The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1871-03-24
Ingenuity of Prussian Soldiers.

The French hate the Germans with
terrible hatred they are exasperated
beyond measure at the manner in which
the Germans have conducted the war
in France: but being themselves an IN
genious people, they are nightly
struck with the ingenuities OF the enc
NV. Thus there was a Prussian bat
tery at Breteul which for a time re-
ceiyed the fire of Mount Yalerien with
out any apparent effect, much to the
astonishment of the gunners IN the
fort. They were extremely puzzled,
and sought the point of attack with
double care. Then they discovered the
cause of their failure. 1t seems that
the Prussians flashed powder at some
distance from the embrasure OF their
battery, and this contrived to misel-
rect for some time the heavy fire OF
Mount Valerien- Then there is anoth-
er contriyance of the Prussians which
has taken the fancy of the French. 1t
is that their sentinels wear white cloaks
when they stand against walls, green ones
when they appear in their fields, brown
ones for the woods, and gray ones Tor
the mist. &c Tens, items ~ says the
Prussian, with an appearance OF dis
dain. in which there is an under-tone
of admiration ''their tricks are with
out number" "But," says another,
"I viii tell you one of their tricks
which deserves praise, and from which
we might learn a lesson. They &c
about their work very quietly; we
make too much noise with onr clarlons
and drums-we warn the enemy OF oul
movements a mile, off How much
better is their low whistle Their peo.
pie hear it well enough, and we do moi
hear it at all. But talking of whist
les, /" the conversation goes on, have
YOU heard of that other dodge3 The
other night they managed reconnol'
sance in the woods OF Clamart DJ
means of hootings like so many owls
Our fellows heard the hooting, ans
could not make out what it was at first
They have got little instrument to
hoot with. Then says another
"Quite as good at the owl is the dog
trick. The outposts at Creteuil have
dog who watches for them, and barks
when any one approaches. /" Then ye'
another: "Oh, they are ingenious
enough: and that reminds me thai
they like to take things easy. We made
a reconnaissance. to the Maison Blanche
the other day. We found one OF the
houses with large room loopholed
But if you imagine that the Prussiani
stand before these loopholes you arr
mistaken. They SIT on chairs. In an
other house there were no chairs-they
had to SIT on planks; but, to make th'
benches easier for the rotund sentinels
they had got the pillows from the be-
in the next room, and therewlthal made
cushions to repose upon There =
another story of aloophole. 1t was
good big one-in fact, a window. Tn,
4 French saw mans head there, evi
IDENTIFY the man on guard. 1t was dar
ing too much, and they peppered hln
with their Chassepots. But ever.
time shot took effect, and they be
/ gan a crow for triumph, back come
another sentinel, showing himself a
the window as brave as ever. The.
killed him off, be was replaced by
third. Him also they killed; and
fourth, and fifth, and sixth. The
admired the pluck of these fellows
coming to the window like that, on
after another, to be shot. At last the
found that it was only a lay figure.