The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-11-17
"SOldaderas." ="

There is one useful regulation in the
Mexican Amy which is unknown to the
United States; to each regiment is at
tached a certain number of soldaderas-
women who live in the barracks and &C.
company the soldiers on march, or even
into battle. These women must not be
confounded with the ordinary camp fol-
lowers, for they are regularly enrolled,
being paid by the Government. Their
duties are to wash and mend clothes, at
tend to the sick, and while in action to
help the surgeons take care of the
wounded and give water to the thirsty.
Every soldadera must be q respectable,
married woman, and be attached to the
regiment to which her husband belongs.
1t is the duty of the superior officers to
see that thess women are treated with
proper respect.
During Maximilian's usurpation, when
Juarez, his Cabinet Ministers and a few
faithful adherents had been obliged to
fly from the capital, the fugitives one
day halted in clearing at the edge of a
forest. President Juarez was reclining
on fallen log and his Ministers seated
on the grass before him. The Captain
of his meager body guard had first sent
off the four soldaderas to forage for din
ner, because provisions were scarce, and
then. posting his men in proper posi-
tions, he stood as sentinel at q proper
distance from the statesmen who were in
the act of holding council. One of the
Ministers-the poet-politician, Don Gull
lermo Prieto-was in the act of express
sing his opinion relative to certain
measure which had been proposed when
the solemG conclave was interrupted by
shouts of laughter, mingled with deep:
toned oaths expressed in very good
French and exceedingly bad Spanish.
All started to their feet, and the cap
tain of the guard, summoning his men,
hastily entered the forest whence the
sounds proceeded. There were some
moments of painful suspense, and then
the four soldaderas appeared carrying
head and heels-a French spy or mes
seuger, whose arms and legs they had
securely pinioned with their bosas-long
cotton scarfs which are worn by all the
women of the lower classes here. They
laid their prisoner before the President
then the elder soldadera said respect
fully: "Excellency, this man, not know
ing we were soldaderas (these women
wear no uniforml, but supposing US to
be aldeanas, approached and asked US so
many questions about you and your
honorable ministers that we at once sus-
pected him to be spy, especially as he
speaks just like the wicked men who
have invaded our country; so instead of
foraging for your dinner we just caught
the man and brought him to you, be.
cause he may have in his pockets papers
that your Excellency would rather. have
than fat turkey or even young pig"
The surmises of the soldaderas proved
correct. The French bearer of dis
patches, who travelled alone in order to
avoid suspicion. was en- route to a neigh
boring fortress, bearing tc its command
ant the intelligence that Renito Juarez,
accompanied by a few adherents and
IAN insignificant body guard" was try
ing to make his way to Paso del Nortc.
The order read: "Be on the qui Ui0s for
the rebels; if you capture them shoot all
Immediately. Chicago Herald.