The National tribune., 1903-07-09
CAVALRY IN THE CIVIL WAR.
The Chief Of the British Army
Says They Vere Not Only Admirable When
Employed a. Dismounted skirmishers, but
Could Always bs Trusted to Charge Home
When Mounted ="

Employed a. Dismounted skirmishers, bu
Could Always hs Trusted to Charge Homs
When Mounted,
In a recent memorandum issued to the
British army, Lord Roberts makes some
interesting remarks on the United States
cavalry. The memorandum discusses the
proper armament for cavalry, and, to de-
termine this. considers the action of cav
airy in the field iihder three headings:
First, cavalry against cavalry. Second,
cavalry against infantry and artillery.
Third, cavalry In pursuit.
Under the first, after considering the
German cavalry of 1870, and the fact that
it still clung to the tradition of Iarme
blanche and made very little use Of fire,
Lord Roberts proceeds as follows:
In America, on the other hand, the
cavalry leaders very early recognized the
increase of power. to re gained by armlng
their men with rifle in addition to the
sa ber. Their. tactics against both cavalry
and infantry We're a combination Of fire
and shock. and their achievements were
far more brilliant than those Of the Ger
mans i'll 1870.
The cavalry was not only employed to
capture and hold strategical positions, to
cover flank marches, to delay wide turn
ing movements and to cut the cOmmunica-
tions in far-reaching ranks, but as rear
guards and advance guards. Compared
with the Germans, who made very little
use of fire., the Americans were far more
independent. more dangerous in attack,
and strategically, owing to their capacity
for Defense distinctly more effective"
Under the third head. after showing
that there has been no instance since the
time of Napoleon of cavalry in masses
riding down a demOraliZed army and
causing enormous losses, Gen. Roberts
adds:
Pursuit, when effective, has been car
ried out mainly by fire, and the cavalry
has endeavored to get ahead Of the re-
treating infantry and guns to retard their
progress and block their path with a
these tactics that Sheridan's cavalry
brought about the dispersal of Early's
army in the Shenandoah, in 1864, and the
surrender OF Lees army at Appomattox,
in 1865.
I'm the former series of operations the
cavalry fought in two pitched battles and
drove the enemy back 13O miles in nine
days doth to 9th of September), captur-
ing over 30 guns, 1,500 to 1,700 prisoners,
and turning every position which the Con-
federates attempted to hold. The fight
ing was not all dismounted.
During the battle of the 10Th Septem-
Der, one division alone made six distinct
charges-three against cavalry and three
against infantry and artillery; but as n
rule, the fire-arm and the horse artillery
guns were the decisive weapons.
Such tactics, which the powerful arma-
ment and defensive strength Of the Ameri
can cavalry made possible, are infinitely
more effective than charges in mass with
farme blanche. Their scope is far larger,
their aim being the surrender of the
enemy's whole force, and not merely the
slaughter Of q few. hundred fugitiyes or
the capture ofia few batteries"
One of the objections raised to the sys
tenn of tactics proposed was that cavalry
can not be trained TO fight mdiscriminately
on foot and III the; saddle; that on foot
they will be very Indifferent infantry, and
in the saddle very itimid cavalry. To this
Lord Roberts rEeplies:
The American cavalry were not only
admirable when employed as dismountcd
skirmishers. but could always be trusted
TO charge home when mounted"