Reminiscences of an officer of Zouaves

Front matter

CORNELL

UNIVERSITY

LIBRARY

Book I. Laghouat

I. Situation of the Tribes of the Sahara-iu the proTinoes of Algiers and Oran in 1852.— II. Itinerary of the 2d Zouaves from Oran to Laghouat ; description of the country passed oyer.— III. General Pelissier's arrival before Laghonat (December 2d, 1852).— The city and its Oasis.— Preliminary reconnoissance, December 3d.— Investment of the town by General Bouscarrin on the night of the 8d.— General Pehssier's remark.— IV. Assault and capture of Laghonat.— Major Morand.— The houso of Ben-Salem.— Beturn of the 2d Zouaves to Oran.- An Arab diffa at Ain-Madhy, 14

Book II. The Babobs

Summary. — I. Departure of the 2d Zouaves from Oran for Algiers, the 25th March, 1853.— From Algiers to Setif (from the 25th April to the 8th of May). — ^Mansourah. — The Medjanah. — II. First operations of the Expedition to the Babors (18th May). — Bazzia among the Bhamin (20th May). — Col. de la Tour-da-Pin.— The Benl-Tizi (22d May).— The Peak of Tizi-ou- Sakka. — Bivouac at Sidi-Etnim {5th June). — Ceremony of Investiture. — A Military Mass. — III. A glance at the habits and hi.story of the dwellers in the Babors. — IT. Second part of the Expedition to the Babors, from the 6th June to the 4th July, 1858. — Coh Yinoy, promoted to be Brigadier- General, is succeeded by Lieutenant-Colonel Cler, as Colonel of the regiment, TO

Vi CONTENTS.

Book III. The B As T — 1 854

Summary.— I. The 2d Zouaves organizes its war battalions for tlio expedition to tlie East.— Za ieUe Mane.— The battalions sncoessively embark from Algiers on the 1st and 5th of May, on board the Montezuma and the Caci2M«.— Malta (8th May).— The Morea.— The Archipelago.— The Dardanelles.— II. Gallipoli (14th May).— From GallipoU to Constantinople by land.— The Gulf of Saros.- The Sea of Marmora.— Thrace.— Eginiskan.— Eodosto (5th June).— Effect produced on the Turks by the appearance of the Zonavea.— Silivri.- III. Constantinople.— Night of the 14th June, 1854.— Santa Sophia.— Tomb of Mahmond.— Eefiections.— IV. The army.— Camp at Teni-Keni.— Theatre of the Zouaves.- Guignol.- Bazardjick.— Preparations for embarking (end of August).- Captain Lavirotte.— Embarkation (2d September).- Cholera onboard tlieSayamt. —The drama on board.— Grateful feeling of the 2d Zouaves for the crew of the Sahara, .... ... 109

Book IV. The Crimea

Summary.- 1. Landing upon the beach at Old Fort (September 14th).— The Bussian Colonel's country seat.- The Zouaves engaged at foraging. — March to the Alma (September 19th).— II. Arrangements for the battle (September 20th).— The Colonel of the 2d Zouaves' address to his men.— Morning of the 20th September.— Impatience of the Zouaves.— The Mar shal de St. Amaud and the Zouaves.— Advance of the French centre. — The Skirmishers of the 3d division penetrate into the village of Bourliouck, about half-past 12 p. M.— The 2d Zouaves cross the Alma.— Attack and capture of the Telegraph Tower.— III. Enthusiasm of the army, the night after the battle. — Chief Bugler Gesland. — Sergeant Sombert. — Lieutenant Esmien.-The Cholera patients.— The army commences its march upon Sebastopol, the 28d.— The vines of the Katcha, — March to the Belbeck (24th). — Thirsty Camp (September 25th). — The Zouave Eousseau and Prince Napoleon. — ^Last visit to the heroic Marshal de St Amaad. — IV. Arrival upon the Tchernaya (27th). — Temporary occupation of Canrobert Hill,7-Occupation of the plateau of the Chersonnese (29th). — The house of the Zouaves, and its cellars.— The Cantini6re Dumont, of the 2d Zouaves.-i.-Opening of the trenches, October 9th. — Bombardment, of the 16th October.- Preparations for the assault.— Opening of the 2d parallel (night of the 22d October).— Captain du Lude. — ^Attack, projected for the night of the 5th November, ' . . . , . . 165

CONTENTS. Vn

Book V. The Crimea

Summary.— I. Part taken by tlio 2d Zouaves in the battle of Inkermann (5tli November, 1854). — Nigbt of tlie 5tli November. — Appearance of that part of the field next to the English camp. — The remai'ks made upon the Eubsian dead.— II. The 2d Zouayes at the "Windmill camp. — ^Works constructed by the men. — Hurricane of the 14th November, —The regiment receives reinforcements firom Algiers. — The sufferings of the army during the winter of 1854r-5. — General Canrobert's solicitude for the men.— The Zouave B. . . ., the Zouave D. . . . — General Bosquet's activity.- III. Intimacy between the Zouaves and English soldiers. — The French and English soldiers at the ca/nUne. — Kind attentions of the English generals to the Zouaves. — The relations between the officers of the two nations. — Generals Pennefather, Buller, and Kokeby. — IV. The brigade at "Windmill camp is reinforced in the early part of February, 1855. — ^Eoconnoissance made on the 12th February, by tho 2fll Zouaves.— "Works of the attack, directed on the Malakoff. — The "White Works. — Attack made on the night of the 28d February. — Its object, and the preparations for it.— The attacking force, composed of 900 Zouaves of the 2d regiment, and 450 marines. — General de Monet, Colonel Cler, Captains Bage, Dequirot, Borel, and Doux. — First-Lieutenant BarteL— Second-Lieutenant Sevestre. — Sergeants Eichard and Breysse. — Sergeant-major Lacaze. — Order of the day published to the army.— Eewards. — Tokens of friendship bestowed upon the 2d Zouaves by the English, and of esteem, by the Eussians. — Oolonel Cler appointed General. — Leaves the regiment. — His order of the day, .... 208

Book VI. The Crimea

Summary. — I. Colonel Saurin. — The dramatic company of the 2d Zouaves at the Inkermann Theatre. —Lieutenant Guillon.^The 2d Zouaves at the assault of the "White "Works (7th June).- Captains Pruvost, Lescop, Dor6, de la Taissiere, and de Liguerolle.^Lieutenant Michehn, — Deathof General de Lavarande. — II. Eesults which ensued ftom the capture of the "White "Works. — Attack of the 18th June.- Part played by the 2d Zouaves in that affair. — Captains Pouyanne, Frasseto. —Lieutenant de Termondans.— Second-Lieutenant Gabalda.— Eewards distributed among the 2d Zouaves. — Colonel de la Tour-du-Pin, of the staff. — III. The regiment having been relieved, in front of the Malakoff, by the 7th of the line, is sent to the army of observation (July, 1855).— Description of tho field of

'Ill CONTENTS.

battle of the 16tli August.— Position of the allied army on the 15th August — IV. Battle of the Tchernaya (16th August).— Part taken in the battle by the 2d Zouaves.— Major Darbois.^Major Alpy. — Second-Jiieutenants Bosc and Bcrger. — Captain Amaud.— Bewards distributed. — The 2d Zouaves remains with the corps of observation on the Tchernaya. — The regiment embarks for Algiers in Jane, 1856, and retoms to Oran, 272

PERSONAL REMINISCENCES.

INTEODUCTION.

The " Beminiscences of an Officer of the 2d Regiment of Zouaves " are compiled from notes, taken daily and with much care, by one of the most eminent officers of the corps.'

The 2d regiment of Zouaves, from the day of its organization in Oran, up to that of this publication, — which treats of it in the double point of view, of the historical and the picturesque — has scarcely for a moment ceased to find itself in the presence of an enemy.

In the southern portion of our African colony — in the Kabylia of the Babors,-^in the east — and, still more recently, in the greater Kabylia" — this regiment has

' The late General Cler, who was killed at the battle of Magenta. — T.

s The last few pages, describing their services in the greater Kabylia, hare been omitted in the translation, for the reason that they cannot justly come under the head of "Fersondl Seminiscences," since General Cler, from whose notes this little wort is compiled, was not engaged in these campaigns. Consisting of nothing more than a 1

2 mTEODTJCTION.

been invariably associated with every expedition, and almost every feat of arms of the last few years.

" Or ALL THK SOLDIERS IN THE WORLD, THE ZoUAVES

ARE THE FIRST AND BRAVEST," Said the Marshal de St. Amaud, on the eve of the battle of the Alma. These words have sown the seeds of a noble pride in the heart of every individual member of the corps.

There is a question which the non-professional reader may ask, and which we have often heard asked, ourselves : " How is it that regiments, which are recruited of the same material which enters into the composition of the other regiments of our army, should often seem to possess a certain superiority over other corps 1 Why should they be considered among ourselves as corps d'Uite, and by our enemies as among their most formidable opponents 1 "

A reply to this double question may perhaps be found in a brief glance, at the organization, the method of recruiting, the esprit de corps, and the original formar tion of the regiments of Zouaves.

Shortly after the taking of Algiers, our government, wishing to avail itself, in the interests of our new colony, of the services which might be expected from some of the natives, who showed a disposition to enter into the meagre historical sketch of the two expeditions made by the French into that country in 1856 and 1857 ; — and devoid of all personal incident — they possess no sort of interest for the general reader. — T.

mTEODUcxiou; 3

ranlcs of our army, organized a battalion of infantry, of which the companies, though commanded by French officers, were almost entirely recruited from among the natives of the country. These new soldiers, whose oriental costume was preserved, took the name of Zouaves ; a name given by the Turks to the native footsoldiers, whom the Dey of Algiers was in the habit of recruiting from one of the great tribes of the Kabylia.

This battalion soon proved to be extremely serviceable in the war of detachments carried on against the native tribes. And it was, therefore, decided to raise a new battalion, and to form ' the two into a regiment. The command of this new regiment was given to Colonel de Lamoriciere, whose name soon became one of the most famous in our African army.' The natives of the country were still admitted to serve in the regiment ; but the French element was already predominant.

In 1842, after the first few years of occupation, and in consequence of the important services rendered by these two battalions, chiefly during the campaigns of 1840 and 1841, the regiment was increased, and made to consist of three battalions, of nine companies each ; one of which constituted the depot. It was at this epoch, that the native soldiers almost entirely disappeared from the regiment. To be admitted into its ranks was already an object of emulation among the

' The same now iu command of the little army of the Church. — T.

4: mTEODUCTION.

best, the bravest, and the most vigorous soldiers of the African army. The uniform,— the manner of life, — the greater liberty, there enjoyed, than in the garrisons of France, or even of Algeria,— the certainty of being present wherever a musket shot was to be fired, — the glory to be acquired, — ^were, all of them, considerations well calculated to attract into our ranks the descendants of those Gauls, our forefathers ; whose proud saying it was, that, " Were the heavens themselves to fall, they would yet bear them icp on the steel of their lances."

Besides the conditions of success resulting from the nature of their original organization, we should add, that it was subsequently decided, with much good sense, to give to the Zouaves, who were destined to fight as skirmishers, the same tactics and armament already adopted for the Chasseurs d, pied.

The system of recruiting, too, contributed not a little to the reputation which the Zouaves so rapidly acquired. We have already exposed some of the reasons which caused this arm to be sought in preference to others. We may add, that the soldiers of these regiments are usually admitted into them upon, their own application. Many of them are enfans de Paris, or of our other large cities.' Most of them, whose original entry into the

' The unsuspicious stranger, inquiring of a Zouave from wliat

tribe he hailed, has often been grarely answered, " From the tribe of

the Beni-Pantins, or that of the Beni-Mbufetards." *

* Equivalent to replying, tliat tliey belonged to the clan of the McPantins or to the sept of the O'MoutfetaTds— Pantiu and Mouffetard boing two important streets in tlie Faubonre; St. Marccau of Paris. — T.

INTRODUCTION. 5

service had been as volunteers, or free substitutes, — having already served one term — are thus inured to the soldier's life, and thoroughly seasoned to the hardships which they gayly support, to the fatigues which they despise, and to the dangers of battle, of which they but make sport. They are proud of their uniform, which resembles that of no other corps ; proud of their name, of an origin so singular and mysterious ; proud of the daring acts of gallantry, with which they are constantly enriching the history of their corps ; and happy in the freedom which is permitted them, whether in garrison or on the march. It is said that the Zouave is fond of wine I 'tis true ; but that which he seeks in the flowiijg bowl, is the excitement of pleasure, and not that brutal oblivion of himself, induced by drunkenness. These regiments number in their ranks, — disbanded officers, who, weary of an idle life, prefer to such the musket and the Chechia ; ' non-commissioned officers, who have served out a first term, but, who, glowing with a courage sometimes bordering upon rashness, cannot rest long before they again seek to win from the risks of battle, their stripes and an honorable position, or else a glorious death ; — ex-officers of the garde mobile ; — discharged sailors, strong and broad-shouldered, who laugh at the cannon as at the storm ; — and finally, young men

1 More properly chacJiia, a cap — the red undress cap worn by the Zouavea, round which the turban is rolled when in full dress. — T.

of good family, who wish to replace, by the red ribbon of the Legion of Honor, — a ribbon bought with their best blood upon some field of battle,— the fortune which they had squandered away in the streets of Paris.

No wonder, then, if with such elements, the regiments of Zouaves should make a brilliant show, in presence of an enemy ! " Should war break out, we will show our Zouaves to the enemy" is the remark said to have escaped an eminent person, himself a competent judge in the matter of courage, and a keen appreciator of military merit, just before the opening of the Eastern Campaign. The Russians saw them, in fact, saw them face to face ; and in the course of this narrative we shall see whether, or not, they learned to appreciate these heroic soldiers.

The officers are usually selected from those belonging to regiments of the line, and always from among the number of those possessed of the most vigorous constitutions, both moral and physical. Full of energy, carrying their attachment to the flag to its last limits, ever ready to confront death, and courting danger, they are more ambitious of glory than of promotion. Like all their comrades in the army, indeed, they understand that, in their noble profession, fortune is the very last thing, to be thought of. To be the foremost among their gallant soldiers, and to set them an example of every military virtue, — this is their only thought. Our ancesmTEODUCTION. 7

tors used to say, "Noblesse oblige." They willingly adopt this noble motto. Their nobility, however, consists not in old family parchments, — ^but in the uniform, which they wear, and in that title of officer of the Zouaves, of which they are so proud.

The esprit de corps, that religion of the soldier, is carried to the highest point among the Zouaves. Many a simple private in these regiments would refuse to exchange his turban against even the stripes of a non-commissioned officer in any other corps. There exists, in fact, among the officers and soldiers of this corps, a spirit of military brotherhood, which, far from proving injurious, is found, on the contrary, to be the most solid bond of discipline. The officer, instead of an inferior, sees in the soldier only the companion of his dangers, and of his glory. Penetrated with the idea, that the " stomacKs gratitude " ' is by no means an unmeaning expression, he is constantly solicitous to spare his men every privation, which can be avoided. In countries where there is danger that the necessaries of life may fail, or be not easily procurable, he does not hesitate to come to the aid of his soldiers, with all the means at his disposal. He lends them his own beasts of burthen ; he advances money to their mess. The soldier, in re-

' Were this " stomacTi's gratitude " a little more thought of and attended to in our army, we should not have one-third of the number of deserters which now annually exhausts its strength. — T.

8 UTTEODUOTION.

turn, exhibits the liveliest gratitude; he ever gives proof of the utmost devotion to his officer, and feels for him even a sort of filial respect. Although the discipline is very strict, he never murmurs against the punishments which are inflicted on him. In the hour of battle, he never abandons his officer — ^but watches over him ; — to protect him, -will incur death, himself, — and never suffers him to fall into the hands of the enemy, if wounded. At the bivouac, he attends to his fire, — takes care of his horse or mule. If he comes across any fruit or game, he brings it to him. Convinced of the.desire of their officers to see them well-fed on an expedition, the Zouaves often ask, that a part of their pocket-money should be employed in the purchase of provisions for

the tribe. ^

The Colonel of a regiment of Zouaves is held usually in as much veneration, by his soldiers, as the father of a family. Not one among them but feels proud of his success, but rejoices at having contributed to his glory or advancement. Commands, which proceed directly from him, are sure to be executed with the utmost punctuality. " Since the Father has said so," they repeat to one an-

1 According to a fashion borrowed from the Arabs, vrhich exists in our African army, those soldiers who are in the habit of messing together, are said to belong to the same " tribe." Each individual of a tribe has usually his allotted functions, being those for which he has a special aptitude ; one looks after the wood and the fire, another alter the water and the cooking, a third makes the coffee, a fourth pitches the tents, and so on.

INTKODUCTION. \)

Other, " we must obey. The Father knows what he is ahout. He wants to do as much for us as possible."

In a critical emergency, the Colonel may even resort to a Draconian discipline, without having to fear the disapprobation of his men.

Such are some of the considerations, which have seemed to us of a nature, to explain the brilliant reputation, which the Zouaves have won for themselves. We will now commence our narrative of the military existence of the 2d regiment ; an existence, which probably bears a striking analogy to that of the two other regiments of the same arm, and, we will add, to that also of the other regiments of our glorious army.

II. Creation Of The Regiment

Marshal de St. Arnaud, Minister of War, had earned his promotion in Algeria. Having often come in contact there with the regiments of native, or rather special troops, organized for service in the colony, he had, on many occasions, been enabled to appreciate their rare usefulness. As soon, therefore, as he had assumed the portfolio, and as the solidity of the new government had begun to give promise of a more stable era, he began to think of increasing the permanent portion of our African

army.

1*

In February, 1852, he addressed to the President of the republic a report, in which he set forth the advantages likely to accrue from such a measure.

The Prince President, taking into consideration the reasons urged in this report of the Minister of War, decreed on the 13th of the same month, the formation of three regiments of Zouaves, out of the elements composing the single regiment of that arm, then in existence.

Each of the three battalions of the latter, became thus the nucleus of a new regiment.

The 1st was organized at Blidah ; the 2d at Oran ; the 3d at Contantine. The basis of the decree of September 8, 1841, vras that, adopted for their organization. And, contrary to that of the 16th of March, 1838, it was decided : 1st, that officers of the regiments of infantry might be admitted, with the same grade, into the three regiments of Zouaves, upon the designation of the Minister ; 2d, that the rank and file might be taken, in about equal proportions, from all the regiments of that arm.

As soon as the decree for the formation of these three regiments, was promulgated, there spread throughout the whole army, an emulous desire of being incorporated into them. Officers and soldiers who had already served m Africa, claimed that this service entitled them to a preference ; those in a different category, claimed, for that very reason, a right to this opportunity of making a campaign. All were eager to be allowed to wear a uniform, already illustrated by feats of arms, which, even in the brief space of its young existence, — that scarcely could date back as far as the first years of our conquest of Algeria, — had already won for the corps an imperishable renown for bravery.

Marshal de St. Arnaud, an admirable judge of the qualities which should distinguish the Zouaves, selected for the three regiments men of a vigorous temperament, both in a moral and physical point of view. Of the officers selected, nearly all had already given proofs of their soldierly qualities ; whilst the non-commissioned officers and privates had all seen several years of service. It must be added, also, that many corporals, and no inconsiderable number even of sergeants, among those belonging to regiments stationed in France, voluntarily renounced their stripes for the sake of being included in the detachments ordered to join the new corps in Africa.

The 2d regiment of Zouaves, organized at Oran, received, as its nucleus, the 1,400 Zouaves who constituted the 2d battalion of the original regiment. These were marched from Blidah under the orders of Major Morand. The ranlcs were then filled up with 2,400 men, partly drawn from regiments in France, and partly from those stationed in the province of Oran ; so that the effective strength of the regiment was, from the beginning, of not less than 3,800 veteran soldiers.

The new fusil d iige was given to the men ; the same, which had been placed, for trial, by the Board of Artillery, in the hands of the men of the original regiment of Zouaves. A captain of Artillery was detailed to superintend the experiments, which were directed to be made with this new arm. Instead of the decree of the 4th March, 1831, regulating the tactics for infantry, that of the 22d July 1845, laying down the tactics for the Chasseurs A pied, was the one adopted for the Zouaves.

All that has been just said of the' 2d regiment, applies equally to the other two ; so that there was thus quickly raised a body of not less than 10,000 experienced soldiers, in the prime of life, well armed and instructed, brave, fearing nothing, and who could justly be considered a picked and chosen troop, ready and fit for anything. And most nobly were the high expectations then deservedly formed of it, to be subsequently realized in the Crimea.

Colonel Vinoy, (now General of Division,) then commanding the 54th of the line, an officer who combined with great firmness of character, a peculiar aptitude for the command of the special corps raised for African service, received the command of the 2d Zouaves. To second him, he had Lieutenant-Colonel Cler (now Brigadier-General in the Guard). The other field-officers were : the Commissary, Blaise ; Majors Fraboulet de Kerleadec, Morand, and Malafosse ; all of whom had, by long service in Africa, acquired all the experience and qualifications necessary, for the command of such troops as the Zouaves.

The regiment waa.organized under the eyes, as well as under the inflexible direction of General Pelissier, then commanding the province of Oran. At the end of three months, the 2d Zouaves was uniformed, drilled, and ready to take the field. This result was due to two causes — the zeal of the officers, and the concentration, upon a single point, of all the elements which were de- ■ signed to contribute to its formation.

Towards the end of April, the Lieutenant-Colonel, with two officers, six sergeants, corporals and privates, embarked for France, with the mission of receiving in Paris, from the hands of the Chief of the State, the eagle, which they were, so soon, and at such close quarters, to display to the enemy.

In September of the same year, 18B2, the 1st battalion was ordered to take up its station at Tlemcen. Certain companies of the other battalions were detailed for work upon the roads.

Two months later, came the order to prepare for an expedition. Great was the joy among the Zouaves of the 2d regiment, on the receipt of this good news. The Lieutenant-Colonel was then in command of the regiment ; grave family interests having recently called the Colonel to France.

Book I. Lageouat

I. Situation of the Tribes of the Sahara iu the provinces of Algiers and Oran, in 1852. — II. Itinerary of the 2d Zouaves from Oran to Laghouat ; description of the couiltry passed over. — III. General PeUssier's arrival before Laghouat (December 23, 1852). — The city and its Oasis. — Preliminary reconnaissance, December 3d. — Investment of the town by General Bouscarrin on the night of the 8d. — General Peliesier's remart.— IT. Assault and capture of Laghouat. — ^Major Morand. — The house of Ben-Salem.— Pveturn of the 2d Zouaves to Oran.— An Arab diffa at Ain-Madhy.

I.

In the early part of November, 1852, General Pelissier received orders from the Governor General, to assume command of the different columns appointed to operate against Mohammed-Ben- Abd- Allah, Scheriff of Ouargla ; who had been for some time trying to get up a revolt among the Saharian tribes of the provinces of Oran and Algiers. These columns, to the number of six, were organized at the military stations in the Tell.' Those

Algeria, from the sea to the Desert, with reference both to its soil and to the character of its inhabitants, may he considered as divided into two great belts, the Tell and the Sahara, each widely differing from the other ; the Tell, an arable and tolerably well- watered country, has a width, reckoning from the sea, of from 40 to 70 leagues. The dividing line of the waters is just beyond ; and then comes the ordered to operate in the south-east, had their points of departure fixed at Bougada, M6d6ah, and Boghar. They were, after concentrating, to push on and form a junction with General Yusuf.' The three others, under the immeiMate command of General Pelissier, were assembled at Sidi-bel-Abbes, Saida, and Oran. The infantryportion of this second column was made up of the 2d Zouaves.

The points of cencentration of each of the various parts of this little army, were fixed upon the high plateaus ; at Djeffa, for the eastern column — at El-Biod and El-Aricha, for the western.

On the 4th November, the 2d Zouaves received its orders to make up two expeditionary battalions, of 600 men each. Companies of the 2d and 3d battalions were at once called in from Oran, Mers-el-Kebir, Arzew, and other places ; and of these, two battalions, each of five companies, of 125 men each, were promptly formed. The sick were sent to Oran, so that none remained, but such as were in a condition to take the field at once. Lieutenant-Colonel Cler took the command, having un-

Sahara, — ^the Algerian Sahara — a region of oases, which, iu its nature, forms the transition between lands that, without being cultiTable, still produce- certain plants — and the arid, bare, and seemingly illimitable wastes of the desert. Laghouat in the centre, Geryrille to the west, and Biskra to the east, mark the limits of the Algerian Sahara.

1 A native chief, who has been for nearly 30 years in the service of France. He is the creator of the famous Spahi regiments., — T.

LAGHOUAT.

der him Majors Morand and Malafosse,. commanding battalions ; Adjutants (with the rank of Captain) Abatucci and de Lignerolles, and Assistant Surgeon Canteloube.

Before entering upon a detailed description^f the part played by the regiment -in this trying expedition, we deem it useful to present a brief sketch of the events which had preceded it, as well as of the objects which it was intended to effect.

In the beginning of the year 1852, both our influence in the south, and the establishments, which we had attempted to create in the oases, were alike threatened with destruction, by the intrigues and fanatical preaching of the Scheriff of Ouargla, Mohammed-Ben-Abd- AUah. The tribes of the Sahara were beginning to waver in their allegiance to us. The insurrection, swelled by fragments of the great tribe of Arba, had attained the most alarming proportions in the neighborhood of Mezab.' The attraction exercised by this focus of revolt over the wandering tribes of the Sahara, in the provinces of Oran and Algiers, finally inspired the commandant of the subdivision of Medeah with serious uneasiness ; and to put a stop to the desertion of the nomads, he finally established himself among them with a column of troops, and spent the whole summer