MJN77, I didn't say cavalry never fought. I said they didn't fight much, which I think is true. I didn't mean to imply cowardice. It's just that cavalry was basically a recon arm and typically did things like scout, observe enemy movements, report back, etc. Yes, I know there were occasionally serious cavalry battles like Yellow Tavern, and cavalry was also sometimes called upon to skirmish against advancing armies to slow their progress, things like that, and occasionally in desperate situations a cavalry unit might actually be caught in a situation where it was vital for them to hold a particular position at all costs. Such a case happened at Gettysburg when Buford's cavalry did have to hold on until the Army of the Potomac could arrive on the scene in force, and if not for Buford's cavalry holding that ground, that battle may have turned out very much differently than it did. The cavalry arm also did things like ride around armies, rustle up beefsteak, cut telegraph wires, tear up railroad tracks, and attack disorganized retreating enemy, which is exactly what they were supposed to be doing.
This really ain't the forum for a Civil War argument.
But things had usually gone pretty wrong if a cavalry unit had to fight a pitched battle.
Having said that, I also think there was a great disparity between the casualties suffered by the typical infantry regiment in the Civil War as compared to the casualties suffered by the typical cavalry regiment, and the infantry troops suffered much greater casualties. I think the basic "unfairness" of that, if you want to call it that, was what brought on Gen. D.H. Hill 's bitter comment.
I don't have any statistics at hand to prove my point and if you disagree, so be it, I don't plan to do any research on it, but for anyone who wants to, the casualty statistics for just about every unit can be found.
This really ain't the forum for a Civil War argument.
But things had usually gone pretty wrong if a cavalry unit had to fight a pitched battle.
Having said that, I also think there was a great disparity between the casualties suffered by the typical infantry regiment in the Civil War as compared to the casualties suffered by the typical cavalry regiment, and the infantry troops suffered much greater casualties. I think the basic "unfairness" of that, if you want to call it that, was what brought on Gen. D.H. Hill 's bitter comment.
I don't have any statistics at hand to prove my point and if you disagree, so be it, I don't plan to do any research on it, but for anyone who wants to, the casualty statistics for just about every unit can be found.