Elmer Ellsworth (1837-1861) "Colonel of Zouaves, Elmer Ellsworth was killed while taking down a Confederate flag in Alexandria, Virginia. Ellsworth was a Chicagoan who was a close friend of President Lincoln's family and accompanied him on his pre-inaugural trip to Washington. He moved into the White House and played regularly with the Lincoln children. He worked in Lincoln's law office in August 1860, assisted him during the fall campaign, and had a clerkship with State Auditor Jesse Dubois. The President was unable to fulfill his wish to form a militia bureau in the War Department and appoint Ellsworth to head it as inspector general. In a letter to Secretary Simon Cameron on March 1, 1861 the President wrote about Ellsworth:"...ELMER ELLSWORTH AND THE ZOUAVE CRAZE (Zwahv) "Despite the far-flung fame of the French Zouaves, it is unlikely that the gaudy uniforms of those exotic soldiers would have found such widespread popularity in the American Civil War had it not been for Elmer Ephraim Ellsworth."
Duryée's Zouaves: The 5th New York Volunteer Infantry;
"The 5th New York Volunteer Infantry, "Duryée's Zouaves," was one of the most renowned fighting regiments of the American Civil War. Their colorful Zouave uniform, precise maneuvers, effectiveness in combat and steady bearing under fire, won them universal respect and recognition. "I doubt whether it had an equal," General George Sykes said of the 5th New York, "and certainly no superior among all the regiments of the Army of the Potomac." Many observers considered the 5th New York to be the best-drilled volunteer unit in the Federal Army. In addition to a casualty list that totalled 211 dead out of 1,508 men borne on the rolls, nine of its soldiers attained the rank of general -- five the full rank, and four by brevet."
Second Battle of Bull Run: Destruction of the 5th New York Zouaves "...A detailed examination of morning reports, muster rolls and military service and pension records indicates that in their 10 minutes at the vortex of hell, the 5th New York lost 332 men of the approximately 525 engaged. At least 119 of the casualties were killed outright or died of their wounds. The addition of two missing who were never accounted for would bring the death total to 121. It was the greatest battle fatality sustained by any Federal infantry unit in the war.
"The survivors would never recover the esprit de corps that had died with their comrades at Second Bull Run. New recruits would arrive to fill the vacant ranks, but, as Sergeant Mitchell put it, ‘The regiment will never again be the regiment it has been.’"
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