The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1886-04-15

| stubborn resistance to our column for the pur-
pose OF giving time TO the body of their cavalry
! TO reach Murfreesboro. The I'd Ky. Cav, led
! by Col. Eli Long, made a spirited saber
| charge, scattered the rebel rear-guard, and
obliged the main body of the enemy to stop and
| give battle, in which the rebels were worsted.
Again, on the 9th of October. moving toward
| Pennington, southwest CT Murfreesboro, Gen.
| Crook struck DavidsOn's (rebell Division in
camp on Duck River. Our mounted infantry
being in advance, and the enemy in confusion,
they charged without dismounting, but after a
short distance they dismounted and Col. Long s
Brigade passed to the front. This brigade made
a furious saber charge, driving the enemy ID
miles, killing and capturing 4 large number. At
! last, at the end of the same expedition OF the
9Th OF October, while Wheeler with his dis
organized and demoraized command was hur-
riediy crossing the Tennessee River near
Rodgcrsville, he left two regiments at Sugar
Creek to cover his retreat. These Lieut.-Col
Patrick. of the 9Th Iowa Cav, charged with
sabers, killed 10, wounded aud captured 30 and
scattered the balance to the winds through the
mountains. In this expedition, as in many
others. whenever the saber was used, victory
invariably crowned the effort
We took this one expedition for illustration,
and we could fill volume reciting the PROV
ess and the irresistible sway of our sabers, when
they were handled by determined troopers.
We never used cavalry in mass against infantry
on the battletields of the armies for various
reasons and if it was used by Gen. Sheridan
III large numbers just before Lee surrendered
his army, it was used on foot and did an lneStl-
mable service to the country. In 1S64-'65 our
cavalry was bold and dashy; it WAS in the best
trim, and il
HAMMERED THE GAsPING REBELLION
TO death using the saberas often as occasion pre-
scnted. The expedition of Stoneman through
North Carnlipa and f,HnrUia and the pynpil-
ton of Wilson to Selma, Montgomery, and Ma
con, including the capture of the unnamed
chief Of the Contederacy, constitute brilliant
finale given by our cavalry TO the war OF the
rebellion.
And yet, before such overwhelming testi-
mony of the worlds most important wars in
favor of the sahcr, rs the main and the only
successful weapon OF cavalry in its attacks, 1t
was destined for few OF our comrades to stand
mp and declare, through the columns of TIE
NATIONAL TRIBUNE, that the saber IS nul-
sance and Gugt to be discarded altogether.
Such statement seriously made would look
wonderful, were ii not so perfectly ridiculous.
No expert cavalryman, professional III the
handling of the sabcr and practically cxpe-
!;euced iii actual charges against every one of
the three military arms which make up all ex-
listing arI:l les, would advance such an idea, for
the simple reason that IL never wouiG enter his
head. IF he heard another man talking so
siight;ng!y about the saber he would revolt
against such an insult to his pride in the weapon,
and woulA resent it with vehemenco and con-
tempt. He knows that the saber, on a full run
of the horse, can ceavc a skull, or open the
body 20 the waist; break squares Of infantry
to the extent of their surrender, and silence
batteries by cutting 70 pieces the cannoneers.
He knows that the rife can miss; that the
lance can break, but that the well-tempered
steel of the saber will stay,
HIS sUREsT FRIEND EVERY TIME.
The repeating, lf-adjusting rifle, in steady
hands, is a weapon of fearful execution, but not
or horseback. You may cover cav"lrymcn all
over with all sorts OF firearms but Lei them he
without sabcfs and they will present a military
absurdity. The intention of the cavalry charge
is to produce shock by the momentum of the
bodies OF horses running at full speed. The
charging squadron is nothing else but living
ram to batter down scatter the enenlys in
fantry or cavalry, hence the full speed OF horses
in q cavalry charge is the main factcr of It's
success; ana the only reliable weapon to be
used successfully in such a hurricane as the
cavalry charge, or in such whirlpool as the
melee, can only be the saher rifle OF what
ever perfection and number of repeating shots,
a revolver of whatever number Of chambers,
will never be of avail in cavalry charges; in
the supreme moment they will be thrown away
and the saber grasped.