Indians as Zouaves

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When Lionel Joubert D'Epineul, formed the 53rd New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment he had difficulties getting enough "Frenhmen" to joun up in New York City so a recruter was sent to the Tuscarora India Reservation where a company was formed.

The fashionable Brooklyn Brothers of New York made up the uniforms for the D'Epineul Zouaves and it was one of the finer examples of Civil War Zouave uniforms seen.

 

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The D'Epineul Zouaves wore; dark blue jackets trimmed with yellow braid, light trousers, and a red fez with yellow tassel.

 

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It was reported that D'Epineul's "wife" was enlisted in the regiment, but it seems doubtful she was his wife or that she served as a real soldier. Perhaps she was just a soldier on pay day.

 

[Kurt G]

She may have been a Vivandiere . Marie Tepe was probably one of the better known from the war . She served with the 114th Pennsylvania , Collis' Zouaves .

 

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In Don's Troiani's Soldiers in America 1754 - 1865 this is how the uniform is shown.

 

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I have also seen claims their trousers were red. These claims may be based on this image of the D' Epineul's Zouaves.

 

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This is a questionable painting by Gordon Davis. Note the year Davis gives and the number of the regiment. This image by Davis probably shows another unit. I have only included this image for discussion and do not have a great deal of faith in this image.

 

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A popular post card of this unit. Not use where the artist who pained this found the information about the uniforms.

This shows up on a web search for this unit.


The leadership was decidedly French, but the ranks were made up of the "melting pot" of New York City. One company of Indians from the Tuscarora Reservation of western New York joined to battle for the Union. The Zouaves were sent to Camp Leslie on Staten Island. A reporter for the New York Daily Tribune who visited their camp was impressed with the military bearing of the sentries on guard duty, and with their uniforms, which he described as having short, hooded cloaks, yellow tassled red fez, tan leggings, white gaiters, blue sash, vest, jacket and baggy trousers. The regiment consisted of two battalions of 850 men each. When the first battalion embarked for Annapolis, there were only 130 Frenchmen on the rolls, which were to swell "Burnside's Expeditionary Force."

Various artist seem to have their own view of the above description.