This ever-pervading shroud of romance and knight-errantry feeling stimulates and ennobles almost all the duties of the cavalrist. Oh! the romance of a night-patrol, when the moon beams serenely down, bathing every thing in a flood of mysterious radiance; moulding the slightest impediment, the most familiar objects of the landscape, into strange and weird forms of fancied dangers. Or, when the sky is overcast, the clouds sweeping like the eddies of a river across the beauteous moon, bathing each time her face anew, and adding redoubled brightness to her smile; while her rays, touching here and there some parts of the accoutrements, betray, by its deadly gleam, the ready sabre! It is on such a night as this that the soul, touched by the silence and the time, awakens to a thousand new and mysterious influences, and listens with a lover's ear to the sweet whisperings of romance and of peril.

These perils are often illusionary, and lead to rare recrimination and sport; while oftener their reality is untold-for "dead men tell no tales!"

I remember a story of the fate of an Austrian patrol, during the late war in Italy, which may not here be out of place, while it will serve to illustrate the guerrilla style of warfare adopted by the Garibaldians.

A small patroling party of Austrian dragoons were proceeding cautiously along a road leading from the little town of Lognato. They had no sooner passed a lonely part of the road than the trees on either side swarmed with dark and unusual objects; men, men clambered and dropped down the trees like monkeys. They were the Austrians' deadly enemies, the "Cacciatori"the Hunters of the Alps. Scrambling down, they proceeded to tie a strong rope across the darkest part of the road, and about a foot from the ground; then further down the road they tied several more ropes across-thus cutting off the retreat of the fated Austrians. They then ascended to their strong hiding-places, to await the reappearance of the Austrians. Soon firing was heard in front, and after a pause the Imperial dragoons came clattering down the road, when, fired at from the trees and from every side their horses stumbling over the rope-their retreat cut off-assailed in front and rear, but one, a sergeant, escaped to tell their fate, and prove a warning for the future. Ever after that lancers formed a part of all patrols, thrusting their lances into every thing-tree, bush, and hollow -before proceeding a step.

contrary, not content with making his cavalry perform all the duties of horsemen, led them also against intrenchments and batteries, and always with success. "He knew," says Count Bismark, "that by the rapidity of motion the natural vivacity of the majority of mankind is increased, and, often mounting to a blind fury and fool-hardy enthusiasm, leaves no time for consideration or calculation of danger; that at such a moment death loses its terrors, and Victory-but with luring colors-presents itself to the soul of the wildly-rushing warrior."

"The use of cavalry," says Halleck, "is probably nearly as old as war itself. The Egyptians had cavalry before the time of Moses, and the Israelites often encountered cavalry in their wars with their neighbors, though they made no use of this arm themselves until the time of Solomon." The relative proportions of cavalry to infantry were at that time extremely small; they continued to increase, however, in different nations and under different reigns, until they reached the average of one to ten of the other branches, which continued the proportion for many centuries. The rise of that knightly spirit which afterward illumined the whole of Christendom, led to the greater increase of this particular arm of the service, until, at the battle of Tours, we find that the cavalry and infantry were in the proportion of one to five. Later, we find their numbers nearly equal; and still later, under Charles the Bald, cavalry superseded all the other branches, and formed the composition of armies to the entire exclusion of infantry. "And during the Middle Ages," to quote from Halleck again, "the knights disdained the foot service, and fought only on horseback."

Upon the introduction of gunpowder as the principal agency of war, it became evident that the whole construction of armies must undergo a change; and in no respect was that alteration more perceptible, when that change, though not immediate, did take place, than in the increase of foot-soldiers at the expense of the cavalry. The picturesque knight, with his tapering lance, gave way to the more commonplace foot-soldier, armed with his heavy arquebuse. As the whole dependence had been placed in mounted corps, the other extreme was now adopted-extremes being the failing of nations as well as mere individuals. The great utility of horsemen, however, did not allow of their being long so underrated and soon led to their increase.

dragoons, established on the principle that they were to fight as readily and well on foot as on horseback. And though such a thing as a corps of dragoons leaving their horses to fight on foot is in modern warfare a feat unheard of, this su

perstition of the past has so clung to us that even at the present day a knowledge of infantry tactics is interwoven as part of the instruction of every dragoon; thus doubtlessly taking up much valuable time that might be much more profitably occupied by the manége, in which there is not much danger of the recruit becoming too proficient. Indeed, many think it is time for this obsolete idea, as they term it, to give place to the dictates of common sense; for independent of the present interpolation of infantry with cavalry duties, being, owing to reasons before given, extremely unpopular with the men, they have not been called into use for the last forty years, and probably never will be; and further, if they were, would most likely, owing to the distaste of the men for learning them, be found futile, while they greatly injure the efficiency of the corps as a cavalry arm of the service.

Proficiency, not mere capability in horsemanship, can not be too strenuously insisted upon; it is upon it that the efficiency of all cavalry must depend. The celebrated Marshal Marmont has it that "L'equitation est tout." Certain it is that a cavalrist must be firm in his saddle, and have a perfect confidence in his weapon, to be really efficient.

The desired proficiency in horsemanship should not, however, be the mere perfection of a school of equitation; the idea should be to ride naturally, and by association with horses and unmitigated practice, to obtain that confidence which, while it is the prompter of that noble enthusiasm of which I have already spoken, makes such a thing as an accident next to impossible. Within the precincts of a monarchy, where reviews by crowned heads are continually taking place, an artificial system of riding is more excusable than here in our own country, where soldiers are paid for fighting and not for show.

Let us, then, form our own Cavalry Manual, and our own School of Equitation; or rather, let the aim be to create a body of natural or real horsemen, in contradistinction to the stiff and artificial system of a school. Let such men be selected only as have a perfect knowledge of horses and horsemanship from their childhood (there are thousands such, doubtlessly, now serving in infantry corps), and instead of attempting to break these men, as is almost always attempted, into a certain school, be content with teaching them the usual tactics and a perfect reliance in their peculiar arm.

An old Prussian riding-master once said to me, "I would rather have a raw recruit, who had never seen a horse, to instruct, than a man who had already learned to ride. The first we break in readily, but the last we have any quantity of trouble with." How erroneous the idea, yet it is a very prevalent one in all European armies!

The difference between a natural and an artificial rider has been most clearly and correctly defined by Captain Nolan-one whose love of his corps was only equaled by his zeal for its improvement. "The difference between a school

rider and a real horseman," says this writer, "is this: the first depends upon the guidance and managing his horse for maintaining his seat; the second, or real horseman, depends upon his seat for controlling and guiding his horse."

The plan for selecting men for our cavalry service should be, to address a circular order to the colonels of the various infantry corps, with instructions to find out the best horsemen, whom they would be willing to permit, and who would be themselves willing to enter, the cavalry service. Or better still, send a cavalry recruiting officer to select, with the permission of the colonel, such men as are most accustomed to horses and desirous of exchanging into a cavalry corps. Then fill up the vacancies thus created by transferring to the respective infantry corps out of the men already recruited, those who show the smallest amount of ability or aptness for horsemanship, and who already lumber up the ranks of the cavalry arm of the service, depreciating the efficiency of their comrades by their awkwardness as well as being worse than useless themselves.

That such a system is better than the present practice, where "good horsemen are preferred," as the recruiting hand-bills have it, can not be doubted. Besides, you may thus make a very good infantrist out of a bad horseman, and a splendid cavalrist out of a bad infantry soldier.

Another great advantage in selecting men who have grown up among horses, is, that they understand better the habits, nature, and whims of their animals, and at the same time feel a greater love for, and are kinder to, them than men who learn to ride merely because it is part of the work for which they enlisted; and better than all, men accustomed to the stable possess that confidence in the management of horses which habit alone will give, and which must be sustained under all circumstances-for horses are not always docile-"even the most docile and best-tempered horses are difficult to manage in battle," says Captain Nolan. sometimes go mad with excitement, and then they prove the most dangerous enemy the horseman has to contend against. At the battle of Minden two whole French regiments were entirely destroyed by the horses taking fright and bolting in a charge. The men fell off and were trampled to death.

They

Athletic exercises and feats of horsemanship should also be encouraged, and some prize instituted for those men who should take the best care of their horses and preserve them fit for service for the greatest length of time.

As to the proper armament for cavalry corps there has been much variance of opinion. Frederick the Great positively forbade his troops to use any arm but the sabre, while Napoleon thought that all cavalry should be provided with fire-arms. Montecuculi was strongly prejudiced in favor of the lance, which he terms the "Queen of weapons ;" and certain it is, that if squares of infantry are to be broken by cavalry, it must be through the aid of the lance: consequently, the

armies is a marked feature in military history. But in a melee a short weapon must always have the advantage over a long one, which besides being unwieldy is liable to become shattered; and where a charge of lancers is contemplated, a part should charge with lances slung and sabres drawn.

Cavalry is divided into Light, consisting of lancers, hussars, and mounted riflemen; Heavy, consisting of carabineers, cuirassiers, and sometimes lancers, where they are heavily mounted; and dragoons, which are a kind of go-between or mixture.

Light cavalry, according to Marmont, ought to be the eye and the ear of the army. To it appertains the outpost and detachment duties; it must form vanguards and convoys; it must watch over the safety of the field artillery as well as guard the heavy cavalry against surprise, and at the same time be prepared to pierce with the rapidity of thought wherever, through oversight or the changes of battle, the enemy has thrown himself open to attack. With light cavalry celerity is a primary requisite, and it should possess such alertness and dexterity as to enable it to envelop and harass the enemy "like a swarm of wasps perpetually stinging, but never to be caught."

The duties of heavy cavalry are usually confined to the field of battle, where it is held in reserve until some decisive opening shows itself, when it is launched like a thunder-bolt, sweeping all before it.

They are mounted upon lithe and wiry Hungarian barbs of such intelligence and affection that their riders not unfrequently owe their lives as much to their horses as to their own exertions. It can be readily understood that to bring about such a desirable state of affairs, the utmost sympathy must exist between horse and rider; and such is indeed the fact, as numerous touching instances of mutual devotion show.

What the Zouave is to the French infantry these Hungarian hussars are to the Austrian cavalry; they are the élite, and, as a consequence, feel a corresponding pride. This esprit de corps, which is undoubtedly one of the principal prompters of gallant deeds of daring, often leads to highly amusing incidents and fully as many "rows." At Mayence, where a mixed garrison of Austrians and Prussians is kept, a Hungarian hussar was hailed by a Prussian, who, decked out in all the fancied requisites of a hussar uniform, doubtless imagined himself to be its fitting type. "Good-morning, comrade," said the Prussian. "Comrade!" muttered the Hungarian-" comrade ?" "Why, yes, certainly, are we not both hussars?" "You a hussar-you!" exclaimed the Hungarian with rage-" why you're only a jackanapes." Then with pride indescribable, "I am a hussar !”

The Hungarian hussar is as much a part of his horse as any part of the accoutrements; and the horse, with a pliancy of disposition and intelligence truly amazing, encouraged by loving and animating words, is as ready for and capable of noble deeds as is his rider.

The wonderful skill at which these horsemen

to the humdrum school routine displayed in other European armies. Few but can use the lasso, when in full career, with as much dexterity as is displayed by the rancheros of the South American plains; and in the Revolution of 1848 the "Honveds," who were armed with this formidable national weapon, showed the Austrians how terribly expert they were in its use-fre quently dragging with it the Austrian officers from off their horses, capturing them or involv

Of the cavalry corps of the different European armies the superior composition and organization of the Austrian cavalry-more particularly the light cavalry, place it perhaps at the head. To the great elements at the command of the Austrian Government is to be ascribed much of this perfection; for the Hungarians and Poles, who form the greater mass of her mounted troops, are, as it were, born in the saddle; and this natural aptitude the Austrian authorities have wisely abetted by allowing them to retain their own accoutrements and peculiar national saddles. The Austrian hussars are, beyond cavil, the

ror through a weapon as novel as it was terrible. The Poles, too, are unusually expert with the lance, which is their national weapon. I have frequently seen them, seated bare back on horse, leap in full career a five-barred gate, and at the same moment launch with Herculean force the lance at a target, the bull's-eye of which it seldom failed to find.

There was a beautiful instance of fine horsemanship displayed at a late review held at Vienna, upon the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the establishment of the military order of the Maria Theresa, when some thirty thousand cavalry were in line. A little child in the front row of the spectators, becoming frightened, rushed forward just as a squadron of hussars were charging at full tilt-swooping down with maddening velocity, nay, almost on the child.

Terror paralyzed alike the spectators and the mother of the child, while the lovely and amiable Empress almost fainted with horror, for the child's destruction seemed inevitable. The little one was almost under the horses' feet-another instant would have sealed its doom-when a hussar, without lessening his speed or loosening his hold, threw himself along his horse's neck, and seizing the child, placed it in safety in front of his saddle, without so much as changing the pace or breaking the alignment in the least.

A hundred thousand voices hailed with pride and joy the deed, while two voices could but sob their gratitude: the one a mother's, the other that of her sympathizing and beloved Empress. A proud moment that must have been for the hussar when his Emperor, taking the enameled cross of merit, attached it to his breast-a proud moment alike for the sovereign and the man!

The heavy cavalry corps of the Austrian army are also splendidly mounted and equipped, but have not that "esprit" possessed by the light cavalry. The men are thick-set, heavy Bohemians or Moravians, while their horses correspond. There are a good many anecdotes told of these brave fellows, who are sometimes a little thick-headed, grasping an idea with difficulty.

At the battle of Solferino a captain of a cui rassier regiment espied two of the enemy carrying off one of his favorite men. At the same moment the cuirassier spied his officer, and, with a voice full of exultation, cried, " 'Captain! captain! I've got two Frenchmen prisoners!" "Then why don't you bring them in ?" asked the captain, highly amused. "Why, the tarnal critters won't let me go!" answered the sturdy fellow, to whom the idea had not yet occurred that he was the prisoner. The captain, of course, rescued him, but from that day to this the poor fellow has thought that he was badly treated by his officer, who wouldn't let him alone when he was getting along so well.

When it comes to money matters, however, these fellows are cute enough, as I had reason, to know from the following injunction which I once overheard given by an old corporal to his troop, who were about setting forth to buy provisions: "Take your carbines with you, children," said he; "the people always sell cheaper when they see us well-armed."

These fellows are accused of being naturally light-fingered; how truly I am not prepared to

say.

to pass over without mention the magnificent charge of the Light Brigade at Balaklava, and which-though originating in a mistake-did more to throw a lustre about the English arms than more plausible and more successful deeds. Of all the gallant exploits and glorious achievements performed by cavalry which the world has ever seen this has been the most lauded, the most blamed, the most commented upon. Even Americans have lingered over the thrilling accounts of the survivors of the daring charge, and, inspired by the heroic strains of Tennyson, have wondered if the world could show another such example; overlooking the fact that our own cavalry, though in its infancy, has done deeds as great, performed exploits as brilliant even as the famous charge of the Six Hundred; thus creating a splendor which (all unsung as are its deeds) will yet illumine its history for ages to come.

Who but must remember the glorious charge of Captain May's dragoons at Resaca de la Palma? Who but can see that brave band, headed by their gallant leader, his long hair streaming in the wind, sweeping like the dread vengeance of Heaven down upon the fated Mexicans, leaping upon them, hewing at them, dashing-in that dreadful storm of blood battling, as it were, with the elements of death-like demons in their daring, like gods in their nobleness and courage?

Then look at Puente Morena; why, to use the words of Tennyson, "All the world wondered.". Five men in all-Lieutenants Lowry and Oaks, and three men of the immortal Second Dragoons-pursuing a party of thirty lancers, and actually sabring or dismounting all but five! Show me any thing to surpass this, search where you will.

Remember, too, the gallant dash of Lieutenant Tompkins, at Fairfax Court House, and be thankful to the Divine supporter of the honor of our country, that there still exist men by whom the glories of the past shall be transmitted and upheld by daring as great as that with which they were won.

Already at the earliest period of its existence did our cavalry, by its ceaseless deeds of daring, gain from one of its bravest opponents the title of the "best cavalry in the world"—praise which, it may be said, was brought out, like the firespark from out the flint, in spite of itself.

Yes, already, in those gloomy days of the Revolution, in our nation's very infancy, did the iron-handed Lee wring from the unwilling Tarle

VOL. XXIV.-No. 141.-U