He does consider Nolan’s book one of the few useful works on Cavalry, but his conclusions are in many ways opposite Nolan’s: He embraces the mounted infantry concept wholeheartedly, for example, and is very impressed with the power and speed of late war Union cav ops.

Denison was a colonial officer, served in the Indian Mutiny, and then went on to Canada to command the Governer-General’s body guard there. As such, he tended to be ignored by the continental establishment.

It is interesting to note that Nolan’s work was still influencing cav tactcs well into the late 19th Century. Denison really didn’t get much attention from the professionals.

Dave Powell

Interesting you would mention this, because it came into the store today (along with Rush’s Lancers, I might add) and I was going to e-mail you asking if it would be worth my purchase, as I want to learn all I can about the cavalry before I start working on that aspect of EJC’s life. Thanks.

Best
Rob

To some extent, yes. The order was poorly drafted.

However, your point about leading the charge up the wrong valley is well-taken.

I’ve not read any of Dennison’s writings.

Eric

Since Nolan died in the charge, we don’t know what he was thinking. But almost certainly he should have known which battery Raglan wanted attacked. He was on the heights, after all.

Cardigan, in the valley, could see only the battery on the far end that he thought was the target. If Nolan and Cardigan disagreed with the target, or Cardigan was mistaken, why did Nolan set off at the head of the charge towards the wrong target as well?

Nolan’s book on tactics is very interesting, but it is one of the later defenses of the efficacy of the heavy charge to the exclusion of other tactics. It is one of those peace-time treatises that elevates shock action from an important tactical element to the dominant tactic.

Nolan would be heavily used in the post ACW era by traditionalists still seeking a role for Cavalry shock, as late as the turn of the century. He was the du Picq of cavalry, for a time.

Eric, are you familiar with any of Col. George Denison’s writings on Cavalry?

Dave Powell