The Bavarian Chevau-légers correspond to the Prussian Dragoons, and many a record testifies to their gallantry in action. The spirit of Zieten, the “Hussar-father,” and of old Blücher, “Field Marshal Forwards,” still lives in the Hussars of the German Empire. Activity, boldness, and cheeriness are the attributes which make a good Hussar, and many are the songs which record their successes in camp and field. The Uhlans (Lancers) who spread such terror amongst the enemy in the war of 1870–71, hail, as far as their name goes, from Tartary.[15] For this reason, the French took them for a wild tribe, such as the Kirghiz of the Steppes, or the African Turcos. The name is, however, the only foreign element about them, for their mode of fighting is essentially German. The chief weapon of the Uhlan, the lance, with which they caused such consternation among the French, although it had been the most popular weapon of the Middle Ages, disappeared almost entirely from European armies on the introduction of firearms; the Russian and Polish Cavalry alone retaining it. After the second Silesian war in 1745, Frederick the Great armed a body of Light Horse with lances, and gave them the name of “Bosniaks.” Consisting at first of only 1 “company,” their strength was increased afterwards to 10 companies, and in the year 1800 they were founded into a regiment under the name of “Towarczys,” _i.e._, experienced in war. In 1808, the name was changed to “Uhlans,” and the corps was divided into several regiments, whose number was increased at a later period. In 1870 the French peasantry called the whole of the German Cavalry “ulans,” and the sudden appearance of a few of their horsemen in a district at a time when the Frenchmen flattered themselves that the enemy was still far distant, caused shouts of “les ulans! les ulans!” universal consternation, and immediate flight. The German Uhlans were everywhere at once. More than one populous town, _e.g._, Nancy on the 11th August, 1870, opened their gates at their approach, and the small fortress of Vitry le françois surrendered to a mere handful of Uhlans. [Illustration: Bavarian Halberdier. (Full-dress.)] The Cavalry of the German Empire consists altogether of 93 regiments of 5 squadrons each—total, 465 squadrons. On the regiment being ordered on active service, one of the squadrons remains behind as supply-squadron for the rest. Its duty is to replace the partially-trained or unserviceable horses by good ones, and also to fill up the ranks of the other squadrons with good men when required. By this means, the active part of the regiment is brought to a high state of readiness for action, and gains greatly in efficiency. There are:— 14 regiments of Cuirassiers, including: The Garde-du-Corps regiment, The Guard Cuirassier regiment, 8 Prussian Cuirassier regiments, 2 Bavarian Heavy Cavalry regiments, 1 Saxon Horse Guards regiment, and 1 Saxon regiment of Carbineers.