Democratic Sentinel, Volume 22, Number 37, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 September 1898 — CAVALRY IN FUTURE WARS. [ARTICLE]

CAVALRY IN FUTURE WARS.

The Dashing Honeman Will Not Be Dispensed With. It has been said that the days of dashing cavalrymen will soon be over, and that the art of riding will become as purely a pastime as the art of sailing is destined to become by reason of the introduction of steam. This opinion is combated very vigorously by Major Kunz in his “Kriegs-Geschechtliche Beitrage.” He believes that the uses of cavalry have been changed, but that its existence is not yet endangered. On the other hand, he points out that mere mounted men, as against highly trained riders under the very best leaders, are absolutely useless to-day. Commenting upon the many brilliant though unfortunate cavalry attacks executed by the French in 1870, he says: “1. A frontal attack of cavalry against victorious infantry can only be justified when the aim is to save time for the purpose of saving the beaten army. The success of such an attack is practically impossible. “2. Momentary success of an attack against the flank of victorious infantry is possible. But even such an attack must end in the destruction of the force which undertakes it.

“3. If the enemy’s infantry is beaten, cavalry may be used to advantage. But it must be faultless cavalry, led by faultless, courageous riders, men who are also perfect in their knowledge of the history and psychology of war. In such a case no thought must be given to a few hundred horses foundering on the field. The enemy’s infantry must not be given time to assemble. The cavalry must endeavor to head off the fugitives, for the most disheartened of them will lead the stampede. In the rear of a flying army are always the gravest. It matters little whether the enemy loses much in killed and wounded. The question is not how to kill men, but how to discourage them, to rob them of their leaders, to destroy their organization. “An infantry which has suffered many losses, but has advanced victoriously and still has sufficient ammunition, may laugh at a cavalry attack. An infantry that has been beaten, and whose officers are killed, and which has lost courage in consequence, is a ready prey for enterprising cavalry. It will be said that in such a case the cavalry of the beaten army must sacrifice itself for the infantry. Quite true. The task of the attacking cavalry will then be to overthrow the horsemen of the vanquished army. If this succeeds, the stampeded horsemen will only assist in increasing the confusion of the flying Infantry. “At any rate, a few hundred men and horses dying of sheer exhaustion in the pursuit of a beaten enemy will save the trouble of another bloody battle. To train cavalry for such work is the purpose of extensive maneuvers.”—Literary Digest.