the purpose of cavalry

[Wilson Gray]

Your version is the version that I know, Dave. One of my best buddies and my
father-in-law were cannon-cockers. But, likewise, I have no idea where it
came from.

-Wilson

On 2/27/06, Dave Wilton <dave at wilton.net> wrote:
>
> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Dave Wilton <dave at WILTON.NET>
> Subject:      Re: the purpose of cavalry
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> I know of at least one variant that is commonly found on military posters,
> mugs,
> etc. that reads "Artillery lends dignity to what otherwise would be a
> vulgar
> brawl."
>
> I'm not familiar with the cavalry version, but then I served in an
> artillery
> unit. Undoubtedly, the cavalry version is more popular in cav units.
>
> No clue as to the origin.
>
> --Dave Wilton
>   dave at wilton.net
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: American Dialect Society [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf
> Of
> James Landau
> Sent: Monday, February 27, 2006 5:02 PM
> To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> Subject: the purpose of cavalry
>
> There's a quote I once read and have never been able to track down again.
> Is anybody familiar with it?
>
> It goes something like this:  A cadet at a well-known military academy is
> taking an exam and finds the question "What is the purpose of
> cavalry?"  He
> answers "The purpose of cavalry is to add a note of drama to an otherwise
> disgusting display of human behavior."
>
>      - James A. Landau
>
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