The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-08-28
FRANCES FOREIGN LEGION.
a Division Composed Principally Of
Adventures and Refugees.
From the New York Recorder.

Probably the most remarkable army di-
vision in the world is the foreign legion
of France. 1t is this legion which is in
variably sent into the greatest danger.
AS rule, it heads the forlorn hope.
Whenever there are hardships to be
borne TO which the French authorities do
not care to expose the regular troops the
foreign legion is invariably designated
for the purpose.
Naturally the question arises: Why is
this 500
The character of the men who fill its
ranks is the explanation.
Almost without exception they are
men who, while brave beyond question,
have past which they wish to bury.
Many of them are serving under incogni-
tos and place no value upon their lives.
Fully so per cent. are fOreignerS-ad-
venturers and refugees.
A writer states that in one company he
has found a Roumanian prince, who was
under suspicion of having murdered his
brother; an Italian lieutenant colonel of
cavalry, bearing an illustriOus name, who
had been dismissed from King Humbert'
army in disgrace in consequence of being
found cheating at cards a Russian nlhilist
who escaped from Siberia; an ex-canOn of
the Cathedral of Notre Dame at Paris,
who had been suspended from his eccle-
siastical functions in consequence of an
offense committed against public NOR
atty; an English ex-captain of the rifle
brigade and a German count, who had
not only served as a lieutenant in the
First regiment of guards at Berlin. but
who had also held a position on the mill
tary staff of the late Emperor of Ger
many.
All these men were serving as simple
priyates in the ranks and were subjected
to the iron discipline for which this corps
is celebrated.
In no other European army are the pun
ishments 50 severe as in the foreign legion
of France.
FRIGHTFUL PUNIsHMENTs.
Composed as it is almost entirely of
social outlaws, men who have in many
cases a criminal record behind them, it is
not astonishing that the utmost severity
is needed to render them subservient to
orders
The slightest ofense or act of aggression
against a superior officer is punished with
death, and during the Tonquin war there
We're as many as eleven members of one
regiment court-martialed and shot in one
day.
The minor offenses are punishable by
the so-called 'silo," which consists of
burying the prisoner in the sand for hours,
leaving only his head exposed to the rays
of the sun by day and to the stings of
insects by night, and the 'crapadine," in
which the man is bound hand and foot
and left for hours-nay, sometimes days
on the sand lying helpless, somewhat in
the position of a trussed fowl.
Many OF the most famous names of
France have figured at the head of these
regiments.
Among those who have held the rank
of colonel of the foreign legion are found,
for instance, the names of Marshal
Bazaine, General de Negrier, General
Dupin, who so distinguished himself by
his cruelty during the guerrilla warfare
in Mexico and last but not least, the
brilliant Colonel de Malaret.
The last had in his younger days been
one of the gayest and most popular
officers of the Tuileries and a particular
favorite of the Empress EUgenie
Having, however, contracted some hor-
rible malady which had practically eaten
away almost one entire side of his face,
he asked for and obtained the command
of a regiment of the foreign legion, anx-
ious TO serve his country and yet to
withdraw sufficiently from the world TO
be no longer exposed to the looks of
horror, disgust and pity which the APP
pearance OF his face excited, not only
among strangers, but even among former
friends.
He would arrive on the parade ground
with the hood Of his military mantle
drawn over his head even in the hottest
weather, in such manner as to shroud
ana almost entirely conceal his face. In
deed, one could see little else but his brill
liant, steel-gray eyes piercing through the
gloom. His lips rarely opened save to
order some more or less severe punish
ment.
Very different was General de Negrier,
who was beloved rather thad feared by
these strange troops, of whom it has been
said with some Justice that they were a
strange mixture of the chivalrous and
highminded gentlemen of birth, breeding
and honor, and the most criminal black
guards.