The National Republican And Cincinnati Daily Mercantile Advertiser

THE VIVANDIERES.

A class of persons attached to the French army deserves especial mention. These were vivandieres, or licensed sutler-women, of whom a certain number is attached to every regiment, in the proportion of four per battalion. They receive lodgment in barracks, and rations. They wear for the most part a particular costume, have a plaque, or tin on the arm, denoting their number and the corps to which they belong, and have the exclusive privilege of selling spirits to the troops or battalion to which they are attached. Their dress was generally a glazed hat, a blue petticoat with a tri-colored border, and red garance military trousers, boots, a short cloak, and a keg slung round the shoulder, with a small basket containing one or two glasses, and a few loaves. Wherever the fire was hottest, there they were to be seen; and it was singular to see the prevailing passion of gain, not only leading those heroines into the most dangerous positions, but to observe them utterly forgetful of the shower of grape and projectiles, that to use the expression of one of them, 'fell like plums' around, alone intent on receiving their small change, or rattling some debtor who had neglected to pay up his score. Whilst, however, the matter of business was always kept in sight, they were not without frequently exhibiting instances of noble sentiments. Their devotion and attention to the wounded, and the readiness with which they exposed themselves in the cause of humanity, was as remarkable as praiseworthy.-- One amongst them was particularly cited.-- She was a young woman of rather a prepossessing appearance, and peculiar for the neatness of her dress. Her courage and disregard of self were so striking, that she was not only cited by the whole army, and the subject of conversations to strangers, but she was thought worthy of being noticed in general orders. She was spoken of by Marshal Gerard, in his order of the day.

The concussion of air from a bomb was so great, that the lights were extinguished, and the gallery being filled with smoke and left in utter darkness, officers and men at the bottom supposed that the roof had given way, and that they were buried, and, as the lateral gallery was not yet completely opened, there was no escape on that side. After a few moments' anxious suspense, they were reassured by hearing the voice of a vivandiere, who, though a second bomb followed close on the heels of the first, killing two and wounding three men, with the utmost coolness walked down, and calling to one of the miners, said 'Here's your dram, but you must drink from your hand, for the shell has broken my glasses.'--[Siege of Antwerp in 1832.--United Service Journal]