Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-10-27
CAVALRY AS AN ARM OF WARFARE.
Proves of the German Cavalry and the
Horse Artillery in tho Franco
Prussian War.
New York Timesl

One Of the most striking lessons OF the
Franco-Prussiau war was the demonstra-
tion of the immense value OF cavalry,
when thrown we'll 20 the front, to hide
ones own movements and to discover
those of the enemy. To many military
men the sudden impetus gwen TO the cav
alrv arm as an outcome OF the loO- II
campaign was complete surprise, the
principle that cavalry action IN masses had
| died with the introduction of modern
tvped ordnance having been generally
accepted.
II was the Prussian cavalry that demon
strated the value Of the mounted arm, but
as matter of fact II was not until the
earliest phase of the war OF 1870 had pass
ed that the discovery OF the use or the
I'hlan was made. 1t was the Prusslan cav
airy that enabled the power Of the Ger
mans TO be felt, and from the time the
Ihlans crossed tho Moselle they were
pushed far ahead into the very heart of
The enemv's theatre of action, paraly-
ZINC his forces, terrifying the coun-
trv Deople. and allowing the Ger
man leaders to deliver their blows
when and where they liked. PLAINLY
il Is the German cavalry that stands OUT
bold and prominently as the unique and
consnicuous figure ofthe Is7O-'71 campaign.
Al the same time the French cavalry can
not wholly be lost sight OF. But we must
remember that the French did not use
their cavalry in the same manner as ana the
Germans. On the contrary the treEch
leaders kept back the horse" for use ac-
cording to tho traditional custom OF &C
tons in the early part OF the century, Al
Sedan the effect of this policy OF handing
cavalry in compact masses was seen IN
tIe destruction of the magnificent
brigade of cuirassiers and chasseurs rush
inc headlong and unsupported against
German infantry sheltered and secured.
Dv reason of this policy OF keeping the
cavalry intact like u park OF artillery 1t
never happened during the whole war that
French cavalry division met German
one in advance of the main body. had the
same use been made Of the arm on Doth
sides. great masses of cavalry would nave
Leen sent to the front, which would have
fought obstinately for the ground, ana
whichever side conquered would have
reaped the overwhelming benefits which
wefo secured by the Prusslan cavalry with
scarcely blow.
Anont the use of the Prussian cavalry as
an immense cloud in front OF the German
infantry, Captain Robertson, Royal Horse
Artillery, SAYS, after referring 10 the ser
vices rendered by the German cavalry from
the 9th 10 the 18th of August, that 1t was
after the Moselle had been crossed that ITS
importance was fully shown. The Fifth
cavalry division, says Captain Robertson,
with the Guard cavalry division, about sixty
squadrons III all, was pushed forward, after
crossing the river at Dieulouard and Pont-a-
Mousson. to Jorny and Rezonville, on the
line of retreat of an enormous and as yet
only partially-defeated enemy, biyOuack-
inc nine miles in advance of the only in
fantrv division that had yet crossed the
Moselle. II was on the following morning
that the well-known surprise took place OF
the French camps at Reconcile and Won
Vile by the artillery fire OF the Fifth and
Sixth cavalry divisions. On the 18th bril-
gade of the cavalry of the Guard advanced
as far as st. Mihiel. on the Meuse, and
reconnoitred the ground further west.
thus giving two good days notice OF
any attack that might have been in con
temptation on the main body, and al
lowing the whole of the German forces be-
| tween the Moselle and the Meuse TO change
thor direction, If necessary, to the west or
north with perfect safety. But as yet the
cavalry Of the attacking and invading
army was only learning TO use its wings.
On the oath of August. when the German
scouts had ascertained that the camp at
Chalons had been abandoned, the cavalry
divisions that furnished these leading pa
trolls were actually upward of forty and
forty-fiye miles from their corps. but as
the cavalry columns drew nearer Paris,
where resistance might be looked for, they
| had somewhat diminished this distance and