Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-09-04
LAST OF THE MEXICAN EMPIRE.
Departure Of MaximiIiRn's Body
Guard for Europe To-day.

Guard for Europe To-day.
From the New York World. 3lst ult
This morning there leaves New York by
the Quaker City for Brest, France, a por-
ton of the late Emperor of Mexico's, Max
imilian's body guard, which arrived on
Thursday from Vera Cruz on the French
men-of-War Phlegeton and Eouret. Along
with this guard, which numbers about 140,
there were fifty or sixty civilians belonging
10 the corps dipl0mdtiGue These soldiers
formed the celebrated Foreign Legion that
did so much execution among the Mexican
guerillas, and which fought faithfully and
heroically beside their ill-starred imperial
master until his tragical fate at Queretaro.
1t was composed Of contingents OF volun-
teers from France, Austria, Belgium and
Prussia, and formed a complete army in
itself, embracing all the branches Of the
service from engineer 10 cavalry, and as
they formed a picturesque group around the
office of the French Consul at Bowling
Green, one would almost fancy he was in
a little garrison town in Mexico. Con-
splcuous among them were the Hu8 drs de
T. Emperor, dressed in what was once a
brilliant dashing uniform of light red, the
jackets of the officers were richly braided
with gold lace, and the long boots of an.
tanned leather was surmounted by a tight
fitting trowsers. The Gems dArmos was
dressed in a much more seryiceable and
less gaudy uniform, composed of dark
blue blouse. a loose paetot with light blue
facings, and a small klepi, Of dark blue
Another corps, called the Contra GuerHIas,
we're dressed precisely similar TO the Gems
dArmes, with the exception Of the klepi,
which was of light blue with dark cords.
This corps was especially detailed to hunt
dswn the guerillas that infested the City of
Mexico. As most Of these men had been
prisoners among the Mexicans, they
were treated with true Mexican magma
nimity, which consisted Of stripping them
nearly naked and permitting them to live in
luxurious poverty on twenty-five cents a
day, which would hardly purchase a single
meal in any restaurant; in addition, they
we're subject 10 the courteous remarks Of
their foreign hireling guards, who only
wanted the most trivial excuse to despatch
the foreign hounds" as their prisoners
were lovingly termed. In consequence of
this raid on the wardrobes, their uniforms
were hardly in that condition to honor a
dress parade at West Point; and to add a
more curious effect to this motley group,
the Mexican civilians were attired in huge
sombreros, Of every shape and pattern
some of fine felt, trimmed with gold lace,
and others Of coarse whisp straw, the huge
brims were 80 disproportionate to the crowns
as to resemble plank road round a bun
die Of hay, and the dark sunburnt faces
beneath, with the keen haggard look, that
a residence in tropical climate usually
gives, heightened the effect of this appear
ance. Some of the less fortunate, and
among these was a huge Algerian soldier
that had been in the French army, who
was attired in a horse blanket with a
hole in the centre, through which he put
his head and allowed the ends Of this
improvised mantle to hang in graceful folds
around his otherwise curiously attired per-
son, and though he was rather picturesque,
one could hardly compare him to a haugh-
ty cavalier Of Charles the Seconds time
then, as if to heigthen the motley appear
ance Of this curiosity in clothing, he wore
a pair of short pants that hardly reached to
his knees, and being minus shoes or stock
ings, resembed nothing under the sun 80
much as a burly Dutchman at Coney
Island in bathing costume. Notwithstand-
ing there little disagreemeHtS, so disgusting
to the toilet-loging Frenchman, they en-
ioyed the ludicrous effect as much as the
gaping crowd, who stared at these new
corners in mute amazement But, pipe Ia
bugdtelie, they had truly lost all but honor,
and as most of them were dashing, spright-
ly young men, they cared littlefor the tolls
of the past and were as light-hearted as a
crowd Of bounding schoolboys, and Partisan
persihage was banded round in great good
humor, considering they were returning to
Ia Belle France, from which they had been
for FIVE years. A good number
have consented to remain in this country,
the discharged soldiers from
the French army that had taken service
under Macmillan. Many a French FIRE
side this coming winter will be entertained
with exciting tales, commencing, QUGnd
Dsfqis dams Ia McYiglfen etc