DESPATCH-RIDING

One often hears a party of cavalrymen employed on reconnoitring work blamed because they continue to observe or follow up the enemy, whom they have just discovered, without a thought of conveying the information to those who sent them out. But this forgetfulness is not to be wondered at when we call to mind that in the first few weeks of the 1870 war German officers were sent on long rides of 60 or 70 miles, whilst little or no arrangement was made for the purpose of transmitting the information, obtained at great risk and trouble. It leads one to think that the subject of despatch-riding is one of those points connected with war of which the knowledge lapses or rusts in peace-time, or, like the manufacture of Waterford glass, becomes a lost art.

To begin with, to train men in the duties of despatch-riding with anything like thoroughness entails a certain amount of prearrangement for food, forage, and shelter for men and horses; for it cannot be taught in the immediate vicinity of the town where the men are quartered. In war it may entail cross-country work, if capture is to be avoided; whilst the task on roads can often be carried out much better by cyclists. It is suggested that this little-practised art, despatch-riding, may be made to take a form which will serve an excellent purpose in the general instruction of the cavalryman. By it he will learn (1) to take notice of the country passed through; (2) to see a good reason for the trouble now taken to instruct him in map-reading; (3) to gain immensely in self-reliance; (4) to become an expert in campaigning horse-management; (5) to gain knowledge of pace.

In regard to the last point, pace, it may be interesting to give some particulars of a despatch-riding scheme. In this exercise a series of despatches were sent from the east to the west of Ireland, 120 miles as the crow flies and about 135 by road, under the following circumstances:—About eighty cavalrymen under two years’ service and two subalterns were billeted along a certain route. The base of this route was shifted north or south after a few days, causing the greater part of the line to be altered. Two messages per diem were sent off at uncertain hours of day or night, and were carried on from post to post without intermission. The men were provided with maps at 4 miles to the inch. Three regiments furnished the above detachment for this work in three successive fortnights. The first regiment brought or took the despatches through on the average in twenty-eight hours; the second regiment in twenty-four hours; the third regiment in twenty-two hours. The pace was not to exceed the walk and trot. The roads were in fair condition.

When instruction in despatch-riding takes place, it is of considerable importance to shift the line to one flank or another after a few days. This may have to be done at any time in an unfriendly country, and, though it makes the exercise much more difficult, is capital practice.

In several of Napoleon’s campaigns there are incidentally indications of the extensive use then made of despatch-riders. In the course of the Jena Campaign Murat is reproached by Napoleon, who writes to him as follows:—

A despatch took six hours to come to hand from Kronach to Coburg—15 miles. This is not quick enough. You have not placed a service of despatch-riders as I told you to do.

In the Ulm campaign despatches were sent through at regular intervals from Murat’s column of cavalry in the Black Forest to Napoleon many miles away on his left, but this work was usually performed by officers riding despatch.

TRACKING, ETC.

Nearly all men brought up in the country have a certain instinct, and habitually read the story of tracks on the ground wherever they go, but the remainder require a considerable amount of training not to ride over the most obvious tracks without any observation and deduction. A few lessons of following tracks in the early morning after a wet night across country and along roads will tend to establish this very necessary habit in a cavalry soldier, and once acquired, it will last him a lifetime.

The institution of regimental scouts has gone far to train our troops in all these forms of useful knowledge, and where commanding officers make a point of passing all those who are likely to come on for promotion to N.C.O.’s, through the scouts’ course, the advance of the regiment in a most useful, but not very showy, accomplishment has been most marked. In all this form of instruction it is well worth while to make the schemes interesting and even romantic, and let them run to a conclusion which depends largely on the cunning and ability of the officers and men engaged.

There can surely be few more marked successes in the efforts of the nation to “return to the wild” in the body, whilst raising the mind to the higher levels, than the institution of “Boy Scouts,” and it is one which every genuine soldier must heartily welcome.

In all detached work where the cavalryman is engaged “on his own” against well-armed men, far more dangerous antagonists than any wild animals, there usually comes a time when prudence calls loudly to the ordinary man to turn and so avoid the chance of a bullet, whilst duty tells him that he should try and see or find out more. There is no reward in sight, there are no onlookers to applaud, there is none of the retriever dog’s instinct to save, which leads men to sacrifice their life in pulling out a comrade; there may be a love for excitement and taking chances, but it is soon dulled by frequent experiences, or there may be the callousness resulting from daily risk. It is at these times that the previous training and bringing up, the tone of his corps and comrades, and the thought that he has a duty to those comrades, may have a good deal to say to a man alone with his duty.

The sneering, niggling cynic will calculate, “What reward is there for this?” and go back ready to lie, whilst the honest soldier will go forward ready to take his medicine, even if he feels the anticipatory pain about the third button of the waistcoat. That was the right sort of man, who, when chaffed by a comrade for his evident trepidation, replied, “Yes, and if you were half as much afraid as I am, you would run away.” It is the reasoned four-o’clock-in-the-morning courage, determination, and honesty, backed by a trained knowledge of his duty, that is needed when the cavalry soldier is on detached work.

PRISONERS

To make prisoners is often one of the most important means of obtaining information. Prisoners almost invariably will give information quite willingly. Incidentally this is a point which should be known to all cavalry officers, who should constantly warn their men: first, that they are certain to be cleverly questioned if taken prisoner; second, if that fails, they will probably be placed where pretended prisoners of war can hear their conversation, and so on; third, threats and inducements will be made use of.

CONVOY DUTY

This is work for which a detachment of cavalry is frequently told off to do the advanced, flank, and rear guards. In order to save the horses, it will be found best to divide the respective forces and work en bondes, moving quickly over open ground, and getting into successive positions where cover is available. In each of these a rest, and possibly a mouthful of grass, will serve to keep the horses fresh.

Nothing is more annoying to a column commander, who has regard for his horses, than to see one of his mounted men using his horse as an easy-chair whilst delay takes place at some difficult crossing. Strict orders are necessary in this matter. Many a time have we seen an irascible commanding officer ride up behind one of these spectators and jerk him violently off his horse.

It may not be out of place here to say that an escort to a convoy should invariably be at least twice the strength of any force which is likely to attack it. The handicap of being tied to a convoy following a certain route and supplying detachments for advanced and flank guards and of fighting on ground of the enemy’s choosing, etc., necessitates this, if safety is desired. Small parties of horsemen should be sent on, wide of and parallel to the road, to get touch of the enemy; the principle of separating the rÔle of information and security is thus adhered to.