310 



A HISTORY OF CAVALRY. [fekiod hi. 



have dismounted and fought overburdened with so many- 

 weapons. His idea evidently was to have the front rank 

 armcid with lances, the rear ranks with muskets, and when 

 dismounted they were to form, like the infantry regiments 

 of the preceding age, a mixed force of pikemen and 

 musketeers. 



Marshal Saxe argued in favour of armour, but his 

 reasons for urging its use were novel. He considered 

 that, if the horseman could be defended from sword and 

 lance thrusts by moderately light defensive armour, 

 it would force hostile cavalry not so armed to rely alto- 

 gether upon firearms ; and as he held the view that 

 cavalry which relied upon missile weapons would 

 always be beaten by a bold charge, he thought that 

 heavy armed cavalry who, regardless of the fire, rode 

 boldly on would socn put their enemies to flight with 

 comparatively slight loss. He seems to have forgotten 

 in his theory that just in the proportion in which he 

 increased and strengthened the armour would the 

 mobility be diminished, and there would be left to the 

 lightly equipped horsemen increased range of projectile 

 weapons and greater mobility. It has been already 

 shown, in the account of the Parthians, what is the result 

 of the judicious application of these two advantages. 



Marshal Saxe invented a carbine which loaded at the 

 breech, and supplied his regiment of Uhlans with it. It 

 had many inconveniences, most probably caused by the de- 

 fective mechanical skill of the time.' He had the carbines 

 carried on a bandolier. The lances, which were twelve feet 

 long, weighed about six pounds, and served as tent poles, 

 saving thereby the carriage of poles for that purpose.* 



His instructions for the guidance of cavalry on the 

 march are very good, the closest attention being enjoined 

 to the preservation of a steady and uniform pace. He 

 also taught cavalry the caracol, and wheeling to the right 

 and left by the half-quarters or eighths of ranks, to take 

 ground in either direction, and, in the case of dragoons 

 as already mentioned, when it was desired, to dismount 

 them for action. 



* Lloyd, i. xi. 



2 Saxe, i. 147. 



