THE RED MAN AS AN IRREGULAR CAVALRY SOLDIER. 1 03 



ently of each other, and constitutes at once both the 

 strength and weakness of the wild man's position ; but 

 at the same time this description of warfare opens out 

 unrivalled opportunities for the exhibition of individual 

 prowess and gallantry of the highest order. There 

 are probably few competent judges who will be disposed 

 to deny the possession of these attributes, or military 

 virtues, to the red warrior. 



Take the instance of his conduct in the field as a 

 cavalry soldier. What says Col. Dodge of him in this 

 respect ? 



"Indians never receive a charge, and rarely make one. 

 When charged, a portion of the array immediately in front of the 

 charging force, breaks, and melts away into individual Indians. 

 The broken Indians wheeling in circles, form on the flanks, 

 to attack whenever practicable, or break again, when charged. 

 Should an attacking force, carried away by excitement, become 

 scattered in the pursuit, its defeat and destruction is almost 

 sure. The magnificent riding of the Indian and his superb 

 drill in this give him an immense advantage. " * 



Here again we venture to think it would be impossible 

 to speak more highly of the Indian in his capacity 

 of an irregular cavalryman. 



Time and space will however prevent our following 

 this subject into greater detail, and we shall proceed 

 to sketch the Indian from the point of view of his 

 moral worth. To be poor and at the same time to 

 be honest, in the midst of plenty, and of temptation, 

 has universally been regarded as moral worth of a 

 very sterling kind. Can an Indian be said to possess 

 this qualification? 



* Our Wild Indians, or 33 Years' Experience among the Red Men of 

 the Great West, by Lt.-Col. R. J. Dodge, U.S.A., 1882, p. 378. 



