"Odd Fighting Units: The Zouaves of Death in Poland's..." Topic

… January Uprising of 1863.

"The Zouaves of Death (in Polish Żuawi Death) are perhaps one of the most ghoulishly named fighting units of the 19th century conflicts which were fought in the buildup of empires, republican states, and commonwealths in the wake of the previous Napoleonic Age (c.1803-1815). Created by a former French army officer, François Rochebrune (b.1830-1870), the Zouaves of Death fought in the January Uprising of 1863-1864 against the Russian Empire who had dominated (along with Austria & Prussia) much of the former Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth since the Great Partitions of Poland in 1772, 1793, and 1795.

Formed in Ojców in Febuary of 1863, Rochebrunes volunteer and free lance militia was styled in the debonair attire of the French Algerian Zouave, a popular style of dress for infantrymen from the 1850's until the end of World War I in 1918. They fought in many of the major battles of the Uprising in what was then known as the Congress of Poland, ruled by Tsar Alexander II of Russia (b.1818-1881). The Zouaves of Death fought attached to the peasant armies and cadres of Polish patriots led by a number of revolutionary leaders throughout the conflict.

A style of uniform as well as a French designation for their colonial light infantry of the same period, the term Zouave originated from the infantry regiments first raised from the Algerian Berber populace following the French invasions of Algeria in 1830-1831. The attire of the Zouave became known in Europe after the 1850's when Zouave regiments fought bravely in the Crimean War. In later wars Zouave infantry fought and died for France in the Italian War of 1859, the Mexican "Intervention" of 1864-1866, and in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-1871. In the American Civil War both commissioned and private officers as well as amateur generals on both sides commanded Zouave units in the battles fought from 1861-1865…"
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Amicalement
Armand

After getting some scans from a new Polish uniform-book I am wondering if there is a list of Polish units for this war. Beside the Zouaves there are several other uniformed units, while most of them simply had civilian clothes.

Can anybody help me with more information?

cheers
uwe

The Foreign Correspondent had a couple of articles on this conflict. Perhaps you can find something in it.