IMPRESSION GUIDELINES - 11th New York Infantry (1st Fire Zouaves)
Compiled by Marc A. Hermann and Shaun C. Grenan.
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If you haven't already, please take
some time to read the history
of the 11th New York Fire Zouaves. This background information is vital to
understanding the "why and the wherefore" of this regiment.
The best photographic evidence we have of how they likely looked in battle comes from the photographs taken of some of the regiment's prisoners at Castle Pinckney in the Charleston Harbor.
1. He seems to have retained the regiment's first issue trousers, and is either still wearing the leggings or boots. Clearly visible is the regiment's dark blue sash. He wears two shirts, a light-colored overshirt and a dark-colored undershirt, the cuffs of which are visible. A dark neckerchief and fez complete his ensemble.
2. Most notable about this man is his dark neckerchief worn over what may be a Federal issue shirt. Dark blue trousers and a fez are also worn.
3. Also wearing what might be a Federal-issue shirt over a darker colored undershirt. What looks to be a fireman's badge is seen on the right breast.
4. This fellow is wearing a dark overshirt along with dark blue trousers.
5. He's clad in a fez, white shirt, and dark blue trousers.
6. This soldier wears a dark overshirt with what looks to be a N.Y.F.D. engine company badge, dark blue trousers, and a kepi that seems like part of their first-issue uniform.
7. Most notable about this soldier is his civilian slouch hat.
8. In a dark shirt with a fire badge and dark blue trousers, this soldier has topped everything off with a regulation forage cap.
9. Prominently seen at the center placket of this man's shirt is a N.Y.F.D. engine company badge. He also wears a civilian style "mechanic's cap."
10. Careful examination of his shirt shows that it is of a plaid/check pattern, either wool or cotton. It seems to have a watch chain leading to a front breast pocket. Also note dark-colored fez, and what may be first-issue gray trousers.
HEADGEAR
1. Zouave fez (blue, with blue tassel -- based on blue fez found on Manassas battlefield near Rickett's Battery.)
2. Zouave fez (red, with blue tassel -- based on descriptions of "red skull caps" and a fez identified to Brownell.)
3. Kepi (red with blue band, single-thickness visor, ornamented with brass ball buttons. Company letter and "1Z" in brass affixed to front.)
4. Federal-issue forage cap.
5. Civilian slouch hat or mechanic's cap (in VERY limited numbers.)
HAVELOCKS MAY BE WORN WITH KEPI OR FORAGE CAP.
SHIRT
1. Wool overshirt with placket or plastron ("fireman's style") front, preferably red -- primary source references lead us to believe that not all of these red shirts were fire shirts brought from New York by the men, but rather were issued to them while in the service of the regiment. Blue, gray, and white are also documented overshirt colors of the period.
2. Federal-issue domet flannel shirt.
3. Homespun cotton or wool checked/plaid shirt.
UNDERSHIRTS OF WHITE OR RED ARE ENCOURAGED FOR USE IN CONJUNCTION WITH OVERSHIRTS.
JACKET (Not encouraged)
1. First-issue jacket, in poor condition, of correct materials, pattern, and construction.
2. Second-issue jacket, if documentation is ever found.
TROUSERS
1. Federal-issue pattern of dark blue kersey, with proper construction, pattern, and material.
2. First-issue pattern, in poor condition.
FOOTWEAR
1. Federal-issue bootees.
2. Private-purchase boots (based on account of a Fire Zouave purchasing a pair in Washington, and requesting the bill be sent to President Lincoln.)
WEAPONRY
1. M1855 .58 caliber U.S. Percussion rifle-musket with M1855 bayonet.
2. M1855 .58 U.S. Percussion rifle with saber bayonet (Companies A & K only.)
3. M1861 .58 Springfield rifle-musket acceptable.
ACCOUTREMENTS
-M1857 pattern .58 caliber rifle-musket cartridge box with U.S. or S.N.Y. box plate.
-M1850 pattern cap pouch.
-M1852 waxed leather/blackened buff waist belt with standing loop, U.S. or S.N.Y. belt plate.
-Early-pattern (two-rivet) bayonet scabbard (if using M1855 bayonet.)
-M1858 New York Depot canteen with leather sling.
-Federal-issue/contractor-made haversack.
-Blanket roll, preferrably red, but Federal-issue or civilian style OK.
-No known acceptable replica of the patent tent/knapsack has yet been made, and as the regiment marched to the Bull Run battlefield with blanket rolls only, no knapsacks are to be used.
A NOTE ABOUT FIREMEN'S BELTS...Although Brownell is pictured wearing the belt of Premier Engine Co. 1, it should be remembered that his company was NOT from New York City, rather it was from Troy, NY. The use of this kind of belt by members of the NYFD seems to have been VERY limited. In fact, I have personally only seen ONE painting of two company foremen wearing this style belt (click here to see painting) and one photograph of a Brooklyn fireman wearing a belt with what look to be applied brass letters spelling out his fire company. These belts are notably absent from any period description of the Fire Zouaves, and as such it can be determined that they were not as widely worn as we have previously believed.
MISCELLANEOUS
-Black nekerchief of silk or cotton, tied in the nautical manner.
-NYFD 1860 pattern fire badges -- these are known to have been worn by the regiment, according to the the Castle Pinckney photographs, and also a newspaper article that mentions that many of their badges had been lost at Bull Run. Click here for a drawing of the three styles in use by 1861.
-Black mourning bands/rosettes/cockades for Ellsworth.
If you have any questions about these items or the impression, feel free to e-mail Marc Hermann or Shaun Grenan.
We are greatly indebted to the research work of the late Michael McAfee and the late Brian Pohanka.
The best photographic evidence we have of how they likely looked in battle comes from the photographs taken of some of the regiment's prisoners at Castle Pinckney in the Charleston Harbor.
1. He seems to have retained the regiment's first issue trousers, and is either still wearing the leggings or boots. Clearly visible is the regiment's dark blue sash. He wears two shirts, a light-colored overshirt and a dark-colored undershirt, the cuffs of which are visible. A dark neckerchief and fez complete his ensemble.
2. Most notable about this man is his dark neckerchief worn over what may be a Federal issue shirt. Dark blue trousers and a fez are also worn.
3. Also wearing what might be a Federal-issue shirt over a darker colored undershirt. What looks to be a fireman's badge is seen on the right breast.
4. This fellow is wearing a dark overshirt along with dark blue trousers.
5. He's clad in a fez, white shirt, and dark blue trousers.
6. This soldier wears a dark overshirt with what looks to be a N.Y.F.D. engine company badge, dark blue trousers, and a kepi that seems like part of their first-issue uniform.
7. Most notable about this soldier is his civilian slouch hat.
8. In a dark shirt with a fire badge and dark blue trousers, this soldier has topped everything off with a regulation forage cap.
9. Prominently seen at the center placket of this man's shirt is a N.Y.F.D. engine company badge. He also wears a civilian style "mechanic's cap."
10. Careful examination of his shirt shows that it is of a plaid/check pattern, either wool or cotton. It seems to have a watch chain leading to a front breast pocket. Also note dark-colored fez, and what may be first-issue gray trousers.
In this, an alternate view taken of
some other prisoners, we see the same trends of mixed uniform pieces.
As you can see, other than dark blue trousers, there was very little
"uniformity" to the Fire Zouaves' field uniform. For those who plan to
portray this regiment at living history events, the following is a
recommended list, in order of preference.
HEADGEAR
1. Zouave fez (blue, with blue tassel -- based on blue fez found on Manassas battlefield near Rickett's Battery.)
2. Zouave fez (red, with blue tassel -- based on descriptions of "red skull caps" and a fez identified to Brownell.)
3. Kepi (red with blue band, single-thickness visor, ornamented with brass ball buttons. Company letter and "1Z" in brass affixed to front.)
4. Federal-issue forage cap.
5. Civilian slouch hat or mechanic's cap (in VERY limited numbers.)
HAVELOCKS MAY BE WORN WITH KEPI OR FORAGE CAP.
SHIRT
1. Wool overshirt with placket or plastron ("fireman's style") front, preferably red -- primary source references lead us to believe that not all of these red shirts were fire shirts brought from New York by the men, but rather were issued to them while in the service of the regiment. Blue, gray, and white are also documented overshirt colors of the period.
2. Federal-issue domet flannel shirt.
3. Homespun cotton or wool checked/plaid shirt.
UNDERSHIRTS OF WHITE OR RED ARE ENCOURAGED FOR USE IN CONJUNCTION WITH OVERSHIRTS.
JACKET (Not encouraged)
1. First-issue jacket, in poor condition, of correct materials, pattern, and construction.
2. Second-issue jacket, if documentation is ever found.
TROUSERS
1. Federal-issue pattern of dark blue kersey, with proper construction, pattern, and material.
2. First-issue pattern, in poor condition.
FOOTWEAR
1. Federal-issue bootees.
2. Private-purchase boots (based on account of a Fire Zouave purchasing a pair in Washington, and requesting the bill be sent to President Lincoln.)
WEAPONRY
1. M1855 .58 caliber U.S. Percussion rifle-musket with M1855 bayonet.
2. M1855 .58 U.S. Percussion rifle with saber bayonet (Companies A & K only.)
3. M1861 .58 Springfield rifle-musket acceptable.
ACCOUTREMENTS
-M1857 pattern .58 caliber rifle-musket cartridge box with U.S. or S.N.Y. box plate.
-M1850 pattern cap pouch.
-M1852 waxed leather/blackened buff waist belt with standing loop, U.S. or S.N.Y. belt plate.
-Early-pattern (two-rivet) bayonet scabbard (if using M1855 bayonet.)
-M1858 New York Depot canteen with leather sling.
-Federal-issue/contractor-made haversack.
-Blanket roll, preferrably red, but Federal-issue or civilian style OK.
-No known acceptable replica of the patent tent/knapsack has yet been made, and as the regiment marched to the Bull Run battlefield with blanket rolls only, no knapsacks are to be used.
A NOTE ABOUT FIREMEN'S BELTS...Although Brownell is pictured wearing the belt of Premier Engine Co. 1, it should be remembered that his company was NOT from New York City, rather it was from Troy, NY. The use of this kind of belt by members of the NYFD seems to have been VERY limited. In fact, I have personally only seen ONE painting of two company foremen wearing this style belt (click here to see painting) and one photograph of a Brooklyn fireman wearing a belt with what look to be applied brass letters spelling out his fire company. These belts are notably absent from any period description of the Fire Zouaves, and as such it can be determined that they were not as widely worn as we have previously believed.
MISCELLANEOUS
-Black nekerchief of silk or cotton, tied in the nautical manner.
-NYFD 1860 pattern fire badges -- these are known to have been worn by the regiment, according to the the Castle Pinckney photographs, and also a newspaper article that mentions that many of their badges had been lost at Bull Run. Click here for a drawing of the three styles in use by 1861.
-Black mourning bands/rosettes/cockades for Ellsworth.
If you have any questions about these items or the impression, feel free to e-mail Marc Hermann or Shaun Grenan.
We are greatly indebted to the research work of the late Michael McAfee and the late Brian Pohanka.
