Of all the Civil War soldiers, the ZOUAVES (zoo'-ahvs) stand out as the most colorful and distinctive. The
picturesque style of the Zouave soldiers' dress, their unique drill tactics and fearless demeanor in battle
earned the original French Zouaves and their American counterparts the reputation of being 19th-century
models of dashing gallantry and military discipline.
The Zouave movement began in Algiers, North Africa, which French forces captured in 1830. Indigenous
troops from the
Zouaoua tribe who offered to serve in the occupying army were accepted into two
battalions under French officers in order to protect the city and maintain peace. By 1831, King Louis
Philippe of France sanctioned the use of these special Algerian Arab regiments which became known as
Zouaves. The French Zouave corps adopted the military tactics and non-western clothing of the North
African troops which featured baggy trousers, short open jackets and Arab headgear - the dress of the
local Turkish and African population. The ranks filled quickly with soldiers who were attracted to the
adventurous life of the Zouaves, their unique
esprit de corps which bound them together like a family, and
relative freedom compared to the garrison life in France. By the 1840's, Europeans in the Zouave
regiments outnumbered native North African troops who were placed in independent sharpshooter
battalions.
The bravery shown by the light infantry Zouave forces in North Africa, the Crimean War (1853-56) and
Sardinia, Italy (1859), gained widespread recognition outside France. European and American newspapers
such as
Harper's Weekly described and illustrated their daring exploits, especially Zouave members of the
elite French Imperial Guard and the native
Turcos, or
Tirailleurs Algeriens. To the Victorians, who viewed
warfare as grand and heroic, and all thing foreign as fascinating, the Zouaves were romantic subjects
perfect for public glorification. These celebrated foreign troops captured the attention of American citizens
and the U.S. War Department. Gen. George McClellan described the Zouaves he observed in the Russian
Crimea as the "beau-ideal of a soldier" - the best troops he had ever seen. American admiration for French,
rather than British, military doctrines and tactics dated to the Napoleonic period and continued up through
the Civil War.
The French Zouave military system was popularized in American just prior to the Civil War by Elmer E.
Ellsworth, a young man from New York who aspired to a distinguished military career. Ellsworth was
fascinated with what he learned about the Zouaves from newspaper accounts, books from France, and a
French surgeon who had served in a Zouave regiment in the Crimea. In 1859, he organized the U.S.
Zouave Cadets in Chicago, uniformed them in modified Zouave dress, and trained them to be disciplined
men of arms and masters of the Zouave drill. This intricately timed drill included skillful bayonet maneuvers;
loading and firing while standing, kneeling and lying down; and "rallying by fours," a Zouave fighting tactic
whereby squads of four met formed fighting units, ready to face attack from all sides. The Cadets' loose
fitting garments were ideal for executing these rigorous maneuvers. In contrast to standard military
exercises and dress of the time, Ellsworth's elaborate drills and dazzling uniforms made for spectacular
demonstrations. In 1860, after a sensational tour of twenty Eastern cities, the Cadets won acclaim as the
Abraham Lincoln.
When the Civil War broke out the next year, Ellsworth recruited a new Zouave regiment from the rugged,
physically fit men of the New York City Fire Department. Determined to defend the Union, Col. Ellsworth
and his red-shirted firemen of the 11th New York
Fire Zouaves were part of the Federal invasion of
Northern Virginia and the occupation of Alexandria on May 24, 1861. That day Ellsworth was fatally shot
after removing a Confederate flag from the roof of the Marshall House Hotel. This highly-publicized incident
made Ellsworth a hero and martyr for the Union, stimulated army enlistments in the North, and generated
many Zouave regiments.
Ellsworth's home state of New York had a large French immigrant population and produced the greatest
number of Zouave units. Of the 30 New York regiments recruited during the War, four were established in
April and May of 1861 during the first large wave of Zouave regiments. The spirit of camaraderie was
strong in many units, which were frequently named after their regimental commander or "father." The
renowned 9th New York Volunteer Infantry, known as
Hawkins' Zouaves, was mustered in on April 23,
1961, the first Zouave regiment to be raised in the Union Army. Other well known groups followed: the
11th New York, the 10th New York (
National Zouaves), and the 5th New York (
Duryee's Zouaves).
The 5th New York, so-called "Red Devils," were one of the most famous units because of their flamboyant
uniforms, precise drilling and firing ability, and steadfast courage on the battlefield. The 5th New York
served at Second Bull Run and suffered one of the heaviest battle fatality rates of any Federal infantry
regiment.
While some Union Zouave regiments were recruited from pre-existing volunteer militias, other were newly
formed in the early part of the War such as the 11th Indiana Volunteer Infantry, known as
Wallace's
Zouaves for its leader, Lew Wallace, author of
Ben Hur. Eastern states such as New York, Pennsylvania
and Massachusetts raised the most Zouave regiments although a respectable number came from the
Midwest. By the end of the War, over 80 Zouave regiments had been raised in the North and around 20 in
the South. Noted Confederate regiments included the notorious
Wheat's Louisiana Tigers whose Major,
Chatham Roberdeau Wheat, was born in Alexandria, Virginia and the Louisiana Zouave Battalion, or
Coppens' Zouaves, whose leader fell at Antietam. Because of its distinct French heritage, Louisiana
produced the most Southern Zouave regiments. A number of women, especially the wives of soldiers, were
associated with Zouave regiments and wore quasi-military uniforms. Called
vivandieres and
cantinieres in
the French Army, these female members served as mascots and suppliers of beverages, tobacco and other
goods. Mary Tepe, a French-born vivandiere with
Collis's Zouaves, the 114th Pennsylvania, was decorated
for her bravery at Fredericksburg where she was wounded. Kay Brownell, who came from a British military
family, was a vivandiere and nurse who heroically carried the flag at First Bull Run for her husband's
regiment, the 5th Rhode Island Infantry.
The Zouaves took great pride in their gallant image, their reputations as reckless, brave fighters willing to
die in combat, and most of all in their exotic uniforms. The colorful, unrestrictive attire of the soldiers
differed greatly from the tight and stiff European military dress of 1830 when the first Zouave regiments
were formed. Predominantly blue and red in color, the Zouave uniforms varied widely from regiment to
regiment. A number of units like the
5th New York,
9th New York,
Collis's Zoaves and the
Louisiana
Tiger Zouaves adopted highly Arab-influenced outfits which incorporated full pants, leggings, short
jackets decorated with cloverleaf "trefoil" loops call
tombeau, and North African turbans, fezzes and
skullcaps. For dress occasions, a few units wore tasseled fezzes wrapped by a ten foot white sash to form
a large turban. More modified, partial Zouave uniforms imitated the French light infantry
Chasseurs and
featured narrower pants, long western frock coats and traditional kepi-style caps. Whether extreme or
moderate, the Zouaves could always be identified by the unusual accent of their dress and French goatee
beards and moustaches often worn by soldiers to complete the "Zouave look." Some nonconformists
sported shaved heads and numbers, slogans and designs cut into their hair. Innovator Elmer Ellsworth
created several stunning uniforms for his Chicago Zouave Cadets: a non-Zouave but French-style blue
traditional "full dress" uniform; a
Chasseur uniform using blue, standard frock coat but with red trousers;
and an informal fatigue uniform. The dress and style of the Zouaves were so popular that uniforms were
made for young children, including President Lincoln's son Tad and Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's son Jesse.
Zouave paper dolls, coloring books and other toys were also popular. Ladies' fashions of the time showed
Zouave influences in the use of ornate jackets, vests and other oriental flourishes. Contrary to popular
belief, the Zouaves' vivid uniforms were not replaced in 1863 in favor of standard regulation attire. The
114th Pennsylvania,
Collis's Zouaves, for example, appear in 1864 photographs wearing their recognizable
uniforms.
Hawkins' Zouaves,
the 5th New York, and
Wallace's Zouaves also proudly wore their
uniforms throughout the War.
Over 100 Union and Confederate Zouave regiments had served by the end of the War, from the early
occupation of Alexandria to the surrender at Appomattox. Their impressive record illustrates bravery on
many occasions - at both Battles at Bull Run, Antietam, the Wilderness, Cold Harbor and the Atlanta
Campaign. While many were bold, independent, resourceful and gallant, qualities strongly associated with
the Zouaves, the conduct of others contributed less to their reputation. In Union-held Alexandria,
Ellsworth's spirited
Fire Zouaves plagued civilians so much that they were called those "horrible red legs,"
and red devils.
Wheat's Tiger Zouaves, an unruly, tough but courageous group who proved their
fierceness at First Bull Run, were distinguished by their trademark striped trousers and were rumored to
have been recruited from a New Orleans jail.
The Zouave tradition was kept alive by National Guard units and veteran societies after the Civil War until
the early twentieth century when the last members, regiments and uniforms passed from the American
scene. Unconventional but brave, the Zouaves earned an abiding place in mid-19th century military history,
and will be remembered as colorful heroes of the romantic Victorian age.
Courtesy of
Fort Ward Museum & Historic Site, City of Alexandria, Virginia.