Using Cavalry Efficiently

[Gary McClellan]

To put a bit more flesh on what I mean about Cav being less effective.  Here's a description of French doctrine in the era between the wars

"These newer tactics were based on the principle that a few brave and experienced men would create the necessary gaps in the enemy infantry's line, and then the remainder of the squadron would exploit these. The fewer number of men initially exposed to enemy fire would mean correspondingly fewer casualties. Each squadron leader commanding experienced troopers would have 15-20 of his bravest men... positioned on each flank of the squadron, attack the enemy infantry in line while the remainder of the squadron advanced in an orderly fashion behind them.  This first wave advanced at the trot until 20 paces or so away from the line then moved in at the gallop" (Nosworthy p218)

As you might think, this didn't work as well as they hoped.  The idea was that someone from that initial "wedge" charge would be able to have his horse break a seam in the enemy bayonet line, giving a place for the followup troops to follow.  A wounded horse plowing the bayonet line wasn't unheard of, but it was unusual and couldn't be counted on.  Also, if you note that the charge was being launched from 20 paces... as opposed to the Prussians who might be at the full charge for a few hundred paces.

I can't find anything  about the exact French tactics at Minden, but there, a single British infantry brigade pretty much held off the majority of the French cav in repeated charges.


ETA: Just to give a little bit last before I get turns out for the evening.  There's actually a fairly large shift in cav tactics during the 18th century.  While the days of the true "caracolle" were past even in the WSS, many nations would still have their cav approach to pistol range, fire and then charge.  As you can imagine, this took a fair bit of the "steam" out of the Charge.  The Swedes in the GNW and the British (and I think Dutch) were the first to get away from this and go to more of a cold steel approach.  However, even with that, troops would not launch into the full gallop until fairly close to the enemy.  By the WAS, most nations had gotten away from the final fire, but they still didn't charge home from nearly the distance that we would associate with the Napoleonic Wars.

Frederick drilled his troopers in horsemanship, allowing them to keep tight formation even in the fastest stage of the charge, and greatly extended the distance at which the horses would gallop.  This is why the Prussian Cav was head and shoulders the best.  As you would imagine, by the Napoleonic Wars, the other nations had taken a great deal of that to heart and even improved it.  However, even for the Prussians they didn't have a great deal of luck in doing frontal charges on fresh, well formed infantry.