The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1894-09-06
THE ALPINE CHASSEURS.
Frances Picturesque Corps Trained &
Fight in the Mountains,

any army whose duties are more StrlN-
| ing to the Imagination than the French
chasseurs, who guard the long line Of
| the Alps. His cap hanging lightly over
his ear, his rifle strapped across his
lnapsacll, his open tunic showing his
sunburned neck, his waist encircled by
his wide blue sash, and his muscular
catoes swathed in the wooden bands.
the Alpine chasseur, careless of the
weight of his heavy marching equip
ments, picks his way easily along the
rocky cliff, treading solidly over the
rock from which the iron Of his alpen-
stock strikes out sparks. and gazes far
down into the ravineS with the deep
eye of a mountaineer. Perhaps he
dreams while he keeps guard, for the
life is one favorable to contemplation
as well as hardihood, and very likely
this touch of sentiment attracts the re-
| cruits who come to the famous corps
from the great cities, though these
men are in minority. for most of the
men are recruited among the mighty
mountains which they guard.
The Alpine chasseur undergoes a
training all his own. The first thing
taught to the young recruit or to the
young officer fresh from the academy is
that his new life demands of him spe
cial obligations. The youths morale
must be carefully cultivated, for he is
in constant danger of vertigo, slips and
false steps; all trace of timidity must
be eradicated. AS for falls there are
numerous mortal accidents every year.
a stone turns beneath the foot, a
crevassc opens in the snow a peg rolls
across the precipice; against such catas-
trophies there is no guarding. 1t is so
with the landslideS, which happen in
every season of the year from the rains.
Three years ago in the valley of the
Tinee three chaSSeup; OF the rear guard
of the twenty-third battalion were thus
swept away, their companions escaping
by but few seconds And the ava
lanches. and the deadly vertigo. which
will suddenly seize on the hardest
men. and the foOlhardy feats under
taken from bravado. Truly it is life
of constant peril
There are no book rules for the special
tactics of marches and conflicts, but
body of tradition based on the expert
ence of past wars and the annual
maneuvers is the guide. These are
early taught to the chasseur and he is
made free of a valuable lesson, that
the sun, the stars and a pocketful OF
compasses are of no earthly use to him:
what he needs to know is the lay of the
land and the trend of the mountains
and valleys and ranges.
The chasseurS leave winter quarters
at the beginning of summer for three
months campaigning in the mountains
That is the time to see them at their
best-gay, alert and enduring, march
ing night and day over terrible roads,
drenched with rain or with perspira-
ton, heavily laden, but always keeping
the unalterable gaiety of the French
soldier, and what lessons they learn
during the maneuvers of the tricks that
the mountains have in store for them
You hear an internal fusillade, a fear
full thunder, a roll of musketry close
beside you, surely the attack is being
made just there, around that point of
rocks. The point of rocks is turned.
when suddenly the noise dies down and
is heard far behind you. 1t was an
echo, and the battle is raging in the
rear. And now again, what is that
gentle murnur that whispers among
the branches. distant rolling sound
whose mutfled hum does not hush the
ripple of the brook? There is fighting
in the valley across the range. The
column advances undisturbed and
scarcely has it gone hundred PAGES
higher when the din breaks out with
intolerable force and the projecting
rocks hurl it pitilessly in your ears
The advanced guard is engaged and
you already smell powder. The noun
tain has deceived you again.
And what difficult fighting it is!
The battalion comes on in Indian
file and spreads ont in open order
among the rocks, firing as it advances
in broken, irregular front All at
once the enemy appears in force. A
retreat is hastily ordered and the col
umn makes the best of its way back
again in Indian file once more. Sud
denly there is a halt. What has hap
ptueU Oil tlic rear udIl' ~ piece mas
fallen or a landslide has blocked the
way. The engineers go hastily to
work and soon is heard the explosion
of dynamite cartridge, and the way
is clear again. Nor is the chasseur
battling only against man, but with
elements. with the terrible snow storms
which blind him, the whirlwinds of
winter, and in summer the furnace-like
ravines where no air stirs, and whose
rocks have been blanched by the pitt
less sun. Fortunately for him these
very dangers will diminish the occa-
sionS for combat between himself and
his hardy rival on the Italian side if
war breaks out between the two coun-
tries. for men cannot fight each other
when nature has decided to make one
with them. Between the French and
the Italian chasseurs, by the way. there
is great emulation and respect They
sometimes meet on the frontier line
during the maneuvers and it has fire.
quently happened that they have sat
down to meal together at table
whose legs are carefully planted two in
France and two in Italy with the sim
ME SOldiprV dishes and the country wine