During the late Ming Dynasty, there were generally two types of cavalry formations used by the frontier armies. These two formations were invented by Qi Jiguang and Sun Chengzong, respectively.
Taking a single cavalry battalion as an example, Qi Jiguang’s structure organized twelve men into a squad, three squads into a platoon, and three platoons into a company of one hundred, led by a captain. Four captains were under the command of a major, and two majors were under the command of a colonel. A cavalry battalion consisted of three colonels: left, center, and right. The weapons used by the cavalry under these colonels varied slightly, categorized into "uniform squads" and "mixed squads." A uniform squad meant all soldiers were equipped with identical weapons, whereas a mixed squad meant they were equipped with a variety.
In Qi Jiguang’s twelve-man cavalry squad, the squad leader was equipped with a back flag, a flagpole, a Qi Family Saber, a bow, two bowstrings, and thirty arrows (armor and other auxiliary equipment are not detailed here). The two corporals under the squad leader did not carry bows; they carried only the Qi Family Saber and a matchlock bird gun. The supply of ammunition for the bird guns was substantial, including three hundred lead pellets, corresponding gunpowder, and five spare slow-burning matches. Beneath the corporals were the quick-gunners (using an extended version of the Three-Eyed Gun), tang-pa (trident) spearmen, saber-and-shield men, and cudgel …
Chapter 500