M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1859-08-11

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From the New York Evening Post.
The French ATmy-Kis Discipline
Described by New York Trngelcr.
The Fcpurh army is certainly one OF the
best developed bodies Of men that the world
hss ever spen. Formed ulmn,t entirely Of
conscrip's, the sons of honest families, it
draws its strength from the best blond Of the
nation. For several wears they ole kept
circulating through France, except when
each regiment takes It's turn in Algiers.-
Thus tie entire country is known - the en-
tire army, from the thrOnged capital to the
most quiet provincial town. The IDEAS ot
the most ignorant are enlarged. their minds
expanded, ss they are drawn away from the
contracted circles of their Ilttle communas;
and he sons Of the poorest villagers enjoy
the pleasures Oh reap the profits Of tlayeI.
Each individual Of this mass is taught 10
walk, to sand to run, u. jump, to swim, to
climb, to handle tn small sworl and the
bruadsword to manage the muSkat and the
bayonet with such skill as not only to sav
his enemy far oif or near at hand, but to
project himself against mole numerous bay.
onrts, or against the long.swOrd OF the troop
er, or even tie fdr.reaching and more for.
mdabe lance.
P,ris is the center Of this system, ani
having one day obtiurd the necessary per-
nit, had an opportunity of seeing how
seulously this training isatiended TO. There
were not more thrn half djzen sndie's eS.
erclsed at this time, but it must be remem
berpd that those who show NOR ftuesS tor
the task are chosen and drilled most thor
oughly, so that in their lrn they may be-
come teachers in their several regiments.
After some Of tn" more or innrv gymnas
tic leafs, thee men were placed in front OF
an end wall, against which were three plat
forms, rising one obova the Other TO the roof
Each OF the upper platforms was sm7.le than
the one below it by about eighteen inches,
enough TO make comfortable standing roum
for man. Each platform had three equal
faces, forming n hall heyagon. AMI Just IN.
der tie edge Of each face Of each Of the plat.
forms was firmly fastened a round iron oar
so, that II 8 mon were not tail enough tn
jump up arl catch the edge of the platform
he might calch the bar below. J forgot to
mention 'hat each platform was about seven
feet high, and, besides being hs'euat to the
wall. was supported by wood work below
but so far from the edge as not to interfere
with the men.
Three soldiers were placed in front Of
these platforms. standing on the ground, and
each opposite one Of the faces. The mo-
ment the word Of command was giv4n each
man jumped at the cdge OF III frs platform,
caught it, raised hmsclrup 50 as to turn up
one elbow aud 10 gel OIL the top; iump'l in
like manner at the Second platform and got
on it, and then upon the :lird All this was
done 50 quickly. in fact with such startl II
rapidly, that can readily understand the
confusion of the AustritnS at the startling
movements Of th' French sol iers. It Sc M
ed but an instHn' before the same t'rr,e sol
diers who hal been 5alling m zion e's up.
on The grouRd in front of the platforms were
standing just as molion'eSs upon he highest
platform, waiting Tor the next command. At
the word they descended in the same way and
stood once more upon the ground.
In yard attached to the gymnasium no
ticed Jumping ditch, soms two Ieat dAep
and sbnut four feet wide at one end spread
ing out to about nine feet al The other. It
was about ten feet long, 50 that the widen
ing was sufficiently grIdu'l.
Here was q so strong plank fence, with
a roof on top, forming sHr OF she'd, with
the back toward ycu, and about fifteen feet
high. The roof did MT lap over the fence
but was securely fastened to il; rs was als>
strong iron rod runniag along the rnre at
10 ..l. a. I
plank were nailed on this fence, about three
inches apart. aId the whole fence sloped OHt
from the bottom to the top, so that when
man caugh, hold of the Stats with his fingers
his feet would swing clear, and he could thu,
get no assistance from them in climbing.
The same three solliers who had scalel
The platforms were placed in front of this
fence. At The word of command each lump
ed at it with fingers hooked like claws, aud
having no hold but what the stats gave them
they clawed their way up quicky'o the top.
There, catching hold o the bar they dou.
bed themselves up in most curious way
turning a back sumeTset and lying at full
length on their backs upon the roof, with
their arm, against their sides. At The next
command they stretched their arms. clugh t
hold Of the oar, threw up their l. rs 50 as to
turn a reverse somerset, AMI So cl1wed their
way down again.
Besides this they are taught to perform all
their evolutions op a run; style which has
been adopted at West PoIni. They are
taught to swim holding the mu ,kAi aud the
carriage box above the water; t. jump from
a hight upon u lrdge where there Is barely
standing room, with their muskets in their
hands and all their accuuirrments npnn their
backs; to walk in the same way along beams,
both square and round, urs long the Irregular
ly shaped trunks of trees across bitches or
Iavines; each man is ia rgh to use bis mus.
ket and bayonet as vaultng pole; aud TO
climb up bis comrdde's shoulders SO as to
scale wall twenty. five feet in hight.
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