Photographs of Zouaves

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Thanks for all the photos, Aug351! I hate to admit I've always been curious about the whole Zouave thing (bit odd in North American theatre). Unfortunately (or fortunately for some I guess), these units seem to have been caught in the middle of a military fashion crisis! ~ polar opposites to the future "rugged and serviceable" uniforms of American combat units.

Certainly some fancy military duds came out of the Civil War (emulating grand traditions of old European armies) ~ but still, who was responsible for all this! :smile: (You know of course I'm pulling your leg, and in no way commenting on the fighting abilities of these brave soldiers, but still ........ hehe!). Engaging thread, thanks. :showoff:
I believe Col. Elmer Ellsworth's 11th New York Zouaves was one of the first, if not the first American regiment that adopted the French Zouave style uniform, but there were many pre-war militia and drill companies (including Ellsworth's own) that were outfitted in various Zouave uniforms. Like many of us, Ellsworth had a liking to military history and was first informed of the Zouaves by his fencing instructor, Charles DeVillers, a former French Zouave. Ellsworth raised a national drill team with the Zouave style uniforms and drill, later recruiting his 11th New York Volunteers when the war began.

Today they may seem ridiculous to us compared to our modern camouflage fatigues, designed with common sense in mind over style. But 150 years ago the Zouaves were seen as the epitome of "soldierly bearing." The French Zouaves had won fame in the French conquest of Algeria and the Crimean War; they were known for their elan and esprit de corps. In a time when war was thought to be "glorious" and "dashing" then it's easy to see why the Zouave uniform appealed to many.
 
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Company F, 114th Pennsylvania, August, 1864. Captain J.R. Waterhouse (left) and 1st Lieutenant Alexander W. Givin (or A.N. Gevin). At the time of this photograph, these men were performing garrison & provost duties around City Point, Virginia as Headquarters Guard of the Army of the Potomac. On April 2, 1865 they will participate in the final Union assault on the Confederate fortifications around Petersburg, Virginia. In that battle, two of the men in this photograph will be wounded and one, 1st Sgt Isaac Fox, will be killed.

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A couple more images of Company F:
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Here's the last image of Company F colorized by @ColorizedPast.
 
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http://www.civilwarusa150.com/cw150_nyc_firezouave.php

Illustration and short write up of the New York Fire Zouaves. There is a tape (originally part of a newsreel) of one of the survivors giving a sort of interview in the 1930's dressed in the full uniform of the NY Fire Zouaves. The photographer/interviewer was treating these old soldiers as sort of funny old men in strange outfits.
You have to see past that to appreciate what fragments we have left.
I understand there exists a video of interviews with the German Survivors of WW I made in the 1980's for German TV - it would be wonderful if there was a transcription of that to parallel the recent book: "The Last of the Doughboys."
Hope springs eternal.
 
Third picture up from the bottom......Staged right? Anyone know anymore info on it?

Does anyone here have any ancestors that were a part of a Zouave group?

My grandmother's father was a private in the 146th NY Regiment Co. I. I found his roster (Evan T. Jones b. Bala, Wales 1840) here: http://dmna.ny.gov/historic/reghist/civil/rosters/Infantry/146th_Infantry_CW_Roster.pdf

and his 1890 Census of the Union Veterans and Widows of the Civil War where it states he had a surgeon's certificate discharge for wounds (left arm shot off). That found here: https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1-16953-68780-39?cc=1877095&wc=MM1N-ZQJ:n725354777

I haven't found any other documents, so far, relating to his service. I did find one census where he states that he immigrated in 1860. I have no record of his whereabouts from 1860 until he enlists August 13, 1862. Interesting because he goes on to live out his life in La Plata and Ethel Missouri and was buried without acknowledgement of his service (as far as I know). His find a grave is here: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=66331052 After Evan died, his wife moved with their adult children to Idaho and was buried there (so not buried with Evan).

I just starting researching Evan, my gg grandfather. Any information you can find to add to this work would be very much appreciated.

I put this out once before on the board that I believe I have found a picture of him (as my grandmother has many of his features) the photo is yet unidentified and can be found here: http://www.loc.gov/pictures/resource/ppmsca.27369/ I was asking if anyone thought this could be a 146th Regiment uniform. As stated he didn't enlist until 1862, and I was unsure because of the uniform. He was captured in the battle of the wilderness, but it doesn't say at what date he lost his arm.

As you can see, I still have a few questions I'd like answered.
 
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I put this out once before on the board that I believe I have found a picture of him (as my grandmother has many of his features) the photo is yet unidentified and can be found here: http://www.loc.gov/pictures/resource/ppmsca.27369/ I was asking if anyone thought this could be a 146th Regiment uniform. As stated he didn't enlist until 1862, and I was unsure because of the uniform. He was captured in the battle of the wilderness, but it doesn't say at what date he lost his arm.

When the 146th NYVI was first formed they wore the standard dark blue NY state jackets with light blue trousers. The NY shell jackets looked like this, with 8 NY buttons on them, in your picture it looks like he has 9 buttons on the jacket.

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It wasn't until veterans from the 5th NYVI joined them that they transitioned over to the Zouave uniforms. The 146th NY wore a light blue zouave uniform with a distinctive Zouave jacket with a yellow/gold colored piping.

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For more information on the 146th NYVI when they transitioned to the Zouave uniform, check out this page on the uniforms. http://www.cjdaley.com/146thNYSV.htm
 
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After having done some research, I concluded that having came in mid war, that he would have likely been wearing this Zouave uniform as you have stated. I have one other theory or perhaps hypothesis, and maybe I'm just reaching, but if he were wounded, which I have documented that his arm had been shot off, and it being near the end of the war, and I'm assuming that his uniform had become unwearable, might they have a uniform to replace that or might he have just been given what was available? I would very much appreciate your take on this. Thanks.
 
Here's a NY National Guardsman from 1864 and his shell jacket has 9 buttons on it.

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I would assume that given the time frame of the picture your, gg grandfather had most likely already recovered from his wounds and was no longer active. It could be reasonable that his old zouave uniform was discarded and he put on what was available at the time.
 
Nice N.Y. National Guardsmen uniform. It has several interesting features. The jacket's cuffs are of particular interest.
 
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Soldiers of the 5th New York (Duryee's Zouaves) at Fortress Monroe.

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A company of the 164th New York Infantry, Corcoran Legion.

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Wounded Zouave with VII Corps badge on his left shoulder.
 
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And ... bumped. Lots of nice pictures over here.

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Pinterest find of an unknown Sergeant Major of a Zouave unit. With some saying it to be 76th Pennsylvania Infantry, the Keystone Zouaves, this would limit it to just one of five men.
 

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