(ii.\r. XI.] 



THE THIRTY YEARS' WAR. 



261 



Hme 

 lich 



SECTION IT. — CAVALRY OF THE IMPERIAL ARMY 



BATTLES OF BRElTENrELD AND LUTZEN. 



The cavalry in the armies of Tilly and Wallenstcin 

 consisted of cuirassiers, carbineers, dragoons, hussars, and 

 Croats,^ The cuirassiers were all arme<l with heavy de- 

 fensive armour, and were mounted upon large and power- 

 ful chargers. They were drawn up by Tilly ten ranks in 

 depth, and by Wallenstein in eight. They could move 

 but slowly, and depended much upon their firearms. 



The carbineers were used much in the same way, riding 

 up and firing by successive ranks and retiring to reload. 

 The dragoons, who used long muskets, sometimes fought 

 on foot, but generally fought much upon the same prin- 

 ciple as the heavy cavalry. The light cavalry were 

 drawn up in a shallower formation, Tilly ranging them 

 six in depth, and Wallenstein five. 



The hussars were very handsomely clad, their uniforms 

 and trappings being all richly decorated. The most im- 

 portant body of light cavalry in the Imperial armies was 

 composed of the Croats, who formed an irregular force 

 of great value. Their principal use was in surprising 

 convoys and baggage, cutting oft' communications, &c. 

 They were not treated as other troops in capitulations and 

 surrenders, for they ^^•ere usually excluded, and cut down 

 as heathen barbarians.^ We read of a sharp conflict 

 between 4,000 men, principally Croats, under Colonel 

 Spar at Burgau, and a detachment under Gustavus 

 Adolphus, in which the Imperial cavalry were thoroughly 

 routed by the Swedish troops.'' This action had a most 

 demoralizing eftect upon these irregular horsemen. 



The two most important battles of this ag<' wove those 

 of Breitenfeld, or Leipzig, in 1631, and Lutzen in the 

 following year ; and in both actions we find the cavalry 

 service reviving and again beginning to exert an im- 

 portant influence upon the result of battles. 



At Breitenfeld, the Imperial army, 35,000 strong, 

 occupied a rising ground on the plain. Tilly, the com- 

 ' Beamish, 336. « Mitchell, 160. 3 ibid. 227. 



)'} 



