The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1860-08-10
T. HE CALIFORNIAN


L IL u "A IL II Nv ~ L "a ~
The idea of organizing body Of troops
in this peculiar manner, first occurred to the
French commander in Algeria, Gen. Clausel,
in the year 1890, by observing the high state
of discipline and the effective method of war
fare adopted by body Of Aigerine troops
denomnated "Odjacks." General Clausel
desired to organize corps in a similar man.
ner, which should constitute the most impor
tant and efficient portion of his command in
Algeria. After considering some time he
came to the conclusion that THE Zouaves'
would be fitting title for what he intended
should be the first corps in his army. The
term is derived from the Arabic word zou-
AQUA The Zouaoua are tribe, or rather
confederation of tribes, who inEabit the
gorges of the Jurura Mountains, which
mountains separate Algeria from Constan-
tine They were conftssedly the best troops
il the country, and the only ones who had
given in merely nominal submission to the
Turks. This being the fact, it was esteemed
distinctive honor when the General gave
their name to the newly formed battalions.
All the officers were Frenchmen, and great
majority of the soldiers also. The service
was altogether voluntary, none being appoir.-
Ted to serve in the ranks of this corps, ex-
cept those who personally applied for and de-
served the honor. A decree of Oct. l, 1880,
approved by royal ordidance, March 81.
1881 created two battaions of Zouaves in
the Preach service.
The discipline of this body of men was
rigorous in the extreme. They were never
allowed to be idle and were required to per-
form all kinds of work to be prepared for
anything to be surprised at nothing to eat
food cooked or raw to 60 without rest OF
sleep for great length of time and above
all. to obey their commander most implicitly.
The company were organized on such prin-
ciple, trained like bloodhounds, and soon
made itself felt in battle. They soon came
to be the head and front of the French army
in Algeria.
The Zouaves first attracted genera! atten-
ton in the Crimea and Italian wars, where
they became world famous and earned the Il
tie Of 1.-The bravest soldiers in the world.'-
1t is after these men that the United States
Zouave Cadets are modelled to certain ex-
tent. The American Zouave differs from the
French Zouave in dress and manner of liv
ing. The former is prohibited from drinking
intoxicating drinks, tea. coffee, or any bever
age calculated to excite the nerves, from
playing billiards. gambling, &C., while the
latter, the French Zouave, does all these
things.
The American Zouave has three distinct
uniforms The full Zouave dress consists of
dark blue coat blue pantaloons and caps,
with buff trimmings. The drill uniform con-
sists of loose, short, scarlet trousers, high
CATERS with leggns, blue jacket and red cap,
the various articles being trimmed with blue,
orange and red trimmings. There is no Goa;
collar, the neck being left free from the cho-
king process SO common in our infantry
dress. They have bell buttons and MORE
antique facing to the jacket and vest. The
fatigue, or chasseur uniform consists of red
pants and blue coat, neatly trimmed. They
were organized in 1853, by their present COM
mandsr, Col. f. f. Ellsworth, who is Quar-
termaster of the Northern Division of Hi
no;s, and Paymaster-General of the State Mi
litia. They started with fifteen men, and Oh
the next Fourth of July they paraded, and
astonished the Chicagoans with the Zouave
drill.
At the seventh annual fair of the United
States Agricultural Society, they took the
prize of stand of colors worth $500, for
going through the entire drill Of the Chas-
seurs de Ninc-nnes, in the presence of So
900 spectators-but one company, however,
competing with them. One great drawback
upon the success of the company has been
that since its organization there have been
no less than sixty-tive persons taken out OF
the ranks by removals, resi- snations, deaths
and expulsicns. This has added greatly to
the labor of drilling the company. During
the first eight months after their organiza-
ton, they drilled three nights each week land
the last six months they have drilled almost
every night in the week. This vigorous ex-
ercise, the positive prohibition Of enervatins
dissipation, sleeping upon hard beds, and ju-
dicious diet, has produced body of men of
astonishing physique, and aperfection of dis
cipline which they claim is unsurpassed IN
any department of any regular service. They
are all young men, and their bronzed fea-
lures, sharp outlines, light, why forms, mus
cular developments, and spirited, active
movements, give them an appearance of
dashing ferocity consistent with the general
idea of the famous corps of the French ar
nv. The attainments of the Zouaves are in
great measure due to the executive::abilities
of their commanding officer, Col. Ellsworth
who is graduate Of West Point.
Fault-Finding.