MANUAX FOR NONCOMMISSIOITED OFFICERS. 175 



to charge or to execute any movement that does not involve a 

 knowledge of their respective numbers on the part of the indi- 

 vidual troopers. Unless the charge is to be executed at once, 

 fours should be counted without delay after rallying, so that 

 the squad may be in order and ready to execute any move- 

 ments whatever that conditions may demand. 



The rally, dismounted, is always executed at a run. 

 (Fig. 49.) 



The Mounted Attack. 



417. The mounted attack is made with the pistol or saber in 

 accordance with the principles indicated in pars. 562-565. 

 The typical saber charge is executed in line. Under some 

 circumstances, as in the attack of a dispersed enemy, etc., a 

 saber charge may be made by troopers deployed as foragers. 

 The pistol attack is usually made in foragers. In exceptional 

 circumstances (as in breaking out from an ambush, attacking 

 in a narrow road, etc.) it may be made in line or in column 

 of fours, twos, or troopers. 



418. Cohesion in the line and vigor in the shock are essential 

 to the success of the saber charge. High speed is necessary 

 for the desired shock; and in the saber charge, as executed 

 in combat, the horses are, at the culmination of the charge, 

 habitually " turned loose " and urged to the highest speed. 

 This, except with men and horses that are highly trained, 

 necessarily involves loss of control over the horse on the part 

 of the trooper. The saber charge, executed with poorly 

 trained horsemen, especially if on imperfectly trained or 

 excitable horses, is apt to be futile as regards the instruction 

 of the trooper and to result in more or less permanent loss of 

 control over the horses. Control of the mount by the trooper 

 is essential during the execution of the pistol attack (ordi- 

 narily made in line of foragers), and is, of course, necessary 

 during march and maneuver. For these reasons it is consid- 

 ered advisable that the first instruction of the recruit in the 

 actual saber charge be deferred until after platoon instruction 

 and that it be given then only after the troop commander is 

 satisfied that tlie recruit's progress in horsemanship and in the 

 use of his weapon has advanced to a point when the exercise 

 will be of value. 



