CAVALRY IN MODERN TIMES.
The War of Independence of the Netherlands (156S-1609) marked the beginning of a new era in cavalry history. Alaurice of Nassau drilled hi; Gen nan meregmaries, more lightly armed and mounted than their Spanish opponents, to form in two or three lines, to move rapidly, and to make direct charges, after first firing their pis tols at the enemy. lie it was who first organized regiments of IMO men. raised by selected recruit ing officers who became the colonels; their com missioned subordinates were called lieutenant colonels and majors, as in the armies of to-day.
The great improvement begun by Prince Alan riee was continued and enlarged by the great soldier Gustavus Adolphus. IIe made important changes in the discipline, armament, pay, cloth ing, and training of his eavalry. They were formed in four ranks, of which one was held in reserve during a charge. l'nlike their foes. they here frequently paid, and to a certain extent restrained from such excesses as were common in those times. Captain Dalgetty's view, "A cavalier of honor is free to take any part which he may may find most eonvenient for his own peculiar," was the popular one. The Austrian cavalry was heavier than the Swedish, with a more massive formation (eight to ten ranks), and thus his mounted troops contributed greatly to Gustavus's successes at the battles of Leipzig (1631) and Liitzen (1632). They became mod• els for all European States, a»d Louis XIII. of France still further reduced cavalry formation to three ranks. The armament and equipment were also lightened, but movements were not so rapid in action.
In the reign of Louis XIV. there appeared a galaxy of stars military in the persons of Tu muli., Luxembourg. and Conde on one side, and Marlborough, Montecuculi, and Eugene on the other, and a decided advance was made in the movements of armies, but no important changes in cavalry methods. Again, the Swedes came to the front under the rule of Charles XII., and radical alterations were instituted. lie made the cavalry independent of the infantry. and taught it to rely upon the sword and bold and impetuous charges for success. "Ms daring and chivalrous character suited to the spirit of cavalry tactics: he led his horsemen, sword in hand, against c-avalry. against infantry, against fortified positions, over any county. . . Un tiring in pursuit, he followed up the Saxons under Marshal Schubinburg in their retreat. into Silesia, for nine consecutive days without un saddling. overtook them at Siinitz. near Pun itz, and, with regiments of cavalry only, charged them, MON strong, rode over their infantry. who lay down to avoid the impetuons rush of the Swedes, defeated and drove the Saxon cav alry off the field, and then returned to attack the infantry red guns." (Nola n.) After Poltava (1709), war ensued between Russia and Turkey, in which the cavalry of the latter power, tyllidi bad long been the best in Europe, bore a conspicuous part. Their horses, admirably trained, their sharp scimitars and skill in harassing the enemy made them a terror to the less mobile Russians, whose infantry were compelled to. carry frith them portable chevaux de frise and add pikes to their armament in order to hold their own against the Turks. In the Polish Army, about 1717, there were the Tartar hussars who bore a cuirass covered with a panther's skin slung over the back, the head being fastened on the left shoulder. The back piece of the cuirass was adorned with feather wings. They carried a gilt lance 14 feet long with a small flag near the point whieh, fluttering in the attack together with the rustling of the wings, was intended to frighten the enemy's horses. The French in the meanwhile, under Louis XV., restored the lance, but otherwise lightened the equipment of their mounted troops. The brilliant :Marshal Saxe recognized and ap plied the experience of the Austrians and Rus sians to the development of the French cavalry. As to the importance of motility, he held that "the secret of victory resides in the legs of the soldiers," and as to horsemen. "suet' as cannot go at speed over a couple of thousand yards to pourer upon the foe is good for nothing in the Frederick the Great ushered in a brilliant cavalry epoch. At the commencement of his reign his army of 80.000 contained 60 squadrons of heavy and 51 of light cavalry—about 13,000 men. They were 'heavy' in every sensii—their quickest gait the trot, their most serious per formance a pipe-clay parade. At the battle of Mollwitz they received a lesson from the Aus trians, who charged them in the Turkish man ner and drove them. includhig their royal mas ter, in confusion from the field. Frederick profited by this example to reorganize his cav alry after the methods of Saxe. laying down a rule that "all evolutions are to be made at the greatest speed, . . . the cuirassiers to lie as handy and expert on 110re:shack as a hussar, and well exercised in the use of the sword. Every
squadron as it advances to the chnige must at tack the enemy sword in hand, and no com mander shall lie allowed to fire tinder penalty of infamous cashiering. . . Every officer of cavalry must ever bear in mind that there are t two things required to beat the enemy: first, to charge him with the greatest possible speed and force: and set-mid, to outflank him." With these admonitions, and led by the invincible Seydlitz and Zieth•n. the Prussian cavalry per formed wonderful feats in the historic battles of Strigau, Rossbach, Lennie'', and Zorndorf. The Prussian leaders combined great boldness with skill in unamenvring in the presence of the enemy, of which Rossbach (1757) was an in stance. The French and Imperialists, confident in their numbers, approached ea exposing their flank to the advance under Seyd litz, who instantly, without waiting for his infan try, charged with his 4000 mounted men and com pletely routed the allies, who lost 3000 killed and wounded, 5000 prisoners, and 70 guns. (Wag ner.) At Zorndorf (1758) the success was still greater. There Seydlitz with 26 squadrons not only turned the fortunes of the day, but eheeked the tletorious Russian cavalry, drove it from the field, returned, fell upon the Russian infantry, hi•h stoutly resisted, and when broken by the Prussian horsemen rallied, again and again, but finally gave way with immense loss. Zitithen was equally distinguished, and by his vigilance at Ilochkirch (1758) saved Frederick and his army from a surprise. It is said that of Nenty two general engagements Frederick's cavalry WOO fifteen. "In reviewing the deeds of the Prussian cavalry of those days it must be borne in mind that they dealt with infantry which sought the open plain, advanced in long lines—avoiding obstacles of all deseriptions, because such ob stacles disturbed their array. Their fire was quirk, hilt not true in its aim, and their squares seldom held out long against the horsemen." ( Nola n .1 Napoleon endeavored to introduce Frederick's methods into the French cavalry. In 1806 at Jena and Auerstiidt he first pitted his cavalry against the Prussians with brilliant results. The boldness which characterized the Prussian sys tem was reproduced, but the speed in the charge, skill in marvel" res, and good judgment the battlefield were often lucking. The French, with S0,000 cavalry, were badly mounted, not good horsemen, heavily egnipi)ed, and, while employed in masses, seldom provided reserves. A notable instance of the last-named defect occurred in 1S13 near Leipzig. Murat,.at the head of 5000 OrS1', charged the centre of the allied army, rode down the Russian cavalry of the guard. took 30 guns. and pierced the enemy's centre: but 400 Cossacks, skillfully handled, attacked the French cavalry, gaining their flank by a narrow by-path, retook the guns and caused Murat to retire in disorder. A similar error at La Rottaire re sulted in the loss of 25 gulls to Napoleon. There were sonic brilliant exceptions to these failures, the most important being Kellerman's decisive charge at Marengo (1800) when the Austrians, having practically defeated the French army, were advancing with more zeal than care; stud deniv a French battery, hitherto concealed by an accident of ground, fired a parting shot at the head of the Austrian column which caused great confusion. General Kellerman, at the head of 200 sabres, seized the opportunity to fall upon the enemy's exposed flank, rode over the leading battalions, and produced a panic in the entire allied form. which fled from the field, leaving behind them their eommander and 200i) pris oners. But if less fortunate in operations en masse. Napoleon surpassed Frederick in the use of cavalry on outpost and scouting duty. Ilis troopers were ubiquitous as the 'eyes and ears' of his army. While Napoleon's cavalry was taught to place its principal dependence upon the sabre, he authorized, on occasions, the use of firearms. At EyIan ( IS07) the colonel of the Twentieth Chasseurs Cheval observed a large force of cavalry advancing toward his position, moving slowly through the snow and heavy ground. his officers into the ranks and his men to 'advance carbine.' the colonel waited until the enemy's leading files were NVithill six page., When the command to tire WaS given with great effect. Although in the which en sued the French regiment lost IOU men, the Russians left nearly 300 on the spot from which they were forced to retire. Wagner.) At Somo Sierra in the Peninsular campaign (180S1 the Third Polish light cavalry charged directly in front of an intrenched battery strongly sup ported by infantry guarding a mountain defile, drove hack the Spaniards and captured 16 guns. This desperate but successful feat was accom plished by General :Nlontbrun. who led the regi ment in person.