, and thus divert the forces of the enemy
into eccentric operations. Here they occupy the most suitable position
to initiate without loss of time a parallel pursuit of the enemy, or
to counter his attempts at pursuit; and here also they are best placed
to accept the inevitable challenge of the enemy's Cavalry.

General von Schlichting considers these combats as generally
superfluous--a kind of family concern which affects the rival
Cavalries only--having no connection with the ultimate decision
between the two armies.[11]

[Footnote 11: See 'Tactical and Strategical Principles of the
Future,' p. 83. The view that Cavalry which has delivered one
charge in the day is useless for the rest of the operations,
I cannot accept. It finds no support in the facts of Military
history--on the contrary, the most complete refutation.]

I cannot share this opinion, which seems to me to be based mainly on
peace-time experiences, in which the opposing Cavalry forces generally
neutralize one another. In actual War, however, victory more usually
opens the path to other and proportionately more far-reaching results.
I hold, therefore, not only that such Cavalry duels are essential, but
that the opportunity for engaging in them should be sought out from
the first; for it is only the defeat of the enemy's horse which can
open the door for further successful action against his other troops;
otherwise the two Cavalries mutually paralyze one another, as at Mars
la Tour.

If in practice it has often happened that this Cavalry deadlock has
supervened, and the result of their encounter has remained unimportant
on the decision of the day, this result, in my opinion, has always
been due to a reluctance on one or the other sides to press the combat
to its utmost limitations, as in the above-mentioned instance of Mars
la Tour, or because the victorious side has retained neither force nor
cohesion sufficient to act against the enemy's flanks, as at Chotusitz
and at Prague.

Matters, however, will be very different when the Cavalry is really
adequate to its duties--when it not only beats the enemy out of the
field, but remains, as at Roszbach and Soor, fit for further efforts
in pursuit.

To reach this ideal we must strain every fibre of our being, and never
rest satisfied, as on the plateau of Ville sur Yron (Mars la Tour),
with half results as long as a single trooper remains fit to gallop
and handl