548 



A HISTORY OF CAVALRY. 



[period VI. 



Prince another, both men of inventive genius. Turenne 

 ingeniously adapted his plans to the nature of the battle- 

 field, and that was an invention also as far as he was 

 concerned. Grustavus Adolphus and Frederick were both 

 either original inventors, or they applied old ideas 

 with a skill that gives them equal credit ; while Napoleon 

 astonished the world by a system of strategy and 

 tactical employment of all three arms, which was almost 

 perfection under the then existing conditions of the art 

 of war. 



It is impossible to point to a great commander in his- 

 tory who was a blind follower of precedent. The great 

 men have always made changes to suit the conditions of 

 warfare at the time. Improvements in arms and the 

 various inventions which affect social life, such as 

 steam, telegraphing, &c., all have their influence on the 

 military science, and the best general is he who can 

 ingeniously secure the greatest results from the material 

 at his command and the circumstances in which he is 

 placed. The cavalry general of all others should be 

 imbued with this idea, and should use every effort to 

 gain every possible advantage for his branch of the 

 service. 



