North vs South

[Upxl]

Hey,

I’ve been trying to figure out a certain kind of troops.
I’m certain they fought with the Union , don’t know about the confederate’s though.

Problem is that I don’t know the name in English.
In Dutch it’s “Zoeaven”

They wore red trousers, blue jackets with red stripes and a strange kind off red kepi.

[lancelot]

You mean 'zouaves' I think, just google it.

[Upxl]

Some of the most famous Civil War units, and those probably with the most distinctive uniforms, were the Zouaves (pronounced zoo-AHV). Many wore red baggy pants, white leggings, a jacket trimmed in red, and a tasseled red fez or turban. Their uniforms made them stand out on the battlefield, but many of these units also stood out because of their reputations as hard and steady fighters.

The Zouave uniform of the American Civil War actually had its origins in North Africa in the 1830s. Men from the Zouaoua tribe of Algeria were organized into the French army in 1831 (France had colonized parts of North Africa). They wore this distinctive uniform, and as their fame as fighters grew, more and more French soldiers joined their ranks. By the time of the Crimean War in 1854, the Zouave units were composed entirely of Europeans. Their exploits in that war added to their reputation gained in North Africa. When newspapers from around the world, including the American Harper's Weekly, ran stories and illustrations, their fame spread. In the mid-19th century, it was France that set the tone for military fashion and tactics.


With the outbreak of the Civil War, many Zouave units were raised on both sides. For example, Ellsworth raised the 11th New York Infantry or "Ellsworth's Fire Zouaves" from the New York City Fire Department. Louisiana, with its French culture and traditions, raised the majority of Zouave units for the Confederacy. Their uniforms and experiences in the war varied greatly, but many served with great distinction and upheld the tradition established by the Algerians and the French. After the first year of the war, most Confederate Zouave units shed their flashy garb. However, many in the Union army kept their Zouave uniforms for the entire conflict.

Source: http://www.nps.gov/anti/zouaves.htm

[Meneldil]

That can't be true, we all know that frenchmen are just a bunch of cowards.

[Upxl]

:)

Their not cowards,...
They just don't know how to fight ^^

[Red Harvest]

That can't be true, we all know that frenchmen are just a bunch of cowards.

Is that really necessary? Why go around picking a political fight in a thread like this?

[Red Harvest]

Upxl,

Look up "Wheat's Tigers." It was a distinguished Confederate battalion that fought at 1st Manassas (Bull Run) and in many other battles.

Zouaves were a mixed bag. Some fought well, some didn't. It was just a uniform afterall. Much of this has to do with who led them, "luck of the draw" on the field, and how their initial fight went.

In several respects the uniforms were a poor choice for the ACW battlefield, as they made men more prominent targets. The flashy uniforms were a powerful recruiting tool.

[Meneldil]

Is that really necessary? Why go around picking a political fight in a thread like this?

Well, it was quite tempting, given the things we can read there and there in the backroom. Not a political fight at all, just pointing out the really crappy attitude shown by some members (except if the level of suckyness of my ancestors is now a common political topic)

But yeah, it doesn't belong to this topic, and I shall refrain from spamming it with non-related stuffs.

A link with infos about the 'french' zouaves (in french only):
http://g.lacoste.free.fr/table_des_matieres.htm

Another link about the Zouaves during the Civil War (in english) :
http://www.geocities.com/zouavedatabase/usa/8thmo.html