The Portland daily press., 1898-07-12

horses ware so wearied that many Of
| them fell from exhaustion when the
charge began. The infantrymen who
| received them had been selected by five
hours of savage and continuous ngntlng.
All faint hearts had gone to the rear. LII
| is safe to say that there was not rus
sian on the west ridge of Chulm that DAY
who did not wish to be there. Even
| under these conditions the charge came
very close to success though all EuIope
was shouting that cavalry was useless
| against breech- loading fire. 1000
The French got their ohassepots IN 1000
and 1869. No German officer believed
| that his troops would be of any goou
against them. Yet at Vionville the flrst
line OF the German cavalry halted under
heavy tire on the plateau, took intervals
by passnging, went off the plateau at a
walk and wheeled up to the front again
as steadily as If on dress parade. This,
too, was magnificent, and it was war. 1t
was done to encourage the young troops,
cost only seventy men and horses. though
the chassepots were barking in thousands,
and 1T was worth what 1t COST Again at
Vionville Bredow's six squadrons went
over two lines of "unshaken" infantry as
II they were paper. In another charge
the troopers went over the French can
non, losing only fifty men. They came
SO fast that the artillery men found it i'm
FSooAbAO w d0P4Coo Uh04A plOOoC WioA
sufficient rapidity and accuracy. In that
battle thirty-six squadrons of German
horse proved that the French line OF foot
lacked the strength of cobwebs, yet this
same French infantry was so good that
two days later 1t took an entire division
Of the German footInen three hours to 60
through them, at cost Of 1000 lives, or
30 per cent. of the attacking force.
There will never be any finer or steadier
or more mistaken" infantry than these
French, They were privates and nom
commissioned officers who, to quote Won
Moltke, sought TO redeem with their
life blood the errors for which they were
in nowise responsible" The Franco.
Prussian war was thick with similar
instances, which are carefully eschewed
in the writings Of anti-caSalry doc
trinaires
In the old days troops were safe when
held In reserve 500 yards back of the
fighting line. Now for 1850 yards behind
this line the ground Is torn with bullets.
Consequently troops are held 5000 yards
back, and even at this distance there will
be occasional casualties. To take part In
an engagement the reserve force must be
moved entirely through this wide and
dangerous zone. infantry cannot do IT in
less than twenty five minutes, and another
ten minutes viii be used in getting them
into line. Cavalry can cover the distance
In six minutes. The rapidity with which
their range alters makes them difficult
target and the moral effect of their
laundering and swift advance Is great.
1t is estimated that the cavalry loss in a
charge should not exceed one third of the
infantry loss. American military men Of
the more advanced kind expect service of
the highest value in heavy engagements
from the splendidly composed and
equipped volunteer cavalry that has gone
to the front. OF their worth in scouting,
reconnaissance and as media of communi-
cation there can be no question.