I'll check my copy in the afternoon.

Just to check I thought the "French" tactic was close at the trot to fire a volley at the trot before accelerating to the gallop to complete the charge. I have seen accounts of cavalry at this period firing stationary or on occasion at the walk but those where as far as I recall involved Bavarian, other German states or Austrian horse.

The issue seems to be that 20-30yards, which is my estimate of the "effective range" of a horse pistol is a bit short a distance to have allowed reaching a full gallop by contact. I also grant that the individual accuracy of the fire would be questionable but I presume that the aim was for mass shock effect not accuracy the same way it was with infantry fire at the time.

Ginger

Ginger,

Have a think about it, your trotting on a horse bouncing up and down in a saddle and your about to fire your pistol.Your not in a single rank, but probably part of a squadron or even a regiment 3 to 6 ranks deep.
Whats going to happen If not shooting the trooper in front of you, then shooting your own horse
Like the infantry, cavalry would have to come to a halt to fire before moving off again to make contact.

Ray.

Indeed, this was the text from "Marlborough goes to war".
Anyway, I dont belive in general inferiority of French cavalry tactics, as many actions proves the opposite.


Nosworthy writes, that "squadron could only deliver fire by its first rank".

Never fired a pistol from horse back & I am not a very good horseman or shot for that matter but I am sure it is possible I would also add you would be sitting to trot not rising which is very comfortable and stable position as the mounts motion is a predictable rhythm. As I said accuracy of fire seemed to be much less of an issue at this time than it later became though I dont see any one successfully reloading on a moving horse.

It is also amazing what a properly trained horse will put up with. I rode a retired police horse in a mounted medieval style mellee which started grazing whilst I was sword fighting

Ginger

It would appear at Blenheim that the gens d'armes halted ti fire their carbines not pistols. The volley was pretty ineffectual there is no doubt of that. Pistols were usually fired at point blank range. 10 FEET or so. The standard doctrine for pistol use at the time was to push the pistol against your opponents body if possible when discharging it.
I will howevere say that this is the one instance that is always trotted out(sic) in this debate. There are many instances of the French cavalry fighting very well .
I will also say that there are few when they defeated english/ British horse.

If it was to fire a carbine that makes rather more sense to me at least. Thank you for the clarification.

Ginger

Jim, this is a new one on me??? Where does this source come from???
Everything I've read on Blenheim states it was pistol's.


How on earth would this happen??? A allied cavalryman with a sword charging into you and the french cavalryman is going to stand there waiting until his opponent is close enough to press his pistol into him before discharging it.


That's because the French cavalry never did defeat British cavalry in any of the four major battles during the WSS.

Good morning Ray.
The quote is from James Faulkners Marlboroughs battlefields. it's also in Corelli Barnetts book on Marlborough.
As regards pistols they were so inaccurate that they were to be fired at no more than 20 paces. Ideally they were to be held until contact and used at point blank range.
You have to remember though that there was no doctrine here. It was entirely up to the unit commander how his cavalry operated.
The more I read on the subject the more I am of the opinion that the British horse were no better man for man .
They were however better handled and definitely better supported by their own infantry.
There were also several clashes at Blenheim and beyond where British cavalry were bested and repulsed. The overall battle being won by Marlborough however and the victor writes the history.

Andre Corvisier in his "Bataille de Malplaquet" claims that in this battle Maison du Roi, albeit not perfectly formed, rushed enthusiasticly to charge and was able to break through four lines of Allied cavalry (citing marquess Quincy as source) or "only" three (according to others).
The same author also cites an eyewitness, who claimed that some Allied cavalry, when reforming, used "caracole" (in my opinion, they rather used their carbines to cover their efforts to dress the ranks).