"List of regiments that wore Zouave uniforms" Topic

Title says it, I'm looking for a list of what regiments, on either side, wore Zouave uniforms, at any point in the war.

Why? Because I have about a division for each side at 1:20 and no Zouaves since I cast aside the several Minifig regiments I had (primarily paint OG15s) – if anyone wants something like 50-75 Minifigs drop me a note. But it seems as I look at expanding this to a corps per side, I should also look at a couple uniquely uniformed regiments just for the fun factor.

If you have suggestions for some non-Zouave units that are particularly fun as well, feel free to toss em out there!

The more info the more useful, so if I may go so far to request:

• regimental ID – such as 11th NY
• side it fought for (for a couple states it isn't obvious)
• headgear type? (turban, cap, kepi, etc…)
• other uniform details
• other regimental nicknames or alternative IDs
• any link or sources for example images

Cheers,

The Bandit

On a side note-

Who were McCelleans zuoves in the confederacy? I've tried google searches but haven't been able to find anything about them. My curiosity was piqued by their placement on the Perry miniatures box and the opportunity to add some red kepis into my confederate battle line!

Here's a website I found the other day:

shaung.tripod.com/cwuni.html

I haven't had a chance to look at it it closely yet.

But there sure are a lot of them! :)

Sadly, almost all the pages on that link are "page not found"

There's an Osprey that lists the Union ones. For the most part (apart from the 1st Maryland Line) the confederates were raised by company with odd companies being in zouave dress. And not to forget the Louisiana Tigers.

@ Cleburne1863: Yes, most of the links don't work, but at least the list itself gives a starting point.

For the most part (apart from the 1st Maryland Line) the confederates were raised by company with odd companies being in zouave dress.

Not to be that guy, but as far as Zouaves from Maryland:
Maryland had a pre-war volunteer Zouave militia unit, the Maryland Guard Battalion. It did not go to war. There was a planned Maryalnd Zouve regiment, but in never fully organized beyond two companies. They eventually joined the 47th Virginia as Co. H, were transfered to the 2nd Arkansas, and subsequently mustered out in summer of 1862.

There are a few threads here on TMP about that. I think about two years ago. We did a pretty complete list. Do a search for Zouaves and look on the ACW Discussion board. I posted a lot to the thread.

VR
James Mattes

shaung.tripod.com/cwuni.html

USA

• 5th New York "Duryee's Zouaves" (yellow fez) – mixed turban & fez,

• 9th New York Hawkin's Zouaves
• 10th New York "National Zouaves" fez
• 44th New York – képi, Blue Kepi/Forage Dark blue Jacket Red Trim Dark Blue Pants
• 62nd New York – fez
• 74th New York fez, Red Fez Blue Tassel Dark Blue Jacket yellow trim light Blue Sash, Red pants
• 84th New York "14th Brooklyn Zouaves" (actually Chasseurs) red kepis with a blue interior of the crown and a red circle on top of the blue (to indicate 1st Division, 1st Corps)
• 11th New York "Ellsworth's Fire Zouaves"
• 165th New York "Duryee's 2nd Zouaves" (uniformed like 5th NY but blue fez) 9thtexas.org/zouave.html

• 23rd Pennsylvania "Birney's zouaves" – kepi
• 62nd Pennsylvania (Chasseurs) Baggy M1860 French Chasseur Trousers (not pantaloons) of the same color as the jacket
• 71st Pennsylvania maybe?
• 72nd Pennsylvania "Baxter's Fire Zouaves" kepi – chasseurs
• 83rd Pennsylvania – chasseurs, Baggy M1860 French Chasseur Trousers (not pantaloons) of the same color as the jacket
• 95th Pennsylvania "Gosline's Zouaves" – képi
• 114th Pennsylvania "Collis's Zouaves" – turbans? mostly fez, red fez, yellow Tassel, dark blue jacket with sky blue cuffs, Red trim, lt blue sash, and red pants

Weed's Brigade (Gettysburg)
• 140th New York – fez, Red Fez Red Tassel, Dark blue jacket, dark red trim, med Blue Sash, Dark Blue pants
• 146th New York – fez, red fezzes with yellow tassels; possibly a few men sported white turbans on the fezzes. Officers probably had a mixture of red or dark blue kepis, 2nd opinion: Red Fez Red Tassel, Dark blue jacket, dark red trim, med Blue Sash, Dark Blue pants, 3rd opinion: sky-blue jackets and chasseur pants with yellow trim
• 91st Pennsylvania – fez – red fez, Dark Blue jacket, yellow trim, sky blue pants
• 155th Pennsylvania – fez – red Fez, Dark Blue jacket, yellow Trim, red edge sash with yellow trim? Dark Blue pants with red trim, NCO Chevrons were yellow with a red backing, USMC style

• 8th Massachusetts "Salem Zouaves"

• 11th Indiana (gray and red, later Chasseurs) "Wallace's Zouaves" Their uniform consisted of a grey jacket with red trimming, a red kepi, a dark blue zouave vest, and grey pantaloons. Later in the war they received a new uniform which consisted of a black zouave jacket with skyblue trimming, a red kepi with a dark blue band around it, and sky blue pantaloons

• 19th Illinois (Chasseurs)

• 54th Ohio "2nd Ohio Zouaves"

• 11th Indiana "Wallace's Zouaves"

• 33rd New Jersey (Chasseurs)
• 35th New Jersey "Cladek Zouaves"

Union Zouave Brigade 1864
• 140th New York
• 146th New York – all turbans? A red wool flannel sash
• 155th Pennsylvania – 155thpa.tripod.com/id2.html, Red Fez with a blue tassel sometimes turban, French Army Blue Zouave Jacket, with yellow trim, and yellow tombeaus, A red wool flannel sash, Baggy M1860 French Chasseur Trousers (not pantaloons) of the same color as the jacket

CSA

• 1st Maryland "Guard Zouaves"
• Coppen's Zouaves – 1861 to 1863 uniform – Red fez with medium blue tassel, dark blue jacket with yellow trefoils and wings on back and trim around coat and points on sleeve. (not solid points but stripes). Pantaloons were red. although there is still a question as to a blue stripe running the leg. Gaiters were white with the Jambiares of a medium color brown. These started out as a light brown but oil and wear made them a medium brown. All accouterments were black. Packs were not issued to the battalions so pickups would the call for the day
• Wheat's Tigers 1st Special LA Battalion – link

41st New York, AKA – De Kalb's Zouaves????

Anybody have any thoughts on their uniform. I just started looking for info as part of my 11th Corps at Gettysburg project. I wonder if the entire regiment wore zouave uniforms, or just A company?

DJCoatrain,
The 41st New York De Kalb Regiment were not zouaves but were an unusual regiment. They wore a dark green cap and frock coat with red trim as traditonal German riflemen. Pants were gray with a red stripe. There is a picture in Troiani's Regiments and Uniforms book.

@Bandit … thank you very much for taking the time to post all the above. Very much appreciated.

SeattleGamer – no problem, I am trying to compile these pieces anyway, posting it to share just seemed obvious.

Anyone know anything about Zouaves in the Union I Corps at Gettysburg other than the 14th Brooklyn (Chasseurs, 84th NY, Cutler's 2nd Brigade, Wadsworth's 1st Division)?

Cheers,

The Bandit

None of the other regiments in Wadsworth's div. nor the rest of the 1st Corps wore Zouave or Chasseur uniforms (apart from 14th Brooklyn obviously).

Don

actionfront.blogspot.com

"Who ever saw a dead cavalryman?"

Volume IV issue 3 of The Zouave from Autumn 1990 has an excellent article listing all known Union Zouave units along with details of their uniforms including jackets, trim, vest/shirts, trousers, sash, and leggings. It also gives period of service and other basic details. The list even goes so far to list individual companies within regiments that wore Zouave uniforms. The list is rather detailed and includes 76 Union units.

jpipes, would it be possible to obtain a copy of this issues of Zouave? It sounds like the perfect reference. Thanks.

76th PA zouaves, Army of the James, 10th and 18th Corps, et al., fought at Battery Wagner, Cold Harbor, Petersburg, and Fort Fisher.

Had blue fezzes (!) and blue pants.

Did any of the western theater federal zouaves wear fez or turbans? Or did they all wear kepi?

I'd be interested in seeing that issue of the Zouave magazine too if anyone has a copy.

The 165th New York was in full Zouave uniform at Port Hudson. Otherwise in the west, no real full Zouave uniforms. At most you would get a fancy jacket like the 33rd New Jersey.

Also note..MOST of these fancy zouave regts. uniforms didn't survive past 1863. Post 1863 units include: 140th,146th NY,165th NY,91st and 155th PA,just to name a few.

Wheats Tigers were barely a battalion. And that uniform was gone by mid 62.

Bob

There was only 1 company in Wheat's command that wore the
zouave uniform.
Russ

Right you are Ducel1. 1st Special Battalion, Louisiana Volunteers, Company "B", Wheats Tiger Rifles. But, the battalion did have four other companies. TIG

I don't know if you would find this of any interest or not but I believe a company of the Sixty Ninth New York Militia wore a zouave uniform at the first battle 0f Bull Run. To the best of my knowledge it was not worn after that. Troiani has done a nice print of them. In that print they are pictued wearing a kepi covered with a white havelock, (sic?),. Also I believe a book was published some years ago titled "The First and The Bravest" or something like that, which concerned Zouave Regiments and their service.

John Miller

You want these books.

link

link

link

Company K of the 69th New York was a company of Zouaves recruited and commanded by Thomas Meagher. There is a painting done by Don Troianis that shows there uniform.

I have trouble believing that they maintained their zoave uniform while the rest of the IRish had their distinctive regimental uniform.

But then again, the whole zoave thing was ridiculous, anyway.

Yeah, because the whole pride, camaraderie, and especially, esprit de corps are entirely useless.

For some, it worked. Some of the zouave regiments were pretty good. Most were average, just like any other regiment. That doesn't make it ridiculous.

Just my opinion.

When the Philadelphia Brigade was being readied for muster into Federal service, the 69th PVI was only up to 8 companies. To fill out the regiment, two independent companies of Zouaves were assigned to the regiment. These companies became known as the "American Companies" (the 69th PVI being an Irish Regiment) or "Baker's Guard" (they severed as Brigade HQ guard while Baker commanded the Brigade). In the Spring of '62 they received a re-issue of the Zouave uniform (made by J. Reed in Philadelphia). After Baker's death at Balls Bluff the companies were taken back into the 69th and reverted to the regulation issue uniform. The Zouave uniform for these two companies was the same as that of the 72nd PVI, with the exception of the trim being in green.
Interesting note on the original uniform of the 69th PVI; The description of the uniform is " a blue jacket piped in green". As the State issued uniform was a blue round about piped in light blue (infantry) I have always assumed this to be the cut for the jacket for the 69th. However, I have never been able to locate an identified photo of a member of the regiment wearing such a jacket. I have found a photo (only one) of a member of the regiment taken in '61, wearing a mounted jacket. Was this jacket a photographer's prop? Or, did Baker secure surplus Mounted Rifle jackets for the regiment out of QM stores? Baker had been given authorization by Lincoln to take priority over materials in the QM stores to equip and uniform his brigade as quickly as possible (this resulted in the "California Regiment"[71st PVI] receiving militia heavy artillery uniforms).

A follow up note on my previous posting: These "specialty uniforms" did not survive the 7 Days Battles, for the most part. The Brigade was forced to take at least 3 issues of new uniforms as they retreated across to the James, according to letters from soldiers in the brigade. Each time they came to a supply depot during the march they were told to take new uniforms and made to burn the old. I believe this may be true for most of the troops involved. In none of the letters did a soldier complain about getting a new uniform so quickly.

114th PA at Fredericksburg.

link

Robert,

That's a great site but it is not 100% accurate plus without additional information it is misleading. It doesn't say when they got their Zouave uniform or when they lost it if they did. To top it off, some of those listed did NOT have a Zouave uniform but a Chasseur uniform. One easy example was the 44th NY which had a Chasseur uniform even though they called themselves Zouaves.

Don

Pfft.. I don't care about history Im going to put a bunch of zouave units in the army of the Cumberland because I just want to see them out there on the field. I'll make some rebel zouave units too just for fun. getting tired of all blue and grey/browns in the game.

Company Command, why not this unit?

link

Or the 33rd New Jersey.

Wasn't there another LA zouave battalion besides the Tigers, who wore the tradition blue jacket and red trousers?

link

link

I don't know how long the zouave uniforms lasted. I think 2nd Dupeire's lasted the whole time they were infantry, but they were never stronger than 2 companies.

My understanding is that the zouave uniforms didn't last too long for the two companies, but I don't have a date for when they switched over. An educated guess would be mid-late 1863.

I had to smile reading the link that showed the 1st Bn as: "Surrendered by General Robert E. Lee, commanding the Army of Northern Virginia, on April 9, 1861." I'm guessing that surrender was refused as being premature?

The 1st Louisiana Infantry appears to have had at least several companies in Zouave uniforms as late as June 25, 1862.

On pages 184-185 of Stephen Sears, To the Gates of Richmond (1992) it states "Grover's Brigade … encountered a series of sudden, sharp counterattacks by Ambrose 'Rans' Wright's Brigade of Huger's Division. One of these charges, by a Georgia regiment, momentarily confused the Yankees into thinking that they were being attacked by their own men. The Georgians were wearing gaudy red Zouave uniforms, in imitation of the famous French colonial troops, and it was thought that only the Army of the Potomac had any Zouaves in their ranks. Then someone pointed out that only the enemy would be coming at them from the direction of Richmond, and the Federals quickly opened fire on the Zouaves."

The identification of these Zouave as coming from Georgia is questionable. However, Wright's Brigade also included the 1st Louisiana Infantry. In volume II of Frederick Todd's American Military Equipage (1983) the 1st Louisiana is described as including four companies drawn from the Orleans Light Guards Battalion which was initially issued with Zouave clothing. It would seem that as least some members of the regiment were still so uniformed.

Pfft.. I don't care about history Im going to put a bunch of zouave units in the army of the Cumberland because I just want to see them out there on the field. I'll make some rebel zouave units too just for fun. getting tired of all blue and grey/browns in the game.
..
Pfft yeah, screw history and all that boring stuff…

Bob

Pfft.. I don't care about history Im going to put a bunch of zouave units in the army of the Cumberland because I just want to see them out there on the field. I'll make some rebel zouave units too just for fun. getting tired of all blue and grey/browns in the game.
..
Pfft yeah, screw history and all that boring stuff…

Bob

couldnt agree more, why bother gaming an historical period if you pick and choose which facts suit you and discarding those that dont?

why bother gaming an historical period if you pick and choose which facts suit you and discarding those that dont?

Off the top of my head:
1) 100% accuracy is a myth. Except for recent periods we have a limited ability to know what troops actually wore into combat for specific actions.
2) Very few of us have the resources to field armies where each unit is accurately represented, so quite often we have one unit standing in for another.
3) Like it or not, the vast majority of us wargamers are having fun playing with model soldiers.

a gentle rebuttal;

(1) I don't believe I advocated 100% accuracy …sorry
(2) I agree that few of us wargamers have access to such a vast array of troops as would be necessary to refight all the actions of the civil war …who hasn't had to use stand in units? my issue is the I want that unit and I don't care if it wasn't really there attitude?
(3) I'm all for having fun, I don't see where I suggested otherwise???

that being said ….whatever works for you and your regular opponents?