Cavalry Organization,
Tactics, Military Weapons, and Battles
"And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him."
Cavalry of the U.S. Civil War
was an integral part and member of the "army organization." The cavalry branch
was one of three principal branches that formed the army; the other two were the
infantry and artillery. As the physical body has parts, and parts have
functions, so did the Civil War army. The infantry was the legs that carried the
body into the brunt of the fighting, while the cavalry was the eyes that could
locate and direct the body prior, during and even after the battle (cavalry also
fought, mainly dismounted), and the artillery was the arms that was capable of
reaching out and touching the enemy from a distance. The body requires the legs,
the arms, and the eyes, in order to function perfectly. Remove an eye, the body
suffers. Remove a leg, the body suffers. Remove an arm and a leg and the body
suffers severely. Now what occurs when one has lost both eyes? So one member or
part of the body is not more vital and significant than another part, but
together, each part forms the unit, the Civil War army unit. A well-disciplined
and trained body, army body, consisting of artillery, infantry, and cavalry
working together with each member performing its respective responsibilities and
roles, was the goal of both Northern and Southern armies. Most battles during
the Civil War were lost because the body was absent or missing a "part" prior or
during the engagement. On the other hand, one army was victorious during the
battle because its body remained intact and functioned well.
Absent Confederate
cavalry prior to and during the initial fighting at the Battle of Gettysburg,
according to many, was to blame for the Confederate loss of the entire three day
battle itself. The writer does not espouse that view, but because many have
embraced it in their writings, it merely indicates the prominence of
cavalry.
At Gettysburg, Gen. Lee
commanded the Army of Northern Virginia, while Gen. JEB Stuart commanded the
Army of Northern Virginia's only cavalry division. Stuart delayed his arrival at
Gettysburg, causing, according to some staff officers, some words of rebuke from
Lee to Stuart. "Well General Stuart, you are here at last?" Allegedly Lee's
exact words.
For example, to demonstrate
the importance of cavalry, let's examine a short conversation from the movie
Gettysburg (1993) between Lee and Stuart. Although the following
conversation never occurred during the Battle of Gettysburg, it is interesting
nevertheless. Following the actual quotes are comments in the
brackets.
Upon his arrival at
Gettysburg, Stuart reports immediately to Lee at headquarters.
Maj. Gen. J.E.B. Stuart: You
wish to see me, sir?
General Robert E. Lee: [Lee
nods and sighs; there is a short pause] It is the opinion of some... excellent
officers that you have let us all down.
Maj. Gen. J.E.B. Stuart:
[angry at the slight to his honor] General Lee, sir, if you will please tell me
who these gentlemen are...
General Robert E. Lee: There
will be none of that. There is no time.
Maj. Gen. J.E.B. Stuart: Sir,
I only ask that I be allowed to defend my...
General Robert E. Lee:
[raising his voice slightly] There is no time.
[Stuart looks stunned]
General Robert E. Lee: General
Stuart... your mission was to free this army from the enemy cavalry and report
any movement by the enemy's main body. That mission was not fulfilled. You left
here with no word of your movement or movement of the enemy for several days.
Meanwhile, we were engaged here and drawn into battle without adequate knowledge
of the enemy's strength or position, without knowledge of the ground. So it is
only by God's grace that we did not meet disaster here.
Maj. Gen. J.E.B. Stuart:
General Lee, there were reasons...
General Robert E. Lee: [Lee
holds up his hand to silence Stuart] Perhaps you misunderstood my orders?
Perhaps I did not make myself clear. Well, sir... this must be made very clear.
You, sir, with your cavalry, are the eyes of this army. Without your cavalry, we
are made blind. That has already happened once. It must never, never happen
again.
Maj. Gen. J.E.B. Stuart:
[Stuart stares at the floor, then slowly draws his sword in token of his
resignation] Sir... since I no longer hold the General's...
General Robert E. Lee:
[suddenly furious, Lee pounds the table with his fist] I have told you, there is
no time for that! There is no time!
[he pauses, takes a deep
breath, and calms down again]
General Robert E. Lee: There
is another fight comin' tomorrow, and we need you. We need every man, God knows.
You must take what I have told you, and learn from it, as a man does.
[he takes Stuart's sword and
replaces it in its scabbard]
General Robert E. Lee: There
has been a mistake. It will not happen again; I know your quality. You are one
of the finest cavalry officers I have ever known, and your service to this army
has been invaluable. Now... let us speak no more of this.
[he turns and slowly walks
away, then turns back to Stuart]
General Robert E. Lee: The
matter is concluded. Good night, General.
[not knowing what to think of
this show of mercy, Stuart snaps a crisp salute, and Lee returns it]
Introduction
Traditionally, cavalry was
considered the “eyes” of the army, scouting, guarding supply lines, and
screening the army’s flanks from the enemy. When required, the cavalry could
also disrupt enemy communication and supply lines, provide a mobile striking
force, or defend key terrain. The Civil War army, Union and Confederate,
consisted primarily of infantry, cavalry, and artillery. Occasionally, without
even firing a rifle or wielding a saber, cavalry turned the tide of battle by
providing reconnaissance.
Cavalry played a prominent
role in the outcome of many major battles and campaigns during the conflict and
it was a critical component in the army organization. Cavalry often collected
intelligence, such as enemy position and movement, and forwarded the vital
information to the respective command, which allowed headquarters to respond
accordingly with its infantry and artillery. Many Civil War battlefields may be
viewed as a chess match, with cavalry retaining the position of the knights. The
exigencies of battle were often met because cavalry was on the scene and it
allowed the commanding general to be armed with precise intelligence to make an
informed decision.
Cavalry generally fought
dismounted, with every fourth trooper holding the horses of his comrades. Either
mounted or dismounted, troopers might advance in two ranks, the first rank
firing and, while reloading, the second rank advanced through the first. The
maneuver was repeated until the objective was obtained. If forced to fall back,
the troops could reverse the maneuver.
Prior to the Civil War, mounted cavalry charges against infantry were not
uncommon, but with the widespread use of the long-range rifled musket such
assaults were often suicidal.
The Battle of Brandy
Station involved 22,000 cavalry and was the largest
cavalry engagement on American soil.
The Union and Confederate Armies in the field were
not just in the market for food and clothing, but animals were a major resource
for the war effort. Prices for horses rose from $100 at the outset to $185 by
war's end. The Union army exhausted approximately 500 horses per day by war's
end so that despite efforts to supply the insatiable demand, the horse
population in the Union dropped by nearly half a million. Mules were as much in
demand as horses.
See also
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