Cavalry Versus Cavalry

For most horsemen, there was usually not a deadly collision. The horses of both units would naturally try to avoid each other. One veteran described the effect as being like two hands clasped together with fingers interlocking. A russian cavalry officer remembered one of these cavalry versus cavalry clashes at the battle of libert wolkwitz in 18 13. Lances, sabres and swords clashed against one another. Many were thrown from their mounts in the first shock and trampled under foot. At one moment we were charging forward with a great ura, the next we were riding for our lives. And the uras had become is of fear. We overthrew them and were overthrown.