Cavalry Since 1500 (Military History)

Introduction
Cavalry, one of the three principal combat branches, has long been known as “the combat arm of decision.” This view, of a horse-mounted cavalry soldier delivering a charge at a gallop and turning a battlefield victory into a rout, is the idealized view of supporters. The role of cavalry, and whether it could continue to play a role on a battlefield dominated by firearms, has been the central debate since the 16th century. After cavalry forces lost their unquestioned battlefield dominance during the medieval period, the next four centuries witnessed a reevaluation and readjustment of their role. Others refused to admit to these changes, arguing for an unaltered role. The heyday of the mounted arm’s effectiveness came during the Napoleonic era (1799–1815), when a general equality among the various branches allowed cavalry its last true measure of shock effect as its principal mission. Throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, the successive improvements in firearms technology threatened cavalry’s continued relevance on the battlefield. This professional debate climaxed in the period prior to World War I, as the most powerful nations discussed the experiences of the Boer War and Russo-Japanese War. World War I witnessed limited use of cavalry in the major theater, but large-scale use of horse cavalry in secondary theaters provided evidence for the supporters of animal-powered cavalry. World War II was the final large-scale use of horse cavalry, but this was due more to necessity than to continued relevance on the battlefield. As a field, the study of cavalry has been looked at by two camps of writers—one looking at the flashing swords and tales of glory, and the other looking at the arm as an adjunct to the major armies. Few scholarly works discuss cavalry across the breath of the period or how cavalry dealt with the issues of modernization or societal change. Recently, the historical community has reawakened to the debates concerning the proper role and missions of cavalry. Beginning in the early 1990s, the examination of the phenomenon of military revolutions and reemergence of disciplined infantry as the dominant arm on the battlefield has led to a number of works looking into the changes this caused in the cavalry, not only in its role on the battlefield but also as the purview of society’s elites.
General Overviews
The history of the cavalry arm has rarely been comprehensively studied as a subject in the modern period. The changing importance of the cavalry, battlefield roles, and prominence is normally examined as an adjunct to histories of the period, or intones with nationalistic and narrower focus on their battlefield exploits. Many works offer general introductions but do not address the larger issues of changing technologies and societal norms. DiMarco 2008 is the best scholarly work in a broad context, with valuable analysis of cavalry’s changing roles. Grbašić and Vukšić 1989 and Ellis 1978 are similar, well-illustrated introductions to the topic, but not as comprehensive or exhaustively researched. Lawford 1976 focuses on the British cavalry in the modern era, but its discussion of the various types of cavalry helps frame discussions on their roles and missions. What Jarymowycz 2008 lacks in depth is made up for by breath, and it describes the changes to cavalry over a 2,500 year period. Roemer 1863 is a 19th-century work that covers cavalry through the modern era with discussions on the roles of heavy and light cavalry. Clutton-Brock 1992 is valuable for the interaction between horsepower and society.
Clutton-Brock, Juliet. Horse Power: A History of the Horse and Donkey in Human Societies. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1992.
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A social and natural history of the equine family, with sections dealing with the use of horses as cavalry mounts, this work gives a comprehensive look at the subject of horses with only an oblique discussion of their military employment.
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DiMarco, Louis A. War Horse: A History of the Military Horse and Rider. Yardley, PA: Westholme, 2008.
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A scholarly work on the relationship between humans and horses in battle since antiquity; this is the best overall source on the topic, with in-depth research and analysis.
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Ellis, John. Cavalry: The History of Mounted Warfare. New York: G. P. Putnam, 1978.
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A colorful and illustrated work, useful for the numerous illustrations of cavalry forces and formations.
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Grbašić, Z., and V. Vukšić. The History of Cavalry. New York: Facts on File, 1989.
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Traces the development and employment of the cavalry with a detailed look at organization, equipping, and doctrine. Illustrated, showing the uniforms of various periods.
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Jarymowycz, Roman Johann. Cavalry from Hoof to Track. Westport, CT: Praeger, 2008.
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An overly ambitious attempt to distill the entire period from ancient to 21st-century cavalry, leading to few details in many critical periods of cavalry development. This work is useful as a succinct starting point for someone new to the topic.
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Lawford, James, ed. The Cavalry. Indianapolis, IN: Bobbs-Merrill, 1976.
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Concise overview of cavalry in the modern era, with a particular focus on the British mounted arm. The discussion of types of cavalry is of particular use.
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Roemer, Jean. Cavalry: Its History, Management, and Uses in War. New York: D. Van Nostrand, 1863.
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While dated, Roemer’s book is a detailed and useful look at cavalry operations, tactics, and the balance between light and heavy cavalry, with a comprehensive look at European cavalry of the 19th century. Chapters deal with ancient cavalry as well, but the mid-19th-century view of the effects of muskets and later rifled firearms on cavalry operations marks a particular appeal of this volume.
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Early Modern
The rise of disciplined infantry changed the dynamics of the battlefield and pushed the cavalry out of its dominant position during the medieval period. These changes were the result of changes in European society over the course of the previous few centuries, but the final death knell to the myth of the idealized mounted hero, and the marginalization of cavalry, was the Dutch military reforms and professional infantry forces. The concept of a military revolution in the early modern period has gained acceptance since the late 20th century, and works examining the technological, doctrinal, and organizational results are well known. The relationship between changing societies and their military is well covered in Corvisier 1979, though discussions of cavalry are limited. Wood 1996 examines the interaction of infantry and cavalry in early modern French warfare, while Tucker 2001 explores the three cavalry types and social status. Eltis 1995 argues for the continuing relevance of cavalry during the period, while most authors on the military revolution focus on infantry reforms, which they argue marginalized the mounted arm. Love 1991 examines the financial problems that created the conditions for innovative and imaginative employment of the mounted arm under Henry IV. Phillips 2002 challenges the accepted view that firearms led to the demise of cavalry, and instead argues that the constantly changing dynamics on the battlefield offered cavalry the opportunity to focus on those missions only it could accomplish. Chandler 1976 is a masterful account of the Wars of the Spanish Succession, with detailed description of the state of the art of the cavalry arm. Duffy 1974 offers a case study of Prussian cavalry improvements in the context of Frederick the Great’s army.
Chandler, David. Art of Warfare in the Age of Marlborough. New York: Hippocrene Books, 1976.
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Well written and valuable for the detailed descriptions of the various branches during the War of Spanish Succession, with a focus on the English army.
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Corvisier, André. Armies and Societies in Europe, 1494–1789. Translated by Abigail T. Siddall. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1979.
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A well-researched discussion of the changes in warfare and the influence of society, with discussions on enlistment, forming militaries, and campaigns across Europe including Cossack, French, Prussian, and Swedish mounted branches. This work is particularly important for showing the interrelation of civilian societal changes and the evolution of the cavalry.
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Duffy, Christopher. The Army of Frederick the Great. Newton Abbot, UK: David & Charles, 1974.
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Discusses the building of the Prussian army; useful for the description of how the Prussian cavalry developed its superb reputation during this period.
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Eltis, David. The Military Revolution in Sixteenth-Century Europe. New York: I. B. Tauris, 1995.
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An important work on the military revolution of the early modern period, refuting the claims of cavalry ineffectiveness and showing instead the close interdependence of infantry, artillery, and cavalry.
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Love, Ronald S. “All the King’s Horsemen: The Equestrian Army of Henri IV, 1585–1598.” Sixteenth Century Journal 22 (1991): 510–533.
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Financial and manpower shortages required an innovative use of cavalry, making Henri IV’s mounted arm arguably the most effective of the period.
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Phillips, Gervase. “‘Of Nimble Service’: Technology, Equestrianism and the Cavalry Arm of Early Modern Western European Armies.” War and Society 20 (2002): 1–21.
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Challenges the prevailing view of the introduction of firearms leading to a decline of cavalry and argues that the dynamics of the period allowed a reexamination of the need for shock effect.
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Tucker, Treva J. “‘Eminence over Efficacy’: Social Status and Cavalry Service in Sixteenth-Century France.” Sixteenth Century Journal 32 (2001): 1057–1095.
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Examines three cavalry types and the effect of social status on the recruitment process, showing that nobles chose prestige over technological advances.
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Wood, James B. The King’s Army: Warfare, Soldiers, and Society during the Wars of Religion in France, 1562–1576. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1996.
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Well-researched work focusing on the Royal army; discusses the integration of infantry and cavalry in what Wood terms an incomplete military revolution.
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French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars
Admirers of cavalry often look to the French Revolution and Napoleonic eras as the epitome of the mounted arm’s effectiveness. A combination of weapons effectiveness, doctrinal changes, and societal changes allowed the cavalry to play a significant role on the battlefield. Elting 1988, in its discussion of the Grande Armée, has a chapter that is the best introduction to the topic and covers the French Revolutionary armies as well as Napoleon’s. Picard 1895–1896 is a valuable addition to the narrative of the French cavalry’s action throughout the two periods but lacks analysis. Johnson 1978 and Johnson 1999 are both well-researched and informative books on the French cavalry. The vast array of different types of French cavalry is intimidating, but Bukhari 1979 is useful for its definitions. A unique thesis that Napoleon’s success was due to his cavalry is offered in Shoffner 2010. Rothenberg 1982 is the definitive work on the Austrian army during this period, with sections dealing with Habsburg cavalry reforms. The battles of the Napoleonic era are some of the most chronicled aspects of this period, and Smith 2003 offers interesting detail of selected cavalry battles without making a grander analysis of the implications. Wood 1895 is a valuable source for understanding the battle of Waterloo.
Bukhari, Emir. Napoleon’s Cavalry. San Rafael, CA: Presidio, 1979.
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Described as a picturesque description of Napoleon’s cavalry due to the numerous uniform and battle illustrations, the chapters that illustrate the types and composition of the cavalry are of use.
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Elting, John R. Swords Around a Throne: Napoleon’s Grande Armée. New York: Free Press, 1988.
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The best single volume on the Grande Armée; chapters on the army of the ancient régime, Revolution armies, and then specifically Napoleon’s cavalry are valuable. Elting also discusses arms, equipment, remounts, and replacements.
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Johnson, David. The French Cavalry, 1792–1815. London: Belmont, 1978.
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Describes the campaigns of the French cavalry and gives some analysis of the relative merits of the enemy cavalry in relation to the French. The limited discussion of French cavalry counterinsurgency operations in the Peninsula War is surprising.
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Johnson, David. Napoleon’s Cavalry and Its Leaders. Staplehurst, UK: Spellmount, 1999.
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A useful description of the development of the First Empire and the mounted branch and its leaders, but without much critical analysis; good for a beginning understanding of the personalities of Napoleon’s cavalry.
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Picard, Louis Auguste. La cavalerie dans les guerres de la révolution et de l’empire. 2 vols. Saumur, France: Milon, 1895–1896.
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Valuable for the French perspective on the campaigns of the French Revolutionaries and Napoleonic armies; chronicles in great detail the engagements but lacks analysis.
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Rothenberg, Gunther E. Napoleon’s Great Adversaries: The Archduke Charles and the Austrian Army, 1792–1814. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1982.
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The definitive work on the Austrian Army during the Napoleonic period, with analysis on the reforms of the army after stinging defeats by France.
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Shoffner, Thomas. Napoleon’s Cavalry: A Key Element to Decisive Victory. New York: Nimble Books, 2010.
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This work makes the case that the secret to Napoleon’s success was the cavalry through campaign studies of the Jena and 1813 campaigns. Overstates the thesis, but useful for the comparison of the functioning of Napoleon’s mounted arm and the effect it had on his operations.
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Smith, Digby. Charge! Great Cavalry Charges of the Napoleonic Wars. London: Greenhill, 2003.
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With the author clearly fascinated with the glory and élan during this period, the book is useful for the micro-study of thirteen charges but unfortunately does not ask any greater questions such as why, during twenty-five years of warfare, cavalry was only able to play this decisive role a dozen times.
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Wood, Evelyn. Cavalry in the Waterloo Campaign. London: Sampson Low, Marston, 1895.
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Synthesizes English, French, and Prussian sources with studies of the actual terrain to develop a complete representation of cavalry contributions during this critical campaign.
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Peninsular War
Napoleon on St. Helena described the Peninsula War as his “Spanish ulcer,” but other than a few English sources, much of the recent scholarship on cavalry has ignored this six-year campaign. Many of those writings are regimental histories and memoirs, and while well-researched, they often lack a larger analysis that puts the contributions into context. Some sources on the French cavalry in French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars touch on campaigns against Wellington while ignoring those against Spanish armies and guerrillas. Tomkinson 1971 is valuable for its insight into and critical analysis of the British cavalry’s role. Nunes 1954 is the only work on the Portuguese cavalry available, while Picard 1895–1896 has sections on the French cavalry in these campaigns. Fletcher 1999 is readable and details the terrain of the peninsula, which assists in understanding the actions.
Fletcher, Ian. Galloping at Everything: The British Cavalry in the Peninsular War and at Waterloo, 1808–15: A Reappraisal. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole, 1999.
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Examines the British cavalry performance in the peninsula in an attempt to rehabilitate the arm’s contributions to Wellington’s eventual victory. Useful for the discussions of terrain, which is often glossed over in other works, but lacks the archival research that could have made this work truly unique.
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Nunes, J. Lúcio. As Brigadas da Cavalaria Portuguesa na Guerra Peninsular. Lisbon, Portugal: Edição de Álvaro Pinto, 1954.
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One of the few works that focuses on the Portuguese mounted arm during the Iberian war, with an appendix of important documents relating to the raising of Portuguese regiments for employment with the Anglo-Portuguese army.
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Picard, Louis Auguste. La cavalerie dans les guerres de la révolution et de l’empire. 2 vols. Saumur, France: Milon, 1895–1896.
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Valuable for the French perspective, balancing what is the uncritical and often nationalistic views of English writers of the period.
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Tomkinson, William. Diary of a Cavalry Officer in the Peninsular and Waterloo Campaign, 1809–1815. Edited by James Tomkinson. 2d ed. London: Frederick Muller, 1971.
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While most memoirs fail to rise above the descriptive, Tomkinson was an active and well-connected observer, and his analysis of the performance of the British cavalry and its leaders during the war is illustrative and a necessary starting point for discussions of the Anglo-Portuguese army.
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19th-Century European Cavalry
The 19th century was a period with no major European wars and seeming stability, yet changes in society, industrialization, and weapons technology threatened the cavalry’s role as the threat of war grew toward the end of the century. The period is often viewed as one of reluctance to change, or actively avoiding change to maintain the cavalry organizations that were successful during the Napoleonic Wars. This view is challenged in Strachan 1985, which shows a wide range of British doctrinal developments. An essential examination of the Austrian army and challenges of the multicultural state is Rothenberg 1976. Another challenge for the cavalry was utilization in colonial warfare, and traditional cavalry offered a useful tool for stability operations. Anglesey 1973–1997 fully covers the mounted arm in both major campaigns and colonial conflicts and is essential for the study of the British cavalry. Cooper 1965 and Warner 1984 are more concise entryways into the colonial period as well as major operations.
Anglesey, George Charles. A History of the British Cavalry, 1816 to 1919. 8 vols. London: Leo Cooper, 1973–1997.
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Most detailed and comprehensive study of the British mounted arm through the 19th century; the work is well-written and researched but is less a critical analysis of the employment than a narrative of its accomplishments.
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Cooper, Leonard. British Regular Cavalry, 1644–1914. London: Chapman & Hall, 1965.
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A focused study on the functions and evolution of the British cavalry, with a particular emphasis on the regimental system. Particulars of cavalry’s employment in Queen Victoria’s colonial campaigns are useful and lead to discussions of cavalry’s continued relevance prior to World War I.
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Rothenberg, Gunther E. The Army of Francis Joseph. West Lafayette, IN: Purdue University Press, 1976.
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Rothenberg’s work is the first analytical, full-length study of the army of Franz Joseph from the end of the Napoleonic era to the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and places the cavalry and reforms into the context of challenges of multinationalism facing the empire in the late 19th century.
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Strachan, Hew. From Waterloo to Balaclava: Tactics, Technology, and the British Army, 1815–1854. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 1985.
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The stultifying effect of the Duke of Wellington after Waterloo on British army reforms is a well-entrenched assumption that the author calls into question during this study of the British army during this critical forty-year period. Contains an entire chapter on cavalry missions and reform.
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Warner, Philip. The British Cavalry. London: J. M. Dent, 1984.
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Discusses the mounted arm from the English Civil War through World War I, with detailed discussions of the Victorian era and campaigns in the Middle East in World War I.
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Crimean War
The poor performance of the armies of the Crimean War created a window for organizational change. No works deals specifically with cavalry as a topic during this war despite its large-scale employment. Baker 1858 is an early attempt to analyze the reasons for the lackluster British performance. Nolan 1860 is more expansive, using historical examples to support the author’s call for change and describing the various cavalry forces in Europe. McClellan 1861 describes the various armies involved in the war and is valuable for its insights into organizational matters.
Baker, Valentine. British Cavalry with Remarks on Its Practical Organization. London: Longman, Brown, Green, Longmans, & Roberts, 1858.
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Written immediately after the Crimean War by an active officer, this is an examination of the effectiveness of the British cavalry, with the thesis that without cavalry a modern army cannot exploit a victory effectively. Sections detail and recommend particular horses, types of equipment, organizations, and employment. An important work for capturing reform ideas immediately after the war.
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McClellan, George Brinton. European Cavalry: Including Details of the Organization of the Cavalry Service among the Principal Nations of Europe. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott, 1861.
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A central work on the state of the art in mid-century Europe from detailed observations of the major armies during the Crimean War. The focus of this work was to detail the best practices for possible implementation by the fledging US cavalry.
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Nolan, L. E. Cavalry: Its History and Tactics. 3d ed. London: Bosworth & Harris, 1860.
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Reaching back to the ancient period, the chapters on comparative advantages on European cavalry and training methodology are useful for their discussions on Cossack, Ottoman, Prussian, French, and English cavalry.
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Franco-Prussian War
While the trends affecting cavalry performance in the Crimean War and the US Civil War were ignored or explained away, the Franco-Prussian War thrust the issues into the consciousness of the major powers in Europe. Bonie 1873 and Bonie 2010 are French views from immediately after the war of the reasons for the Prussian success. The discussions of two critical battles are valuable for understanding their performance. Wagner 1896 reprints those studies and adds a US Civil War campaign to the analysis. Trench 1884 expands the analysis to include other armies in Europe. Most observers saw the Prussian army as the paradigm of successful change, and Pelet-Narbonne 1906 details the success of the Prussian arms on a key campaign.
Bonie, Jean Jacques Théophile. The French Cavalry in 1870: With Its Tactical Results. Translated by C. F. Thomson. London: W. Mitchell, 1873.
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A French view of their cavalry’s performance, stressing the importance of saber, carbine, and horse, which is uncritically taken as the reason for the success of the Prussian cavalry in 1870.
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Bonie, Jean Jacques Théophile, and Otto August Johannes Kaehler. Cavalry in the Franco-Prussian War. Driffield, UK: Oakpast, 2010.
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Studies two key engagements, including Mars-la-Tour, with insights into the prevailing expectations of the future of the cavalry. Important for the state of thinking on cavalry’s continued usefulness in the late 19th century by both sides. Reprint of an earlier edition. This work contains Bonie’s French cavalry study (Bonie 1873) and was also published as part of Wagner 1896.
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Pelet-Narbonne, Gerhard von. Cavalry on Service: Illustrated by the Advance of the German Cavalry across the Mosel in 1870. Translated by D’Arcy Legard. London: Hugh Rees, 1906.
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Translation of a German study of the cavalry campaign with valuable self-criticism of the German cavalry effectiveness that was often missing from English and French studies.
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Trench, F. Chenevix. Cavalry in Modern War. London: Kegan Paul, 1884.
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Part of a multivolume handbook for officers and noncommissioned officers; the discussion on various European cavalry of the late 19th century and Russian campaigns against the Ottoman Empire is valuable.
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Wagner, A. L., ed. Cavalry Studies from Two Great Wars: Comprising The French Cavalry in 1870 by LTC Bonie, The German Cavalry in the Battle of Vionville–Mars-La-Tour by Major Kaehler, The Operations of the Cavalry in the Gettysburg Campaign by LTC George B. Davis. Kansas City, MO: Hudson-Kimberly, 1896.
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Combines Bonie’s works (Bonie 1873 and Bonie’s text in Bonie and Kaehler 2010) with a chapter on the Gettysburg campaign to analyze cavalry’s contributions and future usefulness.
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19th-Century American Cavalry
American cavalry since the founding of the United States suffered from a lack of clear doctrine and was considered of marginal importance when discussing the requirements of the army. Despite this benign neglect, the first mounted regiments of the army played key roles in the development of the North American continent. Covering the period from the American Revolution to the antebellum army, Brackett 1865 documents the key contributions. Johnson 1985 describes the history of the cavalry into the 20th century and is a readable overview of the entire era. The campaigns and explorations prior to the US Civil War can be found in Pelzer 1917 and Rodenbough 1875, the latter of which contains an appendix of orders. Lane 1890 and Lane 1895 are some of the only comprehensive works on US cavalry in the Mexican War.
Brackett, Albert G. History of the United States Cavalry: From the Formation of the Federal Government to the 1st of June 1863. New York: Harper, 1865.
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Details the haphazard organization of US cavalry during the American Revolution, through its disbanding in the early 19th century and reinvention as mounted dragoons in the 1830s, with a listing of cavalry regiments and commanders during the first half of the American Civil War. One of the few works to discuss the prominence of dragoon regiment operations in the early 19th century in exploration and Indian campaigns.
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Johnson, Swafford. History of the U.S. Cavalry. New York: Crescent, 1985.
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Readable discussion of the US cavalry development from the Civil War until conversion to mechanized forces in the 20th century, useful as a starting point for the topic of American cavalry.
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Lane, W. B. “The United States Cavalry in the Mexican War.” Journal of the United States Cavalry Association 3.11 (1890): 388–408.
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One of the few works to address cavalry operations during this war.
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Lane, W. B. “The Regiment of Mounted Riflemen; Or From Puebla to the City of Mexico.” United Service 14.4 (1895): 301–313.
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In-depth look at one regiment on campaign.
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Pelzer, Louis. Marches of the Dragoons in the Mississippi Valley: An Account of the Marches and Activities of the First Regiment United States Dragoons in the Mississippi Valley between the Years 1833 and 1850. Iowa City: State Historical Society of Iowa, 1917.
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Detailed chronicle of the campaigns of the First Dragoons over a seventeen-year period in the West, with insights into frontier army life.
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Rodenbough, Theophilus Francis. From Everglade to Cañon with the Second Dragoons (Second United States Cavalry): An Authentic Account of the Service in Florida, Mexico, Virginia, and the Indian Country, Including the Personal Recollections of Prominent Officers. New York: Van Nostrand, 1875.
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One of the best chronicles of early frontier life in the cavalry.
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US Civil War
The US Civil War saw a rapid expansion of a small, widely dispersed regular army through volunteer regiments. The experiences of the war were disparaged by European observers, particularly after the Franco-Prussian War, which seemed to confirm much of their preconceived ideas about the value of shock action by saber-wielding cavalry. The fact that American cavalry discarded edged weapons and acted like traditional dragoons only reinforced European belief in the irrelevance of this war. Starr 1979–1985 is a comprehensive account of Federal cavalry forces throughout the war. Black 2004 is a readable and exciting volume with a focus on the war against logistic supply lines. Longacre 1975 is a more thoroughly researched account, with detailed analysis of the effect of raids on the armies’ campaigns.
Black, Robert W. Cavalry Raids of the Civil War. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole, 2004.
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Examines the role of cavalry raids in hampering logistics for both sides of the Civil War, with an eye toward the sensational.
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Longacre, Edward G. Mounted Raids of the Civil War. South Brunswick, NJ: A. S. Barnes, 1975.
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Scholarly work on the role of cavalry raids and the effect on Union and Confederate campaigns.
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Starr, Stephen Z. The Union Cavalry in the Civil War. 3 vols. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1979–1985.
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Scholarly three-volume set details Federal cavalry and analyzes its importance in the campaigns and ultimate Union victory. Essential starting point on Federal cavalry.
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Eastern Theater
The close proximately of the two rivals’ capitals means that the preponderancy of the research on Civil War armies details nearly every aspect of their operations. Cavalry in the eastern theater has been extensively evaluated. Longacre 2000 is a well-researched account of the campaigns of the Northern cavalry. Longacre 2002 is an equally well-balanced and researched account on the Confederate force. Longacre 1986 focuses on the key campaign of the eastern theater, with analysis of the Southern cavalry’s poor performance during the campaign contributing to the outcome. Rhodes 1900 is valuable for the early insights into what cavalry contributed.
Longacre, Edward G. The Cavalry at Gettysburg: A Tactical Study of Mounted Operations during the Civil War’s Pivotal Campaign, 9 June–14 July 1863. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1986.
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Detailed and painstakingly researched analysis of this campaign.
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Longacre, Edward G. Lincoln’s Cavalrymen: A History of the Mounted Forces of the Army of the Potomac, 1861–1865. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole, 2000.
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Uniformly well-researched; covers camp life, recruiting, and commanders as well as campaigns.
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Longacre, Edward G. Lee’s Cavalrymen: A History of the Mounted Forces of the Army of Northern Virginia, 1861–1865. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole, 2002.
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Companion to Longacre 2000, with a thorough treatment and analysis of the Confederate mounted arm on campaign, in camp, and recruitment.
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Rhodes, Charles D. History of the Cavalry of the Army of the Potomac Including That of the Army of Virginia (Pope’s) and Also a History of the Operations of the Federal Cavalry in West Virginia During the War. Kansas City, MO: Hudson Kimberly, 1900.
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The stated goal of this slim volume was to get beyond the individual regimental glories and instead look at the contributions of the cavalry to the success in the eastern theater. An early starting point for the study of this arm, but focuses nearly exclusively on campaign history.
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Western Theater
The western theater remained less well known until well into the 20th century, but its contribution to the overall Union victory is now well documented. Longacre 2009 delves into the performance of Confederate cavalry and argues that poor strategic decisions concerning cavalry dispositions hampered Confederate operations in the west. Keenan 1998 examines the Union cavalry corps in the last year of the war to conclude that its often overlooked commander was one of the most successful of the war. Oates 1961 expands beyond the well-known campaigns and is valuable for the trans-Mississippi operations. Evans 1996 examines Sherman’s controversial campaign in Georgia and the important role of Union cavalry in “making Georgia howl.” Baggett 2009 examines the concept of soldier alliance and why Southerners remained loyal to the Union.
Baggett, James Alex. Homegrown Yankees: Tennessee’s Union Cavalry in the Civil War. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 2009.
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A well-researched work on the phenomenon of Union volunteers from a Confederate state that examines soldier allegiance and effectiveness on the battlefield.
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Evans, David. Sherman’s Horsemen: Union Cavalry Operations in the Atlanta Campaign. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1996.
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Looks at a relatively unexplored aspect of the Atlanta campaign and chronicles the unsuccessful large-scale raids under the cast-off commanders from the eastern theater of the war.
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Keenan, Jerry. Wilson’s Cavalry Corps: Union Campaigns in the Western Theatre, October 1864 through Spring 1865. Jefferson, NC: McFarland, 1998.
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First work devoted to the Union cavalry corps in the western theater.
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Longacre, Edward G. Cavalry of the Heartland: The Mounted Forces of the Army of Tennessee. Yardley, PA: Westholme, 2009.
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Meticulous research combined with careful analysis that links cavalry operations and command decisions with effects throughout the western theater of the Civil War.
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Oates, Stephen B. Confederate Cavalry West of the River. Austin: University of Texas, 1961.
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Solid book on the Confederate cavalry in the trans-Mississippi theater, including lesser-known campaigns against Federal forces.
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Indian Wars
The US Army’s role in the Indian Wars proved to be one of the most contentious periods of its history. Caught between enforcing unpopular policies from the Indian Bureau and miserable funding by the US Congress, the cavalry nevertheless played a role that became part of the frontier myth. Utley 1967 captures the cavalry’s performance in the antebellum army through the end of the Civil War. Utley 1973 is a companion work that deals with the later period, and is useful for the analysis of the governmental policies on Indian campaigns. Rickey 1963 is the essential work on understanding the life on campaign during this period. Leckie 2003 examines the African-American cavalry regiments with analysis of the societal effect on the American frontier. Secoy 1992 is one of the few books to address the Native American perspective comprehensively, addressing the Plains Indian campaigns.
Leckie, William H. The Buffalo Soldiers: A Narrative of the Black Cavalry in the West. Rev. ed. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2003.
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Contains the most recent scholarship on the social impact of African-American soldiers in the frontier.
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Rickey, Don. Forty Miles a Day on Beans and Hay: The Enlisted Soldier Fighting the Indian Wars. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1963.
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Essential work on understanding the operations of the US Army on the plains.
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Secoy, Frank Raymond. Changing Military Patterns of the Great Plains Indians (17th Century through Early 19th Century). Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1992.
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One of the few works providing the Native American perspective, and an analysis of the challenge-and-response dynamic demonstrating the Native American changing responses to European expansion in North America.
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Utley, Robert M. Frontiersmen in Blue: The United States Army and the Indian, 1848–1865. New York: Macmillan, 1967.
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Analyzes the lesser-known campaigns of the Indian Wars.
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Utley, Robert M. Frontier Regulars: The United States Army and the Indian, 1866–1891. New York: Macmillan, 1973.
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Discusses broader issues such as lack of doctrine and political implications of the US Army’s role on the plains as well as campaign narrative and solid analysis.
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Early 20th Century
The period from the end of the Franco-Prussian War through the beginning of the 20th century saw tremendous speculation on the effects of improved firearm technology, mass production, and machine guns on the dynamics of the battlefield. The experiences of the Boer War and Russo-Japanese War only heightened these debates and added further ambiguity to military thought. Echevarria 2000 discusses in detail the German intellectual debates over maintaining maneuverability on the battlefield while offering valuable descriptions of the other major power’s discussions. Aubier 1892 examines trends since the end of the Franco-Prussian War, reemphasizing the important role cavalry played. Trotha 1894 is useful for trends from the Russo-Turkish War. McCullagh 1906 gives the Russian perspective on the Russo-Japanese war and the Russian mounted operations. Later research on the professional debates dealing with these campaigns is ably evaluated in Taylor 1964–1965, while Spiers 1979 captures those that relate to the British cavalry in the period leading up to World War I. Echevarria 2002 and Phillips 2011 take a dissenting view from most historians, arguing that after the mid-19th century mounted forces had effectively adapted to improved firepower and still played a useful and important role on the battlefield.
Aubier, A. “On the Strategical and Tactical Role of Cavalry.” Journal of the Royal United Institute of India 21 (1892): 270–303.
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French view of cavalry, building on observations of the Franco-Prussian War. Translated by J. E. Nixon.
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Echevarria, Antulio J., II. After Clausewitz: Germany Military Thinkers before the Great War. Lawrence: University of Kansas, 2000.
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Valuable discussion of the leading German thinkers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries and the debate on how technological improvements would affect the battlefield. This work offers valuable discussions of the state of military thinking in other major powers to contrast the German developments.
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Echevarria, Antulio J., II. “Combining Firepower and Versatility: Remaking the ‘Arm of Decision’ before the Great War.” Journal of the Royal United Service Institute 147.3 (2002): 84–91.
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Argues that European powers had made considerable strides in reforming cavalry to perform effectively prior to World War I.
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McCullagh, Francis. With the Cossacks: Being the Story of an Irishman Who Rode with the Cossacks throughout the Russo-Japanese War. London: Eveleigh Nash, 1906.
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Chronicle of the Russian cavalry in the Russo-Japanese War.
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Phillips, Gervase. “‘Who Shall Say That the Days of Cavalry Are Over?’ The Revival of the Mounted Arm in Europe, 1853–1914.” War in History 18 (2011): 5–32.
DOI: 10.1177/0968344510382606Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
Well-researched argument countering the idea that cavalry failed to adequately adapt to the changes in firearm technology in the later 19th century.
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Spiers, Edward M. “The British Cavalry, 1902–1914.” Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research 57.230 (Summer 1979): 71–79.
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Analyzes the critical discussions leading up to World War I based upon the Boer War experiences and observations of the Russo-Japanese War.
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Taylor, William L. “The Debate over Changing Cavalry Tactics and Weapons, 1900–1914.” Military Affairs 28.4 (Winter 1964–1965): 172–183.
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Insightful analysis, well researched and valuable for understanding the perspectives prior to World War I.
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Trotha, Thilo von. Die kaukasische Kasaken-Brigade im Balkan Feldzug, 1877/78. Berlin: Ernst Siegfried Mittler, 1894.
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A rare discussion of the operations of the cavalry in the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878.
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Arme Blanche versus Firepower Debate
The major debate of cavalry supporters was the proper role of the branch—as a shock force with sabers (the arme blanche) or as mounted infantry, using the horse for mobility while relying on firepower for effect. The essential work on this discussion is Badsey 2008. Badsey 2007 is a focused examination of the Boer War’s influence only. Phillips 2007 is the most detailed examination of the contemporary works on the controversy. For contemporary protagonists, Bernhardi 1906 is the work of the key supporter arguing for the retention of the saber, while Childers 1910 and Childers 1911 are direct attacks on Bernhardi’s ideas and his supporters, discussing technological improvements that have changed the dynamic on the battlefield. Haig 1907 skirts the issue, making the case for cavalry’s increased importance due to dispersed battlefields.
Badsey, Stephen. “The Boer War (1899–1902) and British Cavalry Doctrine: A Re-Evaluation.” Journal of Military History 71.1 (2007): 75–98.
DOI: 10.1353/jmh.2007.0001Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
Focused discussion of the Boer War’s influence.
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Badsey, Stephen. Doctrine and Reform in the British Cavalry, 1880–1918. Aldershot, UK: Ashgate, 2008.
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Essential analysis of the British mounted arm as it dealt with the issues of new technology and continued relevance.
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Bernhardi, Frederick von. Cavalry in Future Wars. Translated by Charles Sydney Goldman. London: John Murray, 1906.
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A well-respected pre–World War I author and serving German general officer, Bernhardi was a proponent of shock action. His examination of cavalry during the Boer War led to recommendations for a mix of shock and firepower to ensure cavalry’s continued relevance.
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Childers, Erskine. War and the Arme Blanche. London: Edward Arnold, 1910.
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A controversial part of the discussions on the value of shock versus firepower; argues that shock had little value in future war. A direct attack on Bernhardi 1906.
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Childers, Erskine. German Influence on British Cavalry. London: Edward Arnold, 1911.
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Written by an important writer on the effect of firepower on the future usefulness of cavalry, this book is an attempt to refute those authors advocating for the charge. While the author at time devolves into a frenzied attack against his critics, the book’s value is the discussion of the influence of German operations in 1870 as a model for future success, which he argues while ignoring recent campaigns and technological changes.
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Haig, Douglas. Cavalry Studies: Strategical and Tactical. London: Hugh Rees, 1907.
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Argues for the increased value of cavalry in reconnaissance and screening missions due to modern firepower increasing the battlefield’s dimensions.
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Phillips, Gervase. “Scapegoat Army: Twentieth-Century Cavalry in Anglophone Historiography.” Journal of Military History 71.1 (January 2007): 37–74.
DOI: 10.1353/jmh.2007.0062Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
Excellent survey of the issues facing the mounted arm coming out of the Boer War, with detailed discussion of the various proponents and challenges faced.
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World War I
World War I challenged both the assumptions held by proponents of the Arme Blanche versus Firepower Debate and Early 20th Century analysis of the role and organization of the cavalry. The opening campaign of the war saw the only large-scale use of cavalry on the Western Front until the final days of the war four years later. Poseck 1923 is the essential analysis of German cavalry on the Western Front, while Ironside 1924 examines the Russian cavalry to the east. Becke 1927 is a postwar study of a single division in the opening days of the war. Wrangel 1982 is important for its comprehensive overview of cavalry campaigns and analysis of the prewar state of cavalry in Europe. Littauer 1965 contributes a valuable insight into Russian cavalry operations during the war, followed by White Russian operations during the Russian Civil War. Novikov 2010 uses archival work to detail Russian cavalry operations during the Russians’ most successful offensive during the war and the attempts to reintroduce its maneuvers to the Eastern Front. The other theater that saw large-scale cavalry employment was the Middle East. Preston 1921 chronicles the unique Desert Mounted Corps, and Bou 2007 is a more recent scholarly examination of the 1917–1918 period.
Becke, A. F. Nery. “Nery, 1914: The Adventure of the German 4th Cavalry Division on the 31st August and 1st September.” Journal of the Royal Artillery 54.3 (1927): 307–368.
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Becke’s postwar study of the German advance in 1914.
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Bou, Jean. “Cavalry, Firepower, and Swords: The Australian Light Horse and the Tactical Lessons of Cavalry Operations in Palestine, 1916–1918.” Journal of Military History 71.1 (2007): 99–125.
DOI: 10.1353/jmh.2007.0009Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
Scholarly analysis of this important cavalry campaign.
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Ironside, Edmund. “Russian Cavalry Operations in East Prussia in 1914.” Journal of the Royal United Services Institute 69.4 (1924): 12–36.
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Valuable analysis of this critical campaign.
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Littauer, Vladimir S. Russian Hussar. London: J. A. Allen, 1965.
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Memoir by a member of the Imperial Guard cavalry during World War I and the Russian Civil War.
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Novikov, P. A. “To the Stokhod River: The Transbaikal Cossack Division in June 1916.” Journal of Slavic Military Studies 23.4 (2010): 656–665.
DOI: 10.1080/13518046.2010.526015Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
Based upon recent archival research, analyzes the effectiveness of Cossack cavalry during a critical period of the Eastern Front.
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Poseck, Maximilian von. The German Cavalry: 1914 in Belgium and France. Translated by Alexander C. Stecker, Gordon Gordon-Smith, and Anton Y. Hesse. Edited by Jerome W. Howe. Berlin: E. S. Mittler, 1923.
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German analysis of their early campaigns; the author was a proficient author on cavalry operations in World War I.
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Preston, R. M. P. The Desert Mounted Corps: An Account of the Cavalry Operations in Palestine and Syria, 1917–1918. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1921.
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Written by a participant, this book details the major cavalry operations supporting the British campaign in Palestine, which was one of the few campaigns in World War I in which cavalry was able to play a significant part.
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Wrangel, Alexis. The End of Chivalry: The Last Great Cavalry Battles, 1914–1918. New York: Hippocrene Books, 1982.
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Valuable for a discussion of the state of prewar cavalry of various nations as well as an overview of cavalry operations during the war.
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Interwar Period
The arguments for the continued relevance of horse cavalry reached their apex during the interwar period. The arguments took two forms. The first was to claim that the conditions of the Western Front were an aberration and use specific campaign successes in World War I to support the continued relevance of mounted cavalry. The second was to point out the limitations of early motorized and mechanized vehicles, which appeared to offer proponents on both sides of the issue evidence to support their viewpoints. The arguments between mechanization and horse cavalry tend not to overlap; mechanization proponents discuss the advantages of their proposals while ignoring the horse, while mounted proponents stress their continued relevance by illuminating mechanized limitations. The professional journals of many countries, such as the US Army’s Cavalry Journal and Infantry Journal or the British Journal of the Royal United Services Institute offer a rich collection of articles by serving officers. Bielakowski 2007 is the best chronicle of the American arguments within the cavalry branch that gives equal emphasis to both sides of the issue. Gillie 1947, while focusing on mechanization, offers insights into the decision process of the army. The French army opinions of cavalry in the recently concluded war were captured in Prioux 1925, while those of the British are in Wheeler-Nicholson 1922. The American view is best represented in Jacobs 1937. Truscott 1989 offers a romantic view of life in the American cavalry during the tumultuous period. Bou 2010 covers Australia’s mounted arm and addresses their performance in the Boer War and World War I as well as the interwar debates leading up to their disbanding during World War II.
Bielakowski, Alexander M. “General Hawkins’s War: The Future of the Horse in the U.S. Cavalry.” Journal of Military History 71.1 (January 2007): 127–138.
DOI: 10.1353/jmh.2007.0004Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
Valuable discussion of the US Army’s professional fight during the interwar period to retain horse-mounted cavalry while pursuing limited mechanization.
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Bou, Jean. Light Horse: A History of Australia’s Mounted Arm. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2010.
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Bou’s work covers the Australian forces from the Boer War through their final disbanding in 1944, and compares the perceived Australian self-image with the recruitment and battlefield performance not as a mounted infantryman but what Bou terms an appreciated cavalryman.
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Gillie, Mildred H. Forging the Thunderbolt: A History of the U.S. Army’s Armored Force 1917–1945. The Military Service Publishing Co., 1947.
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Relevant for the chapters dealing with the conversion of horse cavalry to armored force, and discussions leading to the cavalry branch’s disbanding.
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Jacobs, Fenton Stratton. Cavalry Combat. Fort Riley, Kansas: The Cavalry School, 1937.
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Detailed campaign analysis of World War I cavalry campaigns used for instruction at the cavalry school, with general conclusions supporting the continued relevance of horse-mounted cavalry.
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Prioux, René Jacques. Course in Cavalry, 1923–1924. Translated by W. B. Bradford. Fort Riley, KS: Cavalry School, 1925.
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French analysis of the issues and observations from prewar organization to the projected implications for the future.
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Truscott, Lucian K., Jr. The Twilight of the U.S. Cavalry: Life in the Old Army, 1917–1942. Lawrence: University of Kansas Press, 1989.
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Memoir dealing with the views within the American mounted arm as they faced the challenges of mechanization. A personal view of the challenges.
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Wheeler-Nicholson, Malcolm. Modern Cavalry: Studies on Its Role in the Warfare of To-day with Notes on Training for War Service. New York: Macmillan, 1922.
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Written for the serving officer, this volume is useful for the rational expectations of future relevance expressed coming out of World War I.
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World War II
Horse cavalry in World War II appears anachronistic. The war known for the large-scale introduction of mechanized forces was also the largest horse-powered war in history. As many armies slowly transitioned to mechanized and motorized forces, some were forced due to their weak economic base to remain largely animal-powered. DiNardo 1991 challenges the view of the German army as a mechanized force. Piekalkiewicz 1980 is an overview of the major cavalry forces and a valuable initial entry into this topic. The vast distances of the Eastern Front provided another arena for horse cavalry. Michaelis 2010 is a study of the three Waffen-SS cavalry divisions, often used for rear-area security, while Yerger 1996 focuses on one brigade’s experience. Richter 1995 examines the Wehrmacht’s cavalry, from its traditional cavalry role in the invasions of Poland, France, and Russia, to disbanding and then reestablishment later in the war as the German economy struggled to produce the necessary motorized vehicles. Johnson 2006 is a more focused study on the German equine challenges, including problems of maintaining the horses’ conditions on campaign. The Soviet Union maintained a large number of cavalry units throughout the war and found them useful in the conditions of the Eastern Front. Yakushin 2005 provides comprehensive Russian perspective into mounted warfare.
DiNardo, R. L. Mechanized Juggernaut or Military Anachronism? Horses and the German Army of World War II. New York: Greenwood, 1991.
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Well-researched analysis of the German army, rejecting the myth of mechanization, showing that 75 percent of the army was still animal-powered throughout the war.
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Johnson, Paul Louis. Horses of the German Army in World War II. Atglen, PA: Schiffer, 2006.
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Based upon US Army Military History Institute Publication MS #P-090, a thorough study of transport and cavalry animals, care, and equipping.
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Michaelis, Rolf. Cavalry Divisions of the Waffen-SS. Atglen, PA: Schiffer, 2010.
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Three German horse-mounted cavalry divisions fought for the Waffen-SS, and this work is a useful overview of their combat experiences.
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Piekalkiewicz, Janusz. The Cavalry of World War II. New York: Stein & Day, 1980.
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Comprehensive account of cavalry operations, with discussion of lesser-known participants and their mounted forces.
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Richter, Klaus Christian. Cavalry of the Wehrmacht, 1941–1945. Atglen, PA: Schiffer, 1995.
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This work is a detailed study of one of the lesser-known aspects of the German Wehrmacht in World War II. Covered are the variety of unit types, equipment, insignia, training, and operations.
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Yakushin, Ivan. On the Roads of War: A Soviet Cavalryman on the Eastern Front. Translated and edited by Bair Irincheev. Barnsley, UK: Pen & Sword, 2005.
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Highly detailed memoir, valuable for the insights into horse-mounted operations in what is normally considered a mechanized war.
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Yerger, Mark C. Riding East: The SS Cavalry Brigade in Poland and Russia, 1939–1942. Atglen, PA: Schiffer, 1996.
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While well-researched, with a plethora of details on commanders, headquarters, etc., this book offers little analysis of their effectiveness.
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Post–World War II
Horse cavalry since World War II has seen some very limited use in narrow, specialized missions. Moorcraft and McLaughlin 1982 records the use of mounted troops in the counterinsurgency operations in Rhodesia, while Cann 1997 is a broader examination of Portuguese operations across Africa but only peripherally touches upon mounted troops. US Special Forces troops that rode with the Northern Alliance in Afghanistan in 2001–2002 are given a sensational treatment in Stanton 2009, though their exploits cannot truly make them cavalry.
Cann, John P. Counterinsurgency in Africa: The Portuguese Way of War, 1961–1974. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 1997.
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Military analysis of Portuguese counterinsurgency with little political integration; touches upon horse cavalry and other techniques in Africa.
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Moorcraft, Paul L., and Peter McLaughlin. Chimurenga! The War in Rhodesia, 1965–1980: A Military History. Marshalltown, Zimbabwe: Sygma/Collins, 1982.
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Comprehensive history of the Rhodesian War by two academics; discusses the role of Rhodesia’s horse-mounted Grey’s Scouts.
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Stanton, Doug. Horse Soldiers: The Extraordinary Story of a Band of U.S. Soldiers Who Rode to Victory in Afghanistan. New York: Scribner, 2009.
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While neither a scholarly study nor technically about cavalry, this work is often referenced as illustrating the continued relevance of the mounted arm in the 21st century.
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Global Perspective
Cavalry outside of Europe is overshadowed by the overwhelming number of sources focused on European powers. The last of the great cavalry empires, the Mughals in the Indian subcontinent, has the preponderance of studies. Gommans 2002 discusses the empire in its heyday. Adams 1892 is a dated work but devotes a chapter to Mughal cavalry as it discusses military leaders of the Islamic world. Alavi 1977 integrates newly discovered archival materials from the 1970s into a more nuanced view of the Mughal cavalry. Leggasick 1966 offers a description of the little-studied Samori army and campaigns against the French with an emphasis on supply of horses and improved firearms. The Ottoman Empire’s cavalry forces are covered in Shaw 1976, which focuses on the rise of the empire and military reform. Law 1976 addresses West African developments and shows that the cost and extraordinary amount of effort of caring for the horses limited their large-scale effectiveness—they remained a niche capability. Fisher 1973 is a detailed study of the Sudan region and the influence of horses on the nomad societies’ war making capabilities. Abbass 1986 offers a counter perspective to most historians, arguing that the horse had only limited importance during the Spanish conquest of the Americas.
Abbass, D. K. “Horses and Heroes: The Myth of the Importance of the Horse to the Conquest of the Indies.” Terrae Incognitae 18 (1986): 21–41.
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Highly selective use of evidence builds a counter case for the importance of the horse; useful for the contrary perspective, but not convincing.
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Adams, W. H. Davenport. Warriors of the Crescent. New York: D. Appleton, 1892.
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The chapter on Mughal cavalry is useful, if dated.
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Alavi, Rafi Ahmad. Studies in the History of Medieval Deccan. Delhi, India: Idarah-i Adabiyat-i Delli, 1977.
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This work on contains a chapter that offers new interpretations of the Mughal cavalry in the early modern period, based on archival sources that came to light in the 1970s.
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Fisher, Humphrey J. “He Swalloweth the Ground with Fierceness and Rage: The Horse in the Central Sudan; Part II, Its Use.” Journal of African History 14 (1973): 355–379.
DOI: 10.1017/S0021853700012779Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
Part 2 of this study analyzes the importance of horse to the nomad militaries and the influence on changing political fortunes. The companion piece to Fisher 1972, cited under Horses.
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Gommans, Jos. Mughal Warfare: Indian Frontiers and Highroads to Empire, 1500–1700. New York: Routledge, 2002.
DOI: 10.4324/9780203402580Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
First English-language scholarly look at the Mughal Empire since the 19th century, essential for entry into this overlooked field.
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Law, Robin. “Horses, Firearms, and Political Power in Pre-Colonial West Africa.” Past and Present 72 (1976): 112–132.
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Looks at the interaction between horses and the interdiction of firearms in a region where the horse was not well-established nor climate favorable for its introduction due to the expense and care required.
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Leggasick, Martin. “Firearms, Horses and Samorian Army Organization, 1870–1898.” Journal of African History 7 (1966): 95–115.
DOI: 10.1017/S0021853700006101Save Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
Descriptive account of the Samori army and campaigns against the French, with particular emphasis on the adoption of repeating rifles and the supply of horses.
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Shaw, Stanford. History of the Ottoman Empire and Modern Turkey. Vol. 1, Empire of the Gazis: The Rise and Decline of the Ottoman Empire 1280–1808. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 1976.
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Valuable for its discussion of the Ottoman cavalry, the Sipahis, and their role in the empire.
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Armaments, Tack, and Horses
The cavalry’s armaments, tack, and horses are areas that have received a great deal of attention, with works that rarely offer analysis but instead document their particular focus. Those that do offer some analysis are normally written by serving officers, recommending a particular type of tack or weapon. These studies are, however, no longer relevant and have not been subsequently used to analyze whether the particular platform indeed did make a difference to battlefield performance. The horse tack and the associated packs of mules have been well studied for the British and American cavalry forces. Tylden 1965 is the essential work on British cavalry. For the American cavalry, Boniface 1903 was written by a serving officer as a handbook for cavalry officers and offers insights into the problems of horse care faced on campaign. Ottevaere 2005 specializes in the discussions of saddles. Essin 1997 is a scholarly examination of the logistics effort that supported US Army campaigns to include the Italian campaign in World War II.
Boniface, Jno. J. The Cavalry Horse and His Pack: Embracing the Practical Details of Cavalry Service. Kansas City, MO: Hudson-Kimberly, 1903.
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Covers practical matters of cavalry on campaign, but also classes of cavalry, types of horses, and their care and feeding.
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Essin, Emmett M. Shavetails and Bell Sharps: The History of the U.S. Army Mule. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1997.
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Looks at the logistical support of army operations through the end of World War II.
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Ottevaere, James A. American Military Horsemanship: The Military Riding Seat of the United States Cavalry, 1792 through 1944. Bloomington, IN: AuthorHouse, 2005.
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Narrow study on American saddles.
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Tylden, G. Horses and Saddlery: An Account of the Animals Used by the British and Commonwealth Armies from the Seventeenth Century to the Present Day with a Description of their Equipment. London: J. A. Allen, 1965.
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Essential handbook for British cavalry accoutrements from the founding of the British cavalry to the modern day.
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Cavalry Weapons
The writing on the weapons of the various countries’ cavalry forces contains little analysis and is useful for the researcher who is trying to understand the weapons but not useful for discovering the relative merits of those weapons. An opinion offered on one sword or another is just that—informed opinion by serving cavalrymen, but not subject to any sort of rigorous standard of research to validate these claims. Elliott 2009 is the best comprehensive discussion of various countries, but its narrative ends in the late 19th century. American cavalry is well documented in Steffen 1977–1979, and the German cavalry in World War II is equally covered in Richter 1995. Only May 1896 discusses horse artillery in a comprehensive manner for the European armies.
Elliott, G. H. The Armament of Cavalry. Uckfield, UK: Naval & Military Press, 2009.
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A 19th-century discussion of cavalry weapons; valuable for the bibliography of 19th-century cavalry works.
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May, E. S. Guns and Cavalry: Their Performances in the Past and Their Prospects in the Future. London: Sampson Low, Marston, 1896.
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Thematic look at the history of British horse artillery through the Franco-Prussian War and 19th-century colonial wars.
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Richter, Klaus. Weapons and Equipment of the German Cavalry, 1935–1945. Translated by David Johnston. Atglen, PA: Schiffer, 1995.
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Specialized study of the German mounted arm; valuable only as an adjunct since it contains no campaign history or analysis of the effectiveness of this equipment.
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Steffen, Randy. The Horse Soldier, 1776–1943: The United States Cavalryman, His Uniforms, Arms, Accoutrements, and Equipments. 4 vols. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1977–1979.
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Detailed documentation of the subject with no analysis.
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Horses
The cavalry mount is a topic that generates a great deal of interest, much of it being of a sentimental bent as the era of the military horse came to an end. The great question for each era was what the best horse breed was for particular cavalry missions. Landry 2009 is a general work on the interbreeding of Arabian horse stock into English to create the breeds known today. Edwards 1995 looks at the problems of increased demand and methods of procurement during the English Civil War. Fisher 1972 is a specialized discussion of horse breeds and their effect on society in Sudan. Borden 1912 discusses the types of horses in common usage prior to World War I. Carter 2003 is a reprint of a handbook designed for American cavalrymen, useful for understanding the requirements for horses on campaign. The remount services, whose undertaking was a monumental task normally not discussed owing to the focus on campaign histories, receives a thorough treatment in Livingston and Roberts 2003. Stenglin 1990 and Velsen and Schulte 1990 discuss the German army’s major horse breeds in World War II.
Borden, Spencer. What Horse for the Cavalry? Fall River, MA: J. H. Franklin, 1912.
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Discusses the major breeds used for cavalry in pre–World War I Europe.
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Carter, William H. U.S. Cavalry Horse. Guilford, CT: Lyons, 2003.
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Designed to be a handbook for the cavalry soldier, but useful for an understanding of the care of animals on campaign. Originally published in 1895.
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Edwards, P. R. “The Supply of Horses to the Parliamentarian and Royalist Armies in the English Civil War.” Historical Research 68 (1995): 49–66.
DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-2281.1995.tb01269.xSave Citation »Export Citation »E-mail Citation »
Detailed study of the problems of providing mounts and draft animals and methods taken to obtain additional animals.
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Fisher, Humphrey J. “He Swalloweth the Ground with Fierceness and Rage: The Horse in the Central Sudan; Part I, Its Introduction.” Journal of African History 13 (1972): 367–388.
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Specialized study of the introduction and types of horses in Sudan; companion article to Fisher 1973, cited under Global Perspective.
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Landry, Donna. Noble Brutes: How Eastern Horses Transformed English Culture. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2009.
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A general work on civilian and military horse breeds, useful only for discussions on the lineage of British military horses.
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Livingston, Phil, and Ed Roberts. War Horse: Mounting the Cavalry with America’s Finest Horses. Albany, TX: Bright Sky, 2003.
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Story of the US Army’s remount service through World War II.
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Stenglin, Christian von. The Hanoverian. Translated by Christina Belton. London: J. A. Allen, 1990.
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Specialized study on German cavalry horses.
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Velsen, Eberhard von, and Erhard Schulte. The Trakehner. Translated by Christina Belton. London: J. A. Allen, 1990.
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Specialized study on German cavalry mounts.
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