The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1884-06-11
COMBAT OF THE THIRTY.

Z COMBAT OF THE IHlRIl.
The great fencing master of Paris, Wig
Z eaut, of Paris. narrates this eNtra"rdl'
nary incident in a recently publlsheo
work, the hero of the story, Jcan.LouiS,
; being q French mulatto:
I In 1914 Jcan-Louis had not yet left tht
army; he had taken part in more than
, thirty battles or engagements in Egypt,
Italy, Prussia and Russia. 1t is in Spain
that We find him during that disastrous
year of 1914: which witnessed the SUI
prene effort of Napoleon against the in
vasion of Europe.
The Thirty-second regiment formed part
OF the third division of the army, and had
Just arrived at Madrid by terrible forced
marches. 1t was no longer a question OF
conquest, but Of falling back upon Franco
as speedily as possible.
Scarcely had the regiment been able tc
obtain a few hours rest ut Madrid, thar
several non-commissioncd officers and
soldiers Of that rcgimcnt-truc zouaves OF
the epoch-scattcred through the various
quarters of the city, upon what in troop
ers' language they call la noce "a spree,
Unfortunately the fun was soon spoiled
BY one of those soldiers quarrcls, which
occur only too often in an army composed
of the most hetcroclitlc clements.
1t must be remembered that as soon as
Napoleon L, added a new kingdom to his
conqucsts. his first care was to incorpor'
ate into his army the armies of the nation
he had vanquished. Thus it came tc
pass that for five or six years. Italians,
Dutch, Saxons, Bavarians, not to mention
our traditional friends the Poles, took
part on the side of France in the great
battles of the empire. SO long as the
star of the conoueror continued to
shiae, these armed hosts which Napo'
leon urged before him accepted their
condition of subsection; but from the
day the star began to pale, each only
thought of shaking off the yoke of the
terrible master who obliged Europe to
CONQUER itself with its own weapons.
The defections of 1S13-Lutzen, Baut,
zen, Leipsic Observation-Disclosures that
the prestige of the conqucrer was being
gradually entombcd beneath the SHOWS
of Russia. All Germany commenced to
turn against those French regiments OF
which she had been the auxiliary. The
Italians incorporated into our army were
almost the only Il c no remained faith
full to II fortunes. But if, even in the
hours following victory, certain violent
animosities had never ceased to exist be-
tween regiments so incongruous both by
nationality and temperament, it may
readily be imagined how such ill-feeline
would develop on the day when serious
reverses had robbed our eagles of their
%aurcolc of invincibility.
The Third division of the army OF
Spain, which included the Th!rty-secono
regiment, of which Jean-Louis was 9
member, also included the First regiment.
Now this wa composed almost exclusive
" of Italians, incorporated voluntarily OF
forcibly into the imperial military system,
Some of them had also started through
the city to seek amusement and wine,
Suddenly the moi e of q violin quarre
cached a posada in which the French
were singing mcrrily. These instantly
ceased their fun. and listened:
: 1T is those rascals of Italians. Ha
they are fighting with our men"
The noise rcdoubled. Soon was heard
the clash of steel, a tumult of tables
overturned, yells of fury, and ferocious
shouts Of
!'Rally here, F~renchman"
death to the FranceSi"
In the twinkling of an eye the French
rush into the street, run to the scene OF
the fight and shout to all comrades to
follow. But other Italians drinking in
other posadas have also heard the appeal
of their comrades, and hurry to succor
them. In a few minutes more than a
hundred men of the Thirty-second regi-
ment are fighting with as many men OF
the First. 1t is a regular pitched battle;
blood flows, heaps of wounded are lying
upon the pavement, and only the arrival
of W companies with fixed bayonets
stops q struggle which is degenerating
into a butchery.
The leaders are arrested; and the mill
tary chiefs Immediately hold council.
This time, beyond all question, a severe
example must he made; otherwise discip-
line will be altogether destroyed. Soldiers,
oblivious of the uniform they wear, have
attacked each other. Finally it is unani
mously decided by the council that the
fencing-masters and provosts of the two
guilty regiments shall answer all rcspon-
slbiIity for the quarrel, and shall honor
ably fight it out in duels until it shall be
decided impossible to continue the com
bat.
Fifteen swordsmen are selected upon
either side.
Jean-Louis is the first fencing master
OF the Thirty-second regiment. The first
fencing master of the first regiment in
Giacomo Ferrari-a man nearly six feet
high, active and incontestably brave.
He has practiced the science Of arms
from his infancy, in that Italian school
still so celebrated. Before entering the
army Giacomo Fcrrari had even opened Il
fencing school in Florence. which had
won fo1 him q reputation that extended
to the furthcrest parts of the peninsula.
1t is with this redoubtable adversary that
Jean-Louis will have to measure himself
Since the famous combat of the Thirty.
] do not hesitate to affirm that military
history. never offered the spectacle of Il
more terrible encounter than that OF those
soldiers, all skilled in the exercise of
their art,-all habituated to look death
in the face without winking-all re-
solved to sustain the honor of their regi-
ments to the last gasp.
Imagine a whole army all drawn up in
battle array upon one of those plains
without the walls of Madrid! In the
center of this solemn marshalling Of
soldiers under the dark blue sky Of Nucve
Castillo, a large empty space has been re.
served. For this space choice has been
made of Il slight elevation of the ground,
forming 4 sort Of natural platform which
dominates the scene-so that when, in q
little while, the selected combatants shall
take their places naked to the waist, with
drawn swords. there viii not be a single
spectator of the tragedy among all these
impulsive soldiers drawn up in line of
all the Madrid ~populace that pant with
excitement as at the outset of a bull-tight
who will lose IL single detail of the
combat which is going to take place.
1t is in the presence of ten thousand wit
nesscs that the honor of the army is to be
washed in the blood Of those thirty brave
men.
There is a roll of drums. Sonorous
and brief words of command are given.
Simultaneously the butts Of all those
muskets descend upon the firm sol, making
it culver as with a vibration of thunder.
The men suddenly appear upon the
empty space of the little mound; they
take their places with a quick and conf,
dent step. One of these two men, tail
and strong, with black eyes and scornful
mouth, gazed around him at the fever,
ishly curious crowd with an air Of
naughty confdence-it is Giacomo Fer,
rari. The second, also tall, very swarthy
with muscles that seem like bands OF
Jo.l> staal ronnoined nprfpctlV motion