926 CO-OPERATION BETWEEN GUNS AND CAVALRY. 
very wide front, and all the men in the ranks ride home like heroes, and 
if there is no escort to the artillery, I dare say some men will always 
get into the batteries ; but escorts ought always to be with guns at all 
open to a rush, and I cannot help thinking that men will not keep ex- 
tended if their flanks are threatened even by comparatively weak bodies. 
Moreover to turn enough cavalry to do real mischief on to the guns is 
to commit a tactical error, for it is a first principle in war that you 
cannot be too strong at the decisive point, and that point in a 
cavalry combat is where the main bodies meet. If you win there you 
will have the guns too. If you are beaten there you will have to 
relinquish the batteries even if you capture them (applause). 
But favoured by ground, especially if artillery is made to co-operate 
with it, cavalry can take artillery or infantry by surprise, and can then 
accomplish much at but little expense, just as those French regiments 
did at Albuera, or Von Bredow did at Vionville. Sir Evelyn Wood has 
told you the latter story in its completeness, and I need only sum it up 
by saying that on that day with but six squadrons that brilliant cavalry 
leader succeeded in wrecking six batteries and four battalions, and in 
the actual attack on them lost comparatively few of his men, for it was 
after they had passed their immediate objective, and had got out of 
hand, that they were so cut up. But the aim of the French batteries 
was disturbed by the German artillery near Vionville, which as Bredow 
advanced poured a sudden and rapid storm of shell on the guns he was 
about to charge. 
Tobitschau also gives us a valuable example of cavalry attacking 
artillery, and there too guns co-operated with the squadrons. We find 
a lesson even in the terse curt phrases of the official account. When 
that same Bredow, of whom we have just been speaking, stole 
away suddenly to his left to make a dash at the Austrian batteries, 
which he had noted were exposed without an escort, the two Horse 
Artillery batteries with the cavalry division to which he belonged, were 
turned swiftly on to the hostile guns, and occupied their attention in 
front while he was making for their flank. 
There is a whole lecture, I think, in one little word in the official 
account, that little word is “guessing.” “ Guessing his motive, General 
Hartman planted the two Horse Artillery batteries on the bank of 
the Blatta southward of Klopotowitz from whence they could engage 
the enemy, draw his attention from the Cuirassiers, and assist their 
attack,’ 
Bredow only lost 10 privates and 6 horses wounded and 12 horses 
in German ”’ (says Von Reuter’s grandfather), ‘‘ Surrender, gunners, for you are all prisoners !”’ 
with these words he charged down with his men on the flank gun on my left, and dealt a vicious cut 
at my wheel driver, Borchardt, who dodged it however by flinging himself over on his dead horse. 
The blow was delivered with such goodwill that the sabre cut deep into the saddle, and stuck there 
fast. Gunner Sieberg however, availing himself of the chance the momentry delay afforded, 
snatched up the handspike of one of the 12-prs, and with the words ‘‘I’ll soon show him how to 
take prisoners,’’ dealt the officer such a blow on his bearskin that he rolled with a broken skull from 
the back of his grey charger, which galloped away into the line of skirmishers in our front. 
The fifty horsemen, unable to control their horses, which bounded after their companion, followed 
his lead in a moment, rode over the prostrate marksmen, and carried the utmost confusion into the 
enemy’s ranks. I seized the opportunity to limber-up all my guns except the unfortunate one on my 
left, and to retire on two of our cavalry regiments, etc., etc. 
1 Official account p. 339. 
