Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1843-12-02
Baron RousE, November IS, 1s43.

My dear friend, s49H fsfai va8f Fac.
To-day this beautiful town was not a little
enlivened and amused, by the turning out of
the militia, called here the "bloody 11th."
am not able to tell why it has received the
appellation, or by whom conferred. 1t is how
ever a fine regiment and made a most bril-
liant appearance. s534 gt p16
At an early hour the citizen-soldiers began
to assemble from the different parts of the pa
IRISH, armed and equipped as the law directs.
The ground selected for the grand and impo-
sing military display, was the most beautiful
part of this delightful town. a1l4a r4 H
The day was warm and pleasant as a day
in May, in our country, and every thing con-.
spired to crafty the most unbounded ambi-
ton. Such animating scenes could not but
inspire the lords of creation, with a spirit Of
patriotism and military glory. 81
Neither pen nor pencil can describe the
evolutions that were performed. ts4 thEf
The richly caparisoned horses upon which
the officers were mounted, would compare
with Alexander's noble Beaucephalus. The
burnished swords and gilded ~trappings of the
officers, glitiered in the sunbeams like He,
rods royal robe. The officers presented a
fine and gallant appearance, and the soldiers
would not suffer in comparison with those of
whom / once heard a brave general say, that
with ten thousand such men he could plant the
star-spangled banner upon the walls of Con-
stantinople." The alignment and wheelings
W are well performed. but there were many
new and rare evolutions, which could not be
understood by men unacquainted with mill
tary tactics. They did not march in straight
lines, but in waves, and sometimes they pre-
scented a zlg-zag appearance, especially when
they passed the general in review. The step
too appeared awkward and irregular. not well
timed to the music, which was unusually
grand.
There was another evolution which I be-
lieve was incomprehensible to all, except
those who are initiated into the mysteries of
modern warfare 1t was a man mounted on a
very diminutive mule, with a turn-up nose
resembling that of a bull ~dog-whether he
belonged to the staff, or came as an express,
or was a foreign ambassador, | could not learn.
The rowels, were sunk deep into the sides of
his painting mule as he dashed through the
crowd of eager spectators and came in front of
the astonished army.
His appearance and manner were ~altore-
Their ua.que. The dispatches delivered tothe
officer in command (whether by the mule or
man | cannot telD produced a great sensation
among the men. After a few tn -illing re-
marks to the soldiers, the man and his mule
passed through the ranks near the centre,
leaving the standard on his right; and again
passing rapidly to the front Of the line, took
their position on the left of the general and
his aid.
A few morn extraordinary movement made
by the man and his mule, to the modification
of some, but to the amusement Of others, and
the scene was closed.
Being but little acquainted with the Gus
toms Of the country, I was unable 10 under
stand the real object of this grand flourish
but if they have another may | again be there
to see. Yours, &c,
e BUTTON.