end of the curses
and scourgings by barbarous Junkers, and again the lamentations of
those who had been flogged. We ourselves were always the first on the
ground, and played our part vigorously; but it did not the less give us
pain to see others so unmercifully treated for every little trifle, and
ourselves so ill-used year after year; to stand also for five whole
hours laced up in our uniforms as if screwed to the spot, marching to
and fro as straight as poles, and to perform uninterrupted manual
exercise with lightning rapidity; and this all at the command of
officers who stood before us with furious countenances and raised
sticks, every moment threatening to beat us about the head as if we
were cabbages. Under such treatment, a fellow with the strongest nerves
must become paralysed, and the most patient, raving. And when we
returned, wearied to death, to our quarters, we had to go headlong to
our washing, to rub out every spot; for with the exception of the blue
coat, our whole uniform was white. Weapons, cartouche-boxes, belt,
every button on the uniform, all must be cleaned as bright as a mirror.
If there was anything in the least wrong in any of these articles, or
if a hair was not right on our heads when we appeared on parade, we
were greeted with a heavy shower of blows. It is true that our officers
had received the strictest orders to examine us from head to foot; but
the devil a bit did we recruits know about it, and we thought it was
the custom of war.

"At last came the great epoch, when it was said '_Allons_, to the
field!' Now came the route--tears flowed in abundance from citizens,
soldiers' wives, and the like. Even the soldiers themselves, namely,
those of the country who had wives and children to leave behind, were
quite cast down, full of sorrow, and grief: the strangers, on the
contrary, secretly shouted for joy, and exclaimed, 'At last, God be
praised; our release will come!' Every one was loaded like mules, first
buckled round with his sword belt; then with the cartouche-box over his
shoulder, with a long five-inch strap; over the other shoulder the
knapsack, with linen, &c.; also the haversack, filled with bread and
other forage. Besides this, every one must carry a portion of field
utensils, a flask, kettle, a hatchet, or such like, all fastened by a
thong; and then a flint, or something of that sort: thus had we five
straps upon the breast, one across the other, so that in the beginning
each o