The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1892-02-13
in THE GERMAN ARMY.
EXPERIENCE OF A PRIVATE IN
TIME OF PEACE.
nls Military Life IL Not . Happy One
The Victim OF TyrannicAi Of
ncsrs--Have no Protection
From The Rain.

Il
In recent number Of the Temple Bar
is paper on Eight Weeks Service
In the German Army" contributed by
q German resident In England. 1t
tells how the writer served his two
months volontariat and gives any
thing but delightful picture OF life
in the German army. The work
which the soldier has to perform Is
exceedingly hard and trying; but the
sergeants and corporals have rather
more endurable existence:
las a voluS teer. was allowed to
employ 'cOmrade' as servant 10
clean my rifle and accouterments but
my authority over him was. OF course
only on military suffcrance. When
however "a couple OF weeks later. 1 was
raised to the proud post on OF corporal
matters were very different He was
now my Putzer (cleaner). whereas be-
fore he had been my Putt Kamerad
(comrade. who Is good enough to
clean for youl; might treat him as /
pleased, call him 'Schweinhund' or
'Saukopp.' or even kick him down
stairs IL were dissatisfied with his
performance of his duties On consd-
GRAFTON. however. am not sure il this
final privilege is not reserved for Of
fcers. whose servants by another deli
cate distinction. are called simply
.,Burschen
The sleeping arrangements under
cover are very primitive and trying
for all save the peasant who is accus-
toned to roughing it:
The effect of the bad nights and
fatiguing days soon begins to mako
itself felt in a perpetual heavy-eyed
WEAKNESS which is at times almost
unbearable and normal state of
swollen feet. Frequently the night
only lasts from 10 till ?. or at least 4.
and then we have to march till and
fight the rest OF the day. On these
days hunger becomes misery for
there is nothing to eat all day long
till the engagement is over. Then
only is it possible for those who have
money to buy little bread beer and
sausage from the Marketender. civil
functionary. who is allowed to follow
the regiment with a wagon OF pro-
visions as a private speculation. As
for the poor fellows who have no
money. heaven help them They are
dependent on the charity OF their fell
lows, or must wait till they get back
to quarters or the blvouac.
The bivouac, indeed. as understood
in the German army. seems to be pure
misery.
Il suppose the only conception OF
bivouacking among Englishmen is de- Z
rived from the camping out of volun-
teers under canvas; kind OF pro-
longed picnic with pipes and yarns
round the fire in the evening. and an
occasional sing song in the mess tent.
This is. however, not the way we Ger
mans bivouac. After fighting all day
long the company arrives about 5 or 6
o'clock hungry, weary and footsore at
the place selected, and has to proceed
at once with the necessary arrange
ments. The officers only have tents,
these have to be erected; then a wind
shelter has to be constructed for our
200 men. To serve this purpose q
number of sticks are driven into the
ground; these are coupled with straw
ropes and then straw is piled against
the barrier to the height OF about four
feet so as 10 afford some shelter for
the men inside-from the wind only.
of course; IL it rains SO much the
worse for the unlucky soldiers.
THE sergeants have some slight
cover but the rest lie in a circle. with
their heads to the straw and their feet
to the great fire. which is lighted in
the center without any shelter at all
from the cold or rain except their
military cloaks. These arrangements
take time. as you may imagine. There
are straw and fuel to fetch and that
in large quantities; there are poles
that will not drive fires that will not
light and the whole has to be done,
maybe. In a storm of rain and wind.
However when it is completed, we
think Of food, and rations are served
out These consist of military bread
and little tablets of condensed meat
ard vegetables. Every corporal
schafsfuhrer (corporaD is expected to
see after the feeding of the men under
his charge; the pick and shovel are
brought into requisition, and shallow
trench is dug. in which fuel is placed
ind lighted. On this improvised fire.
place the kettle-which every man
carries-is boiled. and kind OF thin
soup manufactured, which is.disgusting
OF taste. but the only kind OF food that
is to be Nbt"
The author points out what strikes
him as the worst part of the system.
What always seems to me the most
melancholy feature of the German
army system Is the spirit of trucking
and time-serving to superiors which
1t ingrains into the German character.
Discipline is carried to such an extent
that it undermines the right and
proper independence Of the man. As
a volunteer you must be always treat
ing the sergeants. IL you wish to es-
cape contemptuous and abusive treat
ment; as common soldier you must
put up with 1t perpetually; indeed
blows with the cane or fat OF the
sword though properly forbidden, are
too common to excite remark. Com
plants OF any nature are VIGOROUSLY