53rd New York Infantry Regiment

53rd New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment
Active1861 – 1862
CountryUnited States Union States of America
Branch Union Army
TypeInfantry
Size2 Battalions
Nickname(s)"D'Epineuil's Zouaves"
"Poughkeepsie Boys"
Engagements
New York U.S. Volunteer Infantry Regiments 1861-1865
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52nd New York Infantry Regiment 54th New York Infantry Regiment

The 53rd New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment, also known as D'Epineuil's Zouaves or the Poughkeepsie Boys was an infantry unit of the Union Army organised in New York City for service in the American Civil War.[1]

Background

The 53rd New York regiment was formed by 31 year old Lionel Jobert D'Epineuil who arrived from the Second French Empire, and received permission to form a "Regiment of New York Frenchmen". After much convincing, D'Epineuil was granted a provisional rank of Colonel.[2][3][4]

Within the regiment, a full company of natives from the Tuscarora Reservation in Western New York was formed. By the time the regiment was at full strength, it consisted of two battalions of 850 men each.[2][3]

The regiment's uniform was very elaborate compared to other regiments, it was based on the 6th Regiment of Zouaves of the French Army (6éme Régiment de Zouaves), the uniform consisted of the following: red fez cap with long yellow tassel, dark blue jacket trimmed with bright yellow braid, blue sash, yellow, and black leather leggings and canvas gaiters.[5]

Service

From 27 August to 15 November 1861 the 53rd New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment was organised in New York City. Though only half filled, on 18 November the regiment moved for the District of Columbia, and from there moved to Annapolis, Maryland. On arrival in Maryland the regiment joined Parke's (3rd) Brigade part of Burnside's North Carolina Expeditionary Corps.[2][3][4][5]

The regiment would remain in Annapolis until 3 January 1862 when it moved with Burnside's expedition into North Carolina where it participated during the Battle of Hatteras Inlet Batteries and later the Battle of Roanoke Island between 7 January and 8 February. Although a detachment only served during the battle, this would be the sole major action of the regiment. After the expedition, the regiment remained on duty at Fort Monroe, Virginia, later, Annapolis, Maryland, and later the District of Columbia until March.[2][3][4][5]

On 21 March 1862, with the exception of A Company, the regiment was mustered out of federal service, effectively disbanding it.[note 1] A Company was transferred to the 17th New York Infantry Regiment as that regiment's G Company, though the lineage wasn't continued.[2][3][4][5]

During the regiment's service, 1 officer and 3 enlisted men were killed and mortally wounded, and 7 enlisted men were killed by disease, leaving a total of 11.[2][3][4][5]

Uniform

The regiment's uniform was a Zouave uniform. They wore the distinctive short Zouave jacket with yellow trim and matching vest undeneath. They wore a red wool fez with gold trim and a gold tassel. Under their waist belt, thewy wore a sky blue sash and sky blue Zouave pantaloons with yellow lace and trim. These were tucked into their leather and canvas white gaiters.[6]

References

Footnotes

  1. ^ There is some debate on why the regiment was mustered out, but the most logical reason was D'Epineuil had lied, and never had served in the French Army, or any armed forces for that matter.[2][3][4][5]

Citations

  1. ^ Dyer (1908), p. 1418; Federal Publishing Company (1908), pp. 89–90; Phisterer (1912), p. 2436.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Vaucher, D'Epineuil Zouaves, (2021).
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Grenan, D'Epineuil Zouaves, (2003).
  4. ^ a b c d e f Dyer (1908), p. 1424.
  5. ^ a b c d e f WMH, D'Epineuil Zouaves--53rd New York, (2000).
  6. ^ Troiani, 53rd New York Volunteers (D'Epineuil Zouaves).

Sources

  • Dyer, Frederick Henry (1908). A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion (PDF). Des Moines, IA: Dyer Pub. Co. pp. 29, 191, 1424. LCCN 09005239. OCLC 8697590. Retrieved August 8, 2015.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  • Federal Publishing Company (1908). Military Affairs and Regimental Histories of New York, Maryland, West Virginia, And Ohio (PDF). The Union Army: A History of Military Affairs in the Loyal States, 1861–65 – Records of the Regiments in the Union army – Cyclopedia of battles – Memoirs of Commanders and Soldiers. Vol. II. Madison, WI: Federal Publishing Company. pp. 89–90. OCLC 1086145633.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  • Phisterer, Frederick (1912). Eighth Regiment of Infantry - Sixty-Ninth-Eighth Regiment of Infantry (PDF). New York in the War of Rebellion, 1861-1865. Vol. 3 (3rd ed.). Albany, NY: J. B. Lyon Company, State Printers. pp. 2436–2441. LCCN 14013311. OCLC 1359922. Retrieved 2023-04-06.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  • "The 53rd New York Volunteers "D'Epineuil Zouaves"". Facebook - Don Troiani Historical Artist. 2012-12-02. Retrieved 2023-05-05.
  • "D'Epineuil Zouaves". Département d'informatique et de recherche opérationnelle - Université de Montréal. 2021-05-16. Archived from the original on 2021-05-16. Retrieved 2023-05-05.
  • "D'Epineuil's Zouaves". Pre-Civil War and Civil War Zouave Units and Uniforms. Shaun Grenan. 2003. Archived from the original on 2020-10-30. Retrieved 2023-05-05.
  • "D'Epineuil Zouaves--53rd New York". Angelfire. 2000-08-31. Archived from the original on 2019-08-02. Retrieved 2023-05-05.

Further reading

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