CHAP. XXXIV.] EMPLOYMENT OF CAVALRY. 



537 



Napoleon, after conquering almost the whole of Europe, 

 succumbed to the same cause. 



Cavalry officers should bear this in mind ; should be 

 deeply impressed with the heavy responsibility that rests 

 upon their force, to acquire information of the enemy's 

 movements, to hide the dispositions of their own army, 

 and to secure them carefully from surprise. This duty 

 the cavalry, armed as mounted riflemen, can now per- 

 form with efficiency, and with much greater boldness than 

 ever. They need not wait for infantry supports to come 

 up to clear an obstruction, they need not retire for want 

 of an infantry force to defend a position. In fact, in the 

 wars of the future the horsemen should shine out more 

 brilliantly than ever. 



So much for the way in which the cavaby should be 

 thrown to the front to cover an advance. That is one 

 portion of their duty. Another important one is to 

 make great raids upon the enemy's communications. 

 There is no need to enter into details, but we may simply 

 refer to the raids of Stuart, Forrest, Morgan, Wilson, and 

 Grierson, as good illustrations of the use that mounted 

 riflemen can be put to in that way. 



In the battlefield they might be used for turning 

 movements around a flank, especially as the direct attack 

 in front will in the future always be attended with such 

 serious losses. In defensive battles they could also be 

 employed in line of action dismounted, their horses well 

 to the rear, in which duty they should be as capable oi 

 fighting effectively as the best infantry. Forrest's men 

 did this at Chickamauga, and after the victory mounted 

 and took up the pursuit. 



Again, if the charging with the revolver turned out 

 successfully in practice, the mounted riflemen, with their 

 pistols, should be able to make mounted charges almost 

 as well as the heavy cavalry. They would certainly be 

 able to act effectively in support, and should be able to 

 give most vabiable assistance in a cavalry fight. The 

 American cavalr -"vjught well on foot, and charged boldly 

 when they had the opr. nudity mounted, and there is no 

 reason why they could n* ■ uo so. 



