Cavalry on Service:: Illustrated by the Advance of the German Cavalry Across the Mosel in 1870

By Gerhard Von Pelet-Narbonne

Originally published in 1906 as part of the valued “Pall Mall Series’ of military text books, works that are now regarded as classics of military theory Intended for serious or professional students of military history, each volume in this sought after series is interspersed with strategical and tactical comments and illustrated by numerous coloured maps.

This is a well written and accurate account of a large mass of German cavalry on service patrol, based on events during The Battle of Spicheren during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870. With good coloured maps comprehensively showing the German cavalry on every second day, and a very full index that gives the most important duties and the amount of instruction that can be gained.

The Battle on 5 August, was the second of three critical French defeats. Moltke had originally planned to keep Bazaine's army on the Saar River until he could attack it with the 2nd Army in front and the 1st Army on its left flank, while the 3rd Army closed towards the rear. The ageing General von Steinmetz made an overzealous, unplanned move, leading the 1st Army south from his position on the Moselle. He moved straight toward the town of Spicheren, cutting off Prince Friedrich Karl of Prussia from his forward cavalry units in the process.-print ed.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Patavium Publishing
• Release date: Aug 23, 2023
• ISBN: 9781805232940

Book preview

CHAPTER I

Aug. 7

Headquarters of First Army in the morning.

AFTER the conclusion of the battle of Spicheren the following tasks were incumbent upon the cavalry: i.e. the pursuit of the beaten French 2nd Corps, the location of its line of retreat, and the observation of the other forces of the enemy, announced as at Tromborn, St. Avold, Saargemünd, and Bitsch. The results of the battle of Wörth were first known during the course of the 7th.

As the cavalry stood on the 6th (see the map for this day), there were available for the pursuit of the enemy several divisional regiments of the First and Second Army, together with the 11th Cavalry Brigade, the greater part of the 13th Cavalry Brigade, and the 6th Cuirassiers of the 6th Cavalry Division, all ready immediately on or near the battlefield, while the remainder of the 6th Division were in a position to operate by Gross-Bliedersdorf and Saargemünd against the right flank of the enemy. As regards the 3rd Cavalry Division in the neighbourhood of Saarwellingen, they could have made themselves felt on the left flank, but only as the evening advanced; and portions of the units named as ready on the battlefield were also immediately available for movement against this