comanche maneuver
the Long-Distance Raid: Comanche, Rangers and 2nd U.S. Cavalry on the Texas Frontier
by CPT Nathan A. Jennings
Acronyms in this issue
The long-distance raid is a timeless tactical maneuver that cavalry formations have embraced since the dawn of mounted warfare. While the 20th and 21st centuries have seen naval and aerial components rise to share in deep strikes across combat theaters, in the 19th Century, the task remained the exclusive domain of armed horsemen. Often rising beyond the tactical and operational levels of war, this type of attack typically has combined the offensive fundamentals of surprise, concentration, tempo and audacity, as described by Field Manual (FM) 3-20.971, Reconnaissance and Cavalry Troop, with power projection at distance and expanded political, military, social and economic impact. In the U.S. Army’s storied history, this dynamic maneuver found particular relevance in the savage conflicts that raged across the vast expanses of the Texas Frontier.