The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1900-10-13
MEXICAN ARMY LIFE.
Improvement in the service-CFude
Camps of Ten Years Ago
Women Followers.

Soldiery in old Mexico has ever been
little else than a sham. During the
last ten years, under the direct super
vision of President Diaz, a number of
improvements have come about in the
army. The officers are being trained
to stay with their men in case-afan
engagement. 1t has been customary
to advance with the common soldier
until within danger and then the Off
GERS would utter great words of en-
Couragement, telling the soldiers to
honor their native land; then they
would seek a place of safety while the
battle was fought.
Another feature peculiar to the Mex
lean soldier, and the Spanish soldier in
general, is the gun is seldom ever fired
from the shoulder position, as Ameri-
cans hold it, but the weapon is held as
low as the hips in both hands and dis
charged while in that position. There
are some good marksmen among them,
but the result shown in the Mexican
war was not as satisfactory as the gov
eminent would have had it. The Mex
lean soldier is as brave as any soldier
of the Romance people, but he needs
officers and military training to be eff
ficient.
Ten years ago, when the army camped
for the night, it looked like a gypsy
outfit. The men were clothed in brown
linen or flannel, having leather boots
and a slick leather cap. Each married
man had his wife and children with
him, and when not married he usually
had a woman with him. The wages
were IS 2-3 cents a day, but the soldier
received only 1914 cents of his dues.
This was paid him every evening. AS
many as four heavy government wag-
Ons, drawn by six mules each, loaded
with nothing but copper money to pay
off the soldiers, go along. Thispayment
of one bit a day must feed the soldier
and his company, if he has any with
him. Women and children, cats and
dogs, chickens and parrots all go along
with the lower classes of the Mexican
soldiers. Vehicles of all sorts are load
ed with plumber so as to make the camp
as homelike as possible.
In the morning everything is packed,
q camping place determined upon for
the night, then begins the hurry of
the women to reach that point, pick
up vegetables and various supplies on
theroad, the woman being treasurer for
her husband, and butler, too. By the
time the soldiers get into camp that
night, the tent is up and supper ready.
These women are dressed in a short
chemise with the sleeves off above
the elbow, a sort of turban scarf
wound about the head, crossed in
front over the breast and the ends
thrown over the shoulders. The
greater number are ba~refooted. The
women will follow their husbands
throughout their camp life, caring for
them when sick or wounded with a
patience most serene. They will car
ry their babies miles upon their
backs with enough plumber in their
arms to weight down strong men.
The wife provides for husband and
his family from the 'bit" allowance
from the government and usually has
a few pennies left at night so that
her husband may have the sweet
pleasure of gambling. When coin
runs low the men will cut pennies into
halves and barter with half pennies.
With all her devotion, if her husband
falls in battle or passes away by sick
ness the wife seldom grieves, and even
before the burial arrangements are
often made to become the wife and
helpmeet of some soldier in need of a
wife.
These are the people who are called
~"Greasers." They are the "hot tamaIe'
people, indolent, dreamy, cruel, treach-
srous, yet withaI gentle and gay. This
order of soldiery is rapidly passing
away. The recent trouble with the
Yaqui Indians showed only a small
amount of the peon soldiery wherein
the women followed. President Dias
is thoroughly alive to all the present
Improvements, and the soldiers in tn,
future viii be equipped with che best