I’ve had a few requests, so it’s time I do another Civil
War Bivouac. In
this edition of the Civil War Bivouac, I wish to introduce you to a dear
friend who will be presenting a guest post today.
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Skip Griffiths and Loree Huebner
Remembrance Day - Gettysburg, PA - On Little Round Top
With General Warren
Photo by Eric Huebner |
I met David (Skip) Griffiths online over 10 years ago. Yes, this
was back in the day when chat rooms were popular…but it wasn’t the “pick up”
kind of chat room. We were part of a group of history hosts in a
Civil War chat room for AOL’s infamous, Mason/Dixon Line Room. This chat room on AOL’s, Research and Learn, was dedicated to the history of the Civil War only. As
hosts, we monitored conversations and debates, keeping the peace between the
North and South. We also presented Civil War trivia twice a week to a large
online audience, and hosted cyber round tables, as well as interviews
with famous Civil War historians and authors. Skip was Host General GK
Warren, and I was Host Hardtack.
After the chat room closed, Skip and I kept in touch through
email. Eric and I finally met Skip and his lovely wife, Arlene, in person—in
Gettysburg. We’ve been great friends since. The four of us have actually spent
a few weekends together in Gettysburg, walking the battlefields and sharing the
history.
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Loree Huebner with Arlene and Skip Griffiths
O'Rorkes - Gettysburg, PA
Photo by Eric Huebner |
When I met Skip, he was a re-enactor in the 5th New
York Duryee Zouaves—the very same regiment that the late, great, popular Civil War
historian, Brian Pohanka was Captain. Skip was also president of the
organization before Brian Pohanka passed away in 2005. Nowadays, when he isn’t
organizing a reenactment, Skip is a Civil War historian, speaking and educating
history fans on the Zouave. The Zouave units were notable for their bright
colored uniforms and participation at Fort Donelson, Gaines Mill, Antietam, Gettysburg to
name a few. I can already tell that we will have to call Skip back
for a second guest post on the Zouaves sometime in the future…but for now,
please welcome my friend and Civil War Historian/Zouave
expert, Skip Griffiths. Take it away, Skip!
ZOUAVES
Thank you, Loree! Welcome everyone!
When I was a kid in school I
discovered that my favorite subject was American History. I learned at the age
of nine that my favorite period in time was the Civil War. When I became an
adult, I learned the cold hard truth that my history teachers lied to me. They
told me that the Union wore blue uniforms and the Confederacy wore gray. They
never mentioned the soldiers who wore red, green or butternut. They also never
mentioned that during the first Battle of Bull Run, so many different uniforms
were worn that it became confusing and regiments on both sides fired at
friendly regiments. Had these teachers, many I still call friends, told me the
truth, I might have become obsessed with Zouaves earlier instead of later in my
life.
What is a Zouave you might ask? I
define a Zouave as a French infantry soldier that was
originally composed of members of nomadic tribes of North Africa, who wore the
baggy trousers, braided jackets and tasseled fez. They were well trained
soldiers and fierce fighters who only succumbed to the overwhelming better
weapons of the French. After France completed their foray into Africa, Louis
Napoleon III, the emperor, created three corps of Zouaves in the French army.
The best soldiers of those corps formed a fourth corps that became his Imperial
Guard. They became the best trained soldiers in the world in the nineteenth
century.
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Skip Griffiths and Eric Huebner
Remembrance Day - Gettysburg, PA
Photo by Loree Huebner |
How did they come to the United
States? In 1854-1855 a war between France, Britain, and Russia broke out on the
Crimean Peninsula. It was here that the Zouaves validated their reputation as
the best soldiers in the world. In numerous charges with the bayonet they were
able to secure key cities and positions to defeat the Russians. As with many
wars in the nineteenth century, other countries sent observers to learn new
tactics and discover new inventions. The United States was no different. They
sent a young captain named George B. McClellan (later Major General of the Army
of the Potomac during the CW), with others to watch. Captain McClellan thought
that the Zouave “was the beau ideal of a soldier”. Although the War Department
dismissed the Zouave as too expensive to outfit and train, the idea for Zouaves
in the military did not end there.
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Loree Huebner with Skip Griffiths
Remembrance Day - Gettysburg, PA
Photo by Eric Huebner |
A young man from upstate New York
had moved out to Illinois and taken a position of a law clerk in the law
offices of Herndon and Lincoln. His name was Elmer E. Ellsworth. While in
Chicago, Ellsworth had met a veteran Zouave of the Crimean War. He convinced
the man to train him in the tactics and drill to become a Zouave. After months
of training, Ellsworth formed his own militia unit, the U.S. Zouave Cadets.
They became one of the best trained militias in the country. In 1860, Ellsworth
took his militia around the country and competed in competitions of tactics and
drill. The Zouaves never lost a competition, and when the Zouave Cadets left a
city, a Zouave regiment was established. Captain Elmer E. Ellsworth had firmly
established the Zouave into the American culture. When the Civil War started in
April 1861, Ellsworth and many other men formed Zouave regiments.
Unfortunately, for Ellsworth, he has the distinction of being the first officer
killed when he shot retrieving a Confederate flag from the roof top of the
Marshall House in Alexandria, Virginia. It happened that President Lincoln
could see that flag being flown from the White House.
There were about 50 Zouave regiments
formed throughout the American Civil War on both sides during the war. Many of
the Northern Zouave regiments came from New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana.
The southern Zouave came out of Louisiana, because of the heavy French
influence. There were northern Zouave regiments present at Lee’s surrender of
Appomattox. The Zouave ended in the United States after the Civil War, except
for a band of Zouaves in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show. In France, the Zouave
lasted until the middle of World War.
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Skip Griffiths is a Civil War Re-enactor, Civil War Historian and Speaker
He resides in New York State with his family
Photo courtesy of David (Skip) Griffiths private photo album |
Thank you Skip!
Thanks for giving us a brief history of the Zouave—so fascinating!
Thanks for having me. It’s been a
pleasure.
What
do you think of the Zouave uniforms?
We would love to
hear from you!
Between you, me
and the gatepost,
Loree
