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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 27 ก.ค. 2024
- Where did the joke of "Whoever saw a dead cavalryman" come from? Was it true?
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While reading about the Fourth Iowa Cavalry in William Forse Scott's The Story of a Cavalry Regiment, there was one bit of banter that infantrymen directed towards cavalry: "Horse soldier, horse soldier will you do some work? No sir, no sir, I'd ruther sell my shirt!"
My GGGF's regiment. Reading it now actually! Great book.
“During the early days of the war, the cavalry were constantly humiliated by insinuations and aspersions. Casted on them by other branches of our own army! How many times have you heard the sarcastic remark; “Whoever saw a DEAD cavalryman?” They had no defense then… they need none now!”
- Captain Charles W. Ford, 1st Maine Cavalry
When i rode with 6th OVC in the 2000s, when i was told "whoever saw a dead cavalryman?" Id reply with "you know there are three branches of combat arms....artillery, cavalry, abd unskilled labor. And the brass can afford to throw away unskilled labor. 😂
Don't forget Stoneman had a free hand with his corps, sent to destroy Lee's rail supply routs for the Chancellorsville campaign and fell flat on his ass.
I always thought the phrase was more from there-enacting hobby, because whenever I saw a cavalryman take a hit, they never fell from the horse....just slumped over and rode away. Am sure they didn't want their mounts riding off (Expensive horse, saddle, bridal, equipment, etc).
or a lawsuit from the horse accidentally running at a spectator in a way that makes them uncomfortable...
Great point! As a kid I wondered why none of the re-enactors fell from horses. (Even in seeing John Reynolds being hit at a Gettysburg re-enactment, where people lowered him to the ground while holding the horses's reigns.)
It’s also pretty dangerous to fall off a horse
Broke my forearm trying to stop my fall after falling off a mustang my first time riding when I was out with my cousins
That, and it’s a long way down. Pretty easy to break bones, collapse a lung, even be paralyzed or die even at slow speeds.
I always liked the early morning comment by the infantryman right after stable call was blown, “there go the sore asses to chambers maid their mounts”
I served in the 11th ACR, my farm is located in southern Ohio. The farm's name is "Fiddler's Green".
The quote probably came from the infantry watching the cav ride around on their horses and boast of what they are doing while the infantry is being thrown into a meat grinder. Very similar to the US Marine Corps saying the Navy abandoned them on Guadalcanal. Which to an average Marine grunt getting blasted every night from the IJN and bombers, feels like they were just left there. Even through 5000 sailors and 2 admirals lost their lives in the waters around Guadalcanal, to protect that island.
My third great grandpa was a dead cavalryman at Droop Mountain in 1863. 14th VA Cavalry CSA
So refreshing to see a post in my feed this am. Nice break from the usual deluge.
Just found this channel in my recommended, you've earned a sub.
I appreciate the use of visuals and editing, kept me engaged throughout
As always, Steve, and Brandon, an excellent video about what "appears" to be so and the reality of war. Thanks again.
Late war US cavalry was a juggernaut.
Indeed!!
I portray Philip Sheridan, in my research of him, the phrase was supposedly a quip by Lincoln in his dissatisfaction with the use of cavalry. Thus prompting him, Halleck and Grant to replace Alfred Pleasanton with someone more assertive. Sheridan wasn’t the original choice. Grant suggested William B. Franklin, but Halleck suggested Sheridan, to which Grant said, he’s just the man for the job.
I just came across this channel and am a new subscriber. I have an ancestor who was in the 12th OVC. Would love to learn how to find out more about his story
I agree, in 62 probably, 63 at Gettysburg, 64 Yellow Tavern. I think there were a few dead cavalry men
Gentlemen, you also must remember that warfare was changing. The world was seguing from the Napoleonic Era tactics, to what we today call "modern warfare" Of course that term covered much larger strategies (ie all out war on civilian populations) but tactics were changing too. I think this war saw the calvary evolve from the old hard charging mounted warriors, to the role of DISMOUNTED cavalry. This was true in the South as well as the North, for different reasons.
Excellent work, so true 🤠💯👍
The first I heard it was in the movie They Duyed with their boots on
GREAT PROGRAM HOW DID THEY CLEAN CARBINE BARRELS WITH OUT A RAM ROD???
I have been trying to study the Nevada volunteer cavalry regiment based at fort Churchill for some time but couldn’t find much about the actual regiment and the men assigned. Any suggestions on how I should go about doing more research???
What did the cavalry carry for fire building
Also as bad as I hate to admit it, the Confederate Cavalry became ineffectual early in the War, because they were afraid of losing their horses. They were afraid because the Confederate Government got to where it could not replace lost horses, and a cavalryman who lost a horse in the Confederate Army was soon to find himself in the Infantry ~ LOL! So the Confederates developed thier own dismounted cavalry tactics because of this.
Bushwhackers saw a lot of dead cavalrymen 😝
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