Why the cavalry charge remained a military staple long after it became obsolete
The cavalry charge was once the decisive moment of battle, yet it persisted in military doctrine long after repeating rifles and machine guns made it suicidal. Historians suggest a single successful 1870 charge created a persistent myth that mounted troops could still dominate modern, equally equipped forces on the battlefield.
The charge is defined as an offensive maneuver where combatants advance at maximum speed to engage in decisive close combat. While historically the dominant shock attack, its effectiveness relied on a fragile combination of high morale, rigorous training, and specialized equipment. In the Middle Ages, the integration of frame saddles, stirrups, and the couched lance technique transformed cavalry into a devastating force, famously demonstrated at the 1081 Battle of Dyrrhachium. However, this dominance was not absolute; the 1302 Battle of the Golden Spurs proved that disciplined, well-armed infantry could repel even noble cavalry, marking the beginning of an infantry revolution.
By the 19th century, the rise of modern firearms—specifically repeating rifles and breech-loading artillery—rendered straight charges increasingly perilous. Despite this, the 'Death Ride' of Von Bredow at the 1870 Battle of Mars-la-Tour achieved a rare, costly success against French positions. This event became so mythologized that major European powers kept cavalry units in their armed forces for another fifty years, despite the tactical reality that most bayonet and cavalry charges failed to result in actual close combat, often ending when one side fled or was decimated by fire.
World War II saw sporadic, occasionally successful cavalry actions, such as the 1945 Battle of Schoenfeld, but the tactic was largely outdated. Modern warfare has replaced the massed charge with small-unit fireteams or armored vehicle assaults. Today, the legacy of the charge survives primarily in riot control, where mounted police use similar techniques to manage crowds, or in the cultural memory of events like Pickett’s Charge, which became a central symbol of the American Lost Cause movement.
Source: Charge (warfare)
