CHAP. XV.] 



GERMAN CAVALRY. 



291 



"2 



was 

 ;hod 

 ;he8, 

 for- 

 time 



was not distinguished by any important exploits ; the 

 heavy armour and torpidity of action which had crept 

 into it made it far less efficient than in the preceding 

 generation, when such impetuous spirits as Pappenheim, 

 Piccolomini, and Tersky, imparted life and vigour to the 

 movements of their followers. 



Montecuculi won a great victory over the Turks at 

 St. Gothard in Hungary, on the 1st August, 1664. The 

 Turks had a very large force of horsemen, which he was 

 fortunately able to prevent crossing the river to attack 

 him, so that about 30,000 Turkish cavalry were unable 

 to take a very active part in the battle.^ Montecuculi's 

 dispositions were evidently made to resist superior bodies 

 of light cavalry. His infantry were ranged in six ranks, 

 the two front ranks musketeers, the four rear ranks 

 being pikemen.* Between the squadrons of cavalry he 

 placed small parties of musketeers of twenty-four or 

 thirty each, who, in case of being obliged to give way, 

 were ordered to join the nearest infantry battalion. The 

 musketeers were to fire by alternate ranks, so that a 

 portion should be always loaded. 



The heavy cavalry, strange to say, and it speaks 

 volumes for the rej)utation of the Turkish light horse, 

 were ordered not to leave the infantry to pursue the 

 enemy. The whole army was directed to advance in 

 case of success en masse slowly. The light cavalry alone 

 were allowed to pursue the fugitives. These orders for 

 action show clearly the heavy defensive style of tactics 

 that Montecuculi had laid down for his cuirassiers. This 

 system was probably required against the Turkish light 

 horsemen, who in the melee were more than a match for 

 the unwieldy western cuirassiers. The only hope of 

 success for the Turks was in wearying the heavy cavalry 

 in pursuits and manoeuvres, and in tempting them to 

 break their solid masses, against which, when firmly 

 held together, they could not oppose any effective 

 resistance. 



Montecuculi, 457, 



2 Ibid. 442. 



U 2 



