Scientific American Supplement, No. 664, September 22,1888Various
History
Scientific American Supplement, No. 664, September 22,1888
Various
Science -- Periodicals
An example of another manner in which cavalry may be employed after a
victory can be taken from the Egyptian campaign of 1882, when, after
the battle of Tel-el-Kebir, by a rapid advance of the cavalry some
fifty miles ahead of the infantry, the capital of the country was
captured by the English cavalry division.
If the battle is lost, still greater are the responsibilities of the
cavalry. Detached squadrons with scouts must be sent round the flanks
to ascertain the strength of the enemy sent in pursuit. Every
available position must be taken up by the horse artillery, and every
advantage seized for counter attack. Above all, accurate information
must be obtained for the general-in-chief of the nature of the
pursuit, in order that he may not harass his main body by falling back
further than necessary. This subject, however, is beyond the scope of
this lecture, and is one of study of past campaigns.
Of the action of cavalry in savage warfare, the recent campaigns in
Africa have given some experience. In the presence of an enemy met
with in such enormous numbers as in the desert, cut off from all help,
knowing that unless you win you die, it seems to be decided that our
infantry must adopt the square as the most suitable formation. In the
Zulu war, the cavalry at the battle of Ulundi was placed inside the
square. The experience met with there was exceptional, and from the
swarms of savages surrounding the square in all directions it was
considered desirable to keep the 17th Lancers in the center of it, in
order that they should not interfere with the infantry fire, and that
when the enemy was repulsed, they should be launched out upon them,
and this was done with perfect success. It is, however, contrary to
the instincts and traditions of cavalry to be shut up in a square,
and, where practicable, I should think cavalry outside a square, even
at some distance out of the way of the infantry fire, acting with
horse artillery, would very much disturb the attacking bodies of the
enemy, and perhaps attract away a portion of them, and they could be
brought up, when called upon to do so, to carry out the pursuit.
In the first campaign on the east coast of the Soudan, on the advance
to El Teb and afterward to Tokar, squadrons were sent in front and on
the flanks of the square with scouts thrown out to feel the way and
obtain information, while the main body of the cavalry was echeloned
on the rear and flank opposite an angle of the square in the most
suitable manner to avoid any interference with its fire. During the
action it remained in this position until after the first attack on
the square, when it moved away past the square on the outward flank
and acted on the enemy's rear and engaged their reserves until the
action was over. During the desert march in the Nile expedition, the
19th Hussars, by its scouting, protected the square and gave it timely
notice of the approach of the enemy.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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