The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-06-12
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CONFEDERATE CAVALRY
"e"cfni TciN Robertson Points m,
why II Was Efficient.


why II Nns Efficient
Dallas News, May %
Genorai Felix II. Robertson. If Waco t.,
'no course ot an entertaining recital of the
ei'iciehcy of the cavalry arm OF the Con-
iederate army. said:
II the present war is to be prolonged
aS much as six months, the President vim
CouDtiess issue call for additional voIup
teeis' greater proportion of the nevt
itNE should be cavalry and all Texas quota
'"o"u DE cavalry. This, not as any favor
To Texas but because her soldiers cnn in
hvttor service Tor their country in tnot cs
pacity' In that opinion | do not imnnsn
the courage OF the men OF the other STATE
uoi uehy that they can be mace. in time
s'ou cavalry soldiers. I he daily life of the
Convoy Is largely the very kind of service
we srould expect of our volunteer cavalry
III this war. '''''
IT would be unwlse for us to undertake.
10 bGlld up out OF our yolutesrs sroh
force as the cavalry OF the Eurons,n a,,a,, t.
II IL win us matter of great tmportanre
TO save time and get into the held an, ado
qu"te force best ntted to do me work -,
front OF our infantry soldiers.
suggest three or four notifications NJ
the existing regulations governing the ca
lectioh ana equipment OF our volunteer cav
airy force. '"'
l. me present requirements as ia Tho
size OF the horses should be changed IN AZ
LOW the USE of smaller horses. II ia wen
hh""h 10 all the frontier that The army
morse Is too large TO stand well the sort n,
uaaSo hlockmen are accustomed to give
thelr hors es Smaller horses II dn more
WORK, stand more hardships, travel further
anu raster on scant feed than large horses.
=. ms present army saddle is n real i'm
pertinent to the highest efficiency TO our
mounted men; 1t is TOO broad through the
'ork that makes the pommcl Il, TX too bjgh
III the cantcl. lhe first defect named 10
noticeable when the SADDLE ia amt ON a f,t
morse. hut when horse Is put to army
so'V IN the field he soon loses his fat
ana tlen the saddle comes down until ne
top OF the fork rests ufoa the withers of
'ne morse The high caHte of the saddle
anords an anchorage where the trooner
Straps all his movables, which almost in
Naflably make a bundle all too large ia rast
upon the horse S spine and Increase the be1t
Oh mis- body In vital part Hence IL comes
hIter 4 rev days hard service that the load
carried by the horse is supported almost ON
treiy upon two points of the horses SPINE.
one at che withers, the other back under
tho cantol OF the saddle. This must produce
sore backs and must impair the horses ca
racity for work
IN the Confederate army OF Tennessee
there was In General Wheel rs cavalry
corps a brigade Of Texas cavalry. Thai
brigade manufactured its own saddles and
~ avoiding the defects | have pointed ,ui
In the army saddle. tho Texans In Wkcelcr's
corps maintained heir efficiency csnsplcu-
onsly. II our cavalry force is 10 be mast
useful 1t should not be burdened with any
thing more than arms. one blanket linmu-
milton and only such rations as may be in
dispensable.
"A high cartcl must he cleared every Tina
the soldier mounts and there may be
lime when a failure to clear the cantol with
the Nhg will mean the loss OF a solder The
high cantel adds nothing to the security of
the scldior's seat when mounted and should
not be used as a place to strap on baggage
or a weight OF any kind.
with the fork which supports the POM
mel so narrowed that the troopers weight
is distributed along the ribs OF the horse
without. at any place resting on his back
bone, the trooper can rightiuly expect the
utmost endurance from his horse, and all
the trooper should be allowed to carry on
his horse should be strapped to his saddle
IN front of the man. Every ounce OF weight
thrown ON the horses loins is moro trying
TO the horse than pound placed In front
on properly fitted saddle. That effect
Is due partly to the weight but more to the
increased heat generated over the kidneys
of tho horse and, still more. TO the pound
ing effect which Is inevitable when horse.
with any load behind the saddle, GALLONS or
trots
The matters above referred to seem to
afford an explanation OF why the Coufed-
erutos secured better results from their
cavalry than did the Union forces In our
war between the States. III additional
forces are TO be raised for cavalry service,
suggest that the law permit men TO fur
nish their own horses under such regula-
tions as would protect the government from
wrong In that event, force az 5000 cav
airy can be raised and organized In Texas
as quickly as an infantry force can be
raised
For service In any wooded country, the
hghting must often be at very close range.
Under such circumstances, every fourth
man should be armed with hreeeh- loading
double barreled shotgun and hucksbot car
ridges, Under 100 yards. no weapon equals
the shotgun and In charge Il is even
mere elective than a revolver The sabsr
is antiquated. n useless burden to the GOV
eminent. the men and the horse"
General Robertson knows what he Is
taking about and his ideas should COM
mend themselves 10 those who are charged
with the direction OF affairs 10 the end that
cur army may be soon so organized as 10
oring about state OF peace with the least
expenditure OF life. treasure and time.
SOUR LAKE HOTEL
THIS popular resort Is now omen for m.