, 1861-05-27
Tie Soldiers ssShelter.Tent,%s al used
by the French.


by the French.
To tho Editors of tho New York Tribune:
s1R-Next to scarcity Of 1atious, the great
est Inconvenience to which the soldier is ex-
poEsd in active campaign Is separation from
tile tents and baggage wagons. Exposure to
wet and night dews is his greatest enemy.
Sickness destroys more soldiers than do the
bullets Of the foe. The colder, however,
should always be in q condition to eneamp at
aEy moment upon any ground, aud at the
'me time be protected from rain mud dew.
Experience has taught the French soldier to
'compli6h this ii great measure. The
N ans were int e@ployed By hin Il il Africa,
Blgeaud, surnamed s'rami du solddt," the
so dier's friend. would suggest the contri-
va ace as one which should be adopted by our
tr ops. Like the French soldier, the Ameri-
can one should neye1 be without it In cam
pa'gn. The blanket alone does not suffice.
lEdtn rubber goods are too heavy to be added
to the lit.
The contri7ance allude TO Is extremely
simple-is known to every sportsman, and is
extremely light and cheap. It's cost need not
exceed SO cents. It is called by the French
foot soldier carries it. The additional weight
to his kit is not over two pounds. This little
tent has eayed the lives Of thousands of
French soldiers. The English, whom we too
blindiy follow in military matters, have not
adopted It, prelcrri4g to improYeuent the
first, Of two Sticks, about. ~ feet long, o
tough wood, md not larger Than the third
finger The best wood is perhaps ash. These
two sticks are each divided in the centre
where there is q simple tin or brass feru1e
into which the other half Of the stick is fitted
soldier carries one Of these sticks, which is
puehed into the side Of his knapsack. It may
project some SIX inches above his back, with
out Inconvenience, or the tWo halves may be
Eepa1aled aud stuck in two parts into the
knapsGck.
Every two soldiers, therefore, have four
sticks between them. I'd. Each soldier car
1ies, also, strip of thick cotton or linen
cloth Of about 2 feet inches broad and feet
long. The French carry Shorter strips, inns
much SIS their average stature is less than ours.
CENTER, allowing them 70 be tied together and
overlap tozaaing roof four feet six inches
wide. A. the end Of these strips ara holes
t made round to tit on the sticks, aud d string
70 tic them thereto. The sticks are sharpeued
st % the end I'd; 50 IL: that they miy % be struck r more
encamp they place Acse four sticks in the
earth, and stretch the cotton cloth over them,
| INSERTING the sticks In the holes Or ticing them
by the strings Under this cotton roof they
stretch their blankets (the French do not al
ways ca!Ey, blankets, hoEeYer), and the little
l
nims, at night, two soldiers occupying one
| tent The tent thus fixed is nbont two feet
high. The knapsack serves for q pillow. In
| vet weather the-end Of the little cotton roof
! Of the "tente d'abri" over the feet should be
| lower than the part over the soldiers head
| thus forming shed for the min to run Off
Some carry an additional strip of c1oth-each
| soldier carrying half Of the whole strir, In Or
| der to form sides to the tent This Is not IN.
dispeneab1e, however, but it adds to comfort:
4 French regiment will encamp by the above
means In about a quarter Of an hour. L sol.
der fixes th4atents, the others light fires, put
The cooking 'pbts over the fires, Ind prepare
the supper, and the whole regiment is In orde,
for the night In IN incredibly short space oi
/ time. French soldiers are the best campaign.
ere, for they are Taught to be suf11 cicnt unto
themselves The above little shelter tents are
the sleeping ploces Of the soldiers in the ah
sence Of the large tents, and suffice until thu
baggage wagons conc up.
have seen the French soldiers In campaign
md hare observed the superiority Of thei,
equipments and arrangements for cooking.
purpose hereafter to point out the defect O
the clothing, tin cantecn, knapsack, and cook
Ing apparatus OF our troops. It is espeoial,
In the cooking.Bt thnt the military culina
II department Of our soldier is at fault. A.
to the dress Of OUT men, it Is in many respects
most inconysnient; but there is > strong ten
delcy among our people to Initiate the parad
| The English, as the London Times once prop
er1y observed, willie they fight with "the IN
tuto1ed courngc Of the race" know but Nttl
Of the art Of war. Let us not imitate thef
dogged adherence to old customs md predju
! GfFpp w. W II