The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-07-21
From TIE n. r: Times. y,lly 2o.l


THE GREAT zOUAvE DRILL.
The Chicago Zouaves, who, since their arrival
In this city, have been astonishing our military
men and other citizens by their
gave another of their exhibition drills last night at
the Academy of Music. which was great success
that enormous building being completely filled
from parquette to amphitheatre. There were over
four thousand people in the house, very large
proportion of whom were ladies.
At eight o'clock the sound of music was heard
from the street, and the impatient audience sent nm
hearty cheer long before our military guests APP
peared. The muskets of the Zouaves were stacked
the stage, and the scenery thereon displayed
forest view.
Probably not ten in hundred of our readers
would understand technical report of the wonder
ful evolutions and exercises which the company
went through with, AID we shall endeayor to give
such popular representation of their performance
as will be ineligible to the general reader.
At first, in squads of four, the men came upon
the stage, forming into two lines, as before. be-
hind the stack OF guns the order to "unstack" was
giyen and quick as a flash each man took his mus
ket, and the "order arms was executed in as ac-
curate and well timed manner as ever was done
by the famous Seventh. A series of orders was
then given in rapid succession, which were obeyed
by the entire company as if by mechanism. They
marched around the stage slowly, then quickly,
| then on trot, then run, suddenly turning
| face to rear; the movements were performed,
all acting, moving and resting in the most perfect
mon Manual each operation being received with
great applause by the rather Over-enthusastic au-
! dence, who almost went into fits when the much
| loved 'order arms was announced. They should
| cred arms, trailed arms, supported arms, and
| dered arms over and over again, always doing it
well, and with such rapidity of execution and SYM
m,try of movement, that to the uninitated it
seemed marvellous beyond belief. The order to
| load executed timely. The advance arms,
draw rod, return rod present arms, fire and rest,
were put through in style calculated to astound
| the natives, and make tyrants tremble. They
then fired at will, fired by file, fred by platoon,
| and fired altogether.
After they had got through firing, they went
through the Manual again, winding up by several
dashes towards the foot-lights, seemingly bent on
| landing their individual Zouaveshps into Harvey
Dodworth's lap, but suddenly hating, would turn
| to the right and franticaly rush toward the very
| blue lake on the drop in the rear of the stage
then fixing bayonets quick as flash, they wheeled
| around and turned around, and almost jumped Jim
Grow, till after fifteen minutes labor, they receiv-
ed the order to .'stack arms" "salute,'' and ere
| tire" As they went off an immense audience,
numbering certainly five thousand people, cheered,
hurrahed. clapped. and shouted for very joy. An
| intermissiOn of ten minutes agreeably Occupi-
| ed in listening to Dodworth's harmonies and in
watching sundry small boys who, having reached
perilous eminence on the top of the highest box
| in the row, came very breaking their Celtic
necks in ground and lofty tumble to the floor.
| The company reappeared, and after a side step to
| the lett and ar unstackng of arms, ran in double
quick time to the footghts, then around the STAGE
backed, ran up and down, wheeled, turned, stood
| silent as the grave and motionless tombstones
! in the form of cross. In this position they went
through the same exercises when in line eliciting
| round after round of applause, much to the annoy-
| ance OF The Colonel who finally approached the
lights, and addressing the audience requested them
to desst from applause, no matter how much it w
eserved as it interrupted the hearing of his orders
One OF the most interesting portions of the enter
| tainment was the
| sKIRMIsH DRILL.
AT the word the lines separated, forming into a
huge paralleogram, with the Colonel in the centre
They fired kneeling, reloaded in the same position
and hired again. Then up on their feet in squads OF
four men each, they ran rapidly around the stage
falling speedily into line at the rear. Falling back
four PAGES, they obeyed the "order arms" "ground
arms and crest" and another intermission fol-
| lowed.
| showing how easily very few men trained in that
| way could clear street of mob The company
| being drawn up in two lines, the word was given
to fire. The front line obeyed and instantly opened
| with loaded guns. While the line which had Just
| fired were reoading, the second line presented a
ray of bristing bayonets, fixed into loaded guns
The loading OF the first being completed, the second
line discharged their muskets, and opening, allow
ed the first line to advance, and so on until the
front OF the stage reached. 'tFire in retreat
which was the reverse of the foregoing was then
exercised. After this the
!
was gone through with. This consists simply Of
the exercises OF the Manual, the same being per
formed at the tap of the drum, instead of BY word
| of command-hence its name.
This being done, Col. Ellsworth, accompanied by
| Col. Pinckney and two other officers approached
the foot-lights, and after considerable applause,
COL. ELLsw ORTIZ SPOKE
| as follows: 81 believe it is customary on all such
occasions as this for some one to say a few words
take advantage of this custom to apologize for our
| drill of this evening. We have been cramped for
room, having no length at all but this great
depth, which is of no service to at all. Conse-
| quently we have been somewhat embarrassed, and
! particular was this the case in the 'Skirmish
| Drill which had to be almost entirely omitted
| have another and more agreeable duty to perform
and that is to thank you for your attendance and
your KIND attention; Until this evening you were
all strangers, though now, trust, our friends
[app1auseJ- and hnnanAt | am very grateful
personally, and can say the for ali Of my
command We will now attempt a fcharpe thouph
L am fearful of the result" TGreat applause
The company then formed into line preparatory
to giving
THE CHARGE.
which was to be the feature of the evening HPre.
sent arms" -''Shoulder arms Forwardp- WERE
obeyed. AT quick, steady, easy trot they started
gradually accelerating their speed, till "Cbarge''
| yelled the Colonel. 'Yah, responded the men-a
russia dash-dnwn to the very edge of the stare
engulhng the little commander, and startling every
| body in the house so completely that moment Of
intense silence passed before the audience recovered
| itseli, NJ tne expiration OF which time they burst
| into an uncomfortable and prolonged cheering,
| shouting, whistling and huzzaing, which made the
| proud blood dance in the cheeks of the Zouaves.
| and Jingle in the veins of the listeners
Thus ended the exhibition-as such, a great sue
| cess-an evidence of what can be done bv patient
| toll, persevering system, and unhagging energy
but by no means an exhibition of French Zouavism,
as understood in the days of Maumet and Duvivier.
or as was exhibited during the memorable cam.
| paigns of 1855 and 1859.
The Zouaves will take their departure for Boston
to-day at half past o'clock, in the steamer Con.
necticut, of the Norwich and Worcester line. They
will be entertained, before their departure at a col
lation, by companies A and of the Sixth regi-
ment at their armory over Centre market. The
Iouaves will remain in Boston for two DAYS when
| they will pass through this city on their way to
| Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washing ton and Cincin-
natl On their return to this city they will be re-
ceived and entertained by the Second compa ny,
| National Guard, Capt. Shaler.
| THE AFRICANS AT KEY WEST-THEIR DE-
PARTURE FOR LIBERIA.
| The Charleston Courier publishes the following
| late intelligence from the Africans at Key West
| up to the 18th Instant D.
We are indebted to merchant and resident OF