The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1877-09-27
SHERIDAN AT SEDAN.
Graphic Description of n Cavalry Charge.
A oorros,ondont eauds fba foIloxy;,, n,

Graphic Description of n Cavalry Charge.
A correspondent sends the following
to the London 6then9un. In the
Athenoum 1 read lengthy review of
Colonel Denison's History of Cavalry"
and must say l was greatly interested
more particularly with that portion
where Lieutenant General Sheridan is
mentioned having described the defeat
of cavalry regiment Mt Sedan. [ ut
once wrote to Sheridan on the subject.
After calling his attention to the book "a
'copy of which regret I have not yet
SEEM, and to your lengthy criticism,
continued: "I should like to know if
you have been correctly quoted in this
matter. Ii so, will you please to inform
me as to the place of the charge; also,
how it was that line of skirmishers
could resist-in fact, destroy--a regi-
ment of Hussars Were you in posi-.
ton where you could see that which is
related as coming from your lips, or was
it told you by some officer who was on
the skirmish line9 I should like very
much to receive from you your recollec-
afraid Colonel Denison has been i'm
posed upon; and it will require your own
statement to dispossess me of that be-
lief. write you in the interests of the
service, here and abroad, and have the
honor, ETC." t I. t..E
In a very few days I received letter
from the lieutenant general as follows:
HEADQUARTERS
"MILITARY DIVISION OF THE Missouri,
"CHICAGo, June %, 1877.
"MY DEAR CAPTAIN-Yours of the
sixteenth inst. is just at hand. Lieu
tenant Colonel Denison's statement. as
quoted by you in reference to the charge
of the French cavalry at Sedan, above
and near the village of Flowing, is in
the main correct.
was watching the advance of the
German troops through field glass
and saw the whole affair distinctly. The
facts are as follows: The German in
of Flowing moved up a steep ascent with
skirmish line in advance. Upon reach
ing the brow of the hill the skirmishers
came out upon a sort of plateau and
were at once discovered by the French
cavalry, a small brigade of which, say
from twelve to thirteen hundred strong,
was in the immediate vicinity. The line
had advanced but short distance upon
the plateau when they were met by the
cavalry, which charged them. AS the
cavalry came down upon them they were
broken into small knots or detachments
Of men, of somewhat unequal size, the
cavalry having ridden completely
through the line; but meanwhile the lit
tie groups Of infantry kept up CALLING
fire upon the troops by turning to their
rear and constantly firing upon them as
they broke back and around their fanks
and back through the groups of skirm-
ishers toward the direction from which
they had come. ...
No sooner had the cavalry fallen back
than the skirmish line reformed, and was
rapidly strengthened by some of the
soldiers of the main body, who, as soon
as they reached the plateau, saw at once
and ran forward to their assistance. In
the meantime the cavalry, which had re-
tired beyond range, promptly rallied,
and reforming with scarcely moments
delay, again advanced to the charge.
Once more the skirmishers received them
with volley, and adopted precisely the
same tactics which they seem to have
been forced to do at first. Again the
cavalry broke through the line, but prac.
tically accomplished nothing, for the
Germans poured in whitening fire from
their small knots or detachments until
the cavalry once more retired around the
fanks, having lost large numbers of mer
and horses.
"During the time occupied by this
second attack the leading files of the
main body of the Germans, which had
naturally somewhat broken while NOV
ing up the rough ground of the heights
came out upon the plateau and hurried
forward with great speed to the skirmisl
line, which now, from constant acces
sions, had become very strong; in fact
almost a line of battle.
"Once more the cavalry rallied, and
having reformed for the third time, gal
lantly came down at a charge; but thei
valor was of no avail, for the German
met them with such terrible and de
structive fire that they badly cut up tn
leading files, and completely broke ant
scattered the French squalrons, win
this time utterly failed to break the line
and were fearfully punished. Witt
scarcely any delay the German line ad
vanced, and pushed on to their obiectiv
point.
"This action was plainly seen b,
many officers, who were looking at tn
battle, my aide, General J. w. Forsyth
being among them"