Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-07-15

n was no fault Of the men Battle records
arr largely matter ~ accident Troops
fight where and when they aro told, aud u
does not fall 10 the lot Of every body Of sol
diers 10 be sent into the thick Of the fray.
The Zouaves ne distinct class dropped
out Of sight In tho Union army boforr the
bloody period N the war was reached.
This was bsoauso their peculiar uniform
was discarded, aud with this gone they BE-
came simply soldiers like the rest, although
In most cases their Iouhve designations
were adhered 10 a. rgimental synonyms.
but although tho career " the Iouayes
proper was short, q haggy trouserci regt
mont had the glory Of opening the regular
fighting Of tho war. and the same rezi'
msnt had more men killed IN single bat
tie than any other organization OF the
same class during the war. This was the
Finh New York volunteers, Dnrycc'-
Zouayes. Al the battle Of Big Bethel. Va,
June 10, 1901, which was the nrt engage.
ment between regularly organized yolun'
ter troops, the fifth opened the ball by
advancing ~ administers. Fitzpatrick com.
mandc,i one Of the companies. aud his men
got In the hnt shots.
The Confederate. called Dnryce's men
"rcd legged devils" name suggested BY
the wild. bandit look given them by their
bright rcd Trousers. their sabcr hayontu
and their ruvolven conspicuous on tho
front Of their belts
The Fifth was raised In ono week aftor
President Ilncoln's call for volunteers, ltt
first year Of service was passed In the ~
gion near where II received IL baptism ~
lru, the lower peninsula, around FORTRESS
Monroe When the Army ~ the Potomac
arrived In front Of Richmond In May, isde,
the Zouayea wore put Ia tho division %
regular troops commanded by Gen. Sykes.
ten. u. X. Warren, who was the frat lieu.
tenant colonel Of the regiment, took com.
inAnd Of the Filth and Tcnth New York
and fought them a. n brigade slde by side
with two briga'ies IL the regular army
The hrst battle In which tho regular divl'
sion took part was Gaines Mil. June %.
In Thu. fight the odds were two to one
against the Union troops. and the regulars
were given tho task Of holding the right
wing. A. the battle progressed tho Con
federate- threw their weight upon this
wing, where tho ground was occupied by .
thin line Of Infantry aud some artillery. In
front Of Wasrrn's brigade there was u
wooded raylno about tOO yards distant. and
after maintaining two companies Of
zouavc- In the woods for some hours An
order TO ave tho artillery free play upon
the enemy. Tho ContcderAtes were adj
yanclng In force TO got possession Of tho
woods, and when the ZouAve Akirnlshcr.
withdrew they followed them up by dies.
peraie charge against the main line. War
Tcn promptly ordered the fifth TO make q
counter charge, which they did, driving
tho enemy bark W the woods, A fresh body
Of Contcderates then charged from The
woods upon the Houaycs, but the gallant
fellows persisted and ilnally drove their a.
hailants on. The triumph was short, how
ever, for the Confederate leaders hurlelncw
troops upon this polut In q desperate effort
TO destroy Sykes' line. That accomplished
they could establish batteries on high
ground behind II aud the Victory wa,
theirs, for they could then shell the Who'll,
field
A second Confederate charge WIS mad,
ftum the woods, and tho LouANea met II a,
beforr. rcpulsing the advance and forclnl
their way up To the woods again. lor III,
second time their color. wer- advance
across that open Held up 10 the very cdg,
Of the timber The loss was appalling And
was not exceeded In the division that day
except In ono case. the Twelfth Unitet
States regulars Ont Of 40 men engaged
the Filth Lost as killed outright aud M
wounded. OF the wounded 10 dlcl subse
quently. just before the last charge. wheI
the ranks Of the Zouayes had become thin
ned out 10 ~ To destroy the alignment, th,
regiment was parNded under a CALLING lire
the gaps were closed aud the men counte,
OF anew, leaving out the fallen. The posi-
ton wa. held by Warren until supports
came up, and the enemy failed W secur,
tho heighiA lhnY Mnrn Almlnr for