11th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment
Encyclopedia
The 11th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment was an infantry
regiment
of Union Army
in the early years of the American Civil War
. The regiment was organized in New York City in May 1861 as a Zouave
regiment, known for its unusual dress and drill style, by Colonel
Elmer E. Ellsworth
, a personal friend of U.S. President
Abraham Lincoln
. Drawn from the ranks of the city's many volunteer fire companies, the unit was known alternately as the Ellsworth Zouaves, First Fire Zouaves, First Regiment New York Zouaves, and U.S. National Guards.
The unit was among the first to occupy the territory of a Confederate
state when it captured Alexandria
, Virginia
on May 24, 1861, less than 24 hours after the Commonwealth
seceded
from the Union
. The regiment suffered extensive casualties during the First Battle of Bull Run
during the fighting on Henry House Hill
and while serving as the rear guard for the retreating Union army.
The regiment would later be stationed near Hampton Roads
during the Peninsula Campaign
, but experienced little fighting. Sent back to New York City in May 1862, the regiment was mustered out of service on June 2, 1862. There were several attempts to reorganize as a light infantry
regiment through the summer of 1863, and many new enlistees were involved in suppressing the New York Draft Riots
but those efforts failed and the enlistees were transferred to the 17th New York Veteran Volunteer Infantry Regiment
.
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 rifle
s, and provisions.
News media covered the regiment's formation:
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 Zouave style. 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 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.
, the enlisted men took it upon themselves to set up a mock session, passing a law first abolishing the House of Representatives, then the Union and reconstituting both in a manner of their liking. The more embarrassing and lawbreaking actions by the regiment included the burning of fences, which resulted in a letter of reprimand
from Brigadier General
Joseph K. Mansfield
along with six enlisted men being removed and sent back to New York. On May 7, the 11th New York was officially sworn into Federal service by Brig. Gen. Irvin McDowell
on the East Front of the unfinished Capitol in the presence of Lincoln, his son Tad
and personal secretary John Hay
.
On May 9, the regiment had an opportunity to apply their experience as firefighters when asked to help extinguish a blaze at the Willard Hotel
. Upon receiving word from General Mansfield, commander of the Department of Washington, Ellsworth dispatched ten men from each company to attend to the fire. Soon however, the entire regiment responded to the blaze. With Ellsworth having more men on the scene than the Washington Fire Department, he claimed the fire chief's trumpet and assumed command of the incident. When the fire was extinguished, Henry Willard, owner of the hotel, invited the regiment to breakfast and money was collected providing them with $500.
After nine days quartered at the Capitol, the men of the 11th New York were moved to the heights near the Insane Asylum
to Camp Lincoln. This move would allow for easy transport across the Potomac and into Virginia when necessary. While just five miles (8 km) from the Capitol, the standard of living the men were used to had changed dramatically, as their usual foodstuffs were replaced with beef steak, dry bread, and coffee. Ellsworth wrote to his wife that they had not had butter in a week.
When the Commonwealth of Virginia seceded from the Union on May 23, the regiment was ordered to assist in the occupation of Arlington Heights and Alexandria
, Virginia
, directly across the Potomac River
from Washington. On May 24, the regiment boarded the steamers Baltimore and Mount Vernon and was transported across the Potomac, landing at the Alexandria wharves under the guard of the gunboat Pawnee
. The 11th New York was one of eight to enter Virginia, and Ellsworth's men met no resistance as they moved through the streets.
After landing, members of Company E under Captain Leveridge were sent to take the railroad station, while Ellsworth, Major Charles Loeser, Lieutenant H. J. Winser and several men from Company A set out to secure the telegraph office. On the way there, Ellsworth spotted a Confederate flag atop the Marshall House inn. It was the same flag Ellsworth had seen for weeks from the White House during his visits with Lincoln. Ellsworth's group entered the inn and quickly cut down the flag, but they encountered the proprietor, James Jackson, as they descended the stairs. Jackson killed Ellsworth with a shotgun blast to the chest, and Cpl. Francis Brownell responded in kind by fatally shooting the innkeeper.
After the death of Ellsworth, Noah L. Farnham, the regiment's lieutenant colonel, was the obvious choice to take command. He was reluctant, however, labeling it an "unwelcome responsibility". His appointment was graded as temporary, he was not commissioned as the regiment's colonel and remained at rank while in its command. Regardless, he was a popular choice both with the enlisted men and in New York. One enlisted wrote in a letter home, "We have great faith in Colonel Farnham, having known him long and intimately as one deserving the confidence and esteem of his associates, and fully deserving of the position that he now occupies." Several of the officers recruited by Ellsworth, however, did not approve and caused a small controversy by resigning their commissions.
The regiment remained on guard duty in and around Alexandria until July 15, 1861, when orders were received attaching the regiment to Orlando B. Willcox
's brigade, of Samuel P. Heintzelman
's division, in Brig. Gen. Irvin McDowell's Army of Northeast Virginia
. They were to march out the next morning. From July 16 to July 21, the regiment advanced to intercept Brig. Gen. P. G. T. Beauregard
's Confederate Army of the Potomac
. Three of McDowell's five divisions advanced towards Bull Run, outside the railroad junction at Manassas
, Virginia
. The 11th New York expected to first engage Confederates at Fairfax Court House on July 17, only to find that they had pulled back towards Centreville
, leaving Quaker Gun
s in their place. These movements were to precipitate the first large-scale battle of the Civil War.
The Zouaves' first major combat experience occurred during the First Battle of Bull Run
. On the morning of July 21, Farnham's men were awoken at 2:00 a.m. to begin their march to intercept the Confederate army. McDowell's plan for the day was for divisions under Colonel Daniel Tyler
and Brig. Gen. Heintzelman to cross Bull Run at Sudley Ford, expected to be only several miles north of their camp. Poor scouting by Union chief engineer John G. Barnard
resulted in a 14 miles (22.5 km) march for men entering battle that morning. During the march, lead units engaged skirmishers east of Sudley's Ford with artillery in the early dawn. McDowell had divided his three divisions, sending Heintzelman to the north, sweeping down to cover the Union right, and thus his was the last division to engage. The other two divisions, under Tyler and David Hunter
, engaged first on the Union left and center, at Matthews Hill. With those divisions facing heavy resistance, Heintzelman's division with the 11th New York was called forward at the double-quick. One observer commented that the 11th New York looked more like firemen randomly running to a fire than soldiers marching towards the front.
As the fight moved from Matthews Hill to Henry House Hill
, the 11th New York fought beside the 1st Minnesota Volunteer Infantry
Regiment and a battalion of Union regulars. These units were ordered to support two batteries of cannon on the Federal right flank led by Captains Charles Griffin and James B. Ricketts
. The 11th New York and 1st Minnesota were directed into position at the top of Henry House Hill by Major William Farquhar Barry
, McDowell's chief of artillery, and ordered to assault the Confederate line. On the initial confrontation with the 33rd Virginia Infantry
on the left of Confederate General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson's
line, both the Union and Confederate forces were initially confused because the 11th New York were wearing gray and the Virginians were clad in dark blue frock coats and dark blue trousers. Both sides soon opened fire, and the New Yorkers and Minnesotans fell back from the hill.
As the 11th New York and 1st Minnesota were regrouping along the Manassas-Sudley Road, they were encountered by Confederate Colonel J. E. B. Stuart and his 150 cavalrymen. Stuart mistook the gray-clad New Yorkers for retreating Confederates and quickly rode forward, shouting, “Don’t run, boys; we are here.” But after seeing a color bearer passing with the United States flag, he realized his mistake. Stuart ordered a small band of "Black Horse" cavalry, led by R. Welby Carter and the men of his Loudoun Company, to charge from the right and strike the 11th's rear guard. The 11th New York saw them coming and shifted formations to meet Carter's men. The 11th's volleys quickly killed eight of the riders and wounded nine with the rest escaping back into the woods; the charge had little effect on the organization of Fire Zouaves. While repulsing the cavalry charge, Colonel Farnham was wounded, but remained on the field aided by Lt. Colonel John Cregier and Major Loeser.
By 2:00 p.m., the 11th New York and 1st Minnesota were joined by the 14th Brooklyn Regiment
and again took their place behind the Union guns. However, soon confusion again erupted on the battlefield in front of them. As the gunners confronted the blue-clad 33rd Virginia, Major Barry ordered Ricketts to hold his fire, allowing the Virginians to charge the batteries and capture the guns. While the 14th Brooklyn was able to quickly retake the guns, the Union regiments supporting the cannon were unable to withstand the near constant barrage from Confederate artillery and infantry and fell back again to the Manassas-Sudley Road. The 11th New York, 69th New York Militia
and 14th Brooklyn would charge Henry Hill four times, first in an effort to protect Ricketts' and Griffin's cannon, and later to push back the advancing Confederate forces, but each attempt failed. In the wild melee, the 69th's color bearers were killed and its colors lost but an officer of the 11th, Captain John Wildey, was able to recapture the Irish color.
When the order to withdraw from the field came later that evening from General McDowell, the 11th New York served as a rearguard. It was during this retreat that the regiment saw its heaviest casualties. Although accounts of the battle differ, most sources list 177 men lost at Bull Run, with 35 men killed, 74 wounded, and another 68 missing and presumed captured. Those that were taken prisoner were initially confined in Richmond
. In September, they were transferred to Castle Pinckney
, South Carolina
, where they remained until they were paroled the following May.
, at the request of Secretary of War Simon Cameron
, to return to Virginia with two days' cooked rations. They were to be encamped at Fort Monroe
on the tip of the Virginia Peninsula
. Morgan must not have been quick to follow up with Cameron, as two days later Cameron sent him a cable pleading for an update, asking, "Did you send the Fire Zouaves to Fort Monroe, as indicated in your message of the 14th?"
An entry from January 31, 1862, of the Official Records
places the 11th New York as a unit of the Department of Virginia at Camp Butler under the command of Brig. Gen. Joseph Mansfield. On March 8, 1862, they watched from shore as the USS Monitor
and CSS Virginia
dueled off the coast of Hampton Roads
. Two members of the regiment were detailed to the nearby USS Cumberland
and manned its cannons until they were forced to abandon ship. With manpower further depleted as a result of injury and disease, the regiment was returned to New York City on May 7. There, it was mustered out of service on June 2, 1862.
. O'Brien was required to raise 250 men by August 1, 250 others by September 1, and an additional 250 men by November 1. These recruiting efforts were hampered by the draft riot in New York City
of July 1863.
As the 11th New York Regiment had experienced first hand, the First Battle of Bull Run in July 1861 had taken a heavy toll on Union forces, including those from New York City. As the war dragged on, a military manpower shortage occurred in the Union and Congress passed the first conscription act in United States history on March 3, 1863, authorizing the President to draft male citizens between the ages of 18 and 35 for a three-year term of military service.
Initially intended to express anger at the draft, the protests deteriorated into "a virtual racial pogrom, with uncounted numbers of blacks murdered on the streets". The conditions in the city were such that Major General John E. Wool
stated on July 16, "Martial law
ought to be proclaimed, but I have not a sufficient force to enforce it".
States' militias and Federal troops attached to the Army of the Potomac, including the newly reorganized 11th New York, were dispatched to quell the riots. Other regiments utilized included the 152nd New York, the 26th Michigan
, the 27th Indiana
and the 7th Regiment New York State Militia, which arrived from Frederick
, Maryland
after a forced march. In addition, New York governor Horatio Seymour
sent the 74th and 65th regiments of the New York state militia, which had not been federalized, and a section of the 20th Artillery
from Fort Schuyler in Throgs Neck
. At the height of the violence, Colonel O'Brien, the 11th Regiment's commanding officer, was seized by the mob, beaten, and killed. In the wake of the riots, the reorganization produced few recruits and stalled. On October 1, 1863, the reorganization was discontinued and the men who had enlisted were transferred to the 17th Veteran Infantry Regiment.
During its limited but intense combat experience, the regiment saw 51 members killed, including three officers and 48 enlisted men. Among these was the regiment's first commander, Colonel Elmer E. Ellsworth, who was the first conspicuous casualty of the Civil War. Private Francis E. Brownell
became the first soldier in the Civil War to be awarded the Medal of Honor
for his actions in killing Col. Ellsworth's murderer.
Following Ellsworth's death, Remember Ellsworth! and Avenge Ellsworth became Union rallying cries. The 44th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment
was raised by the People's Ellsworth Committee and were known as the "People's Ellsworth Regiment", or more commonly "Ellsworth's Avengers", under the command of Stephen W. Stryker, a former lieutenant in the 11th New York.
Apart from those who died of battle wounds, three officers and 12 enlisted men succumbed to disease, including its second colonel, Noah Farnham, who died as a result of his wounds sustained at Bull Run and a bout of typhoid. A total of 66 men of the 11th New York Infantry Regiment died in the course of the war.
In 1903, the flag for which Ellsworth gave his life, taken down from the top of Marshal House, was presented to the War Department by its custodian, the Ellsworth Post, Grand Army of the Republic
. The flag had been carried by the regiment throughout the war and afterward maintained at their post headquarters. It was added to the war flag collection in Cullum Memorial Hall at West Point
.
Historian David Detzer has argued that the fame that surrounds the 11th New York is misplaced. During its time in service, the 11th New York Regiment saw little fighting compared to other well-known regiments such as the 69th New York
, 20th Maine
, and 28th Massachusetts
. The 11th New York was often overshadowed by the 73rd New York
, also known as the Second Fire Zouaves, which fought at Antietam
, Gettysburg
, and Appomattox
. In addition, Ellsworth failed to consider that the New York City fire companies from which his troops were drawn often competed against each other at blazes. The cohesion he sought in firefighters did not exist and would not be created when they joined the regiment. In that respect, 11th New York was no different than many regiments, North and South.
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
of Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
in the early years of the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. The regiment was organized in New York City in May 1861 as a Zouave
Zouave
Zouave was the title given to certain light infantry regiments in the French Army, normally serving in French North Africa between 1831 and 1962. The name was also adopted during the 19th century by units in other armies, especially volunteer regiments raised for service in the American Civil War...
regiment, known for its unusual dress and drill style, by Colonel
Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, colonel is a senior field grade military officer rank just above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general...
Elmer E. Ellsworth
Elmer E. Ellsworth
-External links:* * * * * *...
, a personal friend of U.S. President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
. Drawn from the ranks of the city's many volunteer fire companies, the unit was known alternately as the Ellsworth Zouaves, First Fire Zouaves, First Regiment New York Zouaves, and U.S. National Guards.
The unit was among the first to occupy the territory of a Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
state when it captured Alexandria
Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2009, the city had a total population of 139,966. Located along the Western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately six miles south of downtown Washington, D.C.Like the rest of northern Virginia, as well as...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
on May 24, 1861, less than 24 hours after the Commonwealth
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
seceded
Secession
Secession is the act of withdrawing from an organization, union, or especially a political entity. Threats of secession also can be a strategy for achieving more limited goals.-Secession theory:...
from the Union
Union (American Civil War)
During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...
. The regiment suffered extensive casualties during the First Battle of Bull Run
First Battle of Bull Run
First Battle of Bull Run, also known as First Manassas , was fought on July 21, 1861, in Prince William County, Virginia, near the City of Manassas...
during the fighting on Henry House Hill
Henry House Hill
Henry House Hill is a location near Bull Run in Virginia. Named for the house of the Henry family that sits atop it, the hill begins near the road of Centreville, Virginia, after Warrenton, Virginia, to the today's U.S. Route 29, the Warrenton Turnpike. It is a slow, constant rise toward the south...
and while serving as the rear guard for the retreating Union army.
The regiment would later be stationed near Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads is the name for both a body of water and the Norfolk–Virginia Beach metropolitan area which surrounds it in southeastern Virginia, United States...
during the Peninsula Campaign
Peninsula Campaign
The Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War was a major Union operation launched in southeastern Virginia from March through July 1862, the first large-scale offensive in the Eastern Theater. The operation, commanded by Maj. Gen. George B...
, but experienced little fighting. Sent back to New York City in May 1862, the regiment was mustered out of service on June 2, 1862. There were several attempts to reorganize as a light infantry
Light infantry
Traditionally light infantry were soldiers whose job was to provide a skirmishing screen ahead of the main body of infantry, harassing and delaying the enemy advance. Light infantry was distinct from medium, heavy or line infantry. Heavy infantry were dedicated primarily to fighting in tight...
regiment through the summer of 1863, and many new enlistees were involved in suppressing the New York Draft Riots
New York Draft Riots
The New York City draft riots were violent disturbances in New York City that were the culmination of discontent with new laws passed by Congress to draft men to fight in the ongoing American Civil War. The riots were the largest civil insurrection in American history apart from the Civil War itself...
but those efforts failed and the enlistees were transferred to the 17th New York Veteran Volunteer Infantry Regiment
17th New York Veteran Volunteer Infantry Regiment
The 17th New York Veteran Volunteer Infantry Regiment was an Infantry Regiment that served in the United States Army during the American Civil War. It was often referred to as the17th New York Veteran Zouaves and was known for using mules as mounts during Sherman's March to the Sea up until the...
.
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 presidencyUnited States presidential election, 1860
The United States presidential election of 1860 was a quadrennial election, held on November 6, 1860, for the office of President of the United States and the immediate impetus for the outbreak of the American Civil War. The nation had been divided throughout the 1850s on questions surrounding the...
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
Drill team
A drill team can be one of four different entities:# A Military Drill Team is marching unit that performs routines based on military drill. Military drill teams perform either armed or unarmed....
to the flashy Zouave
Zouave
Zouave was the title given to certain light infantry regiments in the French Army, normally serving in French North Africa between 1831 and 1962. The name was also adopted during the 19th century by units in other armies, especially volunteer regiments raised for service in the American Civil War...
uniforms and drill that emulated French colonial troops in Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
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 rifle
Sharps Rifle
Sharps rifles were those of a series begun with a design by Christian Sharps. Sharps rifles were renowned for long range and high accuracy in their day.-History:Sharps's initial rifle was patented September 17, 1848 and manufactured by A. S...
s, and provisions.
News media covered the regiment's formation:
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
Chasseur
Chasseur [sha-sur; Fr. sha-sœr] is the designation given to certain regiments of French light infantry or light cavalry troops, trained for rapid action.-History:...
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 Zouave style. 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 regiment departed from New York City on April 29, 1861, its members were reviewed by General John Adams Dix
John Adams Dix
John Adams Dix was an American politician from New York. He served as Secretary of the Treasury, U.S. Senator, and the 24th Governor of New York. He was also a Union major general during the Civil War.-Early life and career:...
, 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
John E. Wool
John Ellis Wool was an officer in the United States Army during three consecutive U.S. wars: the War of 1812, the Mexican-American War and the American Civil War. By the time of the Mexican-American War, he was widely considered one of the most capable officers in the army and a superb organizer...
, 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
Annapolis, Maryland
Annapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Maryland, as well as the county seat of Anne Arundel County. It had a population of 38,394 at the 2010 census and is situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east of Washington, D.C. Annapolis is...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
where the men boarded a train to Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
.
In Washington, men in the regiment broke into taverns, frightened women, swedged on meals and pursued imagined Confederates
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
. They were returned to New York City and quartered in Battery Park
Battery Park
Battery Park is a 25-acre public park located at the Battery, the southern tip of Manhattan Island in New York City, facing New York Harbor. The Battery is named for artillery batteries that were positioned there in the city's early years in order to protect the settlement behind them...
. 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
Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads is the name for both a body of water and the Norfolk–Virginia Beach metropolitan area which surrounds it in southeastern Virginia, United States...
where the men were banded with another regiment.
Early action
The regiment arrived in Washington, D.C., on the evening of May 2. There, they completed additional training and performed picket duty throughout the District. While quartered on the floor of the United States House of RepresentativesUnited States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
, the enlisted men took it upon themselves to set up a mock session, passing a law first abolishing the House of Representatives, then the Union and reconstituting both in a manner of their liking. The more embarrassing and lawbreaking actions by the regiment included the burning of fences, which resulted in a letter of reprimand
Letter of reprimand
A letter of reprimand is a United States Department of Defense procedure involving a letter to an employee or soldier from his or her superior that details the wrongful actions of the person and the punishment that can be expected...
from Brigadier General
Brigadier general (United States)
A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
Joseph K. Mansfield
Joseph K. Mansfield
Joseph King Fenno Mansfield was a career United States Army officer, civil engineer, and a Union general in the American Civil War, mortally wounded at the Battle of Antietam.-Early life:...
along with six enlisted men being removed and sent back to New York. On May 7, the 11th New York was officially sworn into Federal service by Brig. Gen. Irvin McDowell
Irvin McDowell
Irvin McDowell was a career American army officer. He is best known for his defeat in the First Battle of Bull Run, the first large-scale battle of the American Civil War.-Early life:...
on the East Front of the unfinished Capitol in the presence of Lincoln, his son Tad
Tad Lincoln
Thomas "Tad" Lincoln was the fourth and youngest son of Abraham and Mary Lincoln. The nickname "Tad" was given to him by his father who found Thomas "as wriggly as a tadpole" when he was a baby. Tad was known to be impulsive, unrestrained, and did not attend school...
and personal secretary John Hay
John Hay
John Milton Hay was an American statesman, diplomat, author, journalist, and private secretary and assistant to Abraham Lincoln.-Early life:...
.
On May 9, the regiment had an opportunity to apply their experience as firefighters when asked to help extinguish a blaze at the Willard Hotel
Willard InterContinental Washington
The Willard InterContinental Washington is an historic luxury Beaux-Arts hotel located at 1401 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C. Among its facilities are numerous luxurious guest rooms, several restaurants, the famed Round Robin Bar, the Peacock Alley series of luxury shops, and voluminous...
. Upon receiving word from General Mansfield, commander of the Department of Washington, Ellsworth dispatched ten men from each company to attend to the fire. Soon however, the entire regiment responded to the blaze. With Ellsworth having more men on the scene than the Washington Fire Department, he claimed the fire chief's trumpet and assumed command of the incident. When the fire was extinguished, Henry Willard, owner of the hotel, invited the regiment to breakfast and money was collected providing them with $500.
After nine days quartered at the Capitol, the men of the 11th New York were moved to the heights near the Insane Asylum
St. Elizabeths Hospital
St. Elizabeths Hospital is a psychiatric hospital operated by the District of Columbia Department of Mental Health. It was the first large-scale, federally-run psychiatric hospital in the United States. Housing several thousand patients at its peak, St. Elizabeths had a fully functioning...
to Camp Lincoln. This move would allow for easy transport across the Potomac and into Virginia when necessary. While just five miles (8 km) from the Capitol, the standard of living the men were used to had changed dramatically, as their usual foodstuffs were replaced with beef steak, dry bread, and coffee. Ellsworth wrote to his wife that they had not had butter in a week.
When the Commonwealth of Virginia seceded from the Union on May 23, the regiment was ordered to assist in the occupation of Arlington Heights and Alexandria
Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2009, the city had a total population of 139,966. Located along the Western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately six miles south of downtown Washington, D.C.Like the rest of northern Virginia, as well as...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, directly across the Potomac River
Potomac River
The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States. The river is approximately long, with a drainage area of about 14,700 square miles...
from Washington. On May 24, the regiment boarded the steamers Baltimore and Mount Vernon and was transported across the Potomac, landing at the Alexandria wharves under the guard of the gunboat Pawnee
USS Pawnee (1859)
The first USS Pawnee was a sloop-of-war in the United States Navy during the American Civil War. She was named for the Pawnee Indian tribe....
. The 11th New York was one of eight to enter Virginia, and Ellsworth's men met no resistance as they moved through the streets.
After landing, members of Company E under Captain Leveridge were sent to take the railroad station, while Ellsworth, Major Charles Loeser, Lieutenant H. J. Winser and several men from Company A set out to secure the telegraph office. On the way there, Ellsworth spotted a Confederate flag atop the Marshall House inn. It was the same flag Ellsworth had seen for weeks from the White House during his visits with Lincoln. Ellsworth's group entered the inn and quickly cut down the flag, but they encountered the proprietor, James Jackson, as they descended the stairs. Jackson killed Ellsworth with a shotgun blast to the chest, and Cpl. Francis Brownell responded in kind by fatally shooting the innkeeper.
After the death of Ellsworth, Noah L. Farnham, the regiment's lieutenant colonel, was the obvious choice to take command. He was reluctant, however, labeling it an "unwelcome responsibility". His appointment was graded as temporary, he was not commissioned as the regiment's colonel and remained at rank while in its command. Regardless, he was a popular choice both with the enlisted men and in New York. One enlisted wrote in a letter home, "We have great faith in Colonel Farnham, having known him long and intimately as one deserving the confidence and esteem of his associates, and fully deserving of the position that he now occupies." Several of the officers recruited by Ellsworth, however, did not approve and caused a small controversy by resigning their commissions.
The regiment remained on guard duty in and around Alexandria until July 15, 1861, when orders were received attaching the regiment to Orlando B. Willcox
Orlando B. Willcox
Orlando Bolivar Willcox was an American soldier who served as a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Early life:...
's brigade, of Samuel P. Heintzelman
Samuel P. Heintzelman
Samuel Peter Heintzelman was a United States Army General. He served in the Seminole War, the Mexican-American War, the Yuma War, the Cortina Troubles, and the American Civil War, rising to the command of a corps....
's division, in Brig. Gen. Irvin McDowell's Army of Northeast Virginia
Army of the Potomac
The Army of the Potomac was the major Union Army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War.-History:The Army of the Potomac was created in 1861, but was then only the size of a corps . Its nucleus was called the Army of Northeastern Virginia, under Brig. Gen...
. They were to march out the next morning. From July 16 to July 21, the regiment advanced to intercept Brig. Gen. P. G. T. Beauregard
P. G. T. Beauregard
Pierre Gustave Toutant Beauregard was a Louisiana-born American military officer, politician, inventor, writer, civil servant, and the first prominent general of the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. Today he is commonly referred to as P. G. T. Beauregard, but he rarely used...
's Confederate Army of the Potomac
Army of the Potomac (Confederate)
The Confederate Army of the Potomac, whose name was short-lived, was the command under Brig. Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard in the early days of the American Civil War. Its only major combat action was the First Battle of Bull Run. Afterwards, the Army of the Shenandoah was merged into the Army of the...
. Three of McDowell's five divisions advanced towards Bull Run, outside the railroad junction at Manassas
Manassas, Virginia
The City of Manassas is an independent city surrounded by Prince William County and the independent city of Manassas Park in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Its population was 37,821 as of 2010. Manassas also surrounds the county seat for Prince William County but that county...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. The 11th New York expected to first engage Confederates at Fairfax Court House on July 17, only to find that they had pulled back towards Centreville
Centreville, Virginia
Centreville is an unincorporated community in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. Recognized by the U.S. Census Bureau as a Census Designated Place , the community population was 71,135 as of the 2010 census and is approximately west of Washington, DC.-Colonial Period:Beginning in the 1760s,...
, leaving Quaker Gun
Quaker Gun
A Quaker Gun is a deception tactic that was commonly used in warfare during the 18th and 19th centuries. Although resembling an actual cannon, the Quaker Gun was simply a wooden log, usually painted black, used to deceive an enemy. Misleading the enemy as to the strength of an emplacement was an...
s in their place. These movements were to precipitate the first large-scale battle of the Civil War.
First Bull Run
First Battle of Bull Run
First Battle of Bull Run, also known as First Manassas , was fought on July 21, 1861, in Prince William County, Virginia, near the City of Manassas...
. On the morning of July 21, Farnham's men were awoken at 2:00 a.m. to begin their march to intercept the Confederate army. McDowell's plan for the day was for divisions under Colonel Daniel Tyler
Daniel Tyler
Daniel Tyler was an iron manufacturer, railroad president, and one of the first generals of the American Civil War.-Biography:...
and Brig. Gen. Heintzelman to cross Bull Run at Sudley Ford, expected to be only several miles north of their camp. Poor scouting by Union chief engineer John G. Barnard
John G. Barnard
John Gross Barnard was a career engineering officer in the U.S. Army, serving in the Mexican-American War, as the Superintendent of the United States Military Academy and as a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War...
resulted in a 14 miles (22.5 km) march for men entering battle that morning. During the march, lead units engaged skirmishers east of Sudley's Ford with artillery in the early dawn. McDowell had divided his three divisions, sending Heintzelman to the north, sweeping down to cover the Union right, and thus his was the last division to engage. The other two divisions, under Tyler and David Hunter
David Hunter
David Hunter was a Union general in the American Civil War. He achieved fame by his unauthorized 1862 order emancipating slaves in three Southern states and as the president of the military commission trying the conspirators involved with the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln.-Early...
, engaged first on the Union left and center, at Matthews Hill. With those divisions facing heavy resistance, Heintzelman's division with the 11th New York was called forward at the double-quick. One observer commented that the 11th New York looked more like firemen randomly running to a fire than soldiers marching towards the front.
As the fight moved from Matthews Hill to Henry House Hill
Henry House Hill
Henry House Hill is a location near Bull Run in Virginia. Named for the house of the Henry family that sits atop it, the hill begins near the road of Centreville, Virginia, after Warrenton, Virginia, to the today's U.S. Route 29, the Warrenton Turnpike. It is a slow, constant rise toward the south...
, the 11th New York fought beside the 1st Minnesota Volunteer Infantry
1st Minnesota Volunteer Infantry
The 1st Regiment, Minnesota Volunteer Infantry was a volunteer infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. It was noted in particular for its gallant service and heavy casualties at the Battle of Gettysburg....
Regiment and a battalion of Union regulars. These units were ordered to support two batteries of cannon on the Federal right flank led by Captains Charles Griffin and James B. Ricketts
James B. Ricketts
James Brewerton Ricketts was a career officer in the United States Army, serving as a Union Army general in the Eastern Theater during the American Civil War.-Early life and career:...
. The 11th New York and 1st Minnesota were directed into position at the top of Henry House Hill by Major William Farquhar Barry
William Farquhar Barry
William Farquhar Barry was a career officer in the United States Army, serving as an artillery commander during the Mexican-American War and Civil War.-Birth and early years:...
, McDowell's chief of artillery, and ordered to assault the Confederate line. On the initial confrontation with the 33rd Virginia Infantry
33rd Virginia Infantry
The 33rd Virginia Volunteer Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment raised in the Commonwealth of Virginia for service in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War...
on the left of Confederate General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson's
Stonewall Jackson
ຄຽשת״ׇׂׂׂׂ֣|birth_place= Clarksburg, Virginia |death_place=Guinea Station, Virginia|placeofburial=Stonewall Jackson Memorial CemeteryLexington, Virginia|placeofburial_label= Place of burial|image=...
line, both the Union and Confederate forces were initially confused because the 11th New York were wearing gray and the Virginians were clad in dark blue frock coats and dark blue trousers. Both sides soon opened fire, and the New Yorkers and Minnesotans fell back from the hill.
As the 11th New York and 1st Minnesota were regrouping along the Manassas-Sudley Road, they were encountered by Confederate Colonel J. E. B. Stuart and his 150 cavalrymen. Stuart mistook the gray-clad New Yorkers for retreating Confederates and quickly rode forward, shouting, “Don’t run, boys; we are here.” But after seeing a color bearer passing with the United States flag, he realized his mistake. Stuart ordered a small band of "Black Horse" cavalry, led by R. Welby Carter and the men of his Loudoun Company, to charge from the right and strike the 11th's rear guard. The 11th New York saw them coming and shifted formations to meet Carter's men. The 11th's volleys quickly killed eight of the riders and wounded nine with the rest escaping back into the woods; the charge had little effect on the organization of Fire Zouaves. While repulsing the cavalry charge, Colonel Farnham was wounded, but remained on the field aided by Lt. Colonel John Cregier and Major Loeser.
14th Regiment (New York State Militia)
The 14th Regiment New York State Militia was a volunteer militia regiment from the City of Brooklyn, New York. It is primarily known for its service in the American Civil War from April 1861 to May 1864, although it later served in the Spanish American War and World War I .In the Civil War, the...
and again took their place behind the Union guns. However, soon confusion again erupted on the battlefield in front of them. As the gunners confronted the blue-clad 33rd Virginia, Major Barry ordered Ricketts to hold his fire, allowing the Virginians to charge the batteries and capture the guns. While the 14th Brooklyn was able to quickly retake the guns, the Union regiments supporting the cannon were unable to withstand the near constant barrage from Confederate artillery and infantry and fell back again to the Manassas-Sudley Road. The 11th New York, 69th New York Militia
69th Infantry Regiment (United States)
The 69th Infantry Regiment was a Regular Army infantry regiment in the United States Army.-History:There have been three different lineages started under this number: The Famous 69th Infantry Regiment , and two under the Federal designation....
and 14th Brooklyn would charge Henry Hill four times, first in an effort to protect Ricketts' and Griffin's cannon, and later to push back the advancing Confederate forces, but each attempt failed. In the wild melee, the 69th's color bearers were killed and its colors lost but an officer of the 11th, Captain John Wildey, was able to recapture the Irish color.
When the order to withdraw from the field came later that evening from General McDowell, the 11th New York served as a rearguard. It was during this retreat that the regiment saw its heaviest casualties. Although accounts of the battle differ, most sources list 177 men lost at Bull Run, with 35 men killed, 74 wounded, and another 68 missing and presumed captured. Those that were taken prisoner were initially confined in Richmond
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
. In September, they were transferred to Castle Pinckney
Castle Pinckney
Castle Pinckney was a small masonry fortification constructed by the United States government by 1810 in the harbor of Charleston, South Carolina...
, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
, where they remained until they were paroled the following May.
After Bull Run
On August 12, 1861, the remaining members of the regiment were sent back to New York City to disband, in preparation to reorganize, obtain equipment and replacements. On September 14, 1861, after reorganizing, they were ordered by Governor Edwin D. MorganEdwin D. Morgan
Edwin Denison Morgan was the 21st Governor of New York from 1859 to 1862 and served in the United States Senate from 1863 to 1869. He was the first and longest-serving chairman of the Republican National Committee...
, at the request of Secretary of War Simon Cameron
Simon Cameron
Simon Cameron was an American politician who served as United States Secretary of War for Abraham Lincoln at the start of the American Civil War. After making his fortune in railways and banking, he turned to a life of politics. He became a U.S. senator in 1845 for the state of Pennsylvania,...
, to return to Virginia with two days' cooked rations. They were to be encamped at Fort Monroe
Fort Monroe
Fort Monroe was a military installation in Hampton, Virginia—at Old Point Comfort, the southern tip of the Virginia Peninsula...
on the tip of the Virginia Peninsula
Virginia Peninsula
The Virginia Peninsula is a peninsula in southeast Virginia, USA, bounded by the York River, James River, Hampton Roads and Chesapeake Bay.Hampton Roads is the common name for the metropolitan area that surrounds the body of water of the same name...
. Morgan must not have been quick to follow up with Cameron, as two days later Cameron sent him a cable pleading for an update, asking, "Did you send the Fire Zouaves to Fort Monroe, as indicated in your message of the 14th?"
An entry from January 31, 1862, of the Official Records
Official Records of the American Civil War
The Official Records of the War of the Rebellion or often more simply the Official Records or ORs, constitute the most extensive collection of primary sources of the history of the American Civil War. Cornell University lists the official title as, "The War of the Rebellion: a Compilation of the...
places the 11th New York as a unit of the Department of Virginia at Camp Butler under the command of Brig. Gen. Joseph Mansfield. On March 8, 1862, they watched from shore as the USS Monitor
USS Monitor
USS Monitor was the first ironclad warship commissioned by the United States Navy during the American Civil War. She is most famous for her participation in the Battle of Hampton Roads on March 9, 1862, the first-ever battle fought between two ironclads...
and CSS Virginia
CSS Virginia
CSS Virginia was the first steam-powered ironclad warship of the Confederate States Navy, built during the first year of the American Civil War; she was constructed as a casemate ironclad using the raised and cut down original lower hull and steam engines of the scuttled . Virginia was one of the...
dueled off the coast of Hampton Roads
Battle of Hampton Roads
The Battle of Hampton Roads, often referred to as either the Battle of the Monitor and Merrimack or the Battle of Ironclads, was the most noted and arguably most important naval battle of the American Civil War from the standpoint of the development of navies...
. Two members of the regiment were detailed to the nearby USS Cumberland
USS Cumberland (1842)
The first USS Cumberland was a 50-gun sailing frigate of the United States Navy. She was the first ship sunk by the ironclad CSS Virginia....
and manned its cannons until they were forced to abandon ship. With manpower further depleted as a result of injury and disease, the regiment was returned to New York City on May 7. There, it was mustered out of service on June 2, 1862.
Draft Riots and disbanding
On May 18, 1863, Colonel James C. Burke received authority to reorganize the original regiment as a three-years regiment to be known as the J. T. Brady Light Infantry. Burke was required to raise 250 men for the effort but failed. His authorization was revoked on June 7 and transferred to Colonel Henry F. O'BrienHenry O'Brien
Henry O'Brien was the colonel of the 11th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment who was killed during the New York Draft Riots in 1863. As commander of the Fire Zouaves, he rallied around 150 infantry against approaching rioters in front of Oliver's Livery Stable near the East River...
. O'Brien was required to raise 250 men by August 1, 250 others by September 1, and an additional 250 men by November 1. These recruiting efforts were hampered by the draft riot in New York City
New York Draft Riots
The New York City draft riots were violent disturbances in New York City that were the culmination of discontent with new laws passed by Congress to draft men to fight in the ongoing American Civil War. The riots were the largest civil insurrection in American history apart from the Civil War itself...
of July 1863.
As the 11th New York Regiment had experienced first hand, the First Battle of Bull Run in July 1861 had taken a heavy toll on Union forces, including those from New York City. As the war dragged on, a military manpower shortage occurred in the Union and Congress passed the first conscription act in United States history on March 3, 1863, authorizing the President to draft male citizens between the ages of 18 and 35 for a three-year term of military service.
Initially intended to express anger at the draft, the protests deteriorated into "a virtual racial pogrom, with uncounted numbers of blacks murdered on the streets". The conditions in the city were such that Major General John E. Wool
John E. Wool
John Ellis Wool was an officer in the United States Army during three consecutive U.S. wars: the War of 1812, the Mexican-American War and the American Civil War. By the time of the Mexican-American War, he was widely considered one of the most capable officers in the army and a superb organizer...
stated on July 16, "Martial law
Martial law
Martial law is the imposition of military rule by military authorities over designated regions on an emergency basis— only temporary—when the civilian government or civilian authorities fail to function effectively , when there are extensive riots and protests, or when the disobedience of the law...
ought to be proclaimed, but I have not a sufficient force to enforce it".
States' militias and Federal troops attached to the Army of the Potomac, including the newly reorganized 11th New York, were dispatched to quell the riots. Other regiments utilized included the 152nd New York, the 26th Michigan
26th Michigan Volunteer Infantry Regiment
The 26th Regiment Michigan Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Service:The 26th Michigan Infantry was mustered into Federal service at Jackson, Michigan on December 12, 1862...
, the 27th Indiana
27th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment
The 27th Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Service:The 27th Illinois Infantry was organized at Camp Butler, Illinois and mustered into Federal service on August 10, 1861....
and the 7th Regiment New York State Militia, which arrived from Frederick
Frederick, Maryland
Frederick is a city in north-central Maryland. It is the county seat of Frederick County, the largest county by area in the state of Maryland. Frederick is an outlying community of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of a greater...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
after a forced march. In addition, New York governor Horatio Seymour
Horatio Seymour
Horatio Seymour was an American politician. He was the 18th Governor of New York from 1853 to 1854 and from 1863 to 1864. He was the Democratic Party nominee for president of the United States in the presidential election of 1868, but lost the election to Republican and former Union General of...
sent the 74th and 65th regiments of the New York state militia, which had not been federalized, and a section of the 20th Artillery
20th Independent Battery, New York Volunteer Artillery
The 20th Independent Battery, New York Volunteer Artillery garrisioned Fort Schuyler and Fort Columbus, NY during the American Civil War and took part in quelling the New York Draft Riots.-External links:* - 20th IB, NYVA...
from Fort Schuyler in Throgs Neck
Throgs Neck
Throggs Neck is a narrow spit of land in the southeastern portion of the borough of the Bronx in New York City. It demarcates the passage between the East River , and Long Island Sound...
. At the height of the violence, Colonel O'Brien, the 11th Regiment's commanding officer, was seized by the mob, beaten, and killed. In the wake of the riots, the reorganization produced few recruits and stalled. On October 1, 1863, the reorganization was discontinued and the men who had enlisted were transferred to the 17th Veteran Infantry Regiment.
Aftermath and legacy
Francis E. Brownell
Francis Edwin Brownell was a soldier and recipient of the Medal of Honor for killing James W. Jackson, murderer of Col. Elmer E. Ellsworth, colonel of the 11th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment...
became the first soldier in the Civil War to be awarded the Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
for his actions in killing Col. Ellsworth's murderer.
Following Ellsworth's death, Remember Ellsworth! and Avenge Ellsworth became Union rallying cries. The 44th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment
44th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment
The 44th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment was a regiment of the Union Army during the American Civil War which was formed up in mid-1861, and mustered in on August 30, 1861.-Service:The regiment was first mustered by Stephen W...
was raised by the People's Ellsworth Committee and were known as the "People's Ellsworth Regiment", or more commonly "Ellsworth's Avengers", under the command of Stephen W. Stryker, a former lieutenant in the 11th New York.
Apart from those who died of battle wounds, three officers and 12 enlisted men succumbed to disease, including its second colonel, Noah Farnham, who died as a result of his wounds sustained at Bull Run and a bout of typhoid. A total of 66 men of the 11th New York Infantry Regiment died in the course of the war.
In 1903, the flag for which Ellsworth gave his life, taken down from the top of Marshal House, was presented to the War Department by its custodian, the Ellsworth Post, Grand Army of the Republic
Grand Army of the Republic
The Grand Army of the Republic was a fraternal organization composed of veterans of the Union Army, US Navy, US Marines and US Revenue Cutter Service who served in the American Civil War. Founded in 1866 in Decatur, Illinois, it was dissolved in 1956 when its last member died...
. The flag had been carried by the regiment throughout the war and afterward maintained at their post headquarters. It was added to the war flag collection in Cullum Memorial Hall at West Point
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
.
Historian David Detzer has argued that the fame that surrounds the 11th New York is misplaced. During its time in service, the 11th New York Regiment saw little fighting compared to other well-known regiments such as the 69th New York
69th Infantry Regiment (United States)
The 69th Infantry Regiment was a Regular Army infantry regiment in the United States Army.-History:There have been three different lineages started under this number: The Famous 69th Infantry Regiment , and two under the Federal designation....
, 20th Maine
20th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment
The 20th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment was a combat unit of the United States Army during the American Civil War, most famous for its defense of Little Round Top at the Battle of Gettysburg, July 1863.-Organization:...
, and 28th Massachusetts
28th Massachusetts Infantry regiment
The 28th Massachusetts Infantry regiment was the second primarily Irish American volunteer infantry regiment recruited in Massachusetts for service in the American Civil War. The regiment's motto was Faugh a Ballagh ...
. The 11th New York was often overshadowed by the 73rd New York
73rd New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment
The 73rd New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment of Union Army in the American Civil War. The regiment was organized in New York City in May 1861 as a Zouave regiment, known for its unusual dress and drill style...
, also known as the Second Fire Zouaves, which fought at Antietam
Battle of Antietam
The Battle of Antietam , fought on September 17, 1862, near Sharpsburg, Maryland, and Antietam Creek, as part of the Maryland Campaign, was the first major battle in the American Civil War to take place on Northern soil. It was the bloodiest single-day battle in American history, with about 23,000...
, Gettysburg
Battle of Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg , was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battle with the largest number of casualties in the American Civil War, it is often described as the war's turning point. Union Maj. Gen. George Gordon Meade's Army of the Potomac...
, and Appomattox
Battle of Appomattox Courthouse
The Battle of Appomattox Court House, fought on the morning of April 9, 1865, was the final engagement of Confederate States Army General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia before it surrendered to the Union Army under Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, and one of the last battles of the American...
. In addition, Ellsworth failed to consider that the New York City fire companies from which his troops were drawn often competed against each other at blazes. The cohesion he sought in firefighters did not exist and would not be created when they joined the regiment. In that respect, 11th New York was no different than many regiments, North and South.