The Sun.
London, England, 1862-02-26 00:00:00

LITEIe..I7U2 E

Red, White, and Blue; Sketches of Military Life.
By the author of "Flemish Interiors." 3 vols.
Hurst and 131ackett.
The writer of the volumes before us has already
introduced some animated pictures of military life
in his former works. He is evidently familiar with
his subject, especially as regards the French sol-
dier; and, notwithstanding some drawbacks, the
information which he conveys, and the lively and
graphic style in which he writes, will secure the
attention both of military readers and civilians.

His chief defect, at least in the eyes of our country-
men, is the strong prejudice which he is continually
displaying against everything English—Govern-
ment, officers, soldiers, military system, moral con-
duct, religion, all are at fault ; even the Sisters of
Charity cannot be praised without an unworthy
sneer at the efforts of our English nurses. An un-
prejudiced reader belonging to neither country
might think it passing strange that, amid so many
pages devoted to its mistakes, misfortunes, and
misconduct, the hapless English army cannot fur-
nish a few creditable incidents ; while the anecdotes
of French patriotism, ingenuity, devotion to supe-
riors, religion, honour, and general merit, are suffi-
ciently numerous to satisfy the ambition of a
French colonel, and form a happy contrast to the
state of military affairs in the " den of assassins
It is strange, too, if the English are so deficient in
military attributes, that they are the only nation in
Europe which can dispense with the conscription,
while it is simply absurd to pick out isolated cases
from the police courts and quote them with full
detail as specimens of the morality and civilisation
of the British soldier. We presume that each in-
dividual of the 600,000 comprising the Imperial
army is not a model of sobriety and virtue ; and we
should imagine it probable that frequent cases of
intoxication and assault might take place among
them without the general tone of the army
being held up to reprobation. But on this
point it is useless to dwell, when the pre-
judice is so strong and so openly displayed. The
,author is a Catholic, and as a fervent and con-
sistent upholder of that faith, deserves respect,
which he should render to others, sparing those
of opposite opinions denunciations of their creed
which we must consider entirely out of place in a
work of this kind. Leaving this branch of the
subject, however, we prefer to consider those parts
of the work which treat of the French, from whose
readiness, ingenuity, and savoir faire we have un-
doubtedly much to learn, and whose army is
much better managed in many respects than our
own. The assumed superiority of the French, the
English soldier can afford to smile at, and indeed
many observations on our country will probably
raise a smile, while the unprejudiced reader be-
fore spoken of will certainly consider modern
history a fiction, for how could such an assem-
blage of ill-treated ruffians have encountered suck
well-drilled, fiery, patriotic, excellent men, with-
out suffering immediate annihilation ? The writer
himself must find this problem very bard to solve.
As may be imagined, some of the most interesting
pages of the work are devoted to the Zouaves
and Chasseurs d'Afrique. We subjoin the sketch.
of these daring and successful soldiers.

THE 20IIAVB.
The Zouave may be considered an embodiment of the
poetry of the French army ; he is the impersonation of all
her finest military attributes, elevated in the social scale by
his traditionary moral qualities, esprit de corps, and his
sense of the responsibilities it imposes. There is, even in
these matter-of-fact days, a mystery and a romance still
lingering about the Zouave. We feel it in looking at his
origin, his character, his habits, and we may pursue it in
their development. His aspect is peculiar, his costume
oninently picturesque, his features and general type are
such that it is difficult to divest oneself of the idea that he
must be of Oriental extraction, and yet at the present day
the Zouave regiments consist mainly, if not entirely, of
Enfans de Paris—full-grown gamins, retaining the activity,
the audacity, the originality, and even the espiegpirie of
their early years. A living, breathing, spirited tradition
of the army of Africa ; when others boast of th'eir ten vic-
tories, the Zouaves point with dignity to their twenties and
their thirties, The Zouave hesitates at nothing ; there is
no enterprise he will not venture, no exploit he will not
dare, no danger he will not brave, and no difficulty he will
not contrive to overcome. And yet it is equally true—
venturesome, aspiring, dauntless, and desperate though he •
be—the Zouave is by no means wanting in the most genial
attributes of human nature, and the generosity and noble-
ness of character which distinguish him are often inspired
by strong religious feeling. It is further observable that
when a Zouave has faith he fearlessly avows it. Perhaps
he entertains a truer appreciation than a man of the world.
of what real cowardice is, and he is above being ashamed
of any sentiment which influences him, though it be one at
which it is the custom of many to laugh in these days:
such, however, as thus presume to judge the thoughts
of others, and to treat them supercili, usly, are, for the most
part, bullies, and most probably would not venture to make
game of a Zouave. Be this as it may, that there is a con-
siderable amount of religion openly practised among this
daring and versatile body, is a fact of which we could ad-
duce many proofs.
The first Colonel of Zouaves was General de La-
moriciere, and their uniform was in the first in-

stance an experiment, and was retained 10 being
of great practical utility. Various modiabx&ions
are being made in the dress of other regiments~ t'.i.171-
the same principle. It is somewhat doubtful,
however, whether the Zouaves, who pride themselves
upon the singularity of their costume, will be grati-
fied by this imitation. They are fond of retaining the
habits of the East, and still class themselves into
tribes each with its peculiar office. The Zouave is
generally as remarkable for his humanity as for his
courage, thus verifying the old saying that the
brave are seldom cruel. " Their pet cats," says the
author, " have acquired a European celebrity," and
he tells an interesting anecdote of a Zouave monkey`
who was a great amusement to the regiment by WS
drollery. The owner was killed at the Alma, and
the poor monkey was inconsolable. He played his
merry tricks no more, but the men took the same
care of him and would let him, when 'tired with
marching, climb on their knapsacks and rest. The
Zeuaves date from October, 1830, the Chasseurs
d'Afrique from the subsequent Thecember, and the
two corps were thus formed almost siniultaneouslY•
" At first," says the the writer, " the Arab and the
French element might be distinguished contending
in the Chasseurs, but gradually they have so happilT,
blended as to form a completely original corps.
Some interesting incidents in the early history el
these regiments is given. The great advantage
which the French soldiers possessed over our men
the Crimea in being able to prepare their own food
in a wholesome and palatable manner, should direct
the attention of our authorities to the way in which-
this superior proficiency is obtained ; for however
great the aptitude of the continental soldier, his
skill is not acquired without practice.
CAMP COOKING.

The French soldier, it will be seen, may be whoiesoniloY
and sufficiently—but he is by no means luxuriously fed;
and whether it be that his constitution does not require ..
or whether he is by nature indifferent to the pleasures of
the table, or whether he is so trained as not to need super-
fluities, certain it is that the rations supplied suffice to ren-
der him strong, active, and hardy; and if any other proof
were needed of which it might otherwise seem difficult to
believe, viz.—that this system is more perfect in its results
than our own, we need only refer to events of very recent
date, when chance afforded so valuable an opportunity, not
only of testing the endurance of the French soldier, but of
comparing it with the susceptibility of our own men, who
sunk so wofully under the privation of their accustomed
support. The cooking in camp is managed by the soldiers;
themselves, who are all compelled—nolentes volentes—t'
take the office in turn ; they are appointed six or eight at a
time, week about, to cook for each company, and some are
such proficients in the art, that they might in time becc,nae
entitled to the cordon bleu were it not that they end by con-
cealing the real extent of their talents, lest they should be
kept too long at the work. The bakery stands te, the west
of the camp, and consists of a certain number of ovens of e•
peculiar construction, invented by M. Espi-slasse. They
are formed by excavations lined with long plates of front
and covered with Japan ware, over which is
a layer of
sand. A square receptacle made of belch is placed in front
of the excavation. Nine furnaces heat these ovens,_ and
they are made to bake about 200,000
a-daytiie firebeing
six batches daily, and six nightly ;
havereabdeosin
faoriOou work. Thens
ocor bread
do not go out, and are continually
the camp is excellent. Mixtures of a
various wr
•
tried, and the result arrived at is found to combine economi
and wholesomeness.
The endeavour to promote amusement and cheer-
fulness among the men is a very valuable feature is
administration of the French army, and diver-
sions are generally contrived under the most dis-
circumstances. Many important statistics
relativeBcgloloo:fuinn;otrrhtn:saeespg.pgae;iinnag,re
given strength einngt h
manyof thepar
parts
respective
th e
w armiesork. lwo:
a memorandum of this kind :
land furnishes 1 soldier out of 128 men: France,'
Russia, 1 in 72; Austria, 1 in GS ; Prussia, 1 in.
1 in 119 ; Belgium, lin 115 ; Sardinia, 1 in 119;
Turkey, lin 71. The actual average pay of all arms—lns—In
England, for privates, is £2O 55.; non-commissioned officers,
£37 125.; in France, for privtes, £9 les ; non-commis-
sioned officers, £24. The cost of an English soldier Per
annum is about £52 ; French, £36 ; Rgussian, £l3 s';
£lB 10s.; Prussian, £3l; Belgium, ,E3B
Austria Sar:
dinian, £32; Turkish, £10; while the men in the present
United States army are said to cost upwards of £6O Per
head."

The rapid rise of some of France's
bra tcd generals from the ranks has often beet).
dwelt upon with interest. The following list con-
tains the most striking instances :
SELF-MADE MEN. most cele-
Augereau, Duke of :Castiglioni, was born the son of a
Paris greengrocer. Bernadotte, afterwards King ®f Swe-
den, was the son of an attorney at Pau. Berthier, Prince
de Neufchatel et de Wagram, was the son of the porter at.
the War-office. Bessieres (whose coure became a pro-
verb, 'be eve com»ze Bessieres')—Duke f Istria—Was the
son of a citizen of Pressac ; a private soldier in 1792, cap-
tain in 1795—he became Mar6chal de l'Empire in 1806.
Brune, the son of a solicitor of Brives, and a printer by
trade, became a soldier of his own free will. Jou, don,
printer of Limoges, pursued a similar career, and with
similar results. Kellerman, Duc de Valmy, son of a citi-
zen of Strasbourg, rose from the lowest grade. Lannest
Due de Montebello, began life as a dyer at Lectoure ; 1,6
entered the ranks in 1792, became general of division la
1800, marshal in 1804. Leblevre, Duc de Pantzig, was
the son of an old hussar of Boufiach. Massena, the fa-
voured child of victory, Prince of Essling, was the son of
shopkeeper at 14 ice. Moncey, Due de Conegliano, the sort
of a notary of Besaucon. Mortier, Due de Trevise, son of
a tradesman of Gateau Cambresis. Murat, King of INIIPI°(3