Napoleonic cavalry were divided into "Heavies" -- the shock-arm, partially armoured men on powerful horses; and "Lights" on smaller mounts for harassing, reconnaissance and shock tactics, when needed. They were most effective en-masse and in conjunction with Horse Artillery, particularly when thrown against infantry previously shaken or shattered by artillery fire or infantry attack. Heavy cavalry were rarely used early in the battle because they were highly vulnerable and the enemy had to The softened up before they could be effective, as they were less successful against fresh infantry who had time to form square. Wellington knew about the shock attacks of the French heavy cavalry whom he had not met until Waterloo -- Dragoons and lighter cavalry were employed by the French in the Peninsula. At Waterloo, the Duke formed his troops into squares when the cavalry approached and withstood their charges with firepower and the threat of the bayonet. Few horsemen carried on the charge, most swerved around the sixty-foot squares so that none of them were broken throughout the long day at Waterloo. The abandoned Allied guns were there to be captured by the French cavalry but they could neither bring them away nor destroy them and the short-range fire of the infantry squares was immediately directed upon any French cavalry who tried to do so. As soon as the cavalry retired, the artillerymen returned to their guns and opened fire - their ammunition was available just behind the infantry. The British and French cavalry fought in different ways -- the French used the point of the sword, the weapon being rigidly held forward in a charge. The British cavalry were trained to use the edge of the weapon and, although this did not deal so many fatal wounds, the crippling effect of loss of blood and the open wounds was probably more damaging than an attack with the point of the weapon. During the later stages of the battle of Talavera, Wellesley perceived some French infantry whom he considered might be successfully attacked by cavalry so he ordered the 23rd Light Dragoons and the Hussars of the K.G.L. to advance. Gathering speed as they rolled towards the French infantry, now formed into square, the 23rd ran into a small ravine at speed, bringing a number of them down with serious results. The remainder rallied and, passing between infantry squares, ran into a brigade of French chasseurs who outnumbered them 5 to 1. The 23rd lost half their original strength in about ten minutes. Going at a reasonable pace, the German Light Cavalry negotiated the ravine but took a withering enfilade fire from the mutually-supporting squares and suffered serious loss. Description of cavalry tactics of the Napoleonic period by Prof. David Chandler, in his Campaigns of Napoleon: " ..Apart from the dragoons (who had an additional fire function), the French cavalry tactics were all based on the shock action of massed mounted charges. These were carefully graduated. The squadrons would move off at a trot until they covered a third of the distance separating them from their objective; the pace would then quicken to a canter, which would develop into a gallop about 150 yards from the enemy; only for the last 50 yards would the horses be allowed their head and full-speed charge develop. The delivery of a cavalry charge required careful calculation, enlightened leadership and strict discipline." (Chandler, David G.: Campaigns of Napoleon - New York: MacMillan Company, 1966, p.355.) What this converts to is that cavalry executing an assault against an infantry formation would go through 350 yards of fire at a canter, 100 yards of fire under, gallop and 50 yards in the final charge. Back to Table of Contents -- Wargamer's Newsletter # 167 To Wargamer's Newsletter List of Issues To MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1976 by Donald Featherstone. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other articles from military history and related magazines are available at http://www.magweb.com