s been worsted. After the _Combat of Rolica_ (August 17, 1808)
General Delaborde retreated by alternate masses, protecting his
movements by short, vigorous charges of cavalry. At _Chancellorsville_
(May 3, 1863), and on the first day of _Gettysburg_ (July 1, 1863), a
handful of United States {96} cavalry held up the pursuit and staved
off disaster. At _Koeniggratz_ (_Sadowa_), (July 3, 1866), the charges
of the Austrian cavalry drove back the Prussian Horse and enabled
Benedek's defeated troops to get back in safety. At _Rezonville_
(August 16, 1870) von Bredow's Cavalry Brigade was ordered to charge
the French batteries and their infantry escort, in order to give some
breathing time for the hard-pressed Prussian infantry. The charge was
successful and the time was gained, but as at _Balaclava_ (October 26,
1854) there were few survivors from "Von Bredow's Todtenritt" (death
ride). After the battle of _Le Cateau_ (August 26, 1918) and during
the _Retreat from Mons_, the British cavalry, under General Allenby,
effectively held off the enemy and enabled the British troops to move
unmolested. During the great German offensive in the spring of 1918
the withdrawal of the troops at _Cugny_ (March 24, 1918) was made
possible by a brilliant mounted charge by a squadron of the 16th
Cavalry Brigade, which broke through the German line, taking over 100
prisoners, and sabring a large number of the enemy. During the retreat
in that area units of the 2nd and 3rd Cavalry Divisions proved so
effective in delaying the enemy's advance that other units were horsed
during the progress of the battle in order to increase the supply of
cavalry. "Without the assistance of mounted troops, skilfully handled
and gallantly led, the enemy could scarcely have been prevented from
breaking through the long and thinly held front of broken and wooded
ground before the French reinforcements had had time to arrive. . . .
The absence of hostile cavalry at this period was a marked feature of
the battle. Had the German command had at their disposal even two or
three well-trained cavalry divisions, a wedge might have been driven
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).

{97}

_He must select a rallying place_ in rear of the main position from
which to recapture the front line, as General Lee recovered the
"Salient" in the Wilderne