"Cavalry Horseholders Doctrine vs reality" Topic

OK 1 holder for 4 horses including his own. Was there a regulated distance back from the dismounted firing line? How was the holder selected?? Was the holder to stay mounted or dismounted? Did anybody follow the rules or did they likely just adapt to the particular circumstances like everyone else in the ACW seems to have done?

Every 4th man was designated a holder, you stay mounted & I forget how far back you stay, about 35-50 yards or somewhere to provide your self & animals cover. At least that's how we did it for 20 years. I know we did it by the book. I just can't recall the book!
Peter

I'm sure there was adoption to the circumstances as needed, and I'm afraid I don't know the regulations. I read an article years ago where a cavalry officer was quoted. He comments how much the troopers hated fighting on foot and preferred to remain with the horses as a horse holder. They counted by fours and number 4 stayed with the horses. During the count at this particular engagement every fourth man yelled 'bully' when he came up because he got to stay with the horses. So the count went, "1, 2, 3, Bully!, 1, 2, 3, Bully!"

As usual: It depends.

Here again,reenacting was quite an eye opener. I once saw a dismounted cav unit in action. The guy who was horseholder,wasnt that far from the skirmish line,in the open,and was pretty much subjected to the same fire that the line was. His 4 horses didnt sit and beg for treats either,they were constantly swirling around the poor guy due to noise. That guy looked miserable.

At Wilson's Creek Rives' Missouri State Guard Cavalry Regiment fought with one man in six acting as a horse holder. This action was taking place by their camp, but I don't know if that made any difference.

Mark

Skink is correct that led horses often become unruly. I reenacted for about 15 years and have always seen horse holders remain mounted to better control the animals. If the horses become restless they are slowly walked in a tight circle until they settle down. I don't know if that is according to the drill books, but it seems a reasonable remedy. And yes, in reenactments, where distances are often unavoidably compressed, the horse holders are never far enough to the rear.

I also think we have to be careful with reenactors experiences compared to the real thing. Recently I went to an ACW reenactment and the cavalry there – only about a dozen – went riding right up to an infantry line and fired their pistols point blank, then rode back, only to do it a few more times. All the whole the line was blazing at them.

Somehow I doubt real Civil War cavalry tried this…well, maybe once only.

On the Dur Ecu blog the question was addressed back on 18 July. He wrote as follows:

It would seem, from the manuals that 100 yards was the prescribed distance. For example, McClellan in Regulations and Instructions (1862), wrote:

"The horses will be habitually kept at about one hundred yards in rear of their riders, though they should be nearer when they can find shelter from fire which will admit of it. Fifty yards will be far enough when the enemy does not use fire-arms."

I have seen these distances prescribed in other contemporary manuals. There is no reason to believe that they did not obtain in earlier periods.

McClellan also noted that the horse-holders were to remain mounted throughout.

If the horse-holders and the led horses were too far from the firing line, disaster could ensue if the enemy got between the line of dismounted men and their mounts.

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