THE FRENCH ARMY OF AFRICA 1830 – 1870

© Peter Milne 2001

From 1831 to 1852, the French special Army of Africa was a breeding ground of valiant, active officers and, from 1852 to 1870, the reserve for the elite of the national army. It was a kind of second Imperial Guard, but more flexible and more available than the actual one. Today, thanks to a law of equality which does not allow for exceptions even in troops permanently called to a tougher service, the French corps of Africa and were recruited through the classes. They did not differ appreciably from the regiments of France except in uniform. Also, they possessed an already enormous though recent fame - novissima nobilita - which made them preferable for distant expeditions.

The special Army of Africa was permanently created under the ministry of Marshal Saint-Arnaud. This was a military man of rare wisdom and a very informed organizational genius. Previously, political fortunes, the needs of conquest, budget availability or scarceness as well as the need to advance some outstanding personalities had ruled over the organizations and the dissolutions of the corps permanently attached to the Algerian service.

On February 13^th, 1852, Saint-Arnaud had already been in the colony for sixteen years. He was the favorite protégé of Marshall Bugeaud and also the depository of the intimate thoughts of the new French sovereign. Saint-Arnaud demonstrated the usefulness of tripling the Zouaves, of bringing the recruitment of native troops into a progressive movement, and of specially compensating the military men who dedicated themselves to the prosperity of Algeria. The law instituting compulsory service unfortunately did not take enough consideration of this new, improved system which was the fruit of a half century of experience. Also, it took only a few years to show the French legislators that in copying German military methods, they had lost sight of the fact that the Prussians did not have Algeria. It is possible that if the Prussians had had Algeria they would have given some advantages to officers who had dedicated their lives to the problem. Today, the French have been waiting four years for the organization of an overseas army since certain fashionable political theories cannot come to an agreement on the needs of Algeria and of the colonies. An orator in France long ago pronounced these fine parliamentarian words with convection" "Let the colonies perish rather than a principle."

"Zouaves" corps was created October 1^st, 1830 by a decree from the General Clauzel, chef commander of Africa's Army. This decision was approved in March 21^st, 1831 by a royal ordinance, render after the vote of The March 9^th, 1831's constitutional law. This law was the one which "authorized the formation of a foreigner’s legion in France, and the military corps consisting of indigenous and foreigners outside the continental territory". It stipulates, in article 11 that "Chiefs-Generals, commanding the occupied countries by the French armies, outside the continental territory, could be authorized to form military corps made up of indigenous and foreigners." This creation had for its goal to remedy in some degree, by employing the indigenous people to fill the vacancy in the Africa Army. With the recall to France of many regiments that had participated in the landings at Sidi-Ferruch and the occupation of Algiers and its surroundings. The idea was expressed on August 1830, by Marshal de Bourmont, who wrote to the then minister of war (later minister of Defense): "There is in the mountains, located in the East of Algiers a considerable tribe which gives soldiers to the African governments by receiving bribes by them (the African Governments). They are made up of men called Zouaves." Two thousand of them all under the leadership of Abrahman Kenni offered me their services, five hundred of them are already in Algiers. Bourmont had tried to "gallicize" the noun of Zouaouas. Those Zouaouas were occupying a zone located at the borders of the province of Constantine; they were vigorous and determined mountaineers, with an aggressive mood. Further explanation of their name according to the opinion of the military interpreter of the Tlemcen subdivision, the word "Zouave" is not from a "kabyle" origin, but it comes from the Arabic’s language, zouaf, is an adjective of the verb Zahafa (to crawl), which means a crawling man, a man who fights in skirmisher. Later the indigenous skirmishers in talking about "Zouaves" never pronounced this word, by softening the V, like us, but in the contrary, in forcing it, and transforming it into an F: the zouafs. Some tribes other than the Zouaves have been called to participate in the recruitment of the new corps which consists of, starting with two battalions of eight companies. The first battalion had for chief, the Captain Maumet, of the "Etat-Major"(General Staff) corps; the second, Captain Duvivier, of the Engineer corps. They took from the army, command and warrant officers and many volunteers came running, because of the considerable advantages, for example the immediate promotion to the superior grade in the new corps. Soon everybody agreed that the introduction in the Zouave battalions of national elements was absolutely necessary.

Zouaves were taken among the "Volontaires la Charte", a kind of "franc-tireur" corps, made up during the days of July 1830 in Paris in which included fellows of all ages and all conditions, but especially students, unemployed workers, persons who had lost their social position. It was a delicate question “what to do with the graduates?" They sent them to Algeria in February 1831 and they left everything with enthusiasm to embrace the military profession, which was good as any other profession. Meanwhile the foreigners formed the "Legion Etrangere "(Foreign Legion), the French citizens were enrolled to the Zouaves or contributed to the formation of the 67^th line infantry. They created in the same time two squadrons of "mounted Zouaves," which were incorporated in the new "chasseurs d'Afrique"(Africa's riflemen") in November 1831. The first little detachment of the Zouaves participated, as early as October the 2^nd, 1830, to the column formed in Algiers against the Bey of Tittery, which was at Blida. The 1^st battalion sent four companies to the Boufarik's column who, in November occupied Blida, crossed the Chiffa river, climbed the Mouza's (865 meters ) fought against the 6,000 men of the Bey, and occupied Medea (1,100 meters) November the 23^rd . The Zouaves stayed there for two months, and were increasingly harassed. They reached Algiers in January 1831, in February they received the "Volontaires de la Charte". From then on, they would be operating perpetually. In December 1832, the two battalions were reunited in only one of ten companies, in which eight are indigenous. The engagement duration was, for the indigenous, three years. The French only could be part of Zouaves corps, by volunteer engagements in the one battalion that was entrusted to the commander Kolb. Duvivier was back in France. That battalion consisted of 38 officers, 1,085 warrant officers, corporal and ranks, 10 army children. There was a drum corporal (or bugle) one drum and one bugle per company.

The uniform design is attributed partly to Turkish and native influences it consisted of one turban, one jacket, and one vest, one pair of pants made of madder canvas, one belt, one great coat or a collar with a hood on it. The garrison was Dely-Ibrahim's camp at 11 kilometers, south-west of Algiers, who dominated all the Sahel. The battalion of Zouaves were part of the Algiers division, 1^st brigade, with two light infantry battalions and the 1^st “chasseurs d'Afrique"(riflemen of Africa). The Captain de La Moricière, in 1833, was the organizer and the 1^st chief of an Arabic bureau for the administration of indigenous in Mitidja. Louis-Christophe-Leon Juchault de La Moricière was born in Nantes on February 5^th, 1806, he entered "L'ecole Polytechnique" in 1824, then "L'ecole d'Artillerie et du Genie" in 1826. In 1829, he was lieutenant of the 3rd Engineering regiment. He entered the Zouaves as captain, November 1^st , 1830, was nominated battalion-chief November 2^nd , 1833, lieutenant-colonel December 31^st, 1835, Colonel November 11^th, 1837, Camps Marshal, commanding the Oran's province June 21^st , 1840 and lieutenant-general July 31^st , 1843. He was elected deputy of Saint-Calais in 1846, having been a member of the Constituent and Legislative Assembly in 1848, minister of war from June 28^th to December 20^th, 1848, ambassador in Russia in 1849. Proscribed after December 2^nd, 1851, he was a leading opponent of Louis Napolean and was arrested and exiled to Belgium. Returning to France in 1858 and in 1860 was invited to be chief-commander of the Pontifical Army. He died September 11^th, 1865 at the Frontzel's castle in the Somme, department and laid to rest at Saint-Philibert cemetery, in the Loire-Atlantique's department. He was a legendary figure of the Zouaves history. It was he who definitely adopted the uniform of those brave soldiers that we knew until 1914, because there were only a few small modifications since its introduction. La Moricière, with his long hair and his chechia worn negligently, was one of the most distinguished officers. His biographer wrote; “In 1831 the Zouaves name came from the population which supplied the largest number of soldiers. We do not have soldiers; we are waiting for fabric still for fabric still from France to dress I am a Captain at 24”. He relates further “they sort of look like Mamelucks from the First Empire. I will be under the command of Captain Duviver, who is camping with us. My beard is growing; it is part of the uniform. We will get the tricolor turban with a tassel, the jacket is like the Turkish, the trousers Mameluke red, a belt with a gun and a curved saber, like a real ’Mardi Gras’ uniform. Keller added the he de La Moricière will never use this version when he gets in command.

Description of UNIFORM:

JACKET; short on a dark blue canvas, cut in the side as the Turkish fashion, embellished with braids (Soutache) of madder colors and fake pockets (tombeau), sleeves slashed under down to the elbow, and garnished with hooks.

VEST; with no sleeves of a blue dark canvas buttoned on the right shoulder only, and with a madder (Soutache) braid around the neck and another braid crossing the wearer’s chest longitudinally in the middle.

BELT; of wide blue cotton canvas wrapped tightly around the waist.

PANTS; puffed the Turkish way, dull madder (Garance) cloth for wintertime and mess dress, on white canvas for summertime and marches, attached to the back of the knee with a little cord made of black cotton, sustained by a high gaiter (Jambieres) of white canvas for the garrison, leather for the marches, later on black cloth. Until 1873, the Zouaves wore greaves or puttees on fawn-colored leather at the bottom of their pants, those famous "Trou de La Moricière".

CHECHIA; a red Fez with a blue tassel and worn with a white turban on the back of the head.

TURBAN; first green and then white because until the general inspection in 1870, the white turban was only used by the Zouaves of the Imperial Guard and by the Algerians skirmishers.

COLLET a CAPUCHON; a cloak with a hood on it and made of a coarse brown cloth, originally an iron gray-bluish color

The uniforms of the officers consisted, since the regulatory uniform decisions, of a tunic of black cloth buttoned straight on the middle of the chest, with a skirt forming folds, sleeves with oriental slashes, with a golden soubise and a little buttons of golden metal which closed the sleeve with the help of button holes in small golden cords. It is only later that the Zouaves officers got the red currant button holes. On the sleeves, the galons in gold braid changed to the form of the Hungarian knot. The pants were made of madder cloth with black strips or white canvas according to the seasons, with folds falling down to the boot. The officers wore the kepi, but many of them were replaced by the chechia, La Moricière him-self set the example. Fashion who would come-back during world war I. La Moricière received from the indigenous the surname of “Bou Chechia”, the man with the cap. The turban was used for many things. It was made of a strong fabric, was used as well-roped, to carry the food products, to close the encampment when a tent canvas was missing. Rolled around the head, it deadened the blows of the Yatagans. Its green color created some problems, because it could never keep its color, the green diminished quickly at the sun. The turban is at the origin of the tent-shelters. The soldiers have a sleeping-bag at the bivouac, but they did not give enough protection in bad weather conditions. The Zouaves got the idea to set their own turban material over some sticks conveniently arranged, and then the soldiers unpicked the stitches of their sleeping bags placing it over the structure to create a tent like shelter. In fact until the adoption of the small tent, all the troops camped outside with no cover over their heads. One can guess this by looking at pictures of that time or famous painting of Edouard Detaille "Le Reve". There is a stirring march "La marche des Zouaves", played long time ago by all the French military musicians, the notes of the chorus, and the first words became popular: Pan,Panl'Arbi . The jackals are around here... Jackal, was the nickname given to the Zouaves, because of the tricks they invented to spoil the Arabic marauder’s plans and also, because of their reputation for being enraged "thieves". It was usual to say that the Zouaves can find a chicken, in the place where the rifleman can find an egg and the infantryman.... nothing.

Explanation of TOMBEAU

They gave the name of "tombeau" to the fake pocket in each side of the Zouaves jackets (or skirmisher, or Spahis, or moor gendarme), but why that name? Here comes the explanation that a "connoisseur" in that matter gave, the executive officer G. Ganglof, in a work that he wrote, long time ago, to the ancient Zouaves.

(1)"The Algerian's residents wore loose pants or tight clothes which are buttoned. In general way, the man from the countryside -fellah- and the nomad wore the "gandoura", long shirt made of cotton or wool, the "haik" and the "burnous", instead the townsman -haddar- used pants which are tight to the hips, button up vests and jackets. At the time of the conquest, the Turkish, who fought us were dressed, more or less, like townsmen. And among all the weapons, the one they liked the most was the gun (pistol) which was always within reach. They placed it in a case called Kebour-gun-holder and the holster was maintained on the jacket by a strap loop which was held on the right shoulder. Many of those "hommes de poudre" (Dustmen or Powdermen), came to us on our side, and have been part of our first expeditions. They entered the auxiliary corps in which weapons and clothing were fixed later. The man being upright, his "kebour", which leaned on the left was masking the bottom of his vest in a way that it was very difficult to see the oval simulated fake pocket which was ornamented with trimmings or embroidered with gold, and decorated that part of the jacket. If they asked one of those men to designate by its name that place that one can guess more than he can see, he would answered invariably, mixing the above with the beneath, the gun-holder with the ornament of the vest : "We call that "kebour". The French translators thought, that they would just have to translate the word in French or gallizice it to enrich the dictionary with exotic word derived from a costume of people and to give a new expression. They would then ask a competent person about the real meaning of the word: "It is, he said, without trying to get more information, the plural of the substantive "keber" which means "tomb" (or conceal)”. And this the way, after some confusion, kebour, which qualifies as a gun-holder, mistaken for a piece of clothing and translated as if it was the plural of a different word, the oval trimmed cloth which created the fake pocket and was part of the design on the Algerian's jackets, were called in French "tombeau." This design is called El-keriat by the indigenous. It represents exactly, to their eyes, the vase of "jar" used in the interior. They made up, specially, for the indigenous corps an article of clothing which, by its form, was close to the townsman. They adopted for those who wanted to be Zouaves, Spahis, the loose pants, the vest buttoned, and the jacket. The jacket looked very simple, and was not decorated, and they thought to decorate it with braids or trims. It is then, that they decided to choose a design that looked like the ones who ornate the Algerian's vest. This design, after many modifications was made of a woven (lattice) linen braid madder color (Zouaves), daffodil (infantry), black (Spahis), white (moor gendarmes), according to the color of the background of the cloth and it became this ‘S’ form which at it’s lower end is closed, it formed a kind of oval around the fake pocket who's name is "tombeau," and its color of that enclosed cloth was red for the unity/province Algiers, white Oran and yellow Constantine and later, the color of the cloth for Tunisia's unities was beige. The upper part of the ‘S’ was formed into a trefoil pattern. So it was this way that the French had the last say in the naming of the uniforms most unique feature.

WAR OPERATIONS:

In 1835, Bourmont established a permanent camp in Maelma, on a plateau of 200 meters altitude, located 32 kilometers of Algers and dominating the Massafran's Valley, then another one at Boufarik. A second battalion of Zouaves was created by ordinance of the King on December 25^th, 1835. Each battalion, from then on, was made of six companies in which two of them, were French. The lieutenant-colonel La Moricière was chef of the corps, the battalions were entrusted to the commandants Cuny, and Vasnier, then later to the commandant Drolenvaux (at the second). The struggle against Abd-al-Kader kept going until 1836, four companies of Zouaves, were incorporated in the Perregeux's brigade during the Marshall Clauzel's expedition. They came from Tekbalet's command, arrived close to Tiemcan which had been taken; Tiemcan was the sultan's capital, emir's holy city. The Cavaignac's was establish in Tiemcan, it was the one (Cavaignac), which in 1837 took the commandment of the third battalion of Zouaves created by ordinance on March 20th. On February 12^th, 1837, General Count Denys de Damrement was named General-Governor of the French's possession in North Africa. The Zouaves did not participate in the first expedition to Constantine, but they were part of the second, which required 13,000 men and 4,000 horses, under the commandment of Damremont himself. A marching battalion of Zouaves (20 officers, 544 warrant officers, corporals, and men in the troop.) and lieutenant-colonel de La Moricière embarked in Algers, August 31^st, 1837 and formed a marching regiment with the 2nd battalion of the 2nd light brigade. He landed at Bare, September 3^rd, having been part of Duc de Nemours's brigade which was concentrated in Medjez el Amar. The Bey of Constantine attacked the French’s camp, on the 23^rd, on the right side of the Seybouse's river and was pushed back after a desperate fight. Under a torrential rain, the column left Medjez el Amar, on the 5^th and occupied the tableland of Mansourah on the 6^th. The siege started. The weather was terrible. On the 9^th, the artillery started to bomb the ramparts of the city. On the 10th in the evening, the marching regiment went on the Koudiat Aty where the assault had been prepared. The 11^th, the artillery started to disparage. The 12^th, Damremont has been killed, when he was visiting the work done the siege, with his staff chief, the General de Perregaux. The General Valee took the command in the evening of the 12^th, and the assault had been set for the day after and disparage seemed negotiable. Three columns, made of the crack regiment had been created; the first was under the command of La Moricière, with 300 Zouaves, 200 men of the 2^nd light brigades and some sappers of the engineers. The two other ones were under the commands of colonel Combes and Corbin totaled 1,600 men. The assault was given on Friday, October the 13^th at 7:00 am.

The Assault of Constantine.

The day before, General Valee called on La Moricière and the following dialogue was engaged: "Colonel, are you really sure that the column, you will command, will be energetic until the end?” Yes, General, I assure you. Are you really sure that your entire column will do the journey from the battery to the disparage, “without shooting or stopping?” Yes, general, no one will stop, nor fire. “How many men do you think, you will lose during the journey?” The column will contain 450 men. I have estimated that less than 400 shots a minute will be fired before the breach. One 15^th of the shots will reach their goal. I will not lose more than 25 to 30 men. “Once on the breach, do you know what will be your loses?” That will depend on the obstacles that they will encounter. The assaulted will have a big advantage over us, at that time; half of the column will probably be destroyed. “Do you think that with this half being destroyed, the other half will be discouraged?” General, the three quarters, could be killed; I could be killed my-self, as long as one officer will stand-up. The handful of men left will enter the place and will stay there. Are you sure, colonel? Yes, General. “Think about it, colonel”.... I thought about it, General, and I assure you on my honor. “Good, colonel, remember and make your officers understand that tomorrow, if we are not controlling the city at 10 o'clock, by noon we will beat retreat.” General, tomorrow at 10 o'clock, we will control or we will die. The retreat is impossible: the first assault column at least won't retreat." The 13^th, two hours before the day comes out, the first column, La Moricière’s troops came to the drill ground built near by the breach's battery. At 7 o'clock, when the sun was coming out, the duc de Nemours, gave the signal for the assault. The colonel was leading, the 300 Zouaves rushed under a rain of bullets, struck the obstacles, surround the rampart. A tricolor flag was put on the breach by captain Gardarens who was severely wounded. At 9 o'clock, the city was taken. In the small streets which were going to the breach, a violent explosion occurred, because of the imprudence of our sappers. La Moricière was dangerously burned and he had to leave, the French's loses the day of the assault were; 3 officers killed and 8 wounded, 68 killed and 70 wounded from the troops. In 1937, when they celebrated the 100^th anniversary of the event, numerous articles were published in the French's papers and magazines. La Moricière was found under a pile of debris, almost blind. He was named colonel on November 11^th. Colonel Combes had been killed. General Valee was elevated to the rank of Field Marshal of France and became General Governor on December 1^st. The third battalion of Zouaves was reunited to the two first ones, and they formed a regiment which occupied Blida and Colea in 1838 and 1839. The chiefs of the battalions were at the time Vasnier, Drolenvaux ad Cavignac. On July the 3^rd , the colonel de La Moricière, became Marshall, and he gave the command of the regiment to his friend the lieutenant-colonel Louis-Eugene Cavaignac, who later became Governor of Algeria in 1848, and later minister of war, and then chef of the executive power that same year. He retired on January 16^th, 1852. He was an unfortunate candidate of the French Republic presidency, elections of December 10^th, in which the prince Louis-Napoleon was elected.

The Struggle against Abd-al-Kader.

By the end of 1840, the Zouaves were part of General Changarnier's column over Miliana and spent a terrible winter in Medea, completely isolated. On February 22nd 1841, Lieutenant-General Bugeaud named General Governor landed in Algiers, with the mission to destroy the power of the emir Abd-al-Kader. Because of that, the effective of the occupying forces went from 65,000 to 80,000 men, with 13,000 horses. A period of offensive operations was going to begin and Bugeaud was going to apply a new tactic, those columns that we can call today "flying" and marching formation that were well protected. The Zouaves were going to become the true soldiers of Africa, always on the breach and fighting everywhere. That's the year, that a man entered into their ranks, and would become, battalion's chief Leroy de Saint-Arnaud The three new battalions were constituted in Algiers, on Bab-El-Oued square on March the 20^th , 1842. Colonel Cavaignac commanded them, with lieutenant-colonel Despinoy by his side and also commandant du Fresne de Kerlan. The battalion’s chiefs were Leroy de Saint-Arnaud (1^st), d'Autemarred'Erville (2^nd), Fremy (3^rd). The pride became so intense between the Zouaves that they started to say: "There is only one Zouaves regiment, as there is one God and one sun." The 3^rd battalion embarked to B“ne. The 1^st with the general staff went to Bilda and the second left to Tiemcen. So the regiment was represented in each of three provinces of Algeria by one of these battalions. They can be seen later forming the base of new regiments. Those battalions went to act from then on, independently from each other, sometimes grouped according to the circumstances, but almost never the three together. It was impossible to follow them in all their peregrinations. They were involved mainly on the smala's take of Abd-al-Kader in 1843, at the battle of Isly (2^nd battalion) in 1844, at Zaatcha in 1849. Let's note that Saint-Arnaud, when he was named lieutenant-colonel to the 58^th line, was replaced at the head of the 1^st battalion, by the commandant de Gardarens de Boisse, the same one who put the flag on the breach of Constantin. On September 19^th, 1842, during the Ouarensenis's battle against the Kabyls, into the Changarnier's column, the 1^st battalion fought from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, and had several and serious loses. That same battalion had been part, in 1843, of the column who left Boghar on May the 10^th and which helped the cavalry of Duc d'Aumale at Teguine the 16^th, during the catch of the Smala. In 1845, Colonel Cavaignac, who had been promoted, was replaced by Colonel de Ladmirault, which was also promoted on June 12^th, 1848, and gave the commandment of the regiment to Colonel Certain-Canrobert. In May 1848, a strong column was organized for the purpose of operations in the Grande Kabyle, under the orders of General Biangini. The two first battalions of Zouaves regiment were part of it, with colonel Canrobert and lieutenant-colonel Espinasse. The first and third battalions participated in the Sahel's wadi's column in July, they lost forty of them. In 1849, the big concern was the siege of Zaatcha, large oasis, village surrounded by a forest of palm trees, and walls made of rammed earth. In October, Herbillon's column, with 7,000 men, helped by Barral's smaller column, came to siege it. The sheik was an ancient porter from Algiers, he was called Bouzian. One of the Zouaves battalion suffered from cholera. The first assault was a failure. The second was given on November 26^th, one hundred Zouaves ahead, with the colonel Canrobert, the 1^st and 2^nd battalions in the assault columns. Furious fights were in the city, they laid siege to the houses, soldiers enraged by the resistance opposed them, massacred everybody in front of them. Bouzian was captured, and immediately executed. The oasis was devastated, all the inhabitants were killed. The siege had duration of 52 days, the Zouaves lost 40 men and more than 150 were wounded. Canrobert was promoted general on January 28^th, 1850 and was replaced by Colonel d'Aurelle de Paladines.

The ZOUAVE genre

Their graphic appearances gave to the Zouaves corps a "cachet" very particular only to them. One can remark the strength and vigor of commandant de Lavarade's ordinance’s bugler, of the first battalion. This brave soldier, named Landry, was build with an athletic shape. He never wore his bag, the commandant took care of it with his own luggage; on the other hand, and he had to follow the commandant like a shadow. As soon as the commandant was horseback riding in a trot or small gallop, the bugler took the horse's tail with his right hand and with his left hand put the instrument to his lips to play the appropriate call. You can see him doing this hard job for an entire day, but that didn't stop him at night to do his duty, in the 7^th company, he also told funny stories by the camp fire of the bivouac. It was at that time, that they named Lombardi, an old Zouave, who had tattoos from head to toes of military's design, of women's heads, flowers, snakes over their tails, etc... Brave and devoted like anybody else, he had a bit of the devil in him and appreciated strong liquors, because of that he had been punished many times. He died in front of Sebastopol. On December 24^th, 1851, the lieutenant-colonel Bourbaki replaced colonel d'Aurelles de Paladines in commanding the regiment. A well known figure, Charles-Denis-Sauter Bourbaki was born in April 22^nd , 1816 in Pau, he entered the service in November 1834, second-lieutenant for the 39^th line, went to the Zouaves on January 1838, was part of riflemen of Constantin on December 22^nd of that same year, came back to the Zouaves in January 1842, captain, spent some time as an officer of the king's ordinance, named battalion's chief on August 28^th , 1846, and then chief of the Arabic's bureau of Blida, chief of the riflemen of Algiers, lieutenant-colonel in 1850, colonel on December 24^th , 1851, brigade's general in October 14^th , 1854, commanded a brigade of the expeditionary corps of Kabylie in 1857, general of division on August 12th of the same year, commanded a division of the third corps during the Italian's campaign (1859), the corps of the Imperial Guard in 1870 and then the East Army in 1870-1871 Villersexe, (d'Hericault's battle), commander of the 6^th army's corps, military's governor of Lyon, and then reserve commission officer on April 22^nd , 1876, died at Cambo in 1897. Under his commands, the Zouaves did an extremely hard campaign in Kabylie. On January 1^st 1852, the regiment was entirely grouped in the province of Algiers: 1^st battalion of Medea, general’s staff and 2nd battalion at Blida, 3^rd battalion at Algiers. After the political events of 1851, general Randon, who just left the Minister of War, was named General Governor of Algeria. When he arrived the first thing he did, was to reorganize the Army of Africa. According to him, each province had to have its own Zouave regiment. Those proposals were accepted and sanctioned by a presidential decree on February 13^th, 1852, in which it's says that it will form 3 regiments of Zouaves and that the 3 existing battalions became the base of the new formation. The decree was rendered on the General Saint-Arnaud proposition, minister of war. The Zouaves regiment was dissolved. The 1st battalion was based on the first regiment which was affected to the Alger's province (Colonel Bourbaki). The 2^nd battalion was based on the 2^nd regiment, for the Oran's province (Colonel Vinoy). The 3^rd regiment made for the Constantin's province (Colonel Tarbouriech). The effective of the three regiments was 3600 men, because of some fresh supply from France. The flag was temporary for the 1^st regiment. New flags, with the Imperial Eagle on the pole, were given to all the army's corps on May 10^th, 1852. During their existence of twenty years, the old Zouaves were part of 330 combats - not counting the every day little engagements and some inside business in one arranged battle (Isly) and in two sieges (Constantine, Zaatcha).

The three regiments, from 1852 TO 1870

February 13^th , 1852, the President of the Republique rendered the following decree : "Considering that the services rendered by the troops who belong to the army of Africa in permanent title are due to the particular solidity and to the team spirit given to them by the habit of climate and war; " Considering that the application in a wise manner of the principle that their permanence is the safest means of arriving progressively and without jeopardizing the conquest to a requesting in the numbers of the army of Africa and, by following, to a lightening of the burden that its maintenance makes on the country; " Wanting to achieve the different advantages which would result in the expansion of this principle to a bigger number of French army corps; " On the report of the minister of the War : " Decrees : " First article. - Three regiments of Zouaves will be created which will be named 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd regiments of Zouaves, etc..." The recruitment of the new units was done without problem. One had only to draw among the most experienced and most meritorious soldiers. In order to serve in the Zouaves, many among them abandoned one rank. Some outgoing officers were seen back in service, some non-commissioned officers were hired like second class soldiers, some sailors after duty, some youngsters from well to do families joined them. "The regiments of Zouaves do exerted a particular seduction on the Parisian youth, writes Paul de Molenes. Their poetic uniform, their free and daring look, their already legendary fame despite their recent beginnings, makes the mightiest expression of this popular knighthood that has lasted since the days of Napoleon the 1st." When the war of Crimea exploded, in 1854, the Zouaves were asked to provide, by regiment, two marching battalions of 1,000 men to eight companies, made out of volunteers. All wanted to enroll. It was the first time that they were going to serve in other operational theaters other than North Africa. At the battle of the Alma, they had the premises of their European glories. Their fame came out of this battle bigger than ever. "The Zouaves” wrote the marshal of Saint-Arnaud to the Emperor, “were admired by the two armies: they are the best soldiers in the world". And with the siege of Sebastopol and its long period of sufferings none other than the Zouaves would mark more deeply with their valor in this murderous campaign. During the long duration of the siege, thanks to their inventive mind, they got settled in their camps and their trenches with the maximum of comfort, grouped by squads like the Arabs in tribes, they installed a theater which is still famous. It was during this period that birthed the 4^th regiment of Zouaves of The Imperial Guard, which we will tell the history later. Neither the cold weather, nor the rain, nor the mud, or the sometimes the hunger, nor the dangers could drain their energy. In the middle of the inclemency’s of this war, of material difficulties and of enemy shells which often laid some of them in the bottom of the trench, they maintained a good mood like their grand-sons would in the long war of the trenches of 1914-1918. Some other wars called the Zouaves to other grounds, other battlefields: Italy, Mexico, and, finally, the war of 1870-1871. We have retraced here, some details of these conflicts where they won fame, before to reaching the chapter of the Franco German war. We will find them classified by regiments and by years.

1^st Zouaves: Melegnano

In December 1852, a battalion participates in the raid on Laghouat. At 10:30 am, the breach was judged sufficient, the general Pelissier had the "March of the Zouaves" played, and that was the signal of the assault. The battalion sprang, crowned the breach and Laghouat fell after two hours of fights. 1853: The regiment participated in the expedition of the Babors, in May. 1854-1856: Two battalions la march were part of the Espinasse brigade of the first division (Canrobert) of the army of Orient. In April 1854, they stayed in the peninsula of Gallipoli. In Varna, in June, Cholera made some devastation’s, in beginning of September, the army embarks for Crimea, lands at Old-Fort the 14^th , arrives in front of Alma the 19^th , and fights a battle the 20^th , it gets back on track, getting around Sebastopol by the east, starts the siege of the position. In November, the colonel Bourbaki, promoted to general, leaves the command to the colonel De Lavarande. In January 1855, the above mentioned, was named to the command of the Zouaves of The Guard and has the colonel Janin as a successor. In February, the regiment participates in the works of approach on Malakoff. March 23^rd, the colonel Cillineau takes over the command of colonel Janin, transferred to The Guard. On September 8th, was the assault on Malakoff. In April 1856, the first Zouaves went back to Algiers.

1857: Expedition to Kabylie, May to July. The colonel Collineau promoted to general is replaced by the colonel Paulze d'Ivoy. 1859: In April, the regiment is formed in four battalions. The three first, six companies of 150 men each, are sent to the army of Italy, disembarking in Genova on April 30^th, integrate in one division of the first army corp., arriving on the banks of the Tessin on May 5^th. The 8^th, the vigor that this regiment shows testifies to its valor. The colonel Paulze d'Ivoy is killed that day. He is replaced by the colonel Brincourt. The 24^th, he participates in the battle of Solferino. he goes back to Algeria at the end of October. 1860-1861: The first battalion of the regiment participates in the operations of Syria. Embarked in August for Beirut, it would return Algiers in June 1861. 1862-1867: The regiment detaches two battalions to Mexico, in July 1862, under the commands of the colonel Brincourt. The later, promoted to general, is replaced in August 1863, by the colonel Clinchant and, in 1866, is commanded by the colonel Carteret-Trecourt. These two battalions returned to Algeria only in the month of April 1867. Across all the south of this country, an insurrection explodes in 1864 and dies out only in 1867. The battalions of the first Zouaves remaining in Africa took an active role in the pacification. 2^nd Zouaves: the Alma, Magenta

In 1852, from October to December, the regiment participates in the operations that lead to the take over of Laghouat. 1853: the lieutenant-colonel Cler replaces the colonel Vinoyat the command of the regiment. 1854-1856: The regiment of de marche, constituted for Crimea, leaves Algiers on April 23^rd it belonged to the division of prince Napoleon. On May 31^st, this division goes, by the ground way, from Gallipoli to Constantinople, embarks there for Varna, in order to be then transported to the Crimea. The battle of the Alma is going to become one of the outstanding exploits of the regiment. The Russian general Mentchikoff, had deployed 40,000 men on a dominant plateau the left bank of the river. Its left side was protected by slopes that he judged inaccessible. Its center was at the Telegraph Tower, and its right side rested on some forts whose artillery was beating the fords of the river. The 2^nd Zouaves is positioned in front of the center. At 7am, the colonel says to its troop that they must cross the river, and climb a steep slope before contacting the enemy. The attack begins in the wings, the regiment waits in expectation until 11 am. Finally, it starts to move, preceded by two companies deployed in skirmishers. By noon, they get into the village of Bourliouk. The Russian artillery opens fire. The companies’ progress by leaps, then the two battalions put their backpacks on the ground, the first lies in ambush in the Alma riverbed, the 2^nd, behind a small dry stones wall, the flag is unfolded. Three Russian battalions are in front of them on a steep abutment. The enemy cannons covers of canister, fire the riverbanks and the exit of the ford. The bugle sounds the charge, the Zouaves cross the meanders of the Alma and climb the first slopes, and others turn the position by a ravine. The Russian battalions lose ground, abandoning their wounded and their backpacks. Colonel Clerc rallies its troops at the moment when the Russian cavalry itself is ready to charge. The fire of the skirmishers stops them. Several batteries concentrate their fire on the Zouaves who get some casualties. The colonel decides then, to conquer the height of the Telegraph Tower. The regiment fulfills this mission, helped by the first Zouaves, the two flags arrive at the same time on the position, some pieces of French artillery are hauled on the plateau by the jackals and the second regroups behind the Tower in battle order, while the flag of the 39th regiment is, also, deployed on the conquered position. They were now generally offensive; it is the Zouaves who opened the path to the divisions who progress with their bayonet. The marshal of Saint-Arnaud comes to congratulate the soldiers of Africa. In front of Sebastopol, the second Zouaves intervene with success at Inkermann, November 4th, 1854. In the night of February 23^rd, 1855, the tragic affair of l'Ouvrage Blanc (the White Work) happens, constructed by the Russians between the sea and the ravine of Carenage. Two columns of Zouaves and one of infantry of marines charge on the works, reaches the canyon, but is stopped twice in a row by a wall of bayonets and a rain of bullets. The colonel Clerc escapes miraculously from death, officers, non-commissioned officers, soldiers dropping dead, waiting for the arrival of reserves. The Russians counter attack and surround the Zouaves, the batteries of the position open fire to the fort. A handful of survivors attack the enemy, it is necessary to disengage and retreat. The casualties have been extremely severe. The colonel Clerc is named general; he passes his command to the colonel Saurin on March 5^th. In the night of June 7^th to the 8^th, a general attack is launched on the Fort of Mamelon Vert (the Green Nipple) and Les Ouvrages Blancs. The 2^nd Zouaves is in charge of seizing the works from the left. It succeeded there, but with considerable casualties. June 18th, it participates in the first attack of Malakoff and it looses the elite of its officers and soldiers at the edge of the enemy ditches. After that day, the regiment is resting; the companies do not count more than 25 valid men. It is a captain, Lauer, who commands the regiment. The human strengths have some limits. On July 5^th, the second Zouaves pass to the observation corp. and, on August 16^th, meet for the last time with the Russians at Traktir. It is repatriated in Oran on May 17^th.

1857: During the operation of Kabylie, June 24th, the regiment is remarked in the fight of Icherident.

1858: The colonel Tixier replaces the colonel Saurin, promoted.

1859: Three battalions consisting of six companies each leave for Italy. The regiment disembarks in Genoa at the end of April; it is assigned to the second army corp., general de Mac-Mahon, Espinasse division, Castagny brigade.

2^nd Zouaves: Magenta

The day of Magenta will be forever noteworthy for the regiment. In the awful chaos that happen in the middle of the village, the flag is in danger, its guard is slaughtered, but some courageous hands raise it and the battle pursues. The Zouave Dauriere and the warrant officer (junior grade) Savieres, seized the emblem of the 9^th Austrian regiment, after a fierce struggle. A few days later, the general de Mac-Mahon, who had just been promoted to the dignity of Marshal of France... addressed the troops of its army corp. with the following general order: "The Emperor, wanting to re-establish the former and glorious traditions, has decided that the regiment who would take a flag to the enemy which bear the cross of the Legion d'Honneur under its eagle. The 2^nd Zouaves who, the first in this campaign, has seized, in Magenta, the flag of the 9^th Austrian regiment, and will receive tomorrow, by command of His Majesty, the decoration that he has gloriously earned on the battlefield." The following day, the new marshal came to the camp and, in presence of the troops under arms, decorated this “eagle” that, the day of the battle had his chest crossed by a bullet. The Zouave Dauriere was made knight of the Legion d'Honneur. It is known today as "the wounded eagle of the second Zouaves" and the regiment carried it a long time on its insignia, before and after 1939 until its dissolution, the effigy, an 1859's Zouave and the cross earned at this battle of Magenta. On June 24^th, 1859, in Solferino, the division where the regiment belonged took over San Cassiano. After the peace, two battalions of Zouaves came to Paris in order to participate in the triumphal return of the army of Italy. The eagle of the second Zouaves parades before the Parisians and the Emperor. The three battalions of de marche regiment regained Oran by the end of August.

1860: Expedition of Oriental Kabylie (May-August).

1861-1867: The lieutenant-colonel Gambier is named to the command of the second Zouaves in replacement of colonel Tixier, promoted. A first battalion leaves in the month of November 1861, for Mexico. A second battalion rejoins it there in January 1862, with the colonel. These two battalions are repatriated in March 1865. The colonel Lefevre replaces the colonel Gambier. The regiment participates in the repression of the insurrection that devastates a part of Algeria from 1864 to 1867.

1870: The second Zouaves operated against Morocco. The lieutenant-colonel Detrie is promoted colonel of the corp.

3^rd Zouaves: Palesstro

1852: Operations of Oriental Kabylie (May-July), in the circles of Souk-Ahras (June-July).

1853: Operations of the Babors (May-July).

1854-1856: The two marching battalions are assigned to d'Autemarre d'Ervill‚'s brigade, Bosquet's division. Carried in Crimea, the division participated in the Alma's battle. On the 23^rd of September, colonel Tarbouriech died of cholera; he is replaced by colonel de Saint-Pol. At Inkerman, on November the 5^th, the regiment frees the English's camp occupied by the Russians, pushed them back to the Tcherna‹a. On March 21^st 1855, colonel Bonnet Maurelhan de PolhŠs took the commandment, replacing colonel de Saint-Pol. On June 6^th, the third Zouaves attacked the Mamelon Vert with the Wimpffen's brigade, in liaison on the right with the Algerian's rifflemen's regiment and the 50^th infantry line. The Mamelon Vert is won. The Zouaves chased the enemy up to the trench of Malakoff's tower, but had to retired. The regiment, suffered cruelly, lost four officers which were killed and eleven wounded, seventy-nine men died, four hundred and two wounded, twenty three were prisoners. On August 16^th, the regiment fought at Traktir. On September 8^th, they assaulted Malakoff. We can find, later, the description of that battle. On September 22^nd, colonel habron replaced colonel PolhŠs. The regiment went back to Philippeville on May 1855.

1857: Expedition to the Grande-Kabylie (May-July), Icheriden's battle.

1859: The regiment with three battalions was affected to the Neigre's brigade, the Autemarre's brigade. Almost as soon as they arrived to Genoa, they were conducted to Verceil and placed under the order of the king of Sardinia, received the order to go to Torrione, on the left bank of the Sesia. On May 30^th, they walked in Palestro, which the day before the Sarde's army took from the Austrians. They camped at the South of the village, behind a canal, which separated them from the Piedmontese. The camp has just being installed, then the Austrians's attack started on Bobbio's road and Rosasco, in the front and the right of the little allied army. Colonel Chabron ordered to immediately pull down the tents, to take arms and to go to the Bridda's bridge. The Austrians established on the plateau, which dominated the valley of Siesa from 15 to 20 meters, threatening the Piedmonteses. The colonel ordered to leave the backpacks on the ground, and bayonet on the gun, and send the Zouaves against an enemy's battery which was decimating the ranks. A deep and large canal cut the progression zone. Some of Tyrolese's riflemen hidden behind the trees on the opposite bank, killed those who passed by. Some officers were killed; the attack's column followed the canal, looking for a ford. When they finally found one, the Zouaves crossed it, with water up to the belt, climbed the opposite bank and emerged on the plateau. The battery is stormed only with bayonets, five pieces stayed in our possession. It is only the first act of the battle. Now it is about time to take the "cascina San Pietro" in order to free the Piedmonteses. Bridda's bridge was defended by a crenellated mill and garnished with Austrian's riflemen, two cannons were in battery near by the bridge, on the left, flowed a canal lined by acacia's bushes. The charge is sounded, the bridge was won, the defendants of the mill escaped. This bridge is covered with cadavers. A new enemy’s column appeared on Rosasco's road. It was confronted to the Zouaves. The flag carrier falls, his knee smashed by a bullet shot at pointblank. He is second lieutenant Henry. Sergeant Lafont took the eagle, and fell also. Second lieutenant Souvervie received the emblem and raised it. Soon, the enemy retired disorderly. The "cascina" has been taken. That action cost the regiment 1 officer and 47 men dead, 15 officers and 218 men wounded, 8 missing. The combat lasted more than 4 hours. The day after, June 1^st, the 2^nd Zouaves were put under the command of the Italian army. The king of Sardinia recompensed the regiment by a peculiar way, he was awarded the gold medal of Military Value that he were on the bow and tassels of color stave of his flag. The Zouaves named the king, corporal of honor. On June 21^st, colonel Mangin replaced colonel Chabron, promoted. In October, the regiment went back to Algeria.

1860: Hodna's column (March) and expedition to Oriental Kabylie.

1862-1867: Campaign to Mexico, the two first battalions of Zouaves of the 3^rd Zouaves arrived at Vera Cruz in the first days of November 1862. On May 8th, 1863 at San Lorenzo's battle, two flags were taken to the enemy during the siege of Puebla, one flag by second lieutenant Henry, the other one by the Zouaves Simon. The eagle of the regiment received the "Legion d'Honneur" and then back to Algeria in April 1867.

1869: Bou-Saada's column (February-March).

THE ZOUAVES OF THE IMPERIAL GUARD

1854 - 1870

A decree rendered on May 1^st, 1854, carried that the imperial guard was reestablished and would form a mixed division composed of two regiments of grenadiers, two regiments of riflemen, a light infantry's battalion, a brigade cavalry (cuirassiers and guides), a regiment on foot and a mounted gendarmeries squadron, a mounted regiment of artillery, two companies of engineers and a squadron of transportation company. An expeditionary brigade of the guard was sent to Crimea. A decree on December 23^rd, 1854, created a regiment of Zouaves inside the Guard, containing two battalions of seven companies each, they were recruited in the three regiments of the front line's Zouaves, the Algerian skirmishers, the battalions of Africa's light infantry, and the battalions of riflemen. The adopted uniform was the same one the other regiments had, but the braids of the jacket and the vest, instead of being red, were made of bright yellow wool. The "chechia" hat, carried a tassel in a bright yellow silk, the turban was made of a white cotton cloth. Let's remember that the three regiments of Zouaves of Africa had the green turban, only in 1869, they were given white turbans. On March 15th, 1855, the regiment was ready; its chief was the colonel Pecqueult de Lavarande, and lieutenant-colonel Montaudon. The 7^th company from both companies formed the reserve in the fort. On the 16th, the regiment received its flag from the hands of General Canrobert. The siege of Sebastopol entered a bitter phase. The English had to ask to be relieved by French troops in front of Malakoff. It was the second corp, of General Bosquet who was in charge. The Guard was the General’s reserve, with the infantry division of General Brunet. On April 7^th, the colonel de Lavarande, promoted General, left his command to the colonel Janin, coming from the first Zouaves. On April 9^th, 1855, began the second bombardment of the position. The first bombardment had taken place from October 17^th to 19^th, 1854. It lasted ten days. Some reinforcements came from France, bringing the strength of the contingent of the Guard to a division (General Mellinet). On May 20^th, General Canrobert having resigned from its command, General Pelissier replaced him. Battles happened in the second half of May. On June 7^th, it was the seizure of the Mamelon Vert : the day after, General De Lavarande fell mortally hit by a cannonball. This loss shocked the Zouave family in which he had forged for himself a flattering renown. The first attack against Malakoff happened on June 18^th, 1855. It was a failure. The Mayran, Brunet and d'Autemarre divisions were decimated. Tired, bruised, the columns of attack were, suddenly, facing fresh Russian contingents, which forced them to give up. The general Pelissier, understood the seriousness of the situation, and he sent the regiment of the Zouaves of the Guard to the front. A historian of the era, the baron De Bazancourt, wrote: "All of them know how to walk to a certain death. However, ever more pride and quietness, more male resolution was imprinted on the faces of soldiers. All of them, when they pass in front of General-Chief have their head high and the heart inflamed, and marching at the pace like in a parade, they present arms to him, as, previously, the ancient gladiator greeted Caesar, before going to death." They crossed the parapet of the fort (the Lancastre battery), sprang at the charge's pace, in direction to the Gervais battery, and crossed a 2,250 meters long unprotected space, swept by crossfire coming from the Korlinoff's bastion, from the Grand Redan and from the Russian vessels anchored in the southern bay. They reached the Mamelon Vert, got in the advanced trench; at the right moment a countermand stopped them: Pelissier judged useless to pursue the slaughter. The affair will be done later. He acted wisely.

MALAKOFF

In July, the Zouaves of the Guard fought in the advanced parallel of Karabelnapia and Carenage. Traktir battle took place on August 6^th. A fight in front of Malakoff, on the 24th, let present a resumption of actions in the sector. The final assault is given on September 8^th, after the completion of the 7th parallel, twenty-five meters from Malakoff; the advancement was stopped forty meters from Petit Redan. On the 5^th, the bombardment started again. Malakoff is going to be taken by the troops of General Bosquet. The attack has to follow three directions: on the left over Malakoff and its shelter, on the right over the Petit Redan, on the center over the middle of the rampart. It is the attack on the left side which would assure the fall of the fort. It will be confide by the Mac Mahon's division, keeping in reserve Wimpffen's brigade and two Zouaves of the Guard's battalions. The right attack is confided to Dulac's division, having in reserve Marolles's brigade and the battalion of riflemen of the Guard. In the center was General de La Motte-Rouge with a division and the riflemen and grenadiers of the Guard in reserve.

On September 8^th, the cannon ragingly boomed from each side. Since the morning, the 2^nd corp. was under arms, around 10am, the troops their delaying post in the trenches. Mac-Mahon is facing Korniloff bastion, with, on the center, the first regiment of Zouaves. It is the first battalion of this regiment whom has to lead, the Zouaves are going to hit first. The historic ness of the corps expresses in this way:

“Their attitude was proud and solemn. The officers were dressed in grand uniform; the Zouaves carried the "chechia" hat in rear, the Crimean crosswise, the supplies and the cartridges on the side... All of them breathed pride and boldness; they were really superb to look at with their uniforms blackened by gunpowder. Order and silence reigned. They waited for the time of the attack while listening to the clash of bombardment. Meanwhile, general de Mac-Mahon entered in the parallel examined the position and, after having chosen his position, he designated corporal Lihaut (1^st company, 2^nd battalion) in order to plant his flag on Malakoff. [...] Time was of the essence... One last salvo of bombs and shells came to take diversion for an instant. The silence came back again and each of them could hear those words coming from the general's mouth and repeated from ear to ear: "Ten minutes left...Five minutes left...Three minutes left..."

I was close to the General de Mac-Mahon, wrote General Lebrun in his memoirs of Crimea (he was then Colonel, chief of the headquarters division), holding my watch in front of my eyes and following attentively the big needle , waiting for it to point noon. The Zouaves of Captain Sée, most of them has a hand hung to the baskets filled with dirt, which crowned the crest of the trench's parapet, to support it and to be able to quickly spring over this crest, had all of them, the eyes inflamed and focused on the watch. I lowered the arm and said out loud: noon. And General Mac-Mahon exclaimed: "Forward! God save the Emperor!" He wanted to clear the parapet in order to head the Zouaves, but his aide-de-camp, commander Borel, and I, we stopped him holding him by the flap of his tunic : "It will be the right time for you, I told him, when we will see Zouaves on the other side of the ditch." Stillness in the middle of danger, said the historian, the contempt of death was such among the men of the regiment, that the corporal Desmarets fell asleep deeply in the trench, minutes before the assault, while the hearts palpitated before the event. At the signal, Desmarets woke up, and his ardor made him one of the first to reach the Malakoff's tower where he died. The Zouaves rushed to the ditch of Malakoff. There were more than 75 meters between the parapet and the ditch. And, far from being filled with dirt from the bombardment, as they hoped, it had a depth of 6 to 7 meters and both slopes were carved vertically in the rock. They jumped in the bottom, and then began to climb the outside slope of the Malakoff salient, making a ladder for each other by giving a leg up. Then the sappers engineers arrived, bringing ladders and boards, then General de Mac-Mahon crossed the ditch on one of those ladders thrown over, taking the risk of stumbling or falling in the pit. The Russian infantrymen and gunners leaving their shelters could not resist to this horde of demons. They were at the top of Malakoff, where the General asked them to plant his flag. It was then, a quarter past noon. The reinforcements arrived from all sides. Mac-Mahon called the reserve to himself the Zouaves of the Guard arrived. A strong hostile column came from behind the arsenal of Sebastopol. The Russians reach the position with mettle, and surprise the defenders of the gorge. The Zouaves of the first battalion of the Guard jump in the fray, those on the second battalion burst in by the rampart that joins the bastion of the Petit Redan. On the battlefield there reigned an indescribable confusion. Companies, battalions, regiments fight, intermingled. The fusillade is nearly over; fight continues with bayonets, with gun butt, strokes of axe, of plow. Those hand to hand fights lasted a half-hour. Finally, the enemy vacillated and was brought back. At four thirty, the victory was completely acquired. Mac-Mahon's division, with 199 officers and 4520 soldiers before the assault, later could only have count, 71 officers and 2430 men by night time. The Zouaves of the Garde left on the fields, half of their effective, which means, more than 300 men killed or wounded. Among them was Colonel Janin, Lieutenant-Colonel Nayral, and five captains. Promoted General, the Colonel Janin gave the commandment to Colonel Bonnet Maurelhan de Polhes, of the third Zouaves. On December 24^th and 25^th, 1855, the Zouaves of the Garde arrived in Paris. The second battalion and the General staff were quarter at St.Cloud, the first battalion at Mont-Valerien. On the 29^th, the regiment did his triumphant entrance in the capital, with the other repatriated troops.

SAN MARTINO

From 1855 to 1859, the Zouaves are garrisoned at Paris. On March 22^nd, 1859, Colonel de Polhes, promoted, gave the commandment to colonel Guignard. On April 26^th, 1859 the Zouave battalions of the Garde, with six companies of one hundred men, left Versailles by railroad to Marseille where they arrived on the 28^th, in the morning. They took the boat and, on the 29^th, arrived to Genoa. They stayed until May the 14^th, then took the direction of Alexandria and, on the 17^th , crossed the Marengo's plain. The Grade arrived on June the first at Novare, passing the Austrian’s army. The battle of Magenta took place on June the 4^th. The army corps of Mac-Mahon, followed by the Garde's division of riflemen, advanced from Turbigo to Buffalora and Magenta, when at the same time, the division of grenadiers (with the Zouaves) took the head of the bridge of San Martino on the left bank of the Tessin. Between the Tessin and Magenta, there was an obstacle, the Naviglio Grande, a brook with a deeply embanked course. That canal was cut by six bridges, Barnates, at North; Buffalora, at two kilometers downstream; Ponte Nuovo di Magenta, with the Milano's road on it, and on which the grenadiers and Zouaves advanced; the railroad bridge, at 600 meters below the road; Ponte Vecchio di Magenta, at two kilometers from the precedent bridge. All those bridges were mined, their access covered by entrenchments. At Ponte Nuovo, the position was flanked by the customs and station's buildings, with walls of a thick granite stone. The Mellinet division, some grenadiers and Zouaves of the Garde, moved to San Martino, crossed the Tessin and attacked the bridges of the channel, alone; 2^nd grenadiers on Buffalora, the 3^rd grenadiers on the railroad bridge, assisted by a half battalion of Zouaves. Their chief, commander de Bellefonds, was mortally wounded. Mrs. Rossini, a canteen woman, cares to his wounds. He will succumb a few days later from his wounds. A battalion of the 3^rd grenadiers attack the Ponte Nuovo. It is decimated. The bulk of the regiment of the Zouaves runs then, sent by Napoleon III himself, who witnesses the battle in front of the San Marino's bridge. The struggle for the possession of the crossing is fierce. The 1^st grenadiers finally arrived. The General Clerc, heading the brigade, is hit by a bullet in the middle of the chest. Today, his statue is located on Salins's square (Jura). The struggle, undecided for an instant, is going to turn in our favor. The heads of column of the 4^th corps enter the battlefield around 4 pm, preceded however by the Picard brigade, of the 3^rd corp. Finally, the 2nd corps arrives, very late, on the opposite strand and takes over Magenta. During four hours, the Mellinet division alone had sustained the struggle against the Austrian army. With a total of 1,000 men involved, the Zouaves losses included 60 dead and more than 200 wounded. After the battle of Solferino, where the division of riflemen of the Garde strenuously intervened, the corps went back to France in the beginning of August. Until 1870, the regiment of Zouaves of the Garde stays at Versailles, first, under the command of the Colonel Lacretelle, then of Colonel Giraud, participating in the services of honor, reviews, and various ceremonies. the corps of the Imperial guard, they enjoyed evidently exceptional favors and the officers of these regiments, carefully chosen, had an ostentatious mundane life, that they redeemed amply by loosing a third of them, sometimes more, on the battlefields. The regiment of the Zouaves of the Garde was garrisoned in Saint-Cloud, when the court stayed there, but also in Paris, in the barracks of La Nouvelle-France and Babylon, today completely renovated but that we could still see under their former aspect only forty years ago. The officers of the Zouaves had their mess at La Nouvelle-France. One of them who knew the novelist Alexandre Dumas, having met him one day on the boulevard, invited him for diner without ceremony. After the diner, they passed to what was called "the coffee room" where they chatted cheerfully of mantle and sword with the author of Monte-Cristo. Seizing the opportunity, the N.C.O.s punished passed him a supplication, so that he can "implore the clemency of the colonel and open to them, by his influence, the doors of the Chateau d'If, where the military discipline had them imprisoned." And it was signed Edmond Dantes. The colonel Lacretelle, who commanded the regiment then, wrote on the letter: "Granted with readiness". The chief of the marching band of the Zouaves was Mr.Hammerlé, the second-chief was named Damenart and woe the oriental attire. One the most curious guys of this band, was the famous Jacob, who had the reputation of being a bad doctor, a charlatan was universally known. Elysée-Charles Duchemin, born in Guadeloupe in 1833, was drum regimental adjutant of the Zouaves of the Garde. Tall, thin, with a strong dark and nuanced complexion, he was the most beautiful ornament of the regiment. In 1870, he left the corp and took again his rank of sergeant (in mounted arms) in the artillery; he was to be named lieutenant and took his retirement in 1885 as a captain. In 1870, the drum regimental adjutant of the Zouaves was a superb man, idol of many ladies of Paris and Versailles, who answered to the meaningful nickname of "Joli Coeur" (Lovelace). The canteen woman of the Zouaves of the Garde was Mrs.Pelloux, glaring in an uniform all under spotted of yellow. She wore the red chechia hat with a turban of white silk falling on her shoulder. The blue jacket ornate with flat plaits and adorns covered the "sedria", the oriental vest decorated on the front with one row of small spherical golden buttons. A blue sky silk belt surrounded the waist of the canteen woman whose costume was complemented by a royal blue dress ornate at the bottom by three edges and a flat plait of yellow silk, covered partially on the front by a small apron of black silk, and by a baggy trousers Zouaves style, leggings of fawn leather rounding well the calf, small shoes imprisoned in white gaiters. An oriental sword, hanging on the left side by a white belt with double "bélière" (lace joining the saber to the belt), in golden metal and black silk, composed her weapons.

THE ALGERIAN RIFLEMEN

From 1841 to 1870

The Royal ordinances of December 7^th , 1841, was the base for the organization of the indigenous troops and consecrated their existence, connecting them with a statute in harmony with those of the other French's African corps, and now one unified troop. The name "Tirailleurs" was already used to design some indigenous unites, and also was used to name a union made of Europeans, the "Battalion of African riflemen, Tirailleurs" which existed for a short time (October 1836 - March 1838). In the report which was presented to the king, concerning the organization of indigenous troop corps in Algeria, signed by the president of the council, Secretary of State of the Minister of War, Marshal Duke de Dalmatie (Soult), one can read the following: "Since the first days of the conquest, they recognized the advantage of being attached to the French cause, all the inhabitants of the country, who want to serve it. On numerous occasions, under many names which often changed, special corps had been created [...] of infantry, some times mixed with French, sometimes exclusively Muslims. The regime and the destination have necessarily changed according to the circumstances and the places; but, everywhere and under many forms, they rendered incontestable services, and there is not one struggle, in which they are not being involved. It is, finally, a recognized truth, that the indigenous resisted better than the Europeans to the insalubrity’s of their country, can resist more easily the deprivations or their fatiguing long runs and escape better from their customs, as well as the knowledge of the country, to a big part of the weaknesses which affected the French troops. A long experience, showed, that well treated and fairness, make them devoted and faithful. The recruitment among the indigenous at first, only offered to the occupying army, very limited resources. It was, circumscribed in the Algerian province, in which we only have a small part. Later, the access of many tribes in the territory of Bône and Oran permitted the creation of Spahis's squadron [...].Finally, the Constantine's take, gave to the indigenous draft of the province a new and favorable impulse. On the other side, the remains of the old Turkish’s militia, the youth of Muslim’s cities, the fugitives which came to us, looking for some refuge, gave, successively, elements for the infantry's corp., which were and still very useful, not only for the guard of exterior posts, but also in the course of diverse expeditions.