had the
advance of the cavalry been allowed to continue, the enemy's
disorganised retreat would have been turned into a rout" (Sir D. Haig's
Dispatches). The absence of cavalry at the critical moment has often
decided the issue of a campaign. After the action of _Gaines's Mill_
(June 27, 1862) General J. E. B. Stuart was dispatched by Lee with the
Confederate cavalry on a false scent to White House, south of the York
River, to which base Lee believed McClellan to be retreating. But
McClellan had shifted his base to Harrison's Landing, on the James
River, and the Confederate cavalry did not regain touch with the Army
of the Potomac until July 3, two days after the failure of Lee's attack
on Malvern Hill. Had Stuart been available with his cavalry throughout
that critical period McClellan's huge trains would have fallen an easy
prey to the Confederate horsemen, and the roads through the forests and
swamps to Malvern Hill could have been blocked. Absence of cavalry
before the first day of _Gettysburg_ (July 1, 1863) hampered the
Confederate leaders, and lack of information caused them to act with
unnecessary caution when boldness would have carried everything before
them. General Stuart had once more been sent away on a raiding
expedition. After the victorious attack of General Early's division a
handful of General Buford's U.S. cavalry enabled the defeated 1st Corps
of Meade's army to save their guns and to retire unmolested. A
thousand {66} Confederate sabres would have brushed Buford aside, and
July 1 would have been disastrous to the National cause.

During the German offensive of March-July, 1918, "even two or three
well-trained cavalry divisions might have driven a wedge between the
French and British Armies. Their presence could not have failed to
have added greatly to the difficulties of our task" (Sir D. Haig's
Dispatches). During the _Battle of Cambrai_ (November 20, 1917) a
squadron of the Fort Garry Horse crossed the Scheldt Canal, and after
capturing a German battery and dispersing a large body of infantry,
maintained itself by rifle fire in a sunken road until nightfall, when
it withdrew to the British lines with its prisoners. During the
_Battle of Amiens_ (August 8-18, 1918) the cavalry were concentrated
behind the battle front by a series of night marches, and on the first
day of the battle they advanced 23 miles from their position of
assembly. Throughout the battle they rendered most gallant