Monhaupt’s ‘About the use of
horse artillery’
(‘Ueber den gebrauch der reitenden Artillerie’)
part 3: The use of horse artillery with the cavalry
Translated by Geert van Uythoven
Source: "Ueber den Gebrauch der reitenden Artillerie" (Berlin, 1836) pp. 28-42
The strength of the cavalry lays in the attack; only when attacking will it be decisive. While it never fights at a distance, although being supplied with fire-arms, she always approaches to sword-length distance as fast as possible. Its attack is never so decisive as that of the infantry, while they are not able to exploit their victory immediately. After every charge, the cavalry has to reform again, giving the enemy the time to take measures. Finally, when the enemy charges, a decision will have to be reached fast, as loss of time will have disadvantageous results; therefore the use of horse artillery with the cavalry is different then that of the foot artillery with the infantry. In general, it will act in two ways: whether it will advance in front of the cavalry, to shaken the steadfastness of the infantry with its fire, and to weaken him; or it will follow, to advance immediately after the shock, to keep the enemy routing, and to engage possible supports, or to delay the enemy when the cavalry lost the attack, to prevent its retreat changing into rout, and to enable it to reform. It should however be prevented, that the horse artillery would advance inside the cavalry lines, especially during combats from cavalry against cavalry. because although it has enough speed to keep up with the cavalry line, it is not quick enough to fire in this case, as the foot artillery would be able to with the infantry. Because of this fact, it is of no use to the cavalry, but instead could hamper these when it would be positioned between the squadrons. If the cavalry would be defeated, the horse artillery would in any case be lost.
1. DURING THE ATTACK OF THE CAVALRY
a. At cavalry
When cavalry attacks cavalry a decision
will have to be reached fast. Therefore it will have to charge immediately,
even when it is weaker as the enemy, to chase it off the field. Only if the
enemy tries to hold off the charge, and therefore artillery, or even infantry
deploys in front or between its cavalry, the horse artillery will have to fight
in front of the cavalry. In this case, the horse artillery debouches in various
sections several hundred paces in front of the cavalry, and dispel the enemy
infantry and artillery, or at least weaken these enough to enable the cavalry
to attack. In any other case it will follow the cavalry during the charge at
such a distance that it can support the cavalry, but is safe at the same time.
It is situated on the wings, or when there are objects behind the line which
the cavalry has to go round during a possible retreat, such as a small wood or
a lone height, also behind these. its presence on the wings however is to
prefer, as it will give both arms more freedom of movement. When the cavalry is
victorious, the horse artillery speeds forward, and during the period of time
the cavalry needs to rally and reform, it will hamper the enemy by its fire to
do the same, and tries to disorder the supports. After which the cavalry,
reformed by now, will be able to execute a second attack on the enemy and have
an easy task to chase it off the field completely.
During the battle of Kolin [18. June 1757],
General Ziethen with the Prussian cavalry, had to attack Nadasdy’s [Austrian]
cavalry three times, before it was completely beaten from the field. This
delayed the attack on Krzeczor [Krzeczhorz], and because of this the march of
the army to its point of support [‘point d’appui’] was delayed, because
the king halted is army for a considerable time to wait for the results of
Hülsen’s attack. Because of this, Field Marshal Daun gained time, to assess the
situation and to reinforce his right wing, so that the chance on victory
disappeared. If General von Ziethen would have had a numerous horse artillery
with him, and used it the way described, maybe much time would have been
spared, leading to a different outcome of the battle.
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If the cavalry is defeated, the horse
artillery will deploy, let the retreating cavalry pass, and receive the enemy
cavalry, as well as its supports, with an effective fire.
During the affair of Kriwitz in 1806, three
enemy cavalry regiments were chased by the Hussar Regiment ‘Von Rudorf’. The
French would have been devastated, even more while the Dragoon Regiment ‘Von
Herzberg’ also arrived at the scene, when the French cavalry did not have support
of horse artillery behind its left wing, which by its fire forced the Prussian
cavalry to retreat.
b. When the cavalry is retreating, against
cavalry
When the cavalry is retreating for cavalry,
this could be the result of facing a superior enemy cavalry, or because the
cavalry has been beaten, or while it is made necessary because of a general
retreat. Retreating by itself, or covering the retreat, it is always necessary
that an enemy attack is prevented, because such an event could have disastrous
results for the whole situation. To prevent this, the horse artillery is to
prefer above everything else. Divided in divisions, it occupies the front of
the whole cavalry. Behind both wings, more [horse artillery] is placed ‘at
hand’ for the eventuality that the enemy will attack the wings, or will break
through in the centre. When the retreat is started, the horse artillery
retreats ‘crosswise’ [‘en échiquier’], covered by small cavalry
detachments, while the cavalry retreats in line or also crosswise, but always
stays at least a few hundred paces distant from the horse artillery. In this
way, the cavalry will stay out of most of the effect of the enemy artillery
fire, retains it freedom of movement, and is able to support the horse
artillery with the whole line when made necessary by an enemy attack with cold
steel. In addition, they are able to weaken the centre and to reinforce the
wings, which is important as well for attack as for defence.
On
the day of the battle of Pirmasens, the cavalry regiments of Von Borstell and
Von Botz covered the change of front of the army. When these regiments after
that retreated to Pirmasens, they were pressured by three enemy cavalry
regiments, and a heavy artillery fire. The fatality, which part of this cavalry
showed at the foot of the wall of Pirmasens, is commonly known. The whole corps
would have been cut to pieces, or taken prisoner, if it would not have been
saved by the Brigade Courbiere which arrived on the scene by chance. This
unpleasant event could not have been taken place if both horse artillery
batteries present with the army would have been in camp near Pirmasens, not
divided in many small detachments, and if the above event was observed.
It
has to be pointed out that the crosswise movement of the horse artillery should
not be linked up with the crosswise movement of the cavalry, as is the case
with foot artillery when the infantry is retreating. Then the infantry has the
foot artillery at their side, so that its fire is not hampered by them; by
this, the attacking enemy encounters a double resistance, and when the infantry
has the steadfastness it should have, close combat would be avoided. The
cavalry however is not able to defend himself at a standstill, and has to
advance to meet the enemy, going into close combat. Therefore it cannot resist
together with the horse artillery, but when the latter fights, it will merely
protect its flanks and back, which will suffice, as the front defends itself.
In
addition, the effect of enemy fire on the order of infantry is not so great as
on the order of cavalry. The effect is in any way not so destructive [on the
infantry as on the cavalry], as the former will keep its ability to defend
itself much longer as the latter. If the enemy breaks
into the infantry, the line will divide and form squares (if the retreat is not
already taken place in squares), creating separate independent parts, which can
defend themselves independently.
However, if the enemy breaks into the cavalry, general close combat
ensues, or a rout. The horse artillery would have been caught in the middle,
and lost if it would not be exceptionally experienced.
If
the retreat however takes place as described above, the horse artillery defends
itself, covering the cavalry as long as possible. If this is not possible
anymore, the cavalry advances and attacks, while at the same time the horse
artillery retreats, to deploy further back and to support the cavalry again.
c. At infantry
If the cavalry would attack infantry, which in addition is supported by artillery and covered by cavalry, horse artillery is necessary to make victory easier to achieve (as has been noted before). In this case, the latter [i.e. the horse artillery] advances on the enemy from different angles, and direct its fire mainly against the enemy artillery and infantry, this terrible support, as well as against the cavalry, in order to deprive it [i.e. the infantry] of its cover, making it defenceless. The attack however is directed against that part of the infantry were one wants to achieve the breakthrough. Prepared this way, the cavalry attack will succeed.
d. At artillery
Among the most outstanding executed attacks by cavalry on artillery is the attack of the Prussian cavalry, led by General von Seidlitz, against the Russian batteries on the Spitzberg at Kunersdorf [12 August 1759]. In the meanwhile, of course, the attack failed. Because it is difficult to eliminate a battery, especially when it is positioned, commanded, and covered well. In such a case, the greatest bravery of the cavalry will not be enough. If however, in open terrain and open enemy positions, the cavalry is qualified best to capture the artillery, then it has to execute the attack, but in cooperation with the horse artillery. This advances before the attack of the cavalry, and directs its fire against the artillery as well as its cover. At the former to attract its fire and to weaken it; at the latter to demoralise it or to chase it away. In addition, it is [the horse artillery] allowed to try to dislodge the enemy on its own, attacking it with canister. If the goal has been reached in this way, the cavalry charges to capture or destroy [the enemy artillery].
2. IF THE CAVALRY HAS TO COVER
If the cavalry is covering the march, or
the advance or retreat, or the change of front of an army, or covering certain
terrain; it always will have to avoid combat and maintain itself. To reach this
goal, the presence of horse artillery is necessary. It deploys immediately in
such occasions, occupying the dominating positions with detachments in such a
way, that the whole position is covered, its fire can cover the whole terrain
in front, and that the detachments are able to support each other.
The
cavalry is positioned backwards as far away as possible in order to be
protected against most of the enemy fire, but in such a way that it will be in
time to support the horse artillery at the right time, in case an enemy attack
with the cold steel would make this necessary. It
detaches only small parties with the horse artillery, to protect it against
advancing enemy skirmishers or Schützen. Mounted Jäger or Schützen
would be of the best service in such a case.
© Geert van Uythoven