The National tribune., 1890-05-29


-S(-z--ss5S.l y -
A Raw CAvALRYMAN.
recruit for the cavalry might be summed up in
this: lie neither knows how TO groom, feed
water or ride his horse. and is afraid of him."
The horse throughout the Northern and
Western States had come TO be used rs a draft
animal or roadster only. Those procured for
cavalry mounts were as unfamiliar with work
under the saddle as their riders were with
work in IL. Not only were trained saddle
horses scarce among rs, but the horses bred
here were uHsuited for that work, and the
hastily formed cavalry regiments were mounted
on horses rs fresh from the plOw, the drsy and
light or heavy wagons as were their riders
from the farm aud workshop.
Few cut OF hundreds could be forced TO at
tempt narrow ditch or low fence. Not until
they had been thrown into the one or over the
other did they learn that jumping was easier
than falling. and much more dignifed for q
horse who had
ANY DIGNITY To MAINTAIN.
The troop to which the writer was attached
came from a large city, and most Of the men
had never been astride horse until they were
mustered into the L. s service. The ludierous
scenes witnessed while they were being taught
the mysteries Of the riding-school will never
be forgotten. Many OF them showed much
more fear Of their horses then than they ever
did alterward Of the enemy The wild fun
bling after name or saddle-strap, the terror de-
picted Oh some faces when the commands
trot" or "gallop' were given, are lasting
source Of amusement Many Of these Gmids,
however, turned out 10 be fine soldiers aud
daring riders, 10 whom the four-foot wall"
Of Levers man from Galway" was but
pleasure.
But al this period, BY the cruel Vaccinations
Of their riding master, they were thrown from
their saddles more than once, IN order that
they mi ght learn the most serious result Of such
a calamity was the hearty laugh with which
the exploit WAS greeted by their comrades.
The few in the North who cared 20 indulge
in the luxury OF saddle-hoTses bad relied for
them Oh tie States OF Virginia and Kentucky.
These sources Of supply were no ionEer avail
able tbs was wholly true Of Virginia aud
largely 50 Of kentucky. Is it wonderful, then,
that the cavalry OF the COniederacy should
have early asserted its superiority and main
tained il during the first year OF the warI
Fortunately for tic regiment 10 which be-
longed the troop before alluded 10. II fell into
prDger hands. Lieut. W. W. Averell, Of the
Mounted Rifles, afterRard Gen. Averell OF cav
airy faLe, was made Its Colonel lie was
excellent driil- master, with proper views Of
what constituted real discipline. instruction
1R q Systematic manner, with view Of pre-
pairing these officers and men for the service
expected Of them, was commenced and persist
emily followed in the most industrious and
paiustaEing manner. From two % four drills
day wa The order, aud from Garlic. dawn
tIll darkness fcll, the embryo trooper knew no
rest. Squad drill, troop drill. squadron drill,
battalion cFi.l followed each other in such rapid
succession as 10 make bis head swim, aud
detail iur scout or tour Of picket duty in
the presence Of an active and industrious
enemy was hailed sweet day Of Test"
Tie duties q pckets, patrols, advance
guards, Icar-guards, scouting parties, hanking
partils and cDuvyys we're taught The camp
being not faf from those of the enemy. faeili-
ties were Al hand for the practical illustration
q some Of these lessons, and many minor
sEirID.sbss occurred, il which men learned
more H. Day than could otherwise have been
tEuglt ~ months.
Al Of the regiments of cavalry organized In
the Sumner and Fa.! Of 1851 which served In
the Army Ol the Potomac, turned out we'll
4 ms Was most especially so Of those which
were commanded by officers Of experience
AID from memory ] will eBumcrate the Igt
(Bayafd), the - lAyereilJ, the 9Th (Rugh). the
6th ~ McI. Gregg ali from Pennsylvania;
tie lst Mas. fMiiliamsi, Ist T. J. fUuEiej Ist
=. J. fk.lPairick). They had part Of the
summer. the Autumn of 81 and the Winter Of
u aud u Tor preparation.
* TEX PEsISsULAE CAMPAIGN OF 'G2
tie cavalry played very important part doing
tie routine work Of that corps in small detach-
Inents, serving with infantry IN the field, and
for this work lt received q large share Of praise
from the Commanding General For truthful
and graphic description 81 the duties performed
by the cavalry ln this campaign, see a paper
With tic C4vairy on the Peninsula" /" by Gen
Ayere.i, published by the Century Company
pp ~ - s53, Vol. IT, Battles and Leaders."
The daring eXpecIu0lary work, for which
American cavalry aftcrward became noted
throughout the world, aud an example for
others ~ follow, Was undertaken later
WItn the very best system Of instruction and
under the best instructors, thihk il was found
that cavalry IL IN any respect for the field could
not be- produced from our material in less time
than enc year Therefore have said ID was am
error Dn fat part Of the Government 10 refuse
the Ihs;eFizi that was offered IN the Epring Of
l55L Ihc Colonel should have been selected
by tie Commander Of the Army or by the War
Department, from the officers Of the Regular
Army WHO had shown an aptitude for that
arm Of The service and no d itilculty would have
been encountered iE finding the company Off
GERS and enlisted men, by simply making reaui.
hltlOns on the Governors Of the loyal States for
battalious and companies
The cavalry events Of the early part Of 1863
- 70 -hOB that great change had taken place
81 the relation towards each other Of the cavalry
cf the two armies. Tie yasily-supcfior ex-
ce.lencg of that 0f the COnfederates no longer
existed. hOt that theirs had deteriorated
but that OuIs had improved
An Improvement also came in the cavalry
administration. UBiGcatiOn commenced, Tegl.
ments were consolidated into brgades, bri-
Rades into divisions, aud finally came the Cayal.
~ Corps. aud with this was banished from the
troopers mind the thought that he was depend.
ent Oh The !niantTyman 10 help him cut of his
little difficulty with the enemy.
The lTst purely cavalry fight Of the war,
where more than one battalion was engaged on
both sldes occurring anywhere IN the East, was
that ol Kcly's Ford, March II, 1863 and wl,iIe
the list oi casualties were not enormous its
results were fraught with more importance for
this arm Of the service than were many battles
where the losses On each side were 10 or %
times greater.
AZ has before been intimated, the cavalry had
hitherto acted in small bodies, and it NAV be
truthiuily stated that no officer present in this
affair bad ever before seen more than q SQUAD
ron or two engaged at time. What cavalry