The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1883-07-19

creature OF romance-could have been more
| popular, or have administered more fully
to the comfort of her comrades, than did this
obese old creature. Many of her calling have
| done noble deeds, and more than one has been
| decorated with the Legion of Honor. / know
| of one poor thing who proudly wears the
| cross, and ekes out living by selling cata-
| logues at panorama in the Rue ST. Honore at
| Paris.
Meanwhile the band had assembled, and the
gay strains of quadrille from one of Offen-
| bach's operas filed the air. Sets were quickly
| formed, and, in spite of the fatiguiug march of
| the morning and the mud and wet, the soldiers
all over the fields were dancing and kicking
about, gay, good -humored, and frolicking, dam
cling with a vim and enjoyment such as only
Frenchmen can exhibit. An hour passed amid
| such scenes when the bugles sounded. The
men instantly fell in behind the stacks KNAPP
sacks were slung, the piles of arms broken, and
| Immediately the utmost order and quiet reigned
| where less than minute before everything had
| been confusion. The column moved into the
| road, and we were again tramping through the
| mire towards Yvetot. An hour or two of march
| ing brought us to a little village, suburb of
| the town. where the advance of the infantry,
| which had been accompanying, halted, and |
took leave of them, pushing forward alone in
| search OF quarters for the night The way led
through long ugly street, bordered with un-
slightly trees and small detached houses. /
passed an occasional cavalryman sitting ON his
| horse at street corner-for our cavalry, NOV
| ing ahead of US, had already occupied the town
and in q few minutes reached the door of
q comfortable hotel, where I was fortunate
enough TO find room.
SEEKING THEIR QUARTERS.
1t was not long, however before the troops
| followed, and the air was full of the music of
| their bands as regiment after regiment arrived
and was dismissed. The troops were billeted
on the inhabitants, and the streets were crowded
with soldiers in groups Of two or three together,
their paper billets in their hands, seeking their
quarters, which were easily found, as the quar-
| termasters had been in the town IN advance,
and on every door-post was chaIked the num-
Der of the company and regiment, and of the
men who were to be quartered in the house.
This is considered by no means hardship by
the inhabitants, and the soldiers were hospi-
| tably received.
The infantry had nearly all arrived, when the
rumbling of heavy wheels the catter of iron
hoots on the paved streets, and the cracking
OF whips announced the approach of the artil-
lery. Twenty-four pieces, with like number
OF caissons, and the necessary wagons and forges
for four batteries the horses and guns covered
with mud, the men tired and wet, wheeled UP
the street In front of the hotel, and went into
park on the market-place.
A LIVELY SCENE.
Here all was life and eommotion. The guard
had been told Oft and occupied the Town-hall !;
the men for this duty were already lying on
the benches under the arches of the building,
while the sentry stood outside in front of the
row Of stacks, up to his ankles in heap of
straw to keep his feet out of the mud. At one
end of the house the surgeons offices and am
balances were established The wagons were
backed up against the walls, and the ambulance
tenders hospital Stewards &C. were moving
about on various errands. Through the open
doorway could see the doctor, with his assist
ants, examining the invalids, there being
naturally a few cases of sickness among such a
large number of men. There were not many,
however, and the cases seemed TO be light ones,
for the doctor soon left, and younger surgeon
remained in charge. Under the market sheds
on the opposite side of the place the rations of
fresh meat were being distributed, the details
taking it away in huge canvas bags prepara-
tory to converting it into soup. In the court
yards and gardens numerous fires were going,
men OF the infantry were cleaning their arms
and accoutrements, cavalry and artillery men
in linen jackets and overails were taking the
mud off their harness and horses. Forage for
the latter was being dealt out from the wagons,
the men staggering off toward the temporary
stables with enormous bundles of hay or sacks
of oats on their heads Towns-people and peas
ants from the surrounding country were min
gled with the troops, and brisk trade in butter,
eggs, poultry, and like delicacies was rapidly
developed.
AsIleft the market place and crossed the main
street on my way to the railw9y station, COM
pany of troops under arms passed by It was
the detail for the grand guard and for the pickes,
for now we were near the enemy, and the same
precautions were taken as in actual warfare.
Poor fellows, they did not look particularly
cheerful at the prospect of spending the night
in the open country while their comrades had
such comfortable billet at Yvetot
At the railway station the commissaries had
established their headquarters. This duty is
performed by special corps in the French
service, having their own officers and train
ing. Here the bakeries were in full opera
tion. The bread is baked III cylindrical iron
ovens, mounted on f0Ur-whecled carriages,
which accompany the troops wherever they
go. The flour in this case has been brought
to them by the railway, and the bakers were
kneading the dough under some tents that had
been pitched by the side of the track A num-
Der OF cattle were hegtled near under the charge
of some soldiers of the subsistence department,
and some had been slaughtered but q short
time ago, the meat from which had just seen
T distributed.
The sun was setting as I returned to my ho-
tel, and its rays striking behind the trees UP
against the evening sky, cast long shadows on
the glistening wet streets, and bathed the rows
of houses in strong flood of light. Relieving
dark against their white walls were lines of
troops, their forms reflected in the wet mud,
standing silently and almost motionless, save
for the quick movements of the manual of arms
as their officers passed along their lines in
spectng their pieces and accoutrements. The
roll was called, the ranks were broken, and the
labor of the soldiers excepting those detailed
for special duties, was over for the day.
OFF DUTY.
Then, as the evening advanced, the cafes
filed the click of billiard balls or the rattle OF
dominoes on the wooden tables, an occasional
song or shout of laughter, were heard Some
of the soldiers were to be seen at the doors oil
their billets playing with the children, chat
ting with madame, smoking an evening
pipe with monsieur. There was no tattoo that
night, for it is against regulations to make
more noise than absolutely necessary when
near the enemy The patrol goes round, the
last party of merry makers is turned out of the
cafes, and by half past nine the tired soldiers
from the general down TO the lowest teamster
are all in their quarters.
Several days passed. We had frequent en-
counters with the enemy, and many interest
ing events took place. The day after our ar
: rival at Yvetot was one of comparative quiet
and was passed by both parties in tactical forma-
tions and recOnnaissauces. On the following
morning we attacked our opponents, but were
repulsed, falling back upon Yvetot, and occu-
plying strong position on the line of hills in
front of that town, where we in turn were at
tackled. This time, however, we had the pleas
ure of not only repuising our antagonists, but
of pursuing them, and taking possession OF