Cavalry are fast-moving fighters. For most of history, cavalry referred to warriors who rode horses in combat. Today, horses are rarely used in battle. But the term cavalry is still used for swift, wide-ranging military units.
History.
Many ancient people in Asia and the Middle East used horses for fighting. The Mesopotamians , who lived in what is now Iraq, built chariots as early as 3,000 B.C. Warriors later rode chariots pulled by horses into battle. Other fighters rode the horses themselves. Nomadic horse riders from the Eurasian steppe —a vast strip of grassland that extends from eastern Europe across central Asia—were famous for their skill at mounted fighting.
Some mounted warriors clad themselves, and their horses, in heavy armor . These warriors included the cataphracts of ancient Persia and, later, the European knights of the Middle Ages.
Among the most fearsome mounted warriors in history were the Mongols , who originated from the eastern Eurasian steppe. Beginning around 1200, the Mongol leader Genghis Khan and his successors conquered much of Asia and the Middle East. Their well-organized and relentless cavalry attacks proved nearly unstoppable.
Armies made use of cavalry well into the era of gunpowder weapons. The French leader Napoleon Bonaparte famously commanded a huge cavalry charge during the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. During the American Civil War (1861-1865) both sides used cavalry for scouting and raiding. Perhaps the most famous cavalry leader of that war was the Confederate General Jeb Stuart .
Uses.
The main advantage of horse cavalry was speed. Fighters on horseback could move much faster than foot soldiers. Cavalry units could easily avoid—or chase down—infantry. When cavalry units charged, their horses’ speed and size could terrify their enemies.
However, cavalry also had disadvantages. Horses were expensive. They were less effective in wet, rocky, or mountainous terrain. Fighting on horseback also required much training.
Cavalry units were effective at scouting. Small numbers of cavalry would be sent out looking for the enemy. When they found the enemy, they could return quickly to report to the commander. Cavalry also conducted raids behind enemy lines. Their speed often enabled them to maneuver behind the enemy’s main force, destroy supplies, and escape before the enemy could react.
Today, certain mechanized units do the same jobs as historical cavalry—scouting and raiding. They use armored ground vehicles and helicopters instead of horses.
