40 



A HISTORY OF CAVALRY. 



[period I. 



assassinated Darius, who died of his wounds shortly 

 before Alexander saw him. 



The energy and impetuosity of this pursuit will com- 

 pare favourably with anything of the kind recorded in 

 history, and the fact of Alexander dismounting a portion 

 of his cavalry to mount infantry men upon the horses 

 deserves close attention, showing as it does the apprecia- 

 tion that great master of the art of war had of the 

 value of a force of dragoons which, with the rapidity of 

 movement of cavalry, would yet when brought into 

 action have the solidity and defensive power that well- 

 organised foot-soldiers alone can have. Further on in 

 this work the gradual development of this idea will be 

 shown, and the various attempts made from age to age 

 to utilise the principle will be recorded, in order that 

 the question may be intelligently discussed, as to whether 

 the improvements of modern military science have made 

 the dragoon force more or less useful than in previous 

 times. 



It may here be mentioned that in the wars of Alex- 

 ander, as well as long previously, light cavalry were 

 used for outpost duties — that scouts w^ere used for re- 

 connoitring, and patrols and sentries and videttes seem 

 to have been employed very much upon the same general 

 principles as are in use at the present day. 



SECTION III. — THE TRAINING OF THE GREEK CAVALRY. 



The Greeks paid great attention to the training of 

 their soldiers. From their infancy almost they were 

 accustomed to gynmastic exercises tending to increase 

 their strength and activity. Wrestling and pugilistic 

 encounters were, however, left to professional athletes, 

 and were simply used as exhibitions of bodily strength 

 and skill. Proficiency in them was not considered of 

 any advantage to the soldier.^ The Grecian youth were 

 exercised in running, leaping, throwing the javelin, 

 climbing, &c. They also practised all the evolutions 

 in which they might possibly be engaged in action, 



^ Dnparcq, iiS. 



