France. Armée. Légion étrangère; World War, 1914-1918 -- Personal narratives
Next day, the American volunteers assembled at No. 11 Rue de Valois, and
had breakfast through the courtesy of M. Georges Casmeze at the Café de
la Regence. Starting out from the Palace Royale in the Latin Quarter,
that corner of old Paris where, in by-gone days, Camille Desmoulins
jumped on a chair and made the speech that started the French
Revolution, these latter day revolters against the “Divine Right of
Kings” and absolute monarchism began the greatest venture the world has
ever known.
The volunteers marched through the Place de l’Opera, Phelizot carrying
high and proudly the Stars and Stripes, which received a great ovation
en route. Thence to the Gare St. Lazare, to Rouen, where they met
retreating English soldiers, many wounded and utterly exhausted. Thence
to Toulouse, whence, after a very brief training, they were sent to the
front.
February, 1915, in the village of repose there occurred one of those
lamentable misunderstandings, which, in spite of official
far-sightedness, occasionally happen in the best regulated
organizations. Begun in fun, it ended in death, and almost started a
civil war between volunteers and Legionnaires.
A little New Yorker commenced to chaff and jolly a big, burly Arab, who,
not understanding American methods of joshing, thought the little fellow
was desperately in earnest; and, of course, he got angry, as he was
expected to. What the Arab intended to reply was that he could whip two
men like his tormenter. He did say he could whip two Americans.
Phelizot, coming on the scene just then, overhearing the remark,
yelled,—“You can’t whip one,” and waded in to educate the Arab.
In about two minutes, the Arab had enough, and ran among a crowd of
Legionnaires for protection. One of the Legionnaires swung a canteen and
hit Phelizot on the head, who did not stop till he beat the Arab to the
ground. Morlae, Capdeville and other volunteers ran to Phelizot’s aid.
Legionnaires flocked from all corners. A pitched battle seemed imminent.
An officer heard the tumult, happening along, and separated them. The
Arabs were transferred to another battalion. The Americans were herded
into a loft, and placed under arrest; while sentinels walked underneath,
with fixed bayonets, till the Arabs had been moved, bag and baggage.
The doctor who dressed Phelizot’s wound probably did not know the
canteen was rusty. Possibly he did not know he was hit by a canteen. At
any rate, he did not give an anti-tetanic injection. The injured man
steadily grew worse. He was not a squealer, and insisted on marching in
line till the pain became unbearable. When too late, his condition was
discovered. He had contracted blood poison which resulted in his death.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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