populated districts, is undoubtedly true; but such cavalry as that
which, under Wilson, dismounted and carried entrenchments by a charge
on foot, would hardly be stopped by such troops as _Francs-tireurs_ or
any other hasty levies that could be raised in a country covered with
villages. Superior mobility should enable cavalry to avoid large forces
of infantry, and it should be able to hold its own against any equal
force of opposing cavalry or infantry. The objections of Von der Goltz
and Prince Hohenlohe to raids by large bodies of cavalry, lose their
force if we consider the cavalry so armed and trained as to be capable
of effective fire-action. When cavalry is so armed and organized as to
make it possible for Prince Hohenlohe to state that a cavalry division
of six regiments “could put only 1,400 carbines into the firing line,”
and that “in a difficult country it could have no chance against even a
battalion of infantry decently well posted,” we must acknowledge that a
respectable raid is out of the question.
We do not find, in 1866, the cavalry pushed forward as a strategic
veil covering the operations of the army. On the contrary we find the
cavalry divisions kept well to the rear, and the divisional cavalry
alone entrusted with reconnoissance duty, which it performed in
anything but an efficient manner. At Trautenau, Von Bonin’s cavalry
does not seem to have followed the retreat of Mondl, or to have
discovered the approach of Von Gablentz. If it was of any use whatever,
the fact is not made apparent in history. At Nachod, Steinmetz’s
cavalry did better, and gave timely warning of the approach of the
enemy; but generally, throughout the campaign, the Prussian cavalry
did not play a part of much importance either in screening or
reconnoitering. It profited greatly by its experience, however, and
in the Franco-German war we find it active, alert, ubiquitous, and
never repeating the drowsy blunder committed when it allowed Frederick
Charles unwittingly to bivouac within four miles and a half of Von
Benedek’s entire army, or the inertness shown when it permitted the
Austrian army to escape from all touch, sight or hearing, for three
days, after the battle of Königgrätz.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account