height on which the Austrians had planted their heavy batteries, and
which commanded the entire ground, was the key of the battle, Napoleon
had determined to wrest it from them, together with the batteries which
crowned it. Accordingly, the evening before, he had dispatched a body of
light infantry by a very circuitous route, to turn the position and
attack the batteries in rear. He had accurately calculated the time the
detachment would require to reach its destination; and when the moment
arrived at which it should be ready to commence its attack, he ordered
the cuirassiers to charge directly upon the position in front. The
Austrian artillery, suddenly attacked in rear, and, at the same time,
threatened with a cavalry charge in front, where it had deemed itself
perfectly secure, tried to change the position of its pieces, so as to
get a fire on its assailants from both directions. But it was too late;
the temporary confusion into which it was thrown enabled the French
infantry to carry all before it, and the height was won, with all its
batteries.

So, at Waterloo, Sir Hussey Vivian's brigade of Light Cavalry, which was
marching in column by half squadrons, left in front, had begun to form
up into line on the leading half squadron, when an order arrived from
Wellington to charge. Instantly the charge was made, and, of course, in
echelons of half squadrons, extending to the right. The effect of this
was that a body of French cavalry on its right, then attacking the
British line, was suddenly taken in flank and completely routed.

6. A charge in deep column may sometimes be made necessary by _the
nature of the ground_, which, at the same time, protects its long
flanks: as where, in our pursuit of the rebels after the battle of
Nashville, in 1864, the Fourth United States Cavalry, approaching them
over a narrow turnpike, made a vigorous charge in column of fours, which
broke their centre, and, with the help of infantry skirmishers on the
flanks, drove them from the ground.

7. When the ground is rugged, in order to lessen the number of falls,
the rear-rank, in the charge, should _open out six paces_, closing up
again at the last moment.

8. Cavalry advances to charge at a _trot_, or at a _gallop_. A fast trot
is better than a gallop, as alignments are not easily kept at great
speed. Experience has shown that the best distance from the enemy to
begin the gallop, is about two hundred and sixty yards; thence steadily