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THE

AUSTRIAN CAVALRY.

PART I.

GENERAL SKETCH OF THE ORGANISATION,
EQUIPMENT, AND ARMAMENT.

THE distinction between heavy and light cavalry was abolished after the war of 1866, and the whole cavalry considered to have one and the same objective. Previous to, and at the time of, the war, the Austrian cavalry consisted of II regiments of cuirassiers, forming the heavy cavalry, 2 regiments of dragoons, 14 regiments of hussars, and 13 regiments of lancers, forming the light cavalry. Each regiment of cuirassiers, both in peace and war, had a staff and 5 squadrons, with the exception of the 8th regiment, which, by especial privilege, was allowed 6 squadrons; the peace establishment was 833 officers and men and 703 horses, with the exception of

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the 8th regiment, which was 863 officers and men and 723 horses; the war establishment, 896 officers and men and 755 horses, of which combatants 610 and 603 respectively; while the 8th regiment had 907 officers and men and 755 horses, of which combatants 611 and 6031 respectively. The total peace strength of the heavy cavalry was therefore 9,193 officers and men and 7,753 horses; the total war strength 9,867 officers and men and 8,305 horses, of which combatants 6,711 and 6,6331 respectively. Each regiment of light cavalry, both in peace and war, had a staff and 6 squadrons, with a peace establishment of 1,007 officers and men and 854 horses, and a war establishment of 1,072 officers and men and 905 horses, of which combatants 760 and 7521 respectively; the total peace strength of the light cavalry was therefore 29,203 officers and men and 24,766 horses ; the total war strength 31,088 officers and men and 26,245 horses, of which combatants 22,040 officers and men and 21,808 horses1 respectively, giving the total force of cavalry, heavy and light, in peace 38,396 officers and men and 32,519 horses, in war 40,955 officers and men and 34,550 horses, of which combatants 28,751 and 28,4411 respectively. On a mobilisation, one squadron per regiment was left behind as depôt squadron; it completed the squadrons taking the field with men and horses fit for duty, receiving over from them those returned as unfit, and during

1 Inclusive of subalterns' horses, which are government chargers, but exclusive of the private chargers of field officers and captains.

the continuation of the war supplied reliefs of drilled men and trained horses. The cuirass was done away with in the heavy cavalry in 1860, since which time the distinction consisted rather in the size of the horse than in any other particular.

The new organisation was introduced in July, 1869, by Imperial order, which decreed that the whole of the cavalry was to be mounted on the same class of horse, have the same description of sabre, and be armed with breech-loading carbines. Whether or not it was wise to do away with a certain proportion of heavy cavalry continues to be a vexed question in Austria, for, while financial considerations admit of the maintenance of a comparatively small force of cavalry only in proportion to the other arms, and it is universally allowed, that, in view of the principal duties and special employment of cavalry in covering the front and flanks of an operating army, the general organisation should be that of light cavalry, there is, nevertheless, a growing feeling that a small body of really heavy cavalry, powerful men on powerful horses, should be at hand to be kept as a cavalry of reserve, and employed either for a decisive moment in a battle or to meet a charge of the enemy's heavy cavalry. There can be no doubt whatever that the light men and horses of Hungary and Gallicia are quite unfit to meet the heavy men and powerful horses of Germany and Russia in the shock of the charge; however superior the light horseman may be as a soldier or rider for a rapid dash, for outpost

duty, and for pursuit, he must inevitably go down before the weight and power of the latter, in the actual collision. The experience of the last war has certainly shown that a body of heavy cavalry kept in the commander's hand as a reserve to be launched out at the opportune moment, for the purpose of gaining time or checking an advance, may still prove, as much as ever, of extreme value to an army.

The present three years' service with the colours is undoubtedly too short to form a perfect cavalry soldier. That the former splendid cavalry of the Austrian Empire has, in appearance at all events, somewhat deteriorated since the introduction of the short regimental service, is, therefore, not to be wondered at. The Austrian cavalry now consists of 41 regiments, of which 14 are dragoon, 14 hussar, and 13 lancer regiments; two-fifths of the horses in each being from 15 hands 2 inches to 15 hands 3 inches, the remainder from 14 hands 3 inches to 15 hands I inch. In peace the regiment consists of a staff, 6 field squadrons commanded by captains, and a depôt-cadre; in war the depôt-cadre forms a depôt-squadron and furnishes a reserve squadron. From the introduction of the new

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1 Since the above was in type, two regiments have been added to the hussars and taken from the lancers: the 10th dragoons and 10th lancers have, namely, been converted into the 15th and 16th hussars, and the 9th lancers into the 10th dragoons: the two new hussar regiments will be furnished by Hungary. There seems to be a general inclination to discard the lance in favour of the carbine.

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