Jasper County Democrat, Volume 2, Number 51, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 March 1900 — At Long Range. [ARTICLE]

At Long Range.

In the Franco-German war, 1870, at Gravelotte, the German cavalry lost 200 horses and 100 men, while their artillery lost 1.300 horses and 050 men. At Thionvllle. a terribly fierce battle, the German cavalry lost 1,600 horses and 1.400 men. while their artillery lost 1,000 horses and 730 men; but at the battle of Weerth the German cavalry lost only 50 horses to 00 men. This shows that when the fighting is close and hot the men fall in greater numbers than the horses. From the relative loss of men and horses you can tell whether it was a defeat or a victory; for in a victory the difference between men lost and horses lost would not be very great, while in a defeat and retirement the loss of horses would be immense. In a well-contested hand-to-hand fight of cavalry the loss of horses !* about equal to the loss of men. When the British troops were engaged in the Peninsular war they lost in each of th® 15 battle® an average of 18 horses to 19 men, showing fierce and close fighting. On the other hand, the loss of horses is very great when the cavalry have to go a long distance over open ground before delivering the charge, as they are exposed to the enemy’s fire. At Fonteno# the French killed 87 British cavalrymen and 337 of their horses.