5th New York Volunteer Infantry
Company C
Duryee's Zouaves
The Fifth New York Volunteer Infantry, by Brian Pohanka
The Fifth New York Volunteer Infantry was the most famous and most highly regarded of the Zouave regiments in the Union Army during the American Civil War. This proud command was celebrated not only for precise, parade ground drill, but effectiveness in combat and steady bearing under fire. General George Sykes, a Regular Army officer, said of the 5th New York, "I doubt wether it had an equal, certainly no superior among all the regiments of the Army of the Potomac" Artillery Colonel Charles Wainwright wrote, "The Fifth New York is equal in all respects to the Regular Army and better drilled." In addition to a casualty list that totaled 211 dead out of 1508 men born on the rolls, the 5th N.Y. can also be gauged by the fact nine of its men attained the rank of General in the course of the Civil War; five the full rank, and four by brevet.
Early in April 1862 the regiment joined General George B. McClellan's Army of the Potomac for the campaign against Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. On the soil of the Virginia Peninsula they again showed the courage and skill instilled by strict, formal military discipline. Brigaded with the Regular Army troops of the Fifth Corps, the Duryee' Zouaves fought heroically in all the battles of the Seven Days. At Gaine's Mill on June 27, 1862, they repeatedly charged superior numbers of attacking Confederates, promoting one South Carolinian to refer to them as "those desperate Yankees", who made "the most desperate charge I ever witnessed". Decimated and out of ammunition, Lieutenant Colonel Hiram Duryea had the 5th halt, dress their ranks, and "count off" while still under heavy artillery fire. Such cool courage impressed every man who witnessed it. At Gaine's Mill, the Zouaves lost 162 of 450 men engaged, including 38 killed.
The 5th New York was one of perhaps fifty regiments uniformed in the colorful North African style of the French Zouaves, whose exploits in the Crimean War had gained them world-wide fame. The 1860 tour of a champion militia unit, the U.S. Zouave Cadets, led by young Captain Elmer E. Ellsworth, had firmly established the Zouave style in the American public's mind. The 5th New York was but one of many units born in the "Zouave Craze".
The founder and first Colonel of the 5th New York was Abram Duryee', a wealthy New York City businessman with over 20 years service in the crack 7th Regiment, New York National Guard. In April 1861 his efforts saw the regiment recruited, armed, and uniformed within days after the firing on Fort Sumter. Recruits were noted for their fine physique (many were over six feet in height, rare for the 1860's), and their level of education. Many students, professional men, and veterans of foreign wars served in the ranks, and many of the officers were former 7th New York men. In addition, three of the ten Captains were West Point graduated, as was the Lieutenant Colonel, Gouverneur Kemble Warren.
Abram Duryee
G. K. Warren
Following their initial training at Fort Schuyler in the East River, the Duryee' Zouaves embarked for the Virginia Peninsula. There they received their baptism of fire in the ill-managed affair at Big Bethel on June 10, 1861. Though the Federal attack failed, the 5th New York proved its mettle. Six men were killed and 11 wounded.
On July 25, the regiment embarked for what proved to be an eight month stint of garrison duty in the pro-Southern city of Baltimore, Maryland. Although the Zouaves were initially greeted with jeers and catcalls, by the time they left Baltimore, in March 1862, they were admired as well as feared. Many of the men married Baltimore girls, including their new Colonel G.K. Warren. Much of their time in the city was occupied by the construction of Fort Federal Hill, though six companies did participate in a three week long expedition to the Eastern Shore of Maryland and Virginia.
Frederick Smart
Company B
The regiment went on to fight at Malvern Hill, and covered the retreat of McClellan's forces to Harrison's Landing on the James River. From there the 5th New York went north, to join General John Pope's forces north of the Rappahannock river. In the terrible Federal defeat of Second Bull Run, or Manassas, the 5th New York virtually sacrificed their existence as a regiment to hold off Confederate General Longstreet's massive attack. Led by Colonel Warren and Captain Cleveland Winslow, the Zouaves confronted many times their number and were all but annihilated by Hood's Texas Brigade. "Where the regiment stood that day was the very vortex of hell", one soldier recalled; "Not only were men killed and wounded, they were riddled". In fifteen minutes 8 of 11 line officers fell and out of 462 men taken into action, 124 were killed or mortally wounded. In addition 223 were wounded. These fatalities stand as the heaviest loss of any Civil War infantry regiment in a given battle.
After Second Bull Run the depleted regiment went on to fight at Antietam, Shephardstown, Feredricksburg (where they covered the retreat of Burnside's army), and at Chancellorsville. Finally, their two year period of enlistment expired, the rugged, worn veterans returned to New York to muster out. Many did, however, go on to serve in the 146th New York, 165th New York, and 5th Veteran Volunteers - Who were present at Appomattox in 1865.
In July 1861 a motley group of Duryee's Zouaves posed for photographer George Stacy at their camp near Fort Monroe, Virginia. Hastily and poorly made, the unit's first version of the Zouave uniform featured a blue fez tassel; the color later changed to yellow. Stacy stereocard. Courtesy of the 5th New York, Co. A.
