

! !i 



406 



A HISTORY OF CAVALRY. 



[period IV. 



no one in front to oppose them, halted, whikt their tor- 

 mentors kept spearing the flank files, and firing into the 

 mass, which soon got into complete confusion, and could 

 undertake no evolution of any sort. The Cossacks, 

 though they never attemptpd to disperse the mass by a 

 dash at them, still, conscious of their superiority in 

 riding, continued to shoot and spear them, executing 

 partial charges when opportunity oflered. Meanwhile 

 the flank files of the French faced outwards, and unslung 

 their carbines, and, thus formed in square, they kept up 

 an irregular fusilade for about half an hour. The heads 

 of French infantry columns were now seen advancing 

 from Luchenwalde towards the scene of strife, and as 

 soon as their artillery opened fire, the column of heavy 

 cavalry was released from its dangerous situation. 

 Colonel Bichalow withdrew his troops by way of Scharf- 

 enbriick, without being pursued by a single French- 



'» 1 



man. 



On the 18 th September, 1813, another fight took 

 place near Miihlberg, between General Slowaisky with 

 1,200 Cossacks, and a force of 2,000 French dragoons. 

 Captain Ganzauge gives the details as follows : — 



" The French completed their movements whilst the 

 Cossacks were forming up. They were formed in one 

 line en muraille, with a small reserve in rear. 



" The Cossacks fell on, and were received with a 

 discharge of carbines. The French did not draw swords. 

 Their fire at first sent the Russians to the right about, 

 and whilst they were re-forming, the enemy wheeled into 

 column, and opened out, so as to get their intervals, and 

 wheeled again into line. We expected they were about 

 to charge, but their object appears simply to have been 

 to extend their line, and prevent their being outflanked, 

 a common mode of attack with the Cossacks. 



" The arrangements being completed on both sides 

 about the same time, the CossacJ^s were strictly ad- 

 monished not to shrink from the enemy's fire, their 

 officers receiving orders to cut down the first man that 

 turned. 



' Nolan, 81, 82. 



