Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1903-08-28
fHE BEST Arm For CAVALRY.

entered at the Carson post
TIE BEST Arm FOR CAVALRY. I
8 In a recent memorandum issued to
the British army. Lord Roberts makes
some interesting remarks en- the Unit
ed States cavalry The memorandum
discusses the proper armament for cav
airy, and, to determine this, consid
ers the action of cavalry in the field
under three headings: First cavalry
against cavalry; second cavalry ag
ainst infantry and artillery. Third cav
airy in pursuit tA
Under the first, after considering
the German cavalry of 1870, and the
fact that, it still chung to the trads-
ton of Parme blanche and made very
little use of fire. Lord Roberts pro
ee.eds as follows:
In America, on the other hard,
the cavalry leaders very early reeog-
nized the increase in power to be
gained in arming their men with a
rifle in addition to a sabre. Their tao
tics against both cavalry and infantry
were a combina lion Oi e:e and shot
and their achievements were far more
brilliant than those of the Germans in
1870.
The cavalry was not only employed
to capture and hold stragetical posi-
lions, to cover flank marches, to delay
wide turning movements and to touch
communications in far reaching ranks,
but as rear guards and advance gauds.
Compared with the Germans who
made very little use of fire, the Ameri-
cans were far more independent, more
dangerous in attack, and s'1ss etically
owing to nei.. ta,A".tv e:r defen
distinctly MOI. s.e"t..r
Under the third, after showing that
there has been no instance since the
time of Napoleon of cavalry in masses
riding down a demoralized army AMI
causing enormous losses General Rob-
erts adds:
Pursuit, when effective, has been
carried out mainly by fire, and the cav
airy has endea:c-ei to gel ahead It
the retreating infantry and gins &c
retard their pr .gress and tIocli their
path with a st..rg line o. rites. 1t
was by adopting these tactics that
Sheridan's cavalry br.rsht about the
dispursal of Early's army on the She
nandoah, in 1854, and the surrender of
Lees army at Appomattox in 1895.
"In the former series of operations
the cavalry fought in two pitched bat
ties and drove the ene..y back 40
miles in nine days Q9th to 27th) of
September, capturing over thirty guns
1900, to 100 prisoners and turning
every position which the Confederates
attempted 70 hold. The fighting was
not all discounted.
During the battle of the 18th Of
September, one division alone made six
distinct charges against caval
ry and three against infantry and ar
tillery; but as rule the fire-arm ani
the horse artillery gun we're the decis
i've weapons. >.....-
such tactics, which the powerful
armament and defensive strength .
the American cavalry made possible
are infinitely more effective than char
ges en- masse with arm blanche. Thei
scope is far larger, their aim being tn
surrender Of the enemy's whole foro
and not merely the slaughter Of fey
hundred fugitives or the capture of
few batteries"
One Of the objections raised to III
system Of tactics proposed was. tina
cavalry cannot be trained to fight IL
discriminatory on foot and in the saf
die; that on foot they will be very IL
different infantry, and in the saddl
very timid cavalry To this Lord Ro'
erts replies:
"The American cavalry were not o.
~ admirable when employed as al
mounted skirmishers, but could a
ways be trusted to charge home whe
mounted"
ll!I!llIIli!llll!ll
Those who refer to the "pleasir
fiction" Of Russia's sterling friendsh
for the United States during the Civ
war should read the Life Of Thurlo
Weed" Vol. H., pages 1857. It is he1
set down that the Russian squadrs
under Admiral Lesofsky lay in Ne
Aork narbor all the winter OF 186
1864. 1t was acting under sealed {
ders. which inenect directed the Il
admiral to report to the president (
orders in case Great Britain Al