Brigadier General Abram Duryée (USA)

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Brigadier General Abram Duryée (USA)

Abram Duryée was born in New York City on 29 April 1815 to a family of soldiers of French Huguenot ancestry. His grandfather fought in the American Revolutionary War, and his father and two uncles were officers during the War of 1812. Abram worked as merchant and became wealthy as a mahogany importer. In 1833, he joined the New York State Militia, serving in the 142nd New York Regiment. He moved on to the 27th Regiment five years later. Starting as a private, he eventually rose to colonel of the regiment in 1859. He led the regiment in the Astor Place Riot and was wounded twice. When he resigned his commission in 1859, it was against the protests of his colleagues.

Following President Lincoln's call for volunteers, Duryée raised the 5th New York Volunteers in less than a week becoming its colonel on 14 May 1861. It was one of the several Zouave units formed. "Duryée's Zouaves" fought at Big Bethel.

He was appointed brigadier general to date from 31 August 1861. Commanding a brigade in the division under James B. Ricketts, Duryée fought in the Battle of Cedar Mountain, Second Bull Run, and several others. At the Battle of Antietam, he succeeded Ricketts as division commander, when Ricketts replaced Joseph Hooker as corps commander. He was wounded at Second Bull Run, South Mountain, and Antietam.

Duryée went on a short leave of absence. When he returned, he was disheartened to find his brigade under the command of Brig. Gen. John Gibbon, who was his junior by date of rank. He resigned on 5 January 1863, after the army rejected his claims to his old command. Despite this, he received brevet promotion to major general of volunteers following the war. He was also elected by the 71st New York Infantry as their colonel and as brigadier general by the 4th New York Brigade, both of which he declined. His son, Jacob, was a lieutenant colonel and received a brevet brigadier general commission at the end of the war.

In 1873, Duryée was appointed New York City Police Commissioner. On 13 January 1874, Duryée led a force of 1,600 policemen to suppress a labor protest in Tompkins Square Park. Although there were no notices in sight to inform the crowd that the meeting's permit had been revoked, Commissioner Duryée led a squad of patrolmen into the crowd and ordered protesters to disperse. Police immediately began to attack the crowd using batons and mounted police charges. Samuel Gompers later described the scene in his memoirs, writing that "mounted police charged the crowd on Eighth Street, riding them down and attacking men, women, and children without discrimination. It was an orgy of brutality. I was caught in the crowd on the street and barely saved my head from being cracked by jumping down a cellarway."

46 protesters were arrested by the police, and ten were later arraigned on charges of assault and battery against police officers, aiding and inciting riot, or with charges of "meeting and talking wildly in the streets." Speakers for the New York Committee of Safety, the organizers of the Tompkins Square protest, condemned Commissioner Duryée for having "charged his police upon inoffensive workingmen like so many 'bulldogs.'" Duryée defended the police's use of force: "It was the most glorious sight I ever saw the way the police broke and drove the crowd. Their order was perfect as they charged with their clubs uplifted."

Abram Duryée died in New York on 27 September 1890.

161108 Abram Duryee.jpg
161108 Abram Duryee comparison.jpg
 
I know it makes it more boring, but I don't think that a red tie would be correct. Do you have a historical reference for the color? I think it should be black. I know, boring...
 
I know it makes it more boring, but I don't think that a red tie would be correct. Do you have a historical reference for the color? I think it should be black. I know, boring...

I think what's going on with the apparent "color" is the collar was of black velvet; the tie was probably black polished cotton or more likely silk and is just reflecting the light differently.
 
I think what's going on with the apparent "color" is the collar was of black velvet; the tie was probably black polished cotton or more likely silk and is just reflecting the light differently.

Your right it does catch the light differently, but if you look at the collar and shoulder boards they also catch the light differently than the uniform itself. In reality both of these are about the same color. What is unique in this case (in my opinion anyway) is that he is wearing a bow tie at all while in uniform. I don't recall seeing that before. I tried to look for civil war uniform bow ties and did not find much. The only examples that I saw were all black. Boring on a colorized image but don't know if red would have been correct either though.
 
A couple corrections.

James Ricketts was injured at Antietam and didn't take command of the First Corps (Meade took command after Hooker was wounded). Ricketts' horse was killed and fell on him rendering him unfit for duty for a time.

John Gibbon took command of the division, not Duryee's brigade, leading to Duryee's resignation.

Ryan
 
Thanks for the corrections. I have to admit I don't do proper research when writing up these little histories (I commit the cardinal sin of using wikipedia...I think I'll stop doing that, it just isn't right!)

As for the red tie, I was inspired by Zurah's coloring of Gershom Mott. Also, as he did form a Zouave unit, I figured red would be an interesting change-up. Typically, I would color that bowtie black or dark blue. Artistic license on this one :wink:
 
I searched A-B-C in my computer for pictures with bowties. Here are four.
Ballier.jpg
Banks.jpg
Carr.jpg
Crawford.jpg

John Ballier - Nathaniel Banks - Eugene Carr - Samuel Crawford
 
Entering the conversation a little late - like three years - but Abram Duryee was my great-great-grandfather. I'd like to thank you all for noting his history and discussing the ins and outs of the photograph! I can tell you that the colorization of the eyes has blown my sister and I both completely out of the water. They are SPOT ON with most of the living members of our family. Bow tie notwithstanding, the eyes...the eyes. ****...those eyes! Amazing.
 
Thanks for the corrections. I have to admit I don't do proper research when writing up these little histories (I commit the cardinal sin of using wikipedia...I think I'll stop doing that, it just isn't right!)

As for the red tie, I was inspired by Zurah's coloring of Gershom Mott. Also, as he did form a Zouave unit, I figured red would be an interesting change-up. Typically, I would color that bowtie black or dark blue. Artistic license on this one :wink:
I like the red tie. Those eyes, though, I would not trust him for minute! LOL
 
Entering the conversation a little late - like three years - but Abram Duryee was my great-great-grandfather. I'd like to thank you all for noting his history and discussing the ins and outs of the photograph! I can tell you that the colorization of the eyes has blown my sister and I both completely out of the water. They are SPOT ON with most of the living members of our family. Bow tie notwithstanding, the eyes...the eyes. ****...those eyes! Amazing.
Welcome to the forums!
 
Entering the conversation a little late - like three years - but Abram Duryee was my great-great-grandfather. I'd like to thank you all for noting his history and discussing the ins and outs of the photograph! I can tell you that the colorization of the eyes has blown my sister and I both completely out of the water. They are SPOT ON with most of the living members of our family. Bow tie notwithstanding, the eyes...the eyes. ****...those eyes! Amazing.

Welcome from the UK and from The First Bull Run/ Manassas Forum
 
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