MILITARY WOMEN IN FRANCE.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIII, Issue 5, 22 May 1885, Page 23

MILITARY WOMEN IN FRANCE.

" Ik looking over the old chronicles of France one is astounded," Bays M. Tranchard in his " Femmes Mititaires," " at the long list of Boldier women, whose Very names are forgotten at this day." And he cites a long list indeed beginning with feudal times; The following are some of those who distinguished themselves during the First Empire, or, more definitely, in the time of the First Napoleon : — Theophile Fernig and her sister Felicite served as lieutenants in the cavalry of Duraourier, and fought biavely at Valmy in 1792, at Anderlecht, and especially at Jemappes, where one of them unaided, captured two Hungarian soldiers. Rose Bureau, surnamed "Liberty," enlisted with her husband and brother, and served in Spain under La Tour d'Auvergne. In an attack upon a redoubt she saw her husband and brother fall. In the desperate struggle, having used her last cartridge, she laid open the head of a Spaniard with the butt-end of her musket. Napoleon gave her a pension and had her received at the Invalides at Avignon. Anne Biget, one of the vivandieres of the Revolution, was decorated with the cross of honour by Napoleon, who seema to have had a great dislike to women.-soldiers. He tolerated only vivandieres. . Tue famous Ducoud-Laborde served in the Sixteenth Hussars, enlisting under the name of Breton-Double. She won the shoulderstraps of quartermaster. At Bylau she killed a Russian captain. At Friedland uhe was serisusly wounded. She dressed her wound herself, remounted horse, and made prisoners of six Prussians. At Waterloo she saw her husband fall, had her leg shattered by a shell, and submitted to having it amputated on the battle-field. Angelique Brulon was chosen ensign in 1832. She had served as quartermaster under Napoleon in tbe Forty-second Infantry. Daughter, sister and wife of soldiers, she saw all that belonged to her perish on the field of glory. She distinguished herself especially at the seige of Oalvi, in Corsica. She was decorated in 1851. Theresa Sutter, a cavalry soldier in tbe Sixteenth Dragoons, saved the life of a superior officer. She was wounded and taken prisoner by the Auatrians. She was pensioned by the Government, and died recently, at the Hospice des Menagea. Marie Snellinck carried the colours at Jena, where she was wounded. She was aous-lieutenant, having risen through all the ranks below that. The joli-sergeant (" handsome sergeant ") of the Twenty-seventh of the line was Virginia Gbesquiers, decorated with the Cross of the Legion of Honour for a daring act (hautfait d'armet). Elizabeth Hatzlor, who died recently in Philadelphia, was a survivor of the " Grande Armee." She was an Alsatian. She enlisted in the cavalry, and followed her husband to Moscow. At the terrible passage of the Borosina, she stayed in the rear to succour her wounded husband, who was an officer. For many days she dragged him over the snow upon a sleigh ; but, after all her heroism, they were both captured by the Cossacks. Two years later, in 1814, having succeeded in getting back to France, she loßt her husband ; and then she emigrated to America, and Bettled in PhiladelDhia, where, according to the French journal's, she died lately, at the* age of ninety-one, in the full possession of her sad reminiscences. Marie FetUr still lives in Paris, a No. 3 Rue des Martyrs. S c was a vivandiere in the battles of Dresden, Wagram and Außterlitz, where she was noted for her eelf-abnegation and courage; Napoleon gave her a pension from his own pniße.—Ligpincott't Monthly.