of its
sabres would thereby become useless. But if a facing about to retreat is
feared, an attack in column would prevent it. It is said, also, that a
column is more imposing than a line. If so, it might have a greater
moral effect on the enemy.

3. When cavalry are deployed as skirmishers, as a curtain to hide our
movements, they should be _in considerable number_, with small
intervals, and should make as much noise, and smoke, and dust as
possible. When the charge is sounded, the skirmishers wait and fall in
with the rest.

4. The great rule in cavalry combats is to _cover our own flanks_, and
_gain the enemy's_; for these are his and our weakest points.

5. When the enemy's cavalry is already in full charge on our infantry,
it is too late for our cavalry to charge it with much prospect of
success. In such a case, it would be better to defer our own charge till
the moment that the enemy's _is completed_; for our success then would
be certain.

6. Cavalry attacks cavalry _in line_, in order to have the more sabres,
and, if possible, to outflank the enemy.

7. If we can manoeuvre so as to attack the enemy's cavalry _in flank_,
our success will be certain.

Military history affords hundreds of instances in proof of this
proposition. At one of the battles in Spain, for example, in 1809,
fifteen hundred French horse, by charging four thousand Spanish cavalry
in flank, completely cut it in pieces.

8. Cavalry _never waits in position_ to be charged by cavalry. Its only
safety is in meeting the charge with a violent gallop; it would
otherwise be sure to be overthrown.

When hostile cavalries thus meet each other, there is usually but small
loss on either side. A certain number of troopers are usually
dismounted; but the colliding masses somehow ride through each other,
allowing but little time for the exchange of points and cuts.

Thus cavalry can defend itself against cavalry only by attacking; which
it must do even when inferior to the enemy in number.

9. To attack artillery, cavalry should be in _three detachments_;
one-fourth to seize the guns; one-half to charge the supports; and the
other fourth as a reserve.

The first party attacks in dispersed order, as foragers, trying to gain
the flanks of the battery. The second party should manoeuvre to gain
the flanks of the supports.

10. Where a cavalry attack can be masked, so as to operate _as a
surprise_, a battery may be taken by charging it in front. The