Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-06-02
The Zouaves.


The Zouave is q heroic soldier; in fifty
years hence, the madden chachia of the
Louave will he a subject for legends, like the
Guard. Popular among all others, all the
successes and victories are ascribed to that
African foot soldier. 1t is a Iouave who has
subdued Algeria it is also a Zouave who has
taken Sebastopol. This artless admiration
of the masses is merely homage rendered to
military boldness and courage. The soldiers
of the line and of the other corps have. there
fore, not to be Jealous of that prediction on
the contrary, they have to look upon 1t a.
the conservation Of the eternal bonds which
bind the army to the people, and make but
one single and unique family Of them.
The corps of the Xouaves has always been
admirably commanded. Young and able
leaders, stimulated by the desire to do well
and be promoted, will always give an enor-
nous superiority to troops, even if they were
only ~middling. So much the more will they
communicate their spirit to solid and well
drilled soldiers, among whom the esprit dp
corps is carried to the highest degree. Thus,
among the Iouayes, "a private feels convinced
that his position is rs enyiable ~ that Of n
captain of infantry. The strength of those
regiments arises from their admirable staff
Of officers, and the following names, taken
from the rolls of the corps up to the time of
its reorganization, in 1852, is the best proof
of it. Almost all Of these officers arrived at
the rank of General - eyaillant, Verge,
Molliere, Lamoriciere, Duyivier, Ladmirault,
Maissiat, De Barral, Drolenvam, Blangini,
dAuteinarre d'Erville, Repoud, Bose, Bis
son, Gardarens de Boisse, Bourbaki, Espin-
asse, Regnault, Renault, Cavaignac, Leho,
Leroy de Saint Arnaud, de Chasseloup Lau-
bat, Bouat, Certain Canrobert. de Grand
champ, d'Aurelle de Paladines, Recqyeult de
Layarande, &c.
The care taken by the illustrious leaders,
who, since 1880, have been at the head of the
Zouayes, to draw to them the most active
officers Of the army, explains the length Of
the preceding list, which is not even COM
plete.
To Gen. Causel pertains the idea of form
ing the corps of Xouayes, which, in the be-
ginning, were exclusively composed Of kabyls
and Coulouglis, who received the name of
Zouaoua, a tribe from Jurjura, whose bravery
was proverbial in Africa.
The volunteers of the chart arrived some
months afterwards, and were incorporated
into the new troop. The royal decree OF
March 81, 1881, which gave Il legal existence
to the Zouaves, divided them into two bat
talions, commanded by Messrs. Maumet and
Duvivier. 1t was ut Medeah and atthe Col de
Mnuzaia that the Zouaves received the bap-
tism of fire. The organization was, how
ever, far from being perfect, aud on the 9TH
Of March, 1893, the two battalions were
made into one, of ten companies, eight
French and two natives of AfricG the lat
ter were garrisoned ut Dely-lbrahim. 1t is
only from that time that the costume Of the
Zouaves, so original and so we'll appropriated
to the fatigues of the African war, has be-
come regulated. Commander de Lamorl-
ciere gave IL powerful impulse to all the ser,
vices, and introduced therein those good
traditions which have been perpetuated ever
since.
We will not follow the IOuaves in all the
little battles they have fought their gener,
ous blood has fertilized the colony. Armed
with a gun and a spade, they have opened
military roads, founded the first colonial rs
adjustments, and acquired to their name
that renown which has become European
during the Crimean war.
When the second expedition against Con
s~tantine took place, the Iouaves took u
large share in the works of the siege, and
mt the definite storming of the place. On
the eve of the great day, one of their OH
GERS, Captain Gardarens de Boisse, solicited
the honor to reconnoitre the breach. Nv hat
reward do you want" inquired the Genera
of the trench. The honor to carry the t'ag
of France ut the head of the first %storning
column. :" And the next day the brave cap
tain. pierced by the Arabian balls, rolled III
the bitches, after having planted ms flag
upon the walls Of Constantine. The same
day, Col. Combs, Commander OF the 18th
Regiment Of the Line, carried the LouaNeS,
who formed part of his column, by these
simple words:-"Brave Iouayes. You must
take Constantine, or die under its walls.
Constantine was taken, but the Iouayes had
dyed, with their blood, the roads which led to
it. Their Colonel and several officers and
soldiers were blown away by a mine; those
who outlived were horribly burned or mutt
lated.
In 1910, their behaviour at the Col of the
Mouzia, induced the government to make a
third battalion. From thence the Iouaves
became n French corps; they were, it Is true,
attached to the permanent army OF the colo
nv. but the natives were excluded from
among them. From 1912 to lS49, yearly ex-
petitions often offered them occasions to dis
~tinguish themselves. Col. Canrobert was
then the Commander of the Regiment. The
cholera decimated the garrison Of Aumale,
saws NJ. de Bazancourt. The siege of Iaat-
cha calls him to the fight; Col. Canrobert
leaves with his Xouaves consumed with the
epidemic; and during the trials of a long
and hard march, he encourages them; he
renders to the sick the energy which was
torsaking them, and inspires all Of them with
courage, so difficult 10 preserve against n
plague which Stays, and which one annot
perceive. During that march, with his small
exhausted column, he finds himself all ut
once in the presence of numerous assaiIants,
who prevented his passage, and surrounded
the city of Bou-Sada. the garrison of which
was blockaded. Col. Canrobert resolutely
marches to them, Notwithstanding the in
equality of his forces, and exclaimed Let
me pass, for | carry with me an enemy who
will exterminate all of you-the plague
The Arabs, frightened at these words, and
perceiying on all sides the traces of the cpl
demic, were seized with fright, ran away,
and left the passage free.
On the 9Th of November. before Iaatcha,