(Zouaves) with fixed bayonets

[tmh10]

[Petersburg, Va. Company F, 114th Pennsylvania Infantry (Zouaves) with fixed bayonets].
CREATED/PUBLISHED
1864 August.
SUMMARY
Photograph of the main eastern theater of war, the siege of Petersburg, June 1864-April 1865.
NOTES
Reference: Civil War photographs, 1861-1865 / compiled by Hirst D. Milhollen and Donald H. Mugridge, Washington, D.C. : Library of Congress, 1977. No. 0389

 

[reading48]

Cool picture

 

[tmh10]

Cool picture

Thanks, How would it look if they were charging at you? Guys in pajamas coming at you with guns and bayonets wouldn't know whether to laugh or run.

 

[reading48]

With a funny looking Fez for a hat...

 

[jessgettysburg1863]

Sweet, Ted.

 

[JPK Huson 1863]

I love this, thank you! I once asked a question on these uniforms, did some digging myself because wow- couldn't imagine what would be behind men wanting to into battle dressed like this. One ( only one- there are more important answers I don't have in the top of my head ) was the ease with which they were made, when towns were getting uniforms together quickly at the first call-ups.

I'd have to think they were not as hot as the wool uniforms, maybe worth it sometimes!

 

[donna]

Great photo. I always thought their uniforms were neat.

 

[23rdYahoos]

I love this, thank you! I once asked a question on these uniforms, did some digging myself because wow- couldn't imagine what would be behind men wanting to into battle dressed like this. One ( only one- there are more important answers I don't have in the top of my head ) was the ease with which they were made, when towns were getting uniforms together quickly at the first call-ups.

Many of the Zouave Units were pretty much military type social clubs prior to the war. They would meet and practice 'Drill' and have competitions amongst the various regional units on drill and parade, etc. Some were actually local militia units (think home guard types), and others like my ancestors unit, Ringgolds Light Artillery, were artillery units as well!

Often times these units had very elaborate and colorful uniforms to stand out during drills and parades, sometimes even to the point of being costumes and having little utilitarian value. The Algerian Zouave look was very popular at the time, and many, many of these units adopted this look. It was the 'Baggy Pants and Skinny Jeans' of the 1850's. When the call from Lincoln went out many of these 'militia' groups immediately transformed into volunteer regiments and kept the uniforms and weapons they had as they marched off to the 'short war'.

Over the course of the war many of these units lost their unique and colorful uniforms for the more practical and available standard issue uniforms. Some, like the 69th PV and others, kept their Zouave look throughout the war. But they were the exceptions, not the norm. I have read diary entries from Zouave clad soldiers, and there was a lot of complaining about the Fez and turbans not doing too much to keep the sun out of your eyes, as well as the difficulty running and fighting in those pants!

 

[PartywithArty]

fierce looking bunch..

 

[Josey_Wales]

I wonder what the confederates were thinking about there uniforms lol I prefer Wheats Tigers uniforms better.

 

[M E Wolf]

Be a great photo to colorize.

In regard to 'funny looking' uniforms, I'm sure that when people look at how we dress 150 years from now, they will be laughing or be shocked. Heavens! Even the style of clothes from the 1970's look awful on some.

M. E. Wolf

 

[JPK Huson 1863]

Yes, my children will never see what I was wearing in the 70's, photographs have been carefully removed from circulation. I still think there should be some kind of civilian court marshall for the person responsible for polyestor.

Thank you for the information on how most units made the switch later. Even 150 years ago, those turbans HAD to have been out of place plus cumbersome as all-get-out to live with on a daily basis. I said this on another thread, or someone did- can't remember , but white pants as a target on a battlefield?? That would become old very, very quickly, and filthy!

 

[Dave Wilma]

There's a precious sound film clip of a Zouave vet shuffling through a parade in the 1930s posing in his cap, jacket, and trousers. He is very old and the garments look no less than silly, but you can tell, as probably the last survivor of his regiment, that his pride is huge. The clip was captured in Burns's documentary. One can only imagine 1,000 of them in their teens and 20s, stepping off in 1861.