Confederate army hes always been
below its proper proportion and has never once been
thrown upon the ranks OF the disconnected foe. While
the country esteems with just pride it's gallant Stuart
Van Dorm, Morgan, Forrest, Wheeler and Wharton,
and regards their noble services with full appreciation
bat be regretted that their small divisions and
brigades would not permit their rendering that full
service they might have performed had their commands
borne their pro- proportion to the armies with when
they served If Wheeler and Wharton, at the head of
twenty thousand horse, had precipitated their COM
mands on the defeated right wing of Rcsencranz at
Murfreesboro', instead of being compelled to merely
harass the rear the Federal army would no more have
rallied, than did the Austrians at Austerz, when as
1t was by the weight of formidable phaanx, gen.
eray eighteen to twenty thousand strong, that Napo-
leon mainly trusted for the gaining we'll compet-
ing his victories
cavalry, if led by equally brave and resolute men, must
always break infantry" opinion contrery to that
generally received, but supported by not few OF the
most memorable facts recorded by history in all ages
and which, coming from such commander who so
well knew the value of both infantry and artillery,
we'll worthy the most serious consid ration. 1t was by
his cavalry that Hannibal conquered at the Ticno and
Oanra, and Napoleon at Austerlitz and jena the
Asiatic horse arrested CGur de Lion in Palestine the
Parthans destroyed Crassus and Julian in Asia, and
Napoleon himself at Moscow the genius OF Cyrus
sunk UNDER that of Alexander the Great reeoiled be-
FORE the fortunes of Darius perished amid the Scyh
ian cavalry yder's horse all but drove the English
into the Madras surf and the English Dragons decided
the fate Of India at Assave charge OF French horse
at Marengo placed Napoleon on the Consular throne
1another of the English light dragons On the flank
the Old Guard at Waterloo, hurled him to the rock
81 Helena.
T eye are some of the most noted actions decided by
~ airy and they should teach authorities that they
have made the great aptnes Of the Conteder
ate horsemen that should have been made we kno"
that it takes time to make the cavalry soldier but the
nucleus is already formed. The Generals OF cavalry
have shown their aptness and fitness for cavalry ser
vice and if would complete our victories, as Murat
Kelerman aud Latour Maubourg completed those 0
Napoleon, We must give to Stuart and Wheeler the
cavalry that shall equal at least in NUMBERS the amou
cuirassiers of the French.
] There was time when we considered cavalry OF bu
little use in country so wooded as ours, but Stuart
Morgan F. rrest Wheeler and Wharton have shown
how brave and skful officers could overcome the great
lest disadvantages and make their commands felt by tn
enemy In the most vital manner. Ii during the white
ason the increase and organization of the cavalry cal
erfect that arm and when operations resumed il
th spring Generals OF cavalry can take the he'
witt twenty thousand horse attached to each OF tn
arm les of Gems. Lee and Johnston, shall never Sc
anot Ter incomplete victory
The, saere name of the Black Horse routed the enc
nv at Manassas, ard if Generals had had but hal
the 1ber OF cavalry enemy believed they had no
one in a hundred of the foe would have reached Wash
ineton Our infantry and artillery now as nea
perfection as they ever can be brought in numbers
efficiency and organization in patient endurance no5l
6rmuezs and dashin,y impetuosity they rival the OIL
Guard of Napoleon. Let as make our cavalry tb
counterpart of cavalry OF the Guard, and they will com
pete our victories and shorten the war We are gla
to learn that camp OF Instruction Tor cavalry Is aoou
being established.