St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1883-11-17
The italian Soldier.

The italian soldier, as a rule, is short
and square built and his general APP
pearance conveys the impression of
not over robust physique. But see him
marching and it soon becomes apparent
that he possesses more stamina than one
would give him credit for. How unmur-
muringly he trudges for hours at time
along dusty road undera hot sun with
his heavy knapsack on his back and his
rifle slung across his shoulder And
our surprise is increased when we find
what meager rations he has to sustain
him under all his toll.
His chief meal consists of soup made
with lard. meat and maccaroni Or some
other kind of paste. His mess is pre-
pared in large cauldrons, round which
at given signal the men gather each
with "a tin can, into which is poured a
not very abundant supply of soup and
an almost invisible lump of meat. In
setting out on a long march the soldier
drinks the soup and keeps the meat to
eat on the road. Besides this he gets
coffee without milk in the morning and
about two pounds of bread to last him
throughout the day. A tumbler OF wine
is served out to him on an average every
third or fourth day in the year.
If his food is Spartan in its simplicity
his dress is equally exempt from the
change of luxury. A loose coat of
coarse, grayish blue cloth covers the in
fantry soldier from neck to knee. His
trousers are of the same material, but
when marching the latter are exchanged
for canvas trousers, and when working
in camp canvas tunic is donned in
stead Of the coat His headgear is
kept, very like that in use in the French
army.
The uniform of the Bersagleri is
somewhat more expressed in fancy
This army consists Of picked men; in
deed, only strong fellows could march
at the rapid pace they are trained to.
Otherwise their drill is much the same
as that OF the ordinary infantry regi-
ments. They wear a black tunic with
red facings, and black broad brimmed
hat, with a bunch Of green feathers
stuck at one side. They are armed like
the infantry, with Wetterly rifles. The
cavalry and artillery are comparatively
weaker armed than the infantry. The
former are poorly mounted, and the
guns and trains of the latter are below
par.
The cavalry are divided into heavy
cavalry or dragons, lancers, and light
cavalry. The dragons are easily dis
tinguished by their helmets. Both they
and the lancers are armed with lance
and (Wetterly) musket The light cav
airy of Cavalleggieri have revolvers
instead of lances. Singularly enough,
the cavalry have their swords and mus
kets fastened to the saddle, SO that if
endorsed they are defenseless. I have
already remarked that the physique of
the men is better than outward appear
ances would denote.
AS regards their general disposition.
[ may remark. that they are docile,
obedient to their superiors, well-be-
haEed, cheerful and laborious. In
times OF danger and disaster, as during
the cholera Of 1867, the foundations Of
last year and the occasion of the re-
cent earthquake at Ischia, they work
with an ardor and self-devotion which
is gratefully recognized by their fellow
citizens
They lack, however, the smartness.
both in dress and drill, and the martial
bearing of English or German soltiers.
The former and less important defcien-
cy is the natural outcome of Italy's en-,
deavor to maintain a larger army than
she can afford properly to equip. The
inferiority of the drill is doubtless due
to the shortness of the time of service
thirty months) and the scarcity of SER
geants in the army. London News.