The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1861-05-25
PRICE, TWO CENTS.
Colonel Ellsworth.

The following sketch of the life Of Coonci
Ellsworth is from Horper's Weekly:
Colonel Ellsworth 3 face and gallant bear;no
are Well known to most OF our citizens, and they
Wi b. glad to meet him once more in our papes.
The Colonel is quite young man being only
| about twenty seven years OF age. lie is native
OF New England, and studied for "a time at West
Point, acquiring the usual proficiency in the
manual OF military exercise and the use of arms
| Some years ago he removed to Chicago, Hi
nols, and settled there His love for military
| pursuits still endured, and conceiving, shortly
after the Crlmean war, a decided opinion that
the Aouave tactics We're more practically efficient
than those Of our ordinary light infantry, he
Set to work to raise corps OF Zouaves in Chi
cago. Some forty or fifty young men joined his
company, and he devoted himself to drilling
them. In the course of a year or 50, they ar
rived at such pitch of perfection both in the
light infantry drill and the Iouaye taclics, that
many Of their friends were anxious that they
should visit the Elst TO show what Chicago
could do. Accordingly, in July, 1860, they
.cft Chicago, on pleasure tour.
On the l4th Of July they arrived in this city,
after triumphant progress through the Wes
tern States. Al that time the Zouave drill was
new to most Of us. The fantastic dress of our
visitors, their strange cvolu tions, and the mas
| terly precision of their drill attracted general
attention not only among military men, but
among the public at large. All the Colonels
of our crack city regiments attended their ex-
hibitions and studied Col. Ellsworth's maneu-
vers, and at last, so great was the desire of our
ladies to witness the Chicago boys, that an ex
hibition was given for them in the Academy of
Music, which was crammed by the elite of So
ciety. Col. Ellsworth may safely be described
as the father of the Zouave drill in the United
States. At the present time there are several
thousand we'll drilled Xouaves in the North and
West.
On his return home, the young Colonel was
of course much feted by his fellow. citizens, and
new Iouave companies were formed on the mod
ell of his
Among other persons who paid him marked
attention was Mr.. Lincoln, then merely candi-
date for the Presidency After the election, Mr..
Lincoln 81 gniiied his intention of attaching Col.
Ellsworth to his person and when in February
last, he departed on his journey 10 Washington,
Col. Ellsworth was invited to form one of his es-
cort. He was, the reporters tell US, one OF the
most useful OF the party, ever watchfuI of Mr..
lincoln person land always in good temper and
ready Tor anything lha. could render the jour
ncy pleasant.
1t was generally supp Hsed that Colonel Ellis
worth would be placed IN prominent position
in the War Department under Mr. Lincoln. 1t
Is understood that his claims were urged by
General Sumner, and that some post.-perhaps
the Chief Clerkship-was mentioned in connec-
tion with his name. 1t is not likely, however,
that he sought any Such inglorious berth. On
the outbreak Of the war, he sought active SER
vice And having had an opportunity of judg-
lug what excellent material for soldiers Was con-
taincd in the New York Fire Department, he
bethought himself of forming out of thema
Zouavc Regiment.
The idea was happy one. Oar Gremen,
brave as steel, woull be restve under the stiff
restraints of light infantry tactics, whereas the
comparative freedom and dash of the Zouavc
drill suit them exactly. In the course of Il
couple Of days over a thousand fremer volun
teered. Some ten companies were accepted,
the regiment was formed and sent to Fort Ham
ilton for drill. They have since left for Wash
ington, and whatever happens, will doubtless
give q gool account Of themselves.