Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1857-03-11
S;amese Female Soldiers.

Siamese Female Soldiers.
The following description of the King of ST.
ans female military body guard though not en-
tirely new, is interesting from its minuteness.-
1t appears in the Moniteur de pArmee:
A battalion of the Kings Guard consists OF
400 women. chosen among the hsndsomest and
most robust girls in the country. They receive
excellent pay, and their discipline is perfect
They are admitted to serve at the age of l3, and
are placed in the army of reserve at 25. From
that period they no longer serve about the King
person, but are employed to guard the Royal
palace and Grown lands. On entering the army
they make vow of chastity, from which there
is no exemption unless any of them should at
tract the Kings attention and be admitted a.
mong his legitimate wives. The Kings choice
seldom falls on the most beautiful, but on the
most skillful in military exercises.
The hope of such q reward animates them
with extraordinary zeal for military instruction
and Europeans are astonished at the martial ap-
pearance of that battalion, as well as Its skill IN
maneuvreing and its excellent discipline. The
costume these women wear IS very rich. Inelr
! full dress is composed ola white woolen robe,em
brodered with gold. The cloth is very fine and
descends as far as the knees it is covered with
light coat of mail and gilt cuirass. The
arms are free, and the head is covered with
gilt casque. When wearing this dress on State
occasions their only weapon is lance which
they handle with wonderful dexterity. With
their undress they are armed with musket.-
The battalion is composed OF four companles,and
each company of 100 women, commanded by a
captain of their sex Should the captain diet
company is drilled for three days by the King
who appoints the most competent to succeed IN
the command.
The battalion has been commanded for the
last five years by woman who saved the Kings
| life at q tiger hunt by her courage and SKILL
She possesses great influence at Court, and is
much respected by those under her command
She has the same establishment as member Of
the royal family, and ten elephants are placed al
her service. The King never undertakes any
expedition without being accompanied by hi;
female guard, nor does he ever hunt, or ever
ride out, without an escort of the same guard
who are devotedly attached to his person. Each
individual of the battalion has five negresses at
tached to her service, and having thus no do
mestic occupation, she can devote herself exclu-
sivey to the duties of her profession. There is
parade ground near the city, where one com
pany is stationed for two days every week to
exercise themselves in the use of the lance, the
pistol, the musket and the rifle.
The King attends once a month at those exer'
cises, accompanied by his brother, who shares
in some degree the sovereign power and dis
tributes prizes to the most deserving. These
rewards consist of bracelets or other valuable
ewelry, to which the girls and their families at st
tach great Importance. Those so honored I'LL
the Offices of sergeant and corporal. Punish.
ment is very rare in this corps, and when it is
inflicted it consists of a suspension from service
for period not exceeding three months. But
duels are much more frequent They must be
sanctioned, however, by the female captain, and
be fought with swords in the presence ofthe en-
tire company When the death of one OF the
parties ensues, the deceased receives magniti'
cent funeral and the high priest pronounces
panegyric declaring that the deceased by hel
valor has merited eternal rest in the abode o
the blessed The survivor receives the congrat'
ulations of her companions; but as measure
of discipline, she is sentenced to pass two months
away from her company in fasting and prayer
The military organization of this battalion is sc
perfect that the entire army endeavors to iml
| tate it.