Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-03-22
ALPINE SOLDIERS.
/. = Move Quickly and De-
'Ds ca on Surprise Tactics.
GENIUS OF THAT RACE
well Proved in the crimea,
uoen they Built Themselves
Little stone Huts for
shelter.

y parisans love to see the regi-,
n soldiers in the streets and "
7 Z t,,levar,ls. They are delighted q
'sod Of the cymbals. the sonorqts-
Z me cornet, the deep tones ogthe
INC and the trills Of the httle
!. 4 the military bands. ThsS adj
Y AZ bright uniforms of thsfonicers
l.Sc flashing fof the bayooets; and,
4, rith deydish chauylaEm, they
4 NJ withfffle dusty soBHers retnrnY
|. i tbelr barracks after a review
=. ,hey know nothing whatever of
..rtial mir Of the Alpine infantry in
!, severe dark-blue costume. Those
$40 enough to ruralizc in the sum
4 months in the valleys Of Savoy, on
heights of the Dauphinian Alps, or
~ sinlcr. at Cannes. Nice or Men
4, done make an acquaintance with
\, troupe d'elite which guards our
~ facing the Itnliuns.
~ battalions were formed in 1887
Am Ferron. The men are dressed
heavy vest and a tunic and II
eoat With a hood or cloak according
y. season. Their legs are covered
hands Of cloth Of a grsiyish blue
fron the ankle to little above the
4, The head Is protected by a basque
and the spreading soles Of their
~ shoes are well furnished with
Il. They also have Neap0litan laced
4, IN addition to snowshoes. Their
Irsaek weighs % kilogrammes aud Is
100 bazaar. in which are packages
i nrridees. boxes of preserves. belts,
1.sA shirts. spare clothes, mercury, u
With It's pickets. cooking utensils,
.sa All appears the crook Of aipen-
~ which the soldier uses In climbing
q ssccnts. catching the rocks or roots
\ ar imbedded in the sites Of the
Iruain. Add 10 this the weight Of the
+ !, and you will foot up n very respect
D. load
] Esch battalion of chasseurs alpins Is
alorced BY mountain battery and a
I.eilcl Of the engineer CORPS, belonging
he Fourteenth and Fifteenth bdtial-
Z Of that branch of the service, which
n IN garrison at Grenohlc. Guns and
Isksops are transported by mules, and
81 piAs and shoyels look like steel
Imtasss hat sparkle in the sunlight.
.rhe divers are robust fellows, who.
|when 40 arclent happens To one of
1fhef anioial4 never hestnie TO pick up
. b piess eren from the bottom Of Il
3zune liW are remarkable for their
Extraordinary strength. and one Of them,
3shen lis mules rolled into precipice
Igne days are went down after the gun.
H. bringing Il back TO Gen Desgarets
\ presented arms to him with the piece.
Sfi bicepsl But they are almost all,
4 ! have said. men of extraordinary
rngih Their training is Of the Sc
d nj kind. but nevertheless their re-
dng Is moi exceptional and does not
~ froal that of the regular line. The
Il Of forming troop of men Of this
apmbe strength lies in the contiu-
Il . ifalning which they undergo. Gym
~ exerlses are practicrd every day.
M lhidon. they have long marches.
a1nes With an empty sack and some
Is with a full load, over tile most
~ Of countries.
V soldiers also perform the work of
B fsis operating pathways and making
Then, Of course, they are drilled
n manual Of arms and target prac-
rompany and battalion drills and
yetitions and rehearsals Of rapid
baton at all hours of the day and
night know a case of one com
VT Of chasseurs who received an
n . o'clock in the morning 10
ffc his battalion. He got up,
1isd his horse and proceeded to the
riih three kilometres from where
VI Al 3 o'clock this battalion was
~ notion, with all its baggage,
N i,us, bedding and clothing, leaving
- arAck absolutely empty. One may
nc from this example how well
- Alpine rampant which separates us
f. Italy IS guarded by these troops
Plgf they are under officers who
~ passed brilliant examinations.
4 II lgef ace them idling in the cafes.
n stcock In the evening they retire
n ~ their time between exercises
isogrnphical and other military
q ne thing that ! admire most aftei
\ .nnd physical appearance. OF thos'
"a lrd soldiers, was their mora
t||4I1I-. llt ulSElVlnit ~ ~
Being severe: indeed, II Is ever
61t The relations between TN
E ,nd their subordinntes are cor
moreover. our Alpine soldier
NJ fotess any contempt Tor thei
atcrsaries. If they have con
#t lheir own force they know tina
nc enemies will not be cas-
IN That is the beginning o
M. They know very well that III
eaassenrs are specially rccruitel
ne robust mountaineers. accus
RI Y all sorts of fatigue, and tia
(. N men Of an exemplary sobrieiy
N out IN winter as in summer AM
lclliy Injured TO the most rapi'
y temperature. They are 81
"A Y me Bcrsagheri and the Roya
~ the chosen troops Of IN
'a'.s a of King Humbert They ar
n; p " fiedmontese. and industrious
4 hfo The genius Of that rae
h KY Proved in the Crimea. wher
M siat themselves little stone hut
~ Mey We're yerfectly sheltered
~ soldiers We're furnishing an
Under tents.
VI IL psnenyers will commence in III
Az iuhe, and will not be endc
Sepher 1t is during this pcio
Z Alplnes display their tnctics ]
warfare. Theirs is not IL
II "A movement Of masses on III
1s aAe MAT Of chessmen; it Is va
tinh surprises. mnrches and cool
~ with engagements, ambu
~ Sudden attacks ia fhe da
~ W night. A great initiative
f1I " the officers. non-commissione
~ ~ soldiers. Free sugnadrol
"a their own responsibility. r
lNI nk the ground and the encm.
l1I " liberty to act according
y N -,TM and toe opportunity Of
I'm npvemeni. One can see tho
y :, t- ,toms moving along IN
r IL ,aafough the rocks under COW
y { w. r'skefs. using their alDensi0cl
&. avoiding all noise which migl
q, ~ y, XIV 4. Presence to their adversarie
- II asslted on summit while u
4. " s.suon Of the troons 4 endcayo
2. ~, Nc enemy. The orders a
: II an n!ue ns possible. in order
~ NV rNI Nln f4rs ts..I