by the weakness of the enemy; of choosing the point and moment of attack, and of surprising the enemy without exposure to surprise. With single echelons, charges can be made much more vigorously and speedily than with a line. They, moreover, disturb the enemy's infantry by their frequency, and prompt him to expend his ammunition, which will be especially the case if the attacks of several echelons, as in Figure 20, are directed successively upon the same point. These attacks are in reality charges in column, with this advantage, however, that the path of the later squadrons is less encumbered with the debris of the preceding ones. Fig. 20. The charge in column is employed against infantry formed in masses. "When cavalry," says Von Bismark, "has occasion to attack infantry formed in masses, it should be placed in open column of squadrons, with double intervals, and attack progressively. The leading squadron receives the whole and first fire. If it remains steady, and penetrates the line, the second and third follow quickly after, in order to perfect the defeat. On the other hand, should the squadron which commences the attack give way, as is generally to be expected, it must retire from both flanks to leave the course of the second squadron clear; it should, however, re-form in rear of the column. The second squadron should execute its charge with such rapidity that the infantry cannot have sufficient time to reload. It may be presumed that infantry which believes the cavalry to be retiring from its fire, will be shaken when, while reloading, it suddenly sees a new line of cavalry advancing through the smoke." Many objections have been raised against this formation of cavalry in column, generally by theorists, not cavalry officers. What, say they, must become of these deep columns, if exposed to the fire of the enemy's batteries? But we have already shown that great cavalry attacks do not commence the battle. They indulge also in comparisons drawn from Mechanics, to prove that one horse does not push another forward. If comparisons are needed, waves or cataracts, perhaps, would serve the purpose better. The object of charges in deep columns is not alone to force the front ranks forward, but also to throw a greater number of horsemen upon some given point, than could be done by an attack in line. Having broken through, some squadrons will attack the first line in flank and rear, and the others rush upon the second line and the reserve. Immense results have been thus obtained, and, of course, not without considerable sacrifice. The same objections and comparisons would seem equally applicable to infantry, yet the irresistible power of its columns of attack is never questioned. Indeed, it is not exactly the bodily contact of the men that imparts the impulse, since each division is somewhat separated from the following one by a certain interval; but this deep formation gives to the entire mass such a consistence and solidity that, so long as the rear of the column moves forward, the head cannot keep back. To a certain degree, the same is true of cavalry. A regiment formed in columns of squadrons acquires a force of penetration far greater than in line; not that the squadrons in the rear do actually push forward those at the head, but they support them so closely that the entire column, so to say, forms a compact body, all the parts of which contribute to increase the power of the shock, whose effect is thus rendered more destructive. Besides, independently of the material effect, we all know what influence moral impressions exercise upon the minds of the soldiers, and the extraordinary energy which confidence gives them. Now, what can so completely inspire this confidence as the assurance of being well sustained and followed up by solid reenforcements? Add to this, that those who take the lead feel that they fight under the eye of their comrades; noble instincts thus stimulate to greater ardor, while the certainty of being trodden down under the feet of the following squadrons in case of failure, creates in the weaker hearts of the leading squadrons a force of impulse which must overthrow any obstacles that stand in their way. The fire of the enemy's infantry, the depth of its masses, as well as its bayonets, will undoubtedly offer some resistance; but so formidable a shock, receiving a simultaneous and continuous impulse from the whole depth of the attacking column, cannot possibly be arrested. Only picture to your mind the imposing spectacle of a mass of cavalry of sixteen or twenty-four squadrons, advancing at full speed on a depth of four squadrons. The stoutest hearts may reasonably quail, and this impression itself will be no small chance of success. Great, indeed, are the results which may be achieved by charges in column. But immense as they have often been, let it not be supposed that such charges are in every case preferable to charges in line or in echelons, which best suit most circumstances. The attack in column should be reserved to strike some great blow in those decisive moments when nothing should be spared, and when it is important, at any cost, to break the lines of the enemy. The coup d'œil of the general who commands the cavalry will seize upon the exact moment when this audacious movement may be executed with some chances of success: it should never be attempted under the immediate fire of the enemy's batteries, unless they have been sufficiently silenced, nor should the column be of needless depth. It was a favorite manoeuvre of Frederic the Great to combine the attacks in column and line, by forming a close column in front of the centre of a line of squadrons, as in Figure 21, and to bear down upon the enemy's infantry at full speed. When they had broken through, the two rear squadrons of the column wheeled outward and rolled up the disordered infantry, while the cavalry in line rode over them and followed the leading column, to be ready to fall on the enemy's cavalry, should it press forward to the rescue. Fig. 21. |||||| Similar formations have been proposed with closed columns as reënforcements in rear of the line, on the theory that either column or line must break through. If the enemy's cavalry is anywhere near, of course flank columns and reserves are indispensable, as in Figure 22. An occasion very rarely occurs of attacking a single square, but when it does, let some of your infantry skirmishers first draw out theirs. Then send out some men as foragers, who will force the latter to gather into groups. Let them charge at speed, to compel rapid movements; for after infantry have run a little, they no longer fire so accurately. Then, leaving the skirmishers engaged with each other, let the horsemen gallop up and empty their revolvers at a range of twenty yards or less, that every shot may tell. They are perfectly safe from the skirmishers, who cannot fire at them without endangering their own troops, while the latter are very similarly situated. If, however, they draw their fire, it is so much the better, for a square that thus begins to fire at random is soon disordered and lost. If, on the contrary, the square stands firm, send out another party as foragers, on the same errand as the first, who have, meanwhile, returned to attack the skirmishers. These, who have already been kept busy by your infantry, ought to succumb between both; if not, again send out another party. If this game be kept up for some time, it is likely to give the cavalry a good chance against the square, unless it should happen to be protected by natural obstacles: in that case, let it alone. Systems of oblique squares, squares in echelons, and checker |