5th New York Infantry Regiment

The 5th New York Infantry Regiment, also known as Duryée's Zouaves, was a volunteer infantry regiment that served in the U. S. Army during the American Civil War. Modeled, like other Union and Confederate infantry regiments, on the French Zouaves of Crimean War fame, its tactics and uniforms were different from those of the standard infantry.

On May 24, the regiment boarded a transport to reach the Virginia Peninsula. The regiment camped for a few days near Hampton Bridge, then moved to Camp Butler, Newport News, and was attached to Pierce's brigade. The troops of the 5th led the force at the battle of Big Bethel on Monday, June 10. Captain Judson Kilpatrick took Companies E and H in advance with Colonel Duryée following with the rest the command. The 5th lost 5 killed, 16 wounded (including Kilpatrick) and 2 missing. Immediately after the battle, the regiment began making scouting expeditions.

On Friday, July 26, the regiment moved to Baltimore, Maryland, to join Dix's Division which was tasked with protecting the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad in and out of Baltimore from Washington to Philadelphia. The 5th provided security within the city and built and garrisoned an earthen fort at the summit of Federal Hill. On Thursday, August 15, Maj. Davies resigned to take command of the 2nd New York Cavalry, and two days later, Capt. Hiram Duryea of Company was promoted as his replacement. On August 31, Duryée was promoted to general rank, so Gouverneur Kemble Warren took over command of the regiment. Duryea moved up to Lt. Colonel, and on September 3, Hull of Company A replaced Duryea as Major. At Federal Hill, the regiment guarded the railway and the city and continuously drilled. The 5th's duty in Baltimore was marked by occasional clashes with pro secessionist locals, patrolling the rail lines and yards, and improving the fort on Federal Hill. With the exception of a short expedition to the Eastern Shore of Virginia, the regiment used this garrison time to continue honing its skill at its manual of arms and regimental field movements. For twenty three days from Wednesday, November 13 to Thursday, December 5, six companies, A, B, C, D, E, F, of the 5th left Baltimore on the steamer Pocahontas. They took part in an expedition south to the Delmarva Peninsula into Accomac and Northampton Counties. The purpose was to reassert state and Federal control over those two counties where there had been reports of secessionist activity. Despite the many Unionists in the two counties, the secessionists, who were in a slight majority in Northampton County had been actively recruiting for the Confederate army and taking reprisals against Unionists. About three thousand militia had gathered to oppose any Federal advance (some were Unionists forced into ranks), and Gen. Dix intended to send a much larger force of 5,000 to intimidate them and give support to the local Unionists. The force landed above the state line on Wednesday, November 13, a proclamation calling on the militia to lay down their arms, promising protection for Unionists, and punishment for continued disloyal activities. On Sunday, November 17, the force crossed into Virginia. Within five days, all armed units melted away, and the 5th's companies and its colleagues in the force spread out to some of the towns to show the flag. The six companies returned to Fort Federal Hill on Thursday, December 5. The 5th remained in garrison over the new year and on Thursday, February 6, it received a garrison flag from an association of ladies of South Baltimore. The locals around the fort had warmed to the 5th and took pride in it. To maintain discipline, punishments in garrison were harsh and in February, six members of the regiment who were chronic violators of army regulations were paraded to the "Rogue's March," and sent off in chains to the Washington Penitentiary and the military prison in the Dry Tortugas.

In preparation for his upcoming offensive in the Peninsula campaign to capture Richmond, Virginia, General George McClellan ordered the regiment to join the Army of the Potomac. McClellan said that, upon seeing the colorful New York regiment, "the Fifth is the best disciplined and soldierly regiment in the Army." After a farewell ceremony at the Fort on Friday evening, March 28, the 5th made ready to depart Baltimore. On Monday, March 31, 1862, the 5th sailed out of Baltimore, down the Chesapeake, and landed at Hampton Roads. Upon arrival, they were attached to Sykes’ Infantry (Reserve), Army of the Potomac. At the Battle of Hanover Courthouse on May 27, 1862, the regiment played only a minor role. However, they fought in a more major role in the Battle of Gaines' Mill of the Seven Days Battles. As McClellan moved his base to the James River on June 27, 1862, the regiment fought against Gregg's South Carolina brigade. In a bayonet counterattack, the regiment defeated the initial Rebel attack driving back and routing two of the brigade's regiments.

In August 1862, the regiment fell under the control of General John Pope. At the Second Battle of Bull Run (also known as the Second Battle of Manassas), the 5th New York Volunteer Infantry regiment was forced to withstand the advancing forces of General James Longstreet. In underestimating the size of the Confederate army, Pope ordered the regiment to support Hazlett's Battery. Longstreet's soldiers easily outnumbered the small regiment, met by the 5th Texas Vol. Of the famous Texas Brigade's who elite soldiers accurate musket volleys quickly inflicted massive casualties in the regiment. In just 10 minutes of fighting, 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 entire Color Guard was killed, except for one man. The only officer to survive the battle was Captain Cleveland Winslow. The regiment was effectively removed as a combat regiment, never again serving in the battle line.

Later, at the Battle of Antietam, September 17, the unit was held in reserve. On December 15, the unit fought at the Battle of Fredericksburg, covering the Union retreat. At the Battle of Chancellorsville under Joseph Hooker, the unit saw its final combat. It returned to New York on May 8, 1863, and was mustered out on the next day, its three years' men having been transferred to the 146th regiment. During its term of service the Regiment had 2,164 men on its rolls, viz : two years' men, of original organization, 1,026, of whom 260 were with the regiment after the battle at Chancellorsville; recruits and volunteers on reorganization, 1,138, of whom 730 returned, including only about 100 of the original members of 1861.

During its service the regiment lost by death, killed in action, 4 officers, 126 enlisted men; of wounds received in action, 2 officers, 47 enlisted men; of disease and other causes, 37 enlisted men; total, 6 officers, 210 enlisted men; aggregate, 216.

Col. Duryée had previously commanded the 7th New York Militia and under his command had earned a national reputation for its drill and uniforms, ergo, he was determined to ensure that his regiment of volunteers would also be very well trained and equipped. At the outset, he decided to model the regiment's uniforms on the Zouaves of the French army. The enlisted men's uniforms of the 5th New York's were modeled closely on those of French Zouaves: a dark blue Zouave jacket with red trim, a dark blue shirt with red trim, a red Zouave sash with sky blue trim, extremely baggy red pantaloons, a red fez with a yellow tassel, white gaiters and leather jambières ("leggings"). The fezzes were usually worn with the white turban wrapped around them. Officers wore the regulation dark blue frock coat with shoulder straps in infantry blue. They wore large, red trousers with unstriped outseam. Officers wore French style red kepis with blue bands, and gold lace indicating rank. The 165th New York Volunteer Infantry was regarded as a sister regiment and known as the "Second Battalion, Duryee Zouaves". The 165th wore the same uniform as the 5th with the exception of the tassel of the fez, which was dark blue instead of yellow gold. Photographic evidence suggests that later in the war the 165th was given replacement sashes that were a solid red color without the light blue trim.

Colonel Cleveland Winslow of the 5th organized the 5th New York Veteran Volunteer Infantry after the original 5th mustered out. After a long and difficult recruiting period, the 5th Veterans joined the V Corps and fought in the final campaigns of the Virginia front. In the fall of 1862, officers of the 5th detailed on recruiting duty had organized the 165th New York Volunteer Infantry, or "Second Battalion Duryee's Zouaves." The 165th served with the XIX Corps in Louisiana, in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley, and on occupation duty in Charleston, South Carolina, at war's end. The 3rd Annual Report Of The Bureau Of Military Statistics stated " no other New York regiment gave so many officers to other commands." Following the conclusion of the war, members of the 5th New York Veterans Association continued to hold monthly meetings. The veterans' association funded the creation of a statue to General Warren, their first commander, on Little Round Top at Gettysburg. They also erected a monument to the regiment at the scene of their greatest sacrifice on the battlefield of Second Bull Run (Manassas). The association also contributed to a monument to the Army of the Potomac's 5th Corps in Fredericksburg National Cemetery in Virginia.