Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-07-26
|IVA|L|RY At DIX
|SABERS DUMMIES
,.,,.msn oalIop Over Field and
Pit to Flight imaginary
Enemy
|,sovE VALUE IN WARFARE

!. cavalry fated to disappear from
..,f.re--provided there 10 more war.
~ Save for one or two phases-the
s..opotamia campaign, for example
q. nart Of cavalry in the late war was
..nslly nil, and various BRASS
stt.a individuals arose to declare that
-. ancient fashion Of fighting had
....d its usefulness, and was at best Q
,eturesque encumbrance.
! others. on the contrary. and not all
Z th,m cavalry ofiicers,, hold the opin.
-, that conditions in the last war will
.ver again arise-the flanks Of both
smies in France being protected from
.rrins movements by Switzerland and
~ IA, The next war-and in army
sssoois there Is always next war
mi he one of open fighting into which
.nunted troops must figure largely.
n vas this contention, that the cav.
s,rv drill yesterday at Camp DIX sought
q nroye. It was for the benefit for
4. ~ 25O reserve officers now nearing
~ close Of twenty -one days period
q intensive training, and was per-
Scrmed by Troop L, of the Third (Reg-
sisrl l Cavalry, and four officer experts
srom The cavalry school at Fort Riley,
- A sloping field, used frequently for
-cnnted practice, was the scene. In
sssrd nj one edge were some visitors,
~ reserye officers and Brigadier Gen.
-, - william Weigel, commanding the
w&m.,Nh & Reserve Corps. In front, with
( mesaphone, stood Major l.: A. ODon.
Sell, deputy chief Of stan OF the SHY.
AT Cavalry Division, who explained
md analyxed the tactics.
Bugle Blsre Missing ~
IN The opening drill the new cavalry
..-sn;zation consisted Of three sec.
t,ons of troopers and one pack section
18th % horses who carried Browning guns
man @ their backs. The new cavalry
s.hsr s with its wide guarded hilt and
,.rv much like a broadsword Of the
sixteenth century, which does tine Dusi-
ness with thrust rather than swoop
or slash like the cuirass ie has succeeded,
vas exhibited, and as the troop gal
ioped over the field rhythmically crystal.
jiling from one formation to another, 1t
vas noted that the blare of the bugles
vas missing. Every command was
dyen BY movements of the arm.
The infantry of the undesignated
enemy was assumed to be lying In the
ROAD at the end of the field. After the
irill the troop assembled at the op-
posite end and began to emerge in wide
6eploy, 80 as to make things difficult for
sirplanes that might be overhead. All
Il once they dismounted, formed in
siirmish order, fell on their faces and
beam to fire. A few troopers who
we're left mounted galloped off with
ne horses to cover. The machine guns
were in play beside the rifles and the
Imaginary infantry began to retreat,
amid, 1t was supposed, great slaughter.
Pretty soon the cavalrymen were upon
the road, and could, 1t was presumed,
hold 1t until their own infantry came to
succeed them.
Pretty soon the other troopers came
ealloping back with the horses and all
rode back behind the little hillock
designated cover.
Pistol and Saber Assault
Major O'Donnell then announced a
charge and combined assault by pistol
and saber. Soon a single trooper
emerged riding in the fashion called
''hell bent" This was scout and
who could stop the charge by a signdl
In case of a pitfall. This tactic dates
from Waterloo. when half the cavalcade
d General Milhaud fell into q sunken
ditch--not charted.
When the scout was half way the