Exhausted French Dragoons Camping in Village Street
Reading edition
Dragoons were originally trained to fight either on horseback or afoot. Many of them carry bamboo lances, said to be even stronger than steel. The term "dragoon" probably comes from the dragon worked on the muzzle of the old carbine they used to carry, as dragons were supposed to spout fire. The bivouac on piles of straw, with weapons stacked ready for instant service, suggests vividly the condition of soldiers in the intervals of hard fighting. This is an actual scene on the line of retreat toward Paris.
EXHAUSTED FRENCH DRAGOONS CAMPING IN VILLAGE STREET
PHOTO © UNDERWOOD & UNDERWOOD, N.Y.