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

cur cavalry gives. and, trom the Drs'nn'nE'
has riyen extraordinary advantages TO our IN
fantrv. Our infantry is comparatively un-
drilled. but our rugged country seldom allows
the touch of the elbow, so necessary 10 reSu-
lars; and gives free scope to the lndivlinaiity
of freemen, battling for their rights. IN tne
! Southern States every man was haDitu"'eu -
the use Of firearms. To WELD a sabre with
confidence and effect required months OF rrac
tice. The effect of 4 cavalry charge Is InStan-
taneous, and moi continued. If necessary It
must be repeated again and again. But all
cavalry. even the best drilled. must rally anu
reform to renew the charge. Therein consists
the test Of cavalry. Every man IN the
Southern States can ride horse Dut I"
control n horse, so as to use 'ne
sabre with ease, and obey every buslc note as
it sounds, requires drill and great dca! o! 1t.
The vcrv horses need ms much drillf@ rs the
men. The mere knowledge Of the bngle calls
requires months to be learned. Enthusiasm,
! intelligence and courage compensate the ms
! fantry; in our broken country, in Il measure,
for ignorance of cvolutions and tactics: hut
cannot supply the cavalry with the skill ne
ccssarv TO act together and~giyc solidity 10
+; thcir movements.
But our infantry, though needing it less,
|
For them camrs ofinstructicn were maintain
ell Even in the field, circumstances favored
them. Battles and marches consume :'at
portion Of campaign. When stationary,
! OUTPOST duty cannot fail on all ut once. 1t
rarely includes large number. The rest
spend their time drilling. Such was the cause
mt Centrcville, in lSGl and 60 and at Win
chester. after the Maryland campaign OF 1862
But the caralry live upon the outpOsts. Their
normal condition is one of motion. They
never rest, except when broken down, and
/ then the condition of the horses, from sore
! backs, barefoot greasy heels, scratches and
scanty food, prevents any practical instruction
! mounted.
Our cavalry in Virginia entered service mis-
crahly armed and equipped
The Confederate Government hal to create
resources. Every faculty was oyerta:ked
with the work of supplying to tic infantry
arms md accoutrcmcnts. \ few companies
of cavalry were. by The enterprise of irlivilu-
ais or local authorities, armed efficiently before
hoStifties commenced The majority were
armed with double.btrreiled shot guns, and
crooked. old fashioned, condemned Salres.
generally without temper, and incapablc Of
receiving or retaining an edge or Il point.
Their saddles and brides were private pro-
rerty, such as arc commonly used in the
cnuntry, suthcing for ordinary wear, but unfit
! for the hard riding and exposure Of service
! A. these wore ont, The Government was, at
length able In furnish scanty supply, bHt #
character almost worthless. The leather If
! the brides and sword belts could generally be
torn like paper The buckles bent like tin
| The saddles invariably and constantly CALLED
the horcs' backs. After a short use, the trees
! spread, -hc rails come Cut, and no conceivable
number of blankets under one of them could
prevent rs torturing any horse it was :nt
upon.
The consequence Of this and the emaciatci
condition Of the horses (who have never re-
ccivcd any long forage regularly. and last
winter were, in addition. reduced to half
rations of corR-six poundsl is, that from
one half TO two-thirds of every company has Mt
ali times been unfit To take the field Sick
and disabled horses Clisrount many more men
than the inevitable human mnladies Of q
camp. Many hale man has been confined
- camps for weeks, whose horse. otherwise
fit for duty, wanted shoe or the nails to put
it on.
In the matter of arms, an Improvement has
gradually bat surely been going on. BY in
ccssant skirmishcs, our cavalry have supplied
themselves from the Yankees. 1t is now q
rare sight TO see one of cur men who has not 4
Yankee sabre revolver and rife.
Now, when occasion arises. our cavalry can
be dismountcd and fought rs skirmishers on
fnnt-aa advantage very great in n broken
country. The supply of ammunition, however,
is very difficult for arms Of such varied cali
brcs, styles and patents.
Most Of our troopers hare alsopbtaincd sad
dies and brides from the Yankees. They have
often got stores of horse shoes and nails But
they can't get forage from the Yanks or in
any other way. Even now it may be safely
calculated that one third Of eveay company is.
1t all times, unable 10 takethc field. Afrcr an
unusual effort, as the late Pennsylvania cams
paign, the number temporarily disabled, is of
course largely increased.
TIodson claimed for his guides and light
horse in India that they were the only cavalry
On record ever organized in the field. Our
cavalry in Virginia were like them. organized
in the field. Like them they have been taught
rhv experience more than drill t. has been a
lifiicult task. six months training at first
would have given them what they hardly
required in two years service. Let that pass.
They hare row armed themselves from
tic spoii> of the enemy. They are now
ahlc 81 perform all that is required Of them.
The fights n; Brandy Station and Uppervil,e
have been reported and considered as
;liScredtable to our cavalry. On the contrary.
they prove an efficiency that could hardly
have been expected Of them. The Yankees,
taking advantage of the country. always sup
por. their cavalry closely with infantry. They
did so in these battles. Then was shown that
our cavalry could not only charge unhinch-
inglv. but effectively and rally and reform
fight both on foot and horseback engage cav.
airy and infantv, and ferccly drive them |
back or foil them by skillful mannuvres:
charge artillery. capture and hold it; retreat
before overwhelming numbers, fighting stubs
hornly, and. when reinforced, turn upon and
rolt an apparently victorious enemy.
Have greater difficulties ever been orcrcom"
by any troops? Do not our cavalry deserve
credit in proportion to the difficulties over
come?
Thirdly. Correspondents have been igno,
rant of the performances of our Cavalry
Hence they have failed to report them.
During the fill of l3Gl. while Gen. john
<tons army was at Centrcville, "Bnhcmian."
the correspondent Of the Richmond obs
natcl," lived at the headquarters of Gen. J.
e. 3. Stuart. His interesting letters were
copicd everywhere All the papers were filled
with praises of the dashng Stuart and his
gallant troopers. At that time the rcputa
zion of Stuart was inferior only to thSt Of
Beauregard and Johnston. Bohemian" is
no longer with Stuart No correspondent has
succeeded him to keen up with the cavalry,
and narrate to the public their exploits. At
the present time no letter writer has com-
plcted his task until he has had his fling at
Stuart or the cavalry.
|. One of your own correspondents, Mr.. Edi-
tor, s7ent some time last year with the Colonel
Of n cavalry regiment, in Tennessce.and your
readers then knew and applauded the deeds
pf Col. --. No one hears of him now: