The 11th New York Infantry Regiment was an
infantry
Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and marine i ...
regiment
A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, service and/or a specialisation.
In Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of front-line soldiers, recruited or conscripted ...
of the
Union Army
During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union (American Civil War), Union of the collective U.S. st ...
in the early years of the
American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...
. The regiment was organized in New York City in May 1861 as a
Zouave
The Zouaves were a class of light infantry regiments of the French Army serving between 1830 and 1962 and linked to French North Africa; as well as some units of other countries modelled upon them. The zouaves were among the most decorated unit ...
regiment, known for its unusual dress and drill style, by
Colonel
Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations.
In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...
Elmer E. Ellsworth
Elmer Ephraim Ellsworth (April 11, 1837 – May 24, 1861) was a United States Army officer and law clerk who was the first conspicuous casualty and the first Union officer to die in the American Civil War. He was killed while removin ...
, a personal friend of
U.S. President
The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States ...
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln ( ; February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation thro ...
.
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
Confederacy or confederate may refer to:
States or communities
* Confederate state or confederation, a union of sovereign groups or communities
* Confederate States of America, a confederation of secessionist American states that existed between 1 ...
state when it captured
Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria is an independent city (United States), independent city in the northern region of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Virginia, United States. It lies on the western bank of the Potomac River approximately south of Downto ...
, on May 24, 1861, less than 24 hours after the
Commonwealth
A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has been synonymous with "republic". The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the ...
seceded
Secession is the withdrawal of a group from a larger entity, especially a political entity, but also from any organization, union or military alliance. Some of the most famous and significant secessions have been: the former Soviet republics lea ...
from the
Union
Union commonly refers to:
* Trade union, an organization of workers
* Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets
Union may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment
Music
* Union (band), an American rock group
** ''Un ...
. The regiment suffered extensive casualties during the
First Battle of Bull Run
The First Battle of Bull Run (the name used by Union forces), also known as the Battle of First Manassas during the fighting on
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 Gainesville, Virginia, to the today's U.S. Route 29, the Warrenton ...
and while serving as the rear guard for the retreating Union Army.
The regiment would later be stationed near
Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads is the name of both a body of water in the United States that serves as a wide channel for the James River, James, Nansemond River, Nansemond and Elizabeth River (Virginia), Elizabeth rivers between Old Point Comfort and Sewell's ...
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
Light infantry refers to certain types of lightly equipped infantry throughout history. They have a more mobile or fluid function than other types of infantry, such as heavy infantry or line infantry. Historically, light infantry often fought ...
regiment through the summer of 1863, and many new enlistees were involved in suppressing the
New York Draft Riots
The New York City draft riots (July 13–16, 1863), sometimes referred to as the Manhattan draft riots and known at the time as Draft Week, were violent disturbances in Lower Manhattan, widely regarded as the culmination of white working-cl ...
but those efforts failed and the enlistees were transferred to the
17th New York Veteran Volunteer Infantry Regiment.
Organization and muster
On April 15, 1861, President Lincoln issued an
Executive Order
In the United States, an executive order is a directive by the president of the United States that manages operations of the federal government. The legal or constitutional basis for executive orders has multiple sources. Article Two of th ...
calling for 75,000 ninety-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 well, from 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 lifetime of studying military tactics, history, and manuals; 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
A drill team can be one of four different entities:
# A military drill team is a marching unit that performs routines based on military foot or exhibition drills. Military drill teams perform either armed or unarmed.
# A dance drill team creat ...
to the flashy
Zouave
The Zouaves were a class of light infantry regiments of the French Army serving between 1830 and 1962 and linked to French North Africa; as well as some units of other countries modelled upon them. The zouaves were among the most decorated unit ...
uniforms and drill that emulated French colonial troops in
Algeria
)
, image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg
, map_caption =
, image_map2 =
, capital = Algiers
, coordinates =
, largest_city = capital
, relig ...
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.
[Ingraham (1925), p. 128.] 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 rifles are a series of large-bore, single-shot, falling-block, breech-loading rifles, beginning with a design by Christian Sharps in 1848 and ceasing production in 1881. They were renowned for long-range accuracy. By 1874 the rifle wa ...
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. They consisted of light gray jackets of a
chasseur
''Chasseur'' ( , ), a French term for "hunter", is the designation given to certain regiments of French and Belgian light infantry () or light cavalry () to denote troops trained for rapid action.
History
This branch of the French Army orig ...
style, with dark blue and red trim along with gray trousers of a jeans cloth material with a blue stripe running down the seam, and tan leather leggings.
[Smith (1996), p. 57] 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.
[Smith (1996), p. 58] This uniform was issued by the federal government, and to the disgust of the men, was not of the true Zouave style, but an American 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 tassels were issued to provide greater flair to the uniform, as well as dark blue sashes, an issue of red overshirts (not firemen'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 fezzes, 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
John Adams Dix (July 24, 1798 – April 21, 1879) was an American politician and military officer who was Secretary of the Treasury, Governor of New York and Union major general during the Civil War. He was notable for arresting the pro-Southern ...
, Ambassador
Cassius Marcellus Clay of Kentucky, as well as other 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 by to serve as the regimental colors. Charlotte Augusta Gibbes 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 embark, 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
Annapolis ( ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Maryland and the county seat of, and only incorporated city in, Anne Arundel County. Situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east o ...
where the men boarded a train to
Washington, D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
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
The Battery, formerly known as Battery Park, is a public park located at the southern tip of Manhattan Island in New York City facing New York Harbor. It is bounded by Battery Place on the north, State Street on the east, New York Harbor to ...
. 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 is the name of both a body of water in the United States that serves as a wide channel for the James River, James, Nansemond River, Nansemond and Elizabeth River (Virginia), Elizabeth rivers between Old Point Comfort and Sewell's ...
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 Representatives
The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the Lower house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...
, 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
A letter of reprimand is a US Department of Defense procedure involving a letter to an employee or service member from their superior that details the wrongful actions of the person and the punishment that can be expected. A ''Formal Letter of Re ...
from
Brigadier General
Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...
Joseph K. Mansfield
Joseph King Fenno Mansfield (December 22, 1803 – September 18, 1862) 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
Mansfield was ...
along with six enlisted men being removed and sent back to New York.
[Randall (1960), p. 239.] On May 7, the 11th New York was officially sworn into Federal service by
Brig. Gen.
Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...
Irvin McDowell
Irvin McDowell (October 15, 1818 – May 4, 1885) 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. In 1862, he was given command o ...
on the East Front of the unfinished Capitol in the presence of Lincoln, his son
Tad and personal secretary
John Hay
John Milton Hay (October 8, 1838July 1, 1905) was an American statesman and official whose career in government stretched over almost half a century. Beginning as a private secretary and assistant to Abraham Lincoln, Hay's highest office was Un ...
.
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
The Willard InterContinental Washington, commonly known as the Willard Hotel, is a historic luxury Beaux-Arts hotel located at 1401 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Downtown Washington, D.C. It is currently a member oHistoric Hotels of America the off ...
.
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
The lunatic asylum (or insane asylum) was an early precursor of the modern psychiatric hospital.
The fall of the lunatic asylum and its eventual replacement by modern psychiatric hospitals explains the rise of organized, institutional psychiatry ...
to Camp Lincoln. This move would allow for easy transport across the Potomac and into Virginia when necessary.
[Randall (1960), p. 246.] 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 fiance that they had not had butter in a week.
![Death of Col Ellsworth](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f4/Death_of_Col_Ellsworth.jpg)
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
Alexandria is an independent city (United States), independent city in the northern region of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Virginia, United States. It lies on the western bank of the Potomac River approximately south of Downto ...
, directly across the
Potomac River
The Potomac River () drains the Mid-Atlantic United States, flowing from the Potomac Highlands into Chesapeake Bay. It is long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map. Retrieved Augus ...
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
Orlando Bolivar Willcox (April 16, 1823 – May 11, 1907) was an American soldier who served as a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War.
Early life
Willcox was born in Detroit, Michigan. He entered the United States Military Ac ...
's brigade, of
Samuel P. Heintzelman
Samuel Peter Heintzelman (September 30, 1805 – May 1, 1880) was a United States Army general. He served in the Seminole War, the Mexican–American War, the Yuma War and the Cortina Troubles. During the American Civil War he was a prominent figu ...
's division, in Brig. Gen.
Irvin McDowell
Irvin McDowell (October 15, 1818 – May 4, 1885) 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. In 1862, he was given command o ...
's
Army of Northeast Virginia
The Army of the Potomac was the principal Union Army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. It was created in July 1861 shortly after the First Battle of Bull Run and was disbanded in June 1865 following the surrender of the Confedera ...
. They were to march out the next morning. From July 16 to 21, the regiment advanced to intercept Brig. Gen.
P. G. T. Beauregard's Confederate
Army of the Potomac
The Army of the Potomac was the principal Union Army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. It was created in July 1861 shortly after the First Battle of Bull Run and was disbanded in June 1865 following the surrender of the Confedera ...
. Three of McDowell's five divisions advanced towards Bull Run, outside the railroad junction at
Manassas, Virginia
Manassas (), formerly Manassas Junction, is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States. The population was 42,772 at the 2020 Census. It is the county seat of Prince William County, although the two are separate jurisdi ...
. 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 Guns in their place. These movements were to precipitate the first large-scale battle of the Civil War.
First Bull Run
![MathewBrady1861](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/40/MathewBrady1861.jpg)
The Zouaves' first major combat experience occurred during the
First Battle of Bull Run
The First Battle of Bull Run (the name used by Union forces), also known as the Battle of First 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 P. Tyler IV (January 7, 1799 – November 30, 1882) was an iron manufacturer, railroad president, and one of the first Union Army generals of the American Civil War.
Early life
Daniel P. Tyler IV was born in Brooklyn, Connecticut to D ...
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 Gross Barnard (May 19, 1815 – May 14, 1882) was a career engineer 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 Am ...
resulted in a 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 (July 21, 1802 – February 2, 1886) was an American military officer. He served as a Union general during the American Civil War. He achieved notability for his unauthorized 1862 order (immediately rescinded) emancipating slaves ...
, 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 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 Gainesville, Virginia, to the today's U.S. Route 29, the Warrenton ...
, the 11th New York fought beside the
1st Minnesota Volunteer Infantry Regiment and a battalion of
US Marines
The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...
. These units were ordered to support two batteries of cannon on the Federal right flank led by Captains
Charles Griffin
Charles Griffin (December 18, 1825 – September 15, 1867) was a career officer in the United States Army and a Union general in the American Civil War. He rose to command a corps in the Army of the Potomac and fought in many of the key campaign ...
and
James B. Ricketts
James Brewerton Ricketts (June 21, 1817 – September 22, 1887) was a career officer in the United States Army, serving as a Union Army general during the Civil War.
At First Bull Run, he was wounded and captured, but later exchanged. He fought a ...
. 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
The 33rd Virginia Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment raised in the Commonwealth of Virginia for service in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. It was a part of the famed "Stonewall Brigade," named for General Sto ...
on the left of Confederate General
Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson's line, both the Union and Confederate forces were initially confused because the some of 11th New York were wearing several colors of shirts and the Virginians were clad in dark blue frock coats and dark blue trousers. The Virginians fired a volley that took down several men and the Zouaves and Marines broke and ran, but a few of the men remained.
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 New Yorkers for retreating Confederates in the smoke 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.
![11thFireRegiment](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d9/11thFireRegiment.jpg)
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, the Irish
69th New York Militia and 14th Brooklyn would charge Henry Hill four times, first in an effort to retake Ricketts' and Griffin's cannon, 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, and then handed it back to the grateful Irishmen.
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 most often refers to:
* Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States
* Richmond, London, a part of London
* Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England
* Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada
* Richmond, California, ...
. In September, they were transferred to
Castle Pinckney
Castle Pinckney was a small masonry fortification constructed by the United States government, in the harbor of Charleston, South Carolina in 1810. It was used very briefly as a prisoner-of-war camp (six weeks) and artillery position during the A ...
,
South Carolina
)''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no)
, anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind"
, Former = Province of South Carolina
, seat = Columbia
, LargestCity = Charleston
, LargestMetro = ...
, 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. Morgan
Edwin Denison Morgan (February 8, 1811February 14, 1883) 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 Comm ...
, at the request of Secretary of War
Simon Cameron
Simon Cameron (March 8, 1799June 26, 1889) was an American businessman and politician who represented Pennsylvania in the United States Senate and served as United States Secretary of War under President Abraham Lincoln at the start of the Americ ...
, to return to Virginia with two days' cooked rations. They were to be encamped at
Fort Monroe
Fort Monroe, managed by partnership between the Fort Monroe Authority for the Commonwealth of Virginia, the National Park Service as the Fort Monroe National Monument, and the City of Hampton, is a former military installation in Hampton, Virgi ...
on the tip of the
Virginia Peninsula
The Virginia Peninsula is a peninsula in southeast Virginia, USA, bounded by the York River, James River, Hampton Roads and Chesapeake Bay. It is sometimes known as the ''Lower Peninsula'' to distinguish it from two other peninsulas to the ...
.
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
The ''Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies in the War of the Rebellion'', commonly known as the ''Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies'' or Official Records (OR or ORs), is the most extensive collection of Americ ...
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.
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'Brien. 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
Union commonly refers to:
* Trade union, an organization of workers
* Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets
Union may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment
Music
* Union (band), an American rock group
** ''Un ...
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
Martial law is the imposition of direct military control of normal civil functions or suspension of civil law by a government, especially in response to an emergency where civil forces are overwhelmed, or in an occupied territory.
Use
Marti ...
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
7 (seven) is the natural number following 6 and preceding 8. It is the only prime number preceding a cube.
As an early prime number in the series of positive integers, the number seven has greatly symbolic associations in religion, mythology, ...
, which arrived from
Frederick, Maryland
Frederick is a city in and the county seat of Frederick County, Maryland. It is part of the Baltimore–Washington Metropolitan Area. Frederick has long been an important crossroads, located at the intersection of a major north–south Native ...
after a forced march. In addition, New York governor
Horatio Seymour
Horatio Seymour (May 31, 1810February 12, 1886) was an American politician. He served as Governor of New York from 1853 to 1854 and from 1863 to 1864. He was the Democratic Party nominee for president in the 1868 United States presidential elec ...
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
Fort Schuyler is a preserved 19th century fortification in the New York City borough of the Bronx. It houses a museum, the Stephen B. Luce Library, and the Marine Transportation Department and Administrative offices of the State University of ...
in
Throgs Neck
Throggs Neck (also known as Throgs Neck) is a neighborhood and peninsula in the south-eastern portion of the borough of the Bronx in New York City. It is bounded by the East River and Long Island Sound to the south and east, Westchester Creek on ...
. 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 New York Veteran Volunteer Infantry Regiment.
Aftermath and legacy
![Memorial Day March - Old Zouaves of 1861 marching in New York City May 30 1918 - NARA - 20809788](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f4/Memorial_Day_March_-_Old_Zouaves_of_1861_marching_in_New_York_City_May_30_1918_-_NARA_-_20809788.jpg)
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
Elmer Ephraim Ellsworth (April 11, 1837 – May 24, 1861) was a United States Army officer and law clerk who was the first conspicuous casualty and the first Union officer to die in the American Civil War. He was killed while removin ...
, 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
The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. ...
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.
[Randall (1960), p. 274.]
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
Typhoid fever, also known as typhoid, is a disease caused by '' Salmonella'' serotype Typhi bacteria. Symptoms vary from mild to severe, and usually begin six to 30 days after exposure. Often there is a gradual onset of a high fever over several ...
.
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 Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) was a fraternal organization composed of veterans of the Union Army (United States Army), Union Navy (U.S. Navy), and the Marines who served in the American Civil War. It was founded in 1866 in Decatur, Il ...
. 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
The United States Military Academy (USMA), also known Metonymy, metonymically as West Point or simply as Army, is a United States service academies, United States service academy in West Point, New York. It was originally established as a f ...
.
[
]
Historian David Detzer has argued that the fame that surrounds the 11th New York is misplaced.
[Detzer (2004), p. 403] During its time in service, the 11th New York Regiment saw little fighting compared with 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
The Battle of Antietam (), or Battle of Sharpsburg particularly in the Southern United States, was a battle of the American Civil War fought on September 17, 1862, between Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia and Union G ...
,
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 from many regiments, North and South.
Gallery
Image:Elmer Ellsworth.jpg, Colonel Elmer Ellsworth
Image:FrancisBrownell.jpg, Private Francis Brownwell
File:Thomas F. Byrnes.jpg, NYPD Inspector Thomas Byrnes-formerly member of the 11th NY
See also
*
List of New York Civil War regiments
The following units served the Union Army during the American Civil War.
Infantry
Militia infantry
Cavalry
Artillery
1st New York Light Artillery
*Battery A, 1st New York Light Artillery
*Battery B, 1st New York Light ...
Notes
References
* Bilby, Joseph G.. ''The Irish Brigade in the Civil War'', New Jersey, 1997, .
* Detzer, David (2004). ''Donnybrook: The Battle of Bull Run, 1861.'' New York, New York:
Harcourt. .
* Foner, Eric (1988). ''Reconstruction: America's Unfinished Revolution, 1863–1877''. New York, New York: Harper & Row. .
* Ingraham, Charles A. (1925). ''Elmer E. Ellsworth and the Zouaves of '61''. Chicago, Illinois: University of Chicago Press.
* Murray, R.L. (2005). ''"They Fought Like Tigers": The 11th New York Fire Zouaves, 14th Brooklyn and the Irish 69th New York at First Bull Run''. Wolcott, New York: Benedum Books.
* Phisterer, Frederick (1912). ''Distant Drums: Herkimer County, New York in the War of the Rebellion, 1861 to 1865''. Albany, New York: J.B. Lyon Co. .
* Randall, Ruth Painter (1960). ''Colonel Elmer Ellsworth''. Boston, Massachusetts: Little, Brown and Company.
* Rhodes, James Ford (1899). ''History of the United States from the Compromise of 1850''. New York, New York: Macmillan.
* Smith, Robin (1996). ''American Civil War Zouaves''. Westminster, Maryland: Osprey Publishing. .
External links
The Civil War Archives: Union Regimental Histories: New York
{{DEFAULTSORT:11th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment
Infantry 011
Military history of New York City
1861 establishments in New York (state)
Military units and formations established in 1861
Military units and formations disestablished in 1862