Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-02-20
GERMAN SOLDIERS.
What They Garry When They Turn Oh
for Fatherland.


for FatherIand.
A sketch In miniature OF the rreat
war machine OF Germany In motion r.
timely reading now. II Is written
apropOs of regiment on the march in
the late autumn manoeuvres by a cor
- spondent OF the -. James Gazette.
The regiment was one Of the units in
an aggregate In the field of 10000
men:
Directly we left the village. where
the night had been spent, the order
to march at ease Is given; the soldiers
loosen their things and carry their rifles
slung first on one shoulder. then on
another, with the sling In front AMI
the barrel pointing to the rear. 1t prom
ises to be hot day; not breath OF
wind; the sun has Just broken through
and riven away a gray mist. The pace
for the first three-quarters Of an hour
is slow. not more than three miles an
hour; there Is little smoking and hard
ly any talking. The men adapt their
formation to the nature of the ground;
the road I'm the center Is heavy and
sandy soil; on either side firm path Is
TO he found admitting of two men
abreast. the sections Of four separate;
at times the section stretches in ex-
tended order the whole width OF the
road. at others three men abreast. the
fourth man on narrow path where
there IL only room for one. A large
field with firm going is made use OF to
march the whole battalion across II
Towards the end OF the first hour man
starts up song. the whole joining in;
the rifles are now slung around the
neck. the sling coming far down. the
barrel pointing to the rear. Whenever
men marching sling their rifles they in
variabIy hold the sling with one hand
in order to keep the rifle steady. Some
regiments i'm the German army still
march mt the slope. The pace is now
increased until it reaches nearly four
miles an hour. At A. Nj. halt Is
made. the men pile arms. take off their
accoutrements, drink some cold coffee
ont of their water bottles. and eat
slice of bread and butter. which they
have brought in Their c;inteens.
1.-The infantry of the German army
nearly all wear dark blue; the cloth
il thick and stands wear well. Each
man carries 100 rounds Of ammunition
in three black leathern pouches. which
are fastened onto the belt. ninety
rounds i'm Il large pouch mt the back,
and thirty rounds OH either side. The
knapsack is worn high up on the shoul
ders and fastened ny two black lea ther
braces. which pass over the shoulders
and are attached in front with metal
hook to the belt. The knapsack con
tains one pair of boots. the white drill
suit-drill trousers are sometimes worn
on the line of march--three pairs OF
socks or fuZlappen. IL fatigue cap. three
sticks. strings and wooden pegs for
the tent. a brush. Il comb. and soap.
forage cap. two tins Of preserved meat
(which is only opened when in bivouac);
the great coat and waterproof sheet for
the tent are strapped across the top OF
the knapsack: Il large canteen is fasten-
ed mp near the top Of the knapsack.
Half the men of the company carry
spades, worn OH the left sido with
brown leather covering to protect the
blades. There are six axes and -four
picks TO each company. and the men
take il in turn to carry these tools. The
water bottle. in IL brown leather
ease. is attached by short
leather strap To the belt. and l.
worn on the right side: brown canvass
haversack Is slung across the left shout
der. The total weight now carried
by an infantry soldier is tifty-twO
pounds. The infantry wear yelling
ton boots. with very broad toes: the
trousers are tucked into the boot: the
upper part of the boot Is sufficiently
Loose To give ventilation.
at o 4. NJ. the battalion falls in
again and, i'm spite OF the heat. the
men are soon marching ut the rate of
nearly four miles an hour. After an
hour and Il quarters march we APP
proach the village of Passoh. \ soldier
meets each company and hands the
captain the billeting papers. The staf
have arranged long beforehand how
many men can be billeted on the vii
lage. a non-commissioned officer and
two men from each company are sent
" tllV Nv
Mayor furnishes them with the names
of the inhabitants and the number of
men they can provide for. An officer In
the village supervises the distribution
Arriving at the village the order &c
march at attention is given. There Is
little fatigue i'm the step which accom-
panies the inspiriting air played by the
band. With hardly any delay every
man finds his way to his quarters. the
heavy clothes are taken of, the non.
commissioned officer of corporals
schaff-cOnsisting OF about sixteen
men-sees to the feet of the men; socks
are worn by some: others have square
piece Of flannel cloth, which they bind
around the feet"
Curious Fish in tho Sea of CaIiIee.