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Author Topic: Confederate Zouave question  (Read 5975 times)

Offline tuco74

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Confederate Zouave question
« on: May 10, 2019, 11:23:35 AM »
I'm trying to find a uniform and flag resource for Confederate Zouaves, can anybody help?

I'm specifically trying to find information on 5th - 9th Louisiana (Hay's Brigade) in the Wilderness.

Ideally I don't want to paint the striped trousers lol if that's an option for at least one regiment and also want to know if all of the regiments carried both the Louisiana state flag and the Louisiana Tigers battle flag.

I'm also not clear if they wore the Zouave uniform by that stage, although I'm happy to represent them that way for a bit of variety and colour (and because I've got the Perry box that needs painting).

Offline Battle Brush Sigur

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Re: Confederate Zouave question
« Reply #1 on: May 10, 2019, 11:46:33 AM »
As far as I know only like one company of that one regiment wore the famous Zouave uniforms anyway and on top of that they'd been replaced rather quickly after a few months in the field. Usually only the battleflag of the confederacy would have been carried. Very early on some others would be carried, but there was a specific order to have them sent back home and only carry the battle flag (which is why relatively many of the individual and state flags are still around, I heard).

So by 1864 the Zouave uniforms would have been gone and they'd wear the usual irregular regular dress of the Confederate soldier, same with state flags in the Confederate army. If you really want to depict the 9th Louisiana to look a bit different I think you could maybe use a Zouave head with the fez here and there? Bunch of guys wearing them for good luck or something? :D But yeah, in general by the battle of the wilderness the 9th Louisiana would look just like the rest of the Confederate army in the area.

Offline tuco74

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Re: Confederate Zouave question
« Reply #2 on: May 10, 2019, 12:02:23 PM »
Yeah, I figured that would be the case from what I've read but I'm probably going to model them with the full Zouave uniform (and relevant flags) anyway for some variety. I've seen references to various Louisiana Zouave regiments though and I'm trying to find something that will confirm which ones in particular.

Offline Jemima Fawr

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Re: Confederate Zouave question
« Reply #3 on: May 10, 2019, 02:02:39 PM »
I can't pretend to be any sort of expert, but I was wondering the same thing last year and from scouring the books and internet discussions, it seems that as has been said, the 'Tiger' Zouave uniform was only really worn by one (the 'Tiger Rifles') company of one regiment for the first year of the war.  An officer's letter from May 1862 describes some members of the company still wearing the uniform, but that's it.

Note that the uniform jacket was BLUE, not brown.  The brown apparently stems from a single faded example that had turned brown with age, but microscopic analysis (including fragments of uniforms found in Tiger Zouave graves) shows blue indigo dye.

There was also Coppens' 1st Louisiana Zouave Battalion, which wore a very similar uniform, though with red trousers instead of blue/white stripes - looking VERY much like the Union 5th New York 'Fire' Zouaves.  The entire battalion was dressed this way, though again, the uniform only really lasted for the first year of the war.

As you say though, the Confederate Zouaves are fun to have, so what the hell... ;)



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Offline tuco74

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Re: Confederate Zouave question
« Reply #4 on: May 10, 2019, 02:27:23 PM »
I can't pretend to be any sort of expert, but I was wondering the same thing last year and from scouring the books and internet discussions, it seems that as has been said, the 'Tiger' Zouave uniform was only really worn by one (the 'Tiger Rifles') company of one regiment for the first year of the war.  An officer's letter from May 1862 describes some members of the company still wearing the uniform, but that's it.

Thanks, that's very useful - I think I'm going to include them in the full kit just for the hell of it and a splash of colour!

Offline SteveBurt

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Re: Confederate Zouave question
« Reply #5 on: May 10, 2019, 03:02:00 PM »
I read somewhere that their trousers were made from bed ticking material, so a bit like this:

Offline Jemima Fawr

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Re: Confederate Zouave question
« Reply #6 on: May 10, 2019, 05:28:09 PM »
Yes, apparently in 'Wedgwood Blue' stripe - the same colour as Wedgwood blue & white pottery (Wedgwood Blue is also the colour of RAF shirts) - a medium-light blue.

Offline vtsaogames

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Re: Confederate Zouave question
« Reply #7 on: May 10, 2019, 05:51:39 PM »
The jacket was blue but the dye rapidly faded to brown in sunlight, hence the drawings of the Tigers in brown jackets. The Confederates had trouble producing colorfast dyes. In mid 1864 they came up with a colorfast grey dye. It was fairly dark and likely contributed to the friendly fire incident at the Wilderness that badly wounded Longstreet and killed one of his division commanders.
And the glorious general led the advance
With a glorious swish of his sword and his lance
And a glorious clank of his tin-plated pants. - Dr. Seuss


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Offline Battle Brush Sigur

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Re: Confederate Zouave question
« Reply #8 on: May 10, 2019, 07:53:42 PM »

Yeah, now that we got the harsh reality out of the way... I gotta admit that I also did a whole "regiment" of Tiger Rifles Zouaves for my own brigade. :D





Also note the two flags. :O

Offline Jemima Fawr

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Re: Confederate Zouave question
« Reply #9 on: May 10, 2019, 09:02:53 PM »
Nice!  They look remarkably similar to mine... Except a lot bigger and better, of course!  :D

Offline sepoy1857

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Re: Confederate Zouave question
« Reply #10 on: May 10, 2019, 11:44:59 PM »
"I'm specifically trying to find information on 5th - 9th Louisiana (Hay's Brigade) in the Wilderness." The 5th -9th LA were never Zouaves. For the wilderness they would have worn the standard Army of Northern Virginia issue late war uniforms; ie. British Army Blue Grey mostly with a smattering of jean cloth as well. https://www.facebook.com/libertyrifles/photos/a.1767794983518092/2087455358218718/?type=3&theater&ifg=1Or This one: https://www.authentic-campaigner.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=53263&d=1557370403
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Offline Jemima Fawr

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Re: Confederate Zouave question
« Reply #11 on: May 11, 2019, 01:58:15 AM »
You just had to kill the joy... ;)

Offline sepoy1857

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Re: Confederate Zouave question
« Reply #12 on: May 11, 2019, 04:18:09 AM »
You just had to kill the joy... ;)
YEP...muahahahahahahaaaaaaaa...

Offline tuco74

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Re: Confederate Zouave question
« Reply #13 on: May 11, 2019, 07:05:23 AM »

Offline tuco74

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Re: Confederate Zouave question
« Reply #14 on: May 11, 2019, 07:06:02 AM »
I'm going to have to paint stripey trousers aren't I?