When Cavalry Attacks: Battle of Palmetto Ranch, 1865

摘要

American cavalry has historically been mounted, trained and armed to execute reconnaissance and security operations in support of higher-echelon maneuvers since the Civil War. While the historical role of cavalry remains unchanged, the U.S. Army's current panoply of armored, Stryker and motorized ground-cavalry squadrons vary in their specific abilities to enable brigade combat team (BCT) and division actions. They all focus on collective missions that include zone, route, area and forceful reconnaissance, or screen and guard assignments. While the former task group centers on proactive methods for fighting for information with both stealthy and rapid advancement, the latter aims to provide freedom of action for higher commands through projection of mobile and static picket lines.