5th New York Volunteer Infantry The 5th New York Volunteer Infantry was a volunteer infantry regiment that fought during the American Civil War , led by Colonel Abram Duryée . It is also known as the " Duryée ' s Zouaves , " named after their colorful Zouave uniform s . Their uniform was modeled after French zouaves of Crimean War fame . The 5th New York ' s uniform was the closest representation of the French zouave uniform on both the Union and Confederate sides . The uniform consisted of a dark blue zouave jacket with red trimming , a dark blue zouave vest with red trimming , a red zouave sash with sky blue trimming , extremely baggy red pantalloons , a red fez with a yellow tassel , white gaiters , and leather jamberies . A sister regiment , the 165th New York , known as the Second Battalion Duryee Zouaves , wore the same uniform as the 5th with the exception of the fez ' s tassel which was dark blue instead of yellow - gold . Photographic evidence suggests that later in the war the 165th was given replacement sashes that , unlike those of the 5th , did not have light blue trim along the border , but were a solid red color . Formation . The regiment was formed on April 12 , 1861 , by a group of military enthusiasts in Manhattan and deployed from Fort Schuyler at Throgs Neck , New York Harbor . Colonel Abram Duryée was appointed as the commander of the regiment . The majority of the soldiers were educated and above average height . On May 24 , the regiment boarded a transport to reach the Virginia Peninsula . Immediately at Fort Monroe , the regiment began making scouting expeditions . By the end of July , the regiment moved to Baltimore , Maryland , where the regiment stayed in a garrison on the top of Federal Hill . Duryée was promoted to general rank , so Gouverneur Kemble Warren took over command of the regiment . There , the regiment continuously drill ed , until General George McClellan ordered the regiment to join the Army of the Potomac in the campaign to capture Richmond , Virginia . McClellan said that , upon seeing the colorful New York regiment , " the Fifth is the best disciplined and soldierly regiment in the Army . " Fighting . At the Battle of Hanover Courthouse on May 27 , 1862 , the regiment played only a minor role . However , they fought in a more major role in the Seven Days Battles . As McClellan moved his base to the James River on June 27 , 1862 , the regiment fought against the Confederate soldiers under Gregg ’ s South Carolina brigade . In a counterattack , the regiment defeated the initial Rebel attack . In August 1862 , the regiment fell under the control of General John Pope . At the Second Battle of Manassas ( also known as the Second Battle of Bull Run ) , the 5th New York Volunteer Infantry regiment was forced to withstand the advancing forces of General James Longstreet . In underestimating the size of the Confederate army , Pope ordered the regiment to support Hazlett ’ s Battery . Longstreet ’ s soldiers easily outnumbered the small regiment , and the Texas Brigade quickly inflicted over 330 casualties in the regiment . One hundred twenty Zouaves were killed within eight minutes , the greatest single battle fatality of all Federal volunteer infantry regiments in the entire Civil War . The entire Color Guard was killed , except for one man . The only officer to survive the battle was Captain Cleveland Winslow . Later , at the Battle of Antietam , September 17 , the unit was held in reserve . On December 15 , the unit fought at the Battle of Fredericksburg , covering the Union retreat . At the Battle of Chancellorsville under Joseph Hooker , the unit saw its final combat . Legacy . Following the conclusion of the war , members of the 5th New York Veterans Association continued to hold monthly meetings . The veterans ' association funded the creation of a statue to General Warren , their first commander , on Little Round Top at Gettysburg . They also erected a monument to the regiment at the scene of their greatest sacrifice on the battlefield of Second Bull Run ( Manassas ) . The association was also contributed to a monument to the Army of the Potomac ' s 5th Corps in Fredericksburg National Cemetery in Virginia .