Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-03-07
TIE FOREIGN LEGION.
MEN or THE ORGANIZATION

French army. For nearly nan cen
tnry writes a correspondent OF the
Nov York Timcs, it did as much hard
ceh,,nc AMI marching as any regiment
in the world. II was never allowed to
cniov any rest. and when not fighting
or marching 1t was working. The rcgl-
,ncnt has done as much TO build up
gouri>hing colony in Algeria as to win
hn;tos for France, and the roads
AID Other public works which have
transformed a wilderness created by
MoIcm Sloth and barbariSm into
rich garden arc largely the work
ai rs sturdy hands. NotwlthStand-
ing SIS life Of constant priyatIou. bad
pay. and poor food, the regiment at
tIaCtcd men from every corner Of Eu-
rorc. They we're Of all races and na-
tons, and represented every grade of
social life. There were among them po-
litical refugees, social outcastS, hard
cases. men of refinement bowed down
bv misfortune. discraced officers, i'm
povcrishcd mobiles" and bright
youths iull Of soldierly spirit, drawn
thither By the glamor Of the French
name or seeking a life Of adventure.
Most Of the officers and a sprinkling
among the ranks were FrenChmen, but
the presence Of hundreds of Belgl2ns,
French-Speaking Swiss, and Germans
from near the Rhine, gave the regiment
the appearance Of being more French
than foreign.
Yet this heterogeneous gathering Of
men Of different races, speaking diiter-
cnt languages, held together only by
the bond of discipline AMI love for sol
dicring. had an esprit he corps as strong
rs that Of any regiment in any Euro
pcan army, and was just as proud Of
It's record The regiment played con-
spicuouS part in the conquest Of Alge-
TIA and the suppression OF the insurrec-
ton which followed II, gave good ac-
count Of itself in the Crlmea, won fresh
laurelS at Magenta, came out Of the in
Glorious Mexican adventure without
loss Of prestige, and by the example OF
its courage and discipline helped to IN
spiIc confidence and Stealjnes> in the
raw leyies with which Gambetta yalnly
sought to stem he torrent Of lnya ion
after the disasters Of Sedan and Metz.
A sketch Of a years sojourn with this
regiment during one Of It's peaceful in
toryalS may be Of interest.
IN the beginning of 1851 ! was in
my nineteenth year and had a decided
taste tor soldering. lived in Dublin.
but INV inherited political connections
forbade my entering the British army.
The French was my ideal Of an army
and the zoulye the highest type Of the
modern soldier. wanted to be a
zouave had read every life Of Napo-
leon that could lay hands upon, and
wa full # the idea that every French
soldier carried m his knapSack the
baton Of a marshal Of France. was
familiar with the exploits Of the Irish
bricaac from Crcmona to Fontcnoy and
dreamed Of eGaulet> and crosses. Mar
shal Nacllahou had recently been pre-
sert,j with a sword Of honor by the
people Of Ireland, and hal contribute
nv mite. Armed with letter from the
present Lord-Mayor Of Dublin to Pro
lessor j. Z. Leonard, who had made the
presentation to MacNahon at Chalons,
and another to John Mitchell. | ar
rived in Paris. but soon found that nc
influence could get foreigner into any
regiment but the Foreign Legion, except
he had first served seven years in the
latter. enlisted in the Second Foreign
regiment May ,. leGl, and started fol
Narseilles next day. Marseilles j.
twenty-eight days march from Paris
and was allowed > francs to get Their,
as best could. My Jeutle deroWcpro
cured me a reduction IN railroad rates
but a. only got the money by IN
stalments at certain points indicated, d
took me four days to cover a Journey
made by continuous railroad travelling
IN twenty-four hours. could have
walked II, had been inclined, so lone
as got to Marseilc> within the pre-
scrbed limit. ] stopped overln Melun
AuNorre. Macon, and Lyons. sleeping
asle>t could. on benches at railway
stations, and living on less than tw,
francs a day. On the way ] picked NJ
with several conscriptS going to lo,r
their regiments and veterans returning
from furlough, and on arriving at Mar
sclles all were sent to the Fort St
Jean. which was used as a depot o
cmbaIkation for Algeria.
The Fort st. Jean was q tumble
down old place and the accommola
tious very bad. / found a motley crow
;here waiting for shipment to som,
point in Algeria. There were shy
Young couutry-iellows, couscupts from
every part Of France, many Of them
speaking only their p1tojs; grille
veterans, soldiers Of the line. zOuayes
Tmcos. chasscurs d'AfriqUc, nus
Sis. guides, and artillerymen. There
were Belgiaus, nollanicrs, Ger
mans, SWISS. Poles, and Italian.
on their way to the Foreign Le.
giou, and detachment Of Spahi-
jus, returning from Syria, where they
had been protecting the Christians from
tie DruSes, whose murderer, pr0pensi
ties had recently been exercised rathyi
freely. The Spahis were all Algeria
Arabs, and splendid fellows physically
There was no drill or military duty o
any Kind performed by the men at tht
fort. They were up At the reg1la-
hour, answered to roll-call, and 60
their regular meals, but spent the res
Of the day strollirg round the town O
lounging in the fort. Guard only va
done BY detachment OF the Forty
second Of the line.
After a month spent IN this most COS
mopol:tan Of cities, where had an op
poItunity Of examining every variety o
national costume, ana hearing every
language spoken along the Mediter
rauCan coasts. we at length started fol
Gran on board a steamer of the Mes
sageries lmperales, now the Mes
sseenes NarlmeS. The vessel wa.
crowded with soldiers and emigraat
going to settle in AlgerIa-trench
Germans, Italians, Poles, Jews, an1
Naltese-and | found The accOmmJia