Post by horseguy on May 2, 2017 16:48:49 GMT
In my retirement I am selling some of my cavalry collection. I have several cavalry postcards, which were quite prevalent from the turn of the last century until just after WW2. This was the time of cavalry. Our US Cavalry was dismounted in 1943.
These picture postcards below are from the French Cavalry School at Saumur France, now the center for the French National Equestrian Team. I collected only US Cavalry items, but have a few French because the origins of our US Cavalry are from France and Saumur. The great rider Harry D. Chamberlin graduated from this school as did many of the top US Cavalry officers who came through Fort Riley.
These pictures appear to be from a big review or celebration at Saumur.
This is mock hand to hand fighting using "melee sticks" for sabers.
A classis cavalry charge.
A regiment in review.
I am not sure if the French Cavalry at this time had what was called "flying artillery" attached to cavalry regiments. This was a new concept that grew out of the Confederate Cavalry during our Civil War. Flying cavalry was typically one or two light artillery pieces joined to a cavalry troop of around 32 or more mounted soldiers. The fact that we see mounted cavalry troops with one light gun each leads me to believe this is a picture of cavalry with flying artillery at a time approximately 30 years after our Civil War.
