Zouave Uniforms

JPK Huson 1863

Brev. Brig. Gen'l
Joined
Feb 14, 2012
Location
Central Pennsylvania
I hope this is the correct place to ask this question? If not, would someone mind moving it please? :smile:

I did Google this, and maybe asked the wrong question because I can't find an answer. Can someone tell me how on earth the Zouave uniforms came into being and why? One of my ancestors, John Keep, was with the 3rd NY, apparently also called The Albany Regiment. I was tooling around reading about it and it seems it was one which used one of them. I've always wondered anyway. It just seems such an unlikely thing to put on to go off to a war, especially here in the States, doesn't it? Was New York the only state to use them?

Yes, a silly question, just have always wondered. Thanks much-if anyone would take a few minutes to answer this I'd appreciate it!
 
Not hardly a silly question, JPK. - here's an excerpt on the Zouaves:
The original Zouaves were native North African troops serving in the French Army in the 1830s. They wore distinctive uniforms. The uniforms usually consisted of a fez and turban, very baggy pants, a vest, a short jacket that was cut away from the top with only one button or clasp at the throat and a sash. They also wore leggings. The uniforms were usually brightly colored and had much trim and/or braid and many brass buttons on them.

These soldiers fought in North Africa for French interests. Later Zouaves fought in the Crimea and Italy in the 1850s. These troops were well trained and disciplined and were famous for great feats on the battlefield, and often mischief and rowdiness off the battlefield.

Prior to the US Civil War, "Zouave fever" spread to America. The colorful uniforms and fancy drill caught on with many city's militia units. This was particularly true after Col. Elmer Ellsworth took his Chicago Zouave Cadets on a tour of North America, challenging militia units to drill competition.

The 72nd Pennsylvania wore a modified Zouave uniform, with Chausseur pants and jackets with little fancy trim. Their trademark was their vest and leggings.

By the end of the Civil War most Zouave uniforms had disappeared due to the Army not wanting to replace them. There were however units that maintained the Zouave uniforms throughout the war, and actually were given Zouave uniforms to recognize the bravery of the unit.

Zouaves disappeared at the end of the Civil War in the US, except for veteran's groups. They continued on in the French Army until World War I when the ability to blend into the battlefield required more traditional green uniforms.

Further information about Zouaves can be found in the book:
Zouaves, The First and the Bravest, by Michael J McAfee, Thomas Publications, Gettysburg, PA


New York and Pennsylvania seemed to have the majority of Zouave uniforms in the North, And I believe Louisiana was represented by Zouave uniforms in the South. Some units that began with the Zouave dress, as time went on, actually discarded them for the normal dress of the armies. Some units only used them for parades, or back in camp - not on the battlefield. Also, some wore a type of Zouave unifrom such as the Chausseurs type, like the 14th Brooklyn (ancestor's unit) as shown.
CompanyE.jpeg




I'm sure one of our esteemed members will enhance upon your question. They are colorful though, and in some cases, look silly to us, but was a craze of the time period - sort of like tie-die clothes during the 60's and 70's (this century, I mean). :smile:
 
oldpete63 gives a good answer to JPK Huson 1863.

I have a follow-on question...How do you pronounce "Zouave"? Is it "zoo-ah-vay", "zoo-ave" (with last syllable as in "behave"?), or something totally different? I took German in school, not French. I've read about the Zouaves, but I don't recall ever hearing the name spoken.

oldpete63, you mentioned Louisiana Zouaves...I'm currently reading Defend This Old Town which is about Williamsburg, VA, in the Civil War. Its author describes the impact the Louisiana Zouaves had on the town when those troops arrived in late '61/ early '62 prior to the Peninsula Campaign kicking off. These Zouaves hosted some very popular parties in town that winter and even had a Mardi Gras parade with men in costumes, etc. With their cultural connections to France, I understand the Louisianans' (sp?) adoption of the Zouave uniform more readily than that of the New Yorkers or Pennsylvanians.
 
oldpete63 gives a good answer to JPK Huson 1863.

I have a follow-on question...How do you pronounce "Zouave"? Is it "zoo-ah-vay", "zoo-ave" (with last syllable as in "behave"?), or something totally different? I took German in school, not French. I've read about the Zouaves, but I don't recall ever hearing the name spoken.

oldpete63, you mentioned Louisiana Zouaves...I'm currently reading Defend This Old Town which is about Williamsburg, VA, in the Civil War. Its author describes the impact the Louisiana Zouaves had on the town when those troops arrived in late '61/ early '62 prior to the Peninsula Campaign kicking off. These Zouaves hosted some very popular parties in town that winter and even had a Mardi Gras parade with men in costumes, etc. With their cultural connections to France, I understand the Louisianans' (sp?) adoption of the Zouave uniform more readily than that of the New Yorkers or Pennsylvanians.
They were a hoot !!! The pronunciation would be Zoo - and ave like in suave.
 
Our beloved Zoo Zoo's; clowns of the battlefield.

Zouave units had to supply their own uniforms since they were not federal regulation but even given the personal input of funds or fund raising from localities that raised them it is notable that several veteran volunteer units opted to go Zouave after Gettysburg and the last campaign.

One can easily see the desire to stand out from the rest of federal units with a distinction and why a lot of units discarded the impractical dress while on campaign. Still, they were a sight to see. It is a pity that there's so much fragmentation in reenacting as just to see one whole brigade of the same pattern would be nice. I've met members of the 5th NY at the 135th Gettysburg reenactment and they had a respectable showing and looked nice.
 
Our beloved Zoo Zoo's; clowns of the battlefield.

Zouave units had to supply their own uniforms since they were not federal regulation but even given the personal input of funds or fund raising from localities that raised them it is notable that several veteran volunteer units opted to go Zouave after Gettysburg and the last campaign.

One can easily see the desire to stand out from the rest of federal units with a distinction and why a lot of units discarded the impractical dress while on campaign. Still, they were a sight to see. It is a pity that there's so much fragmentation in reenacting as just to see one whole brigade of the same pattern would be nice. I've met members of the 5th NY at the 135th Gettysburg reenactment and they had a respectable showing and looked nice.
The late, great Brian Pohanka's immortal 5th - they are sharp, and he took it very serious. :smile:
 
I have nightmares every night. :smile: I have NEVER had a class like this one.

You and I are the same age I think, I was in th 7th grade in 1967, but I can't remember how I acted. It's probably best that I don't remember.
 
You and I are the same age I think, I was in th 7th grade in 1967, but I can't remember how I acted. It's probably best that I don't remember.

I guarantee my entire class was WAYYYYY ahead of this bunch. To say they're not the sharpest knives in the drawer is.....generous.

My 8th graders, on the other hand, are history machines......they actually scare me....and astound my student aide, who keeps asking questions trying to stump them and can't. :smile:
 
This should help all in pronunciation of zouave - it's not an easy one - been said different ways - kind of like Genl. Couch - was told it's actually pronounced Kooch - but I still say it Cowch
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/zouave

Nothing like hearing the word actually spoken.

As a youth I always mentally mispronounced the word facade when reading it; I always read it as "fak-kade" rather than the French "fah-sawd". Same with the word "poignant"...(Poyn-yunt? You meen it ISN'T pronounced poe-igg-nant?)

Hmmm....I just noticed that these words all seem to have French origins...Dang those Frenchies!
 
Companies calling themselves Zouave's wore many different colors. The distinguishing characteristic was the baggy pants and short jacket and odd headgear and leggings.

The Louisiana Tigers wore trews resembling mattress ticking. (It may well have been.) The 5th NY wore grey.

Before the war, they were "militia" formed for drilling and drinking and marching in parades.
 
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