Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1864-09-28
Inc Cavalry.

Again the eyes of the country are directed to the
cavalry; but not with PRIDE We regret to say. Il is
conceded that our cavalry in the Valley deiectivS
not only il n1nb'rs but in spiri! aud dscpnei and
hs n oessty Of immediate reformation in Ibis arm o.
ia, service is impsriously i'EAnGed. An iiOer, who
took part IN the late battle q. Winchester, slys "bu
for tie giving way Of the cavalry on cur lett fink tn:
enemy would have been badly whipped in less than On
hcus Ia fact, the enemy'5 infantry Was completely
checked, with very heavy loss"
What rrtc'se changes are demanded, We shall Ios
undertake 70 soy. The General commanding the army
In the Valley eau tell what reforms are specially need
ed AID the marvel is that these reforms have not been
us,i u.ed more promptly. A contemporary suggests
that our men want nothing but 10 be laugh. the use
of the sabre and the practice of charging with it, and
utiustes haE the Confederate cavalry commander who
shall first teach his man TO trus: the spur for vic
tcry vii achieve an enVable reputation. Another
Journal traces the deficiencies Of our cavalry TO the
want Of thorough bred horses, such we're raised in
rcinia in the good Old days Il matters little, we
bick, what weapon be used by our hOrsemen If they
o,lv accomplish the business in hand Of whipping the
spsmys cavalry and that has been done time and agaI
when the Confederate commander vas himself OF the
right metal. The wonders performed BY Rosser's br
V,de in O. eckiug Grants advance 20 Sp)syVAnia c. a.
ought never to be forgotten, and the marvellous change
Which came over our cavalry after Hampton sssuu ed
cormanI, "a still tho so. Of general enthusiasm.
Nor al ouj tho brilliant achievements Of Forrest be over
leaked. Irdeed, il uey be said that the cavalry Of tbs
SOU b. when properly ofiosred, has rarely failed to
overcome tie snemys horse however suEeror in mum.
b,rs and ecu pmen.e Here then, it seems to u.s. Il an
oprning for Improvement, too plain to be mistaken
and ere which need not be postponed until our secE Of
thoroughbred horses cen be renewed uOr delayed for
the wan. Of proper instruction In the use of tie sabre
a a the art of changing with that weapon.
Blu. al osiicifm is q. fault which falls to make AL
1wancs or the manifold obstacles some of which are
asapersblr tLat our cavalry have to contend aSaus
Watt Of pr5peIl constructed aud teryiceabs saddles
Vsa. Of 80 ample thing horse shoe nail; the ne
ossty of buying new horse Whenever one IL slain in
blt,le or is broken down In tie march, the lack Of
forage sud numOsrees important d. fsiences which are
to Often rgsTded as tIas in the hssty animadver-
sons OF the press With ell these hindrances our cav
alrymen have hourly to combat while tho boundless re-
sources Of ne enemy enables him 70 anticipate every
wan. AID to supply every deficiency at a moments no
tee When all these things taken into considera-
ton, 10 must be hasty jadge indeed, who refuses to
award our cavalry the credit they deserve for many
VIC ores gained over large odis Of the enemy. But
admitting the cavalry of he Valley be as inferior in
discipline and spirit Is Is in numbers to the cavalry
Of the enemy we nut still believe tia. the selection
Of proper commander is the ind pensatle need of the
hoar. There was Q time when Sheridan himself was
De. med 80 inViaoble tia! cavalry could with dfl-
Guilty be persuaded to encounter him, ard when beaten
by him took as matter Of course; but his prestige
vanished the moment Hampton encountered him at
Trevllian's, and after a dec 1t drubbDg at HaWes'
Sop, sent him to the Southide terribly battered and
con petSly dipcouh ted. II Sheridan he's been wbp.
ped, Why not Torbsri also All that needed is truly
able Caicer-OIs in whom the men have confidence,
and something like an equality Of forCes
Weby no means oppose the reorganization Of our cav
sry al contend FOR is reform which shall be most
prompt and efsaciOus II It be the European s7stem
Of heavy and light horse dragOOns, volgeurs tu,sars
and lsrSers, with due proportion of mounted infan
tEy, well and good This arm Of the service can
boat Of high antiquity, and is 50 peculiarly f. and
necessary for great variety of operations, that it has
in ell oge5 held by the greatest Generals in the
highest e5tmaon. We see no reason why the cavalry
Of the South should not be equal 10 any in the world
a. least, none except the obstacles we have slresdy
mentioned, many Of which may be overcome BY energy
and attention. The successful services which cavalry
have performed, and the number of decisive sdyan.
hgos EhoA have been obtained by means OF them in
the mOst imp5rnt battles OF which history, ancient
and modern, furnishes the details, prove i1contesably
the utility OF troops of this description. Am7ng the
Greeks and Romans the cavalry was regarded as the
mos. respectable class Of troops and It's racks we're
supplied especially from the elite of the nobility. In
tAe middle ages, similar feeling seems TO rave pre-
vailed; for In the early French monarchy and in the
AaglO Saxon kingdoms OF Great Britain, the men of
worth and noble birth distinguished themselves in the
ned from those Of ioferor rank by being we'll armed
aud mounted on horse aud from the node of warfare
then Praehsed as we'll As from the peculiar orgapizs-
ZION OF tbs troops, cAvsly constituted almost thu onv
saicienl Of battle down 10 the iptro5r.,ioD -
sanding armies.
The invention Of gl1pOWder no ever, and the sDb.
ssquent employment Of lery in the field, deprived
the heaVyarmed cavalry OF those times Of all the ad-
Vantages poss ssei over the infantry and 1t remained
useless and Ous of place uniil Gu,taVus AiOlphus
showed It's real Utility by pointing out the services In
which Il should brcpFy be employed, and by sripplcg
OF all unnecessary encunbranees, 10 supsrssde, BY
Fapdiy Of mOdoD, the value Il formerly possessed IL
weight Since chat time, cavalry has often turned the
scale OF fortune in war; The battle Of sbach for in
stance, one Of the most brilliant victories Of ancient or
modern times, was entirely decided By this arm. Why
nav not Rossbaah Ia ranaaksd In kha ooDf.d...o,S