Harper's Round Table, January 12, 1897

Step back to June 1862, when the Union Army still regarded its mounted troops as little more than messengers and pickets. This narrative unpacks the early skepticism of senior commanders, showing how the cavalry’s potential was hidden beneath a veil of cautious doctrine. By tracing the evolution from scattered squadrons to organized brigades, the piece highlights the stubborn resistance and the growing clamor of daring officers demanding a proper role on the battlefield.

The centerpiece is the charge at Gaines’s Mill, where General Cooke’s modest force of regulars, volunteer lancers, and a handful of U.S. cavalrymen suddenly found itself thrust into the line’s most vulnerable flank. As the Confederate artillery roared and infantry faltered, the mounted men surged forward, their pistols and sabres flashing in a desperate bid to stall the enemy. The account captures the tension of that pivotal afternoon, illustrating how a single cavalry action began to shift Union attitudes toward mounted warfare.