11th New York Infantry - Organization and Muster

Organization and Muster

On April 15, 1861, President Lincoln issued an Executive Order calling for 75,000 90-day enlistments to “repossess the forts, places, and property which have been seized from the Union.’’ That day, Lincoln wrote Ellsworth asking for his assistance in raising a regiment. Ellsworth had known the president having assisted in organizing his campaign for the presidency in 1860 and received a commission to organize the 11th New York Infantry as a 90-day regiment. To the enlistees, a common yet often unknown stipulation included 90 days of service to the Federal government and up to two years of service to the state. This was not always communicated to the men who enlisted, including those of the 11th New York.

Ellsworth's military knowledge came from a life-time studying military tactics, history, and manuels and later as colonel of Chicago's National Guard Cadets. He never achieved his dream of attending West Point, as he could not gain the needed sponsorship. He was introduced to the famous French Zouaves through the teachings of his fencing instructor, Charles DeVillers, a former French Zouave. Ellsworth introduced this drill team to the flashy Zouave uniforms and drill that emulated French colonial troops in Algeria and turned the group, renamed the U.S. Zouave Cadets, into a national champion drill team. A national tour in 1860 brought Ellsworth to the attention of Abraham Lincoln, for whom the unit performed hundreds of military drill movements with their muskets and bayonets.

When a civil war seemed unavoidable, Ellsworth proceeded to New York City to recruit his own regiment from the city's volunteer fire companies, stating: "I want the New York Firemen, for there are no more effective men in the country, and none with whom I can do so much. They are sleeping on a volcano at Washington and I want men who can go into a fight now." Two days after his arrival, Ellsworth awarded officer commissions to several foremen of the volunteer fire companies and began recruiting in earnest.

Within four days, 2,300 men had answered Ellsworth's call. A selection of only the most desirable men cut that number to 1,100, which was considered a regiment's full strength. When the state could not afford to supply the new troops, fundraisers were successful in raising $60,000 for the regiment, enough to provide uniforms, several different models of Sharps rifles, and provisions.

News media covered the regiment's formation:

More work has been done in six days than seemed possible. The men have been mustered into service; the officers elected; the uniforms made, and on Sunday afternoon eleven hundred as efficient and hardy soldiers as ever handled a gun, will start for the scene of rebellion. Col. Ellsworth arrived in this city on Thursday of last week. On Friday he called together a number of the principal men of the department. On Saturday he selected his officers. On Sunday he mustered one thousand men. On Monday he drilled them.

Like most Zouave regiments, the men of the 11th New York were fashioned in uniforms not typical of the standard ensemble of a Union soldier. During their service, the 11th New York wore two different style of uniforms, the first issued during the forming of the regiment and the second shortly before the Battle of Bull Run. The initial uniforms were purchased with funds donated by the Union Defense Committee. They were based on Ellsworth's own design. The consisted of light gray jackets of a chasseur style, with dark blue and red trim along with gray trousers of a jeanscloth material with a blue stripe running down the seam, and tan leather leggings. Along with their gray uniforms, they wore red kepis with a blue band and also received a red fez with a blue tassel, military-issue shirt and/or overshirts. Many zouaves went off to war wearing the fire badge of their respective fire company. Contrary to modern art prints, the Fire Zouaves did not go off to war wearing fireman's belts or paint mottos on their fezzes. The second uniform was issued when the first, not made of quality materials, fell apart on most men. This uniform was issued by the Federal government, and to the disgust of the men, was not of the true Zouave style, but an America Zouave style. The new uniform had a dark blue Zouave jacket with red cuffs and red trimming with sky blue trimming inside the red. Blue fezzes with blue tassles were issued to provide greater flair to the uniform, as well as dark blue sashes, an issue of red overshirts (not fireman's shirts), and dark blue trousers. Before the First Battle of Bull Run, most of the Zouaves left their jackets in camp due to the July heat, however, they all retained their blue and red fezes, and their red blue banded kepis. A number of havelocks were also issued to the regiment. Before the regiment departed from New York City on April 29, 1861, its members were reviewed by General John Adams Dix, Ambassador Cassius Marcellus Clay of Kentucky, as well as other notable members of the city and its fire department. Soon after, they marched through the streets escorted by 5,000 firemen. Along the way, they received from the fire department a large white flag measuring 68 inches (1.7 m) by 54 inches (1.4 m) to serve as the regimental colors. The wife of John Jacob Astor II also presented the unit with a flag. Unbeknownst to the regiment, Washington D.C. had postponed their departure because they did not comply with army regulations. John E. Wool, commander of the Department of the East, knew of the postponement, but allowed the men to disembark, unaware the steamer Baltic carried no provisions. Quartermaster Arthur quickly purchased five day rations, by paying a higher price, and hired three tug boats to catch the steamer to deliver them. The Baltic arrived in Annapolis, Maryland where the men boarded a train to Washington, D.C..

In Washington, men in the regiment broke into taverns, frightened women, swedged on meals and pursued imagined Confederates. They were returned to New York City and quartered in Battery Park. Their public antics and insubordination continued. Arthur had arrested any Fire Zouave found on the streets and jailed them on a steamer. When the number jailed reached 400 the steamer embarked to Hampton Roads where the men were banded with another regiment.