Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-10-04
The French Soldier az Home..Tho f,.u,n
at ChaIonS,
CHANGES IN THE GEur.


In the French army there Is a constant ;u,n-ov.
| ment going on, and experience is turned into ac-
count. No doubt there IS red tape enough in tia
| French zs in any other army, but still somehow or
other the progress takes place. Il was the case nm
der the Orlesnists. and has been the case much more
| under the present Emperor, who takes great pers
sonAl interest in the subject and has besides the
1 power Of the "Fr2t.D Thus, after appearing with
the nrst iron clad ships at kinburn attention was
| turned to the guns, and when most people had
| scarcely gone beyond an experiment in the matter
the French appeared IN the Italian war with their
whole field artillery metamorphossd into riied gums
which both IN mobility, range and accuracylprOved
/ superior to anything until then known, and have
since served a. model to almost al the armies Of
4 the continent.
] Since the war in Italy an almost entire change
/ has been made in equipment and drill The ZouaTe
/ breeeheS, the leather leggings, reaching a little
above the white linen gaiter have been universally
adopted for the infantry soldier. About the cons
Eenlence of this there can be question than
| ABOUT the Hmartneas Of It. Il dOes away with
braces, which are no small inconvenience to the
heavily laden soldier; it enables the soldier to lie
down and sleep without being obliged to go through
al kinds Of processes, get up next morning more
tired than ever; The light Logging is support to
the leg and to the gaiter.
The old tunic has likewise changed, but in an op-
poste direction; Il has taken the shape Of the short
TUNE Of the Chasseurs 4 Pied de Ia Garde. This
change WAS necessary account Of the first; it is
AINt4S44J Nl-AEtGL-EakleE lEhA COlFEQltuLE QuE as
tuIics are put aside in Campaigning, and the great
coat is adopted, this does not matter.
Another more important change Is the universal
adoption Of the rife. Sights abolished, with the
exception OF the rides Of the Chasseurs, who keep
their old weapon it WAS. The explanation is that
only troops dsie will use sights with discrimina~
ton, and that one can scarcely rely on 100000 men
proving besides which it is maintained that the
great mass Of soldiers will learn better to use their
weapons by practice, like spOrtsmen at different
dIetauopa fbs 1o-,h
Of nrSt judging the distances and then adjusting the
sghts which, above ALL under the fire Of the enemy
requires considerable s1ngfr6id.
With the abandonment Of the smooth bore and the
adoption of the rife came consequent change in
field exercise. A commission was appointed to
draw up new regulations, and after labor Of more
than year, Its project was sanctioned in February
last 1t charges the very formation, which was
hitherto the basis OF all evoluhons. It was three
deep, and hEs become two deep now. Which Of the
two is the better was long controYerted the adver-
saries OF the former arguing the necessity Of the
third rank element Of solidty, while the sup
porters Of the second insEtsd upon the usslessness
Of the third rank for firing s exposure &c the fire
of the enemy, and the benefit which might be de-
rived from I being used for the prolOngstion Of the
line. The Esglish and Swiss armies were the only
ones who adopted the latter view, and lately the
Szrdinians.
Had the French army remained unchanged in its
composition it wO1ld have been probably long be-
fore the formation two deep would have been
adopted. But great modification has been taking
place gradually in this respect; up to 1s4S it was
very F7re to ind soldiers re-enHting after having
served their time now great numbers do It, so that
the proportion of old soldiers is growing At great
rate. 1he reason il the advantage offered now
which did not exist before. Frat, the price Of
remplacant has been raised to 2000f. The term Of
service emitting the soldier to pension has been
lowered to twenty FIVE years. The pension itself
has been almost doubled considering, besides that
fer every years campaigning counts for two years
service, and fthat almost every steady soldier
rives after long service to the rank Of nOn-ecm-
missio1ed officer, or, at least gets the medaille,
which gives = pension OF lO0f the soldier has
chance after less than twenty years Of service to
retire with competence Of coo to 200 francs
year. Besides this there is the Imperial Guard,
which Likewise offers chance Of betterlng this ssl
Hers poSition.
laily increasing and if il continues, it win change
altogether the French army Il is scarcely neces-
Iary to say what help this 4 in the lighter fcrma~
ion which has now been introduced.
The formation now introduced IN the line of bat
Ie Is almost identical with that in the Eogsh and
swiss armies; the leading idea being to supply the
bird rank BY the "seTUefss" formed Of officers and
ergeants This together with the distribution Of
he rest Of the BOn-commissioned ohcers cn the
lanks Of ths section keeps the whole together.
CHANGES IN DRILL.
Slow step is altogether done away With, the pas
rdinqire being fixed at u to the minute, double
luick to lI0 in 4 minute besides which the pas gym
1stgus of the Chasssurs has been introduced in the
ins wisely meeting = want which showed itself
very moment. Formerly 70 get quicker into place
he soldier took to irregular running now this
unning has been regulated.
Indeed the chief improvement in the new eYolu-
ions ia the adaptation Of many things which were
lready in use with the Chssseurs a Pied. Accord
ng to the old regulations, light infantry exercise
nd skirmishing was properly the duty Of the hight
nfsntry regiments, and later, when these were done
way with Of the flank companies. The others,
Though now and then put through the movements,
Eere scarcely regularly instructed, hence in most
ases the soldier had to do it as best he could. Now
lmost the identical movements is square by the
besseurs = Pied have been introduced as part Of
be education Of each individual soldier; nay, it
0rms prominent part Of it.
The formation BY fOurE ia the basis Of it for all
movement The group has the name Of compGgROnS
'Ggnss deatined, they are, to act together. MIN
te regulations are laid down, fOrinstanee, for re-
sting cavalry attacks in groups, bat everywhere
lese are expressly laid down as rules Tor geasral
uidance.
The old complicated formation Of squares like
ise an ofshoOt Of the idea of increased sOlidity,
As been entirely changed, and the simple square
-, u to- aFrcrfu