The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1884-06-28
COMBAT OF THE THIRTY.

Ihe great fencing MASTER OF farls
Vigeaut, of Paris. narrates this extraordi
nary incident in recent published work
the hero of the story, Jean-Louis, being
French mulatto:
In 1914, Jean-Louis had not yet left thC
army he had taken part in more thar
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 supreme
effort of Napoleon against the invasion o.
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 question Of
conquest, but of falling back upon France
as speedily as possible.
Scarcely had the regiment been able to
obtain few hours rest at Madrid, than
several nom commissioned officers and sol.
diers of that regiment true zouaves of the
epoch-scattered through the various quar-
ters of the city, upon what in troopers Ian
guage they call la noce "a spree" Unfor-
tunately the fun was soon spoiled by one
of those soldiers .quarrels, which occur only
too often in an army composed of the most
heteroclitic elements.
1t must be remembered that as soon as
Napoleon 1. added a new kingdom to his
conquests, his first care was to incorporate
into his army the armies of the Datinn- be
had vanquished. Thus it caTie to PISS
that for five or six years, It91ians, Dut,h,
Saxons, Bavarians, not to mention our ta-
ditional friends the Poles, took part on tie
side of France in the I great battles of the
empire. So long as the star of the en-
queror continued to shine, these armed
hosts which Napoleon urged before him ac-
cepted their condition of subjection 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 1813-Lutzen, Bautzen,
Leipsic especially lly-indicated that the pres
tige of the conquerer was being gradally eh-
tombed beneath the SHOWS of Russia. All
Germany commenced to turn against those
French regiments of which she had heeh
the auxiliary. The Italians Incorporated
into our army were almost the only ones
who remained faithful to our fortunes.
But if, even in the hours following victory,
certain violent animosities had never ceased
to exist between regiments so incongruous
both by nationality and temperament, it
may readily be imagined how such ill-feel-
ing would develop on the day when serious
reverses had robbed our eagles OF their
aureole of invincibility.
The third division of the army of Spain,
which included the Thirty second regiment,
of which Jean-Louis was a member, also
included the First regiment. Now this
was composed almost exclusively Of ltal-
ians, Incorporated voluntarily or forcibly
into the imperial military system. Some
of them had also started through the city
to seek amusement and wine. Suddenly
the noise of violent quarrel reached a
posada in which the French were singing
merrily. These instantly ceased their fun,
and listened:
at is those rascals of Italians, Ha !!
they are fighting with our men "
The noise redoubled. Soon was heard
the clash of steel, tumult of tables over
turned, yells of fury, and the ferocious
shouts Of
''Rally here, Frenchmen y
''Death to the Francesi p
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 posa-
das have also heard the appeal of their
comrades, and hurry to succor them. In a
few minutes, more than hundred men of
the Thirty-second regiment are fighting
with as many men of the First. 1t is
regular pitched battle; blood flows, heaps
of wounded are lying upon the pavement,
and only the arrival of two companies with
fixed bayonets stops struggle which is
degenerating into butchery.
The leaders are arrested; and the military
chiefs Immediately hold council. This
time, beyond all question, a severe example
must be made otherwise discipline will be
altogether destroyed Soldiers, oblivious
of the uniform they wear, have attacked
each other. Finally it is unanimously de-
cided by the council that the fencing-mas-
ters and proVosts of the two guilty regi.
ments shall answer all responsibility for the
quarrel, and shall honorably fight it out in
duels until it shall be decided impossible to
continue the combat.
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 is
Giacomo FerraTi-a man nearly six feet
high, active and incoptestably brave, He
has practiced the science of arms from his
infancy, in the italian school still so cele-
brated. Before entering the army, Gia-
como Ferrari had even opened a fencing
school in Florence, which had won for him
a reputation that extended to the further
est 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,
I do not hesItate to affirm that military
history never offered the spectacle Of more
terrible encounter than that of those sol
diers, all skilled in the exercise of their art
all habituated to look death in the face
without winking-all resolve to sustain the
honor of their regiments to the last gasp.
Imagine whole army all drawn up in
battle array upon one of those plains with
out the walls of Madrid In the center of
this solemn marshalling of soldiers under
the dark blue sky of Nueve Castillo, a
large empty space has been reserved. For
this space choice has been made of slight
elevation of the ground, forming sort Of
natural platform which dominates the scene
$50 that when, in little while, the Sc.
lected cembatants shall take their places
naked to the waist, with drawn swords,
there will not be single spectator of the
tragedy among all these impulsive soldiers
drawn up in line-of all the Madrid popu.
lace that pant with excitement as at the
outset of bull-fght-who will lose q sin
gle detail Of the combat which is going to