Year: 1870

,,t- wild and reckless sodiery but fond Of danger


and thinking no more splng their blood OF losing
their lives than think OF taking ride In the
mark appearance, especially In war timeS they arc
rather untdy; like Arab horsemen, they have lot OF
loose irreguarlookng things hanging om thelr saddes
on each side, such bags with corn IN them,
snare brides and halters, beside any KIND OF
provision they have been lucky enough 10 nave
given them ON their route, or cunning enough
20 "ehaD0rdes." Thus you often see duck OF lo"
slung among the other rubbish from their saddle DOW


saw one riding along with live suckngpig under MS


arm The beast was making the most ahominahe noise
They are armed with the long Chassepot Ike the iufan
and they carry II slung their shoulders or back
m every possible kind Of way, and at every naghSpie
angle which contributes 10 give this corps an irregular
and moss trooQerlike appearance. great many carry
their muSkets sung their back quite horizontally,
hike the BcdOuins their cloak some do not
and in an these details they do pretty much as they
please but they the best light cavalry Of the freneh
army all mounted on little, ins gnihcani looking, but
feet and hardy Arabs Great services expected OF
them in this campaign dodireHrs of which there is
great need.


The convoy we met was what is now called transports
aurliares" They have Just been formed 10y taking by
requisiton all the horses and carts Of the surrounding
country with the young peasants drivers which ser
vice they do instead OF being with the Mobile Guard
Government pays 10 francs day for each horse In TINS
manner they have formed In five or six days an auxiliary
transport corps which almost unlimited in its number
of vehicles. Each driver has simple piece of oicloth
tied around his cap hat which is written in white
letters Transports AuriitdircS No. -" When We
aNchted from our carriage the door Of the hotel my
companion Immediately recognized and greeted by
several gentlemen in plain clothes who were stand
ire about there giving orders TO the drivers
Cf the carts they passed On inquiry l
found they were the contractors for all the "coH-
roHaa nf no int
here also inquired Of Of the drivers where they
came FROM and was told they had come from Verdun,
but when tried TO fnd out where they were gong TO-
nobody knew My companion asked some of his friends
and although the destination Of the transport column
was 10 remain concealed, they informed US that II was
going 10 Rheims through swpes. As for the present
situation OF Marshal corps it was Impossible
70 find ont exactly what We hear however, that
he il succeeding in his purpose Of leading the Prussans
into Champaign. where they 70 be beaten by the
united corps Bazaine and MacMahon the latter being
AZ You know, az the Camp Of ChaOns. Travellers from
Verdun, who falling back before the invaders
told this morning that the Prussians are close 10
that town, and daily making raids around 1t. II
II garrsOned by about 1900. There is nO sign
" Marshal Bazame's great forces there every
one who is leaving that town. Gems. Marguerite
and Tllard passed through here this morning al
time the caravan, and gave ont that they
thought the would he here before long and
they advised every one who had business keep him
here TO leave. Communications are getting every hour
more difficult and the roads may al any moment he 50
blocked up with guns and heavy wagons, that there
would be chance Of getting on at all with carriage;


would be crushed 70 pieces. The passage and dcstina
mon Of the immense convoy saw this morning is dis
tnc ntimatOn Of where events expected take place


see in the GaBlOs yesterdays that The Times asserts
that the Prince Imperial has been IN ndon. This
true. FOR he rode the side Of his father hard
they could from Longuevie 10 Gravelotte, under the
ewes Of a friend Of mine, and 1 him myself at the
Camp Of ChalOns the day after their arrival.
The weather is cold a. in October, and am not sur
prised at the suffering from severe disease
They carry tents and sleep quite in the open air and
this sudden cold will have share in preparing the
humiliation which think awaits them in the plains OF
Champaign. They have dysentery, and, il is said, ~
phus which bad for the French. for prisoners may
bring il into the French army Beside these two dis
eases they said 70 be attacked also 10y species OF
Ophthamia which Is very common IN large armies but
which was almost inevitable with the Prusan mode of
bivOuac. The health Of the French army II, believe
very good indeed. Even the corps that have suffered
~ much from want have great disease among them