Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1855-04-20
The Zouaves: their Origin, Organization, Charnc-
teristicS,

rem time to time of the progress of the war in th
CrImea, have probably been puzzled to know VIII
are the Zouaves who are so often mentioned in th
French military dispatches. The following article
will eniighten them
| Ihe ZouaveS appear determined to consummate j,
Ine East the renown they have obtained in Africa
hey are named in the first rank in the official dis
patches private letters delight to recount the PROV
ess of these soldiers whom they proclaim the first II
'ne world They already have their Suetonensis
VINO describes them angling from the rocks of Balak
lava whilst awaiting the day of assault The for
me. repeat their bon ots and sketch their manners
ana habits. Some of the English correspondents
gorlty their gallanries with the Tartar DANES and
announce their trumphs among the volatlties of the
oasSe cour, not less successful than their execu
ton OF the polka 10 the piano of some fair Russian
fugitive.
All this. be it known, amply justifes the soft cog.
nomen OF Suaves under which these literally culot-
TED heroes like TO disguise their official denomination
inns is merely the affair of L. But matters are
nightly altered by a single letter. Hear how the
Zouaves became the lions of the Orient! 1t is only
their due amid the concert of applauding voices
Just ask the reader it he knows the origin of this now
Famous corps, and If he tell the Specification Of
the name OF Zouaves! As [ suppose him to be very
lmpertecty, or not at all, informed on these two
points, am going to let him know what have
learned from certain historical documents of French
Algeria. have before me a confidential manuscript
| ",
Marshal Bcurmond by the Lieutenant General of
Police attached to the Algerine expedition This
report informs the general-in-chief that an Arab
named Hadj Aprachman Kenni, doubtless Adder
Rahman, has offered to the French authorities under
Inc title OF Auxllares, corps of two thousand ma.
tlVes. This troop recruited entirely among the
LouaVes and Adder Rahman recommends them as
the most valiant and faithful soldiers of the regency
The author of the proposition sustained it by
complete plan of organization Here is the outline
ia Hnr hn r;,oIk kLok.
Just and practical could be conceived by an Arab
scarcely month after the taking of Algiers
There were to be five officers TO one hundred men,
and the project thus desi gnaes them Two corporals
two sergeaE:s one lieutenant. one captain and su-
perior officer, whom Adder Rahman calls major of
hve hundred men, qualified as a general, but who
should rather be styled colonel
This staff was borrowed from Turkish usages, for
among the Algier Turks we find the following de-
nomination Chief of ten, chief of fifty, chief of
hundred, chief OF five hundred chief of thousand.
The corps of Zouaves will serve on foot; the
officers only will be mounted. Each man will have
two summer suits, and one for winter. For immer
two vests, two pair OF pantaloons of white linen, and
one pair of shoes. For winter, sort of cloth cloak
an undershrt, and waistcoat of red cloth with blue
trimmings, pair OF red pantaloons pair of leg
glngs, and two pair of shoes Besides these two
white turbans trimmed with red, and two shirts
The corporals will be distinguished by two stars,
In silk, on the breast. The sergeants will have these
wear the same, in silver; the captains in gold
Nothing is decided as to the distinctive insignia of
the superior officers
The pay OF the priyates will be twenty francs Ler
month that of the corporals thirty francs of the
sergeants, forty francs; eutenants fifty francs cap.
tains, seventy francs.
The men cantoned Algiers will receive a
ration of bread; those detached will receive this
ration in biscuit, ith the addition of some beans
and oil The Zouaves will occupy q house in AL
Nrh1a will hn had
the staff Office will be established.
The corps will be divided into four sections of five
hundred men each stationed at four different posts at
certain distances from the city of Algers from which
posts will be detached, every other day, patrols
charged with traversng the country in maintaining
it's Tranquility. The form of service and discipline
will be that of the French Army. Each man will be
armed with a musket, pair of pistols, and lge-
rian sabre yatag ghan. In the field each group of
twenty men will be entitled to Algerian tent
There will be for the whole corps secretaries two
surgeons, and two paymasters The health officers
will receive sixty francs per month, the secretaries
seventy, the treasurer eighty.
We to the most remarkable feature of
this plan. Our Arab says the cost of subsistence of
this corps will be obtained from the rents and pro-
ducts of the lands which served for similar purposes
under Turkish denomination. The Jews, he adds
sub bjected 10 tribute of 10000 francs per annum
applicable to the subsistence of the troops of the Dey
They also levied constitution for the object by
d
Adder Rahnan did not know its exact amount
This statement is corroborated by the fact that
the 2,0OO Zouave auxilares be sustained with
out drawing single centime from the French army
chest.
One word, now, as to the native whose services
Adder Rahman offered to M. De Bournmond. The
Zouazouas, whom have made Zouaves, and also
des gnated by the name of Guanoua and d. Alt
Guaoua, who are KabyIes, primitive Berbers. They
form confederaey, inhabiting the high mountains
and steep hills between Bouge and Dellis and were
always remarkable for their independence and mar
tia spirit Enrenched in their dense forests mac
cessibe rocks, they have defed the mussulman au-
thorIty at Bougie, and paid on that tribute they
pleased. Although they recognized the sovereignty
of the Sultan, they abstaned from every act implying
the obedience of the vanquished. Some of their
tribes, among them the Benz Kheli, have never paid
tribute to the Turkish honor of being destined to
overthrow the French power in Africa. The fatal
| blow say they, will be struck a village of the
tribe of Benz lTaten called ADM. We are to advance
as far there but there we are 10 be beaten, and
from that day the fortunes of France be deere
scende until It's final extinction Such is the univer.
sal opinion in the gIand Kabyle.
According to the remarkable work of M. lie Com.
mandant Carte the confederacy OF Zouaou comprises
| two hundred and one villages, and a population o.
ninety four thousand souls, being the most populou
group of all the Jur ura Such are the people whC
volunteered auxilaries of France on the very day
after our conquest 1t natural that their nam,
should become popular among as that Of an earth
: ly friend.
Marshal Bourmond was favoraby struck with tn,
project of ADD Rahman, and adopted it in prnci
pie but his situation precarious, that he dar
ed carry it into execution This task fell 10 hi
successor Marshal ClauZeI. On the first of October
$780, only six weeks after the proposition of the Ara
had been made, government order directed the for
nation of native Lattalons, which bore the name
Zouaves At first formed of which the com
= mand confded 10 NJ Maumet, staff captain o
high merit; then second which could not be com