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FEBRUARY 10, 2022 | The Jewish Home OCTOBER 29, 2015 | The Jewish Home
Forgotten Her es
Cavalry in American History By Avi Heiligman
General Casimir Pulaski
T
hroughout history, many countries and empires have had soldiers mounted on horses. Usually called cavalry, they are sometimes referred to as dragoons, hussars, uhlans, lancers, and knights, among other terms, depending on the time in history and use in battle. The mobility and speed gained from being on horseback and attacking the enemy in large numbers gave an army and advantage over foot soldiers. Even after guns were invented, horseback soldiers were still seen on the field until the middle of the 20th century. Even today, there are cavalry units in use. The history behind the American units is quite fascinating. In the early days of the United States, due to the high cost in maintaining a cavalry unit, the army only had horseback units during wartime. Mounted units were raised for the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. The first hero of cavalry in American history was Polish-born General Casimir Pulaski. He had been a cavalry officer in Poland and fought in several battles. The Russians took him captive during a battle, and he was released on the condition that he wouldn’t take up arms against the enemy. A while later, Pulaski rejoined the army but got caught up in the ev-
Teddy Roosevelt with some of his Rough Riders
er-changing political scene in Western Europe. Pulaski was forced to flee Poland after being accused of trying to overthrow the Polish king and spent a few years wandering around Europe. In 1777, he met American envoys, including Benjamin Franklin who was impressed with the cavalry officer. Franklin gave him high regards as he knew General Washington was looking for experienced cavalry officers, and soon Pulaski was off to fight in the American Revol ution.
General George A. Custer
safely. His counterattack saved the cavalry, which at this time was only 400 strong, and also saved the life of General George Washington as the army was in a precarious position. Congress then appointed Pulaski as brigadier general, and he went right to work reforming the cavalry. Soon he was able to raise his own unit headquartered in Baltimore called the Pulaski Cavalry Legion. There were a number of foreigners in the unit, and the legion was essential in the defense
His counterattack saved the cavalry, which at this time was only 400 strong, and also saved the life of General George Washington.
At first, Pulaski wasn’t given a commission, but Washington allowed him to follow the army into battle. During the Battle of Brandywine, the Continental Army was forced to pull back and Pulaski, sensing the danger, was given permission to gather as many troops as he could, including the cavalry, to secure the retreat
of the southern front of the war. General Pulaski was mortally wounded during the Siege of Savannah in 1779, and today he is widely recognized as the one who brought semblance and order to the mismanaged cavalry of the young nation. It wasn’t until 1832 that Congress approved the formation of the Bat-
talion of Mounted Rangers. A year later, the Regiment of Dragoons was raised, and they fought in the Indian and Mexican-American Wars. To protect the vast territory gained during the Mexican-American War, two cavalry regiments were added by Co ngress in 1855 to shield settlers from the dangers in the West. During the American Civil War, mounted units played a significant role in many of the battles and were able to cover long distances between outposts that the thinly stretched infantry units could not easily defend. Cavalry units played a significant role during the Civil War. Regiments of cavalry were raised and were intended to be the eyes and ears of the army due to their quickness and mobility. Confederate General Lee had one of the best cavalry officers under his command, General J.E.B Stuart. Most of the Northern soldiers were city boys, but the Southern troops grew up on farms and were excellent horsemen. Stuart’s objective was to be the eyes and ears of the army and to hold off the Union cavalry should they be a threat to the infantry. Stuart had an impeccable record that was marred at the crucial Battle of Gettysburg. He left the main Confederate encampment exposed, and the Union cavalry under General John Buford held off a
