Source: Adam Goodheart: The Civil War Awakening (2011)
At the dawn of the Civil War, Elmer Ellsworth was the Colonel of the First New York Fire Zouaves (Zouaves were fierce-fighting
Algerian tribesmen), made up of NYC Firefighters. As a boy, Ellsworth dreamed of military glory, and at the age of 18, he joined a Chicago militia group in the mid-1850s at a time when Americans were far more serious about their local militias. Ellsworth approached his militia much like a coach that was getting his team ready for a big game. Ellsworth proved to be a natural leader, and popular with his fellow militia members; at 19, he was elected to be the leader of the militia, with the rank of Major.
Algerian tribesmen), made up of NYC Firefighters. As a boy, Ellsworth dreamed of military glory, and at the age of 18, he joined a Chicago militia group in the mid-1850s at a time when Americans were far more serious about their local militias. Ellsworth approached his militia much like a coach that was getting his team ready for a big game. Ellsworth proved to be a natural leader, and popular with his fellow militia members; at 19, he was elected to be the leader of the militia, with the rank of Major.
In Chicago, Ellsworth came across a French fencing expert/instructor that had fought with the French Zouaves in the Crimean War; the exploits of the French Zouaves had extensive coverage in American newspapers. In just a few years, Ellsworth became an expert drill instructor, fencer, and gymnast, and he used what he learned in training his militia, which he renamed the Zouaves. Unlike other militias in Chicago, Ellsworth had strict training, and strict rules (e.g. no drinking), and he earned even greater respect from his men as a result.
In both the North and South, by the late-1850s it was a short step from militancy to militarism; attitudes towards war had changed, and militant attitudes were in vogue. Local militias were an extension of the nationwide celebration of a voluntary military tradition while opposing a large professional army . . . the highest expression of Democratic values was to volunteer and sacrifice (even by death) for a region.
Ellsworth and the 60 Chicago Zouaves (with their unique eye-catching uniforms; pictured) toured America, demonstrating their military and gymnastic skills on a road trip that exceeded one-thousand miles. In New York City, they were welcomed with huge fanfare; it was official - America had caught "Zouave Fever". Ellsworth showed America that personal freedom could exist within military regimentation; it seemed to be truly Democratic soldiering.
Ellsworth was probably the first American to become famous solely due to charisma; during the Pre-Civil War Summer of 1860, it seemed all eyes were on Elmer Ellsworth. He became what today would be described as a sex symbol; photographs of Ellsworth were seemingly everywhere - he was the first pin-up figure in US History.
In both the North and South, by the late-1850s it was a short step from militancy to militarism; attitudes towards war had changed, and militant attitudes were in vogue. Local militias were an extension of the nationwide celebration of a voluntary military tradition while opposing a large professional army . . . the highest expression of Democratic values was to volunteer and sacrifice (even by death) for a region.
Ellsworth and the 60 Chicago Zouaves (with their unique eye-catching uniforms; pictured) toured America, demonstrating their military and gymnastic skills on a road trip that exceeded one-thousand miles. In New York City, they were welcomed with huge fanfare; it was official - America had caught "Zouave Fever". Ellsworth showed America that personal freedom could exist within military regimentation; it seemed to be truly Democratic soldiering.
Ellsworth was probably the first American to become famous solely due to charisma; during the Pre-Civil War Summer of 1860, it seemed all eyes were on Elmer Ellsworth. He became what today would be described as a sex symbol; photographs of Ellsworth were seemingly everywhere - he was the first pin-up figure in US History.
In July, 1860, Ellsworth's Zouaves closed out their (Northern) national tour with a "performance" in Chicago. The Republican nominee for President, Abraham Lincoln, watched the performance anonymously, from a distance. Lincoln and Ellsworth had already become fairly close, with a relationship that was similar to an informal Father-Son situation; they were close enough that Ellsworth accompanied Lincoln to Washington, D.C. for his Inauguration. Ellsworth also became friends with one of Lincoln's aids, John Hay, who would become President Lincoln's personal secretary.
The surrender of Fort Sumter in April, 1861, must have felt like Manna from Heaven to Ellsworth; he was sure that his chance for glory would occur soon. The real question to Ellsworth was not when his chance for glory would occur, but WHERE it would happen. However, the landscape changed after Fort Sumter, and the Northern media actually turned on Ellsworth, portraying him and his Zouaves as "silly soldiers" that weren't ready for a real war.
As events unfolded, even Ellsworth was in demand, in that there was a severe shortage of officers to lead the tens of thousands of incoming volunteers. Ellsworth, with a letter of introduction from President Lincoln, met with the most famous and influential newspaper man in America, Horace Greeley (pictured), asking for his help. Ellsworth wanted to raise a regiment of NYC Firefighters, men he believed were immediately ready for war. With Greeley's help, Ellsworth recruited over 1000 NYC Firefighters to his regiment, boasting to make all of them Zouaves. As Ellsworth's regiment marched into Washington, D.C., much was expected of him and his new group of Zouaves.
The surrender of Fort Sumter in April, 1861, must have felt like Manna from Heaven to Ellsworth; he was sure that his chance for glory would occur soon. The real question to Ellsworth was not when his chance for glory would occur, but WHERE it would happen. However, the landscape changed after Fort Sumter, and the Northern media actually turned on Ellsworth, portraying him and his Zouaves as "silly soldiers" that weren't ready for a real war.
As events unfolded, even Ellsworth was in demand, in that there was a severe shortage of officers to lead the tens of thousands of incoming volunteers. Ellsworth, with a letter of introduction from President Lincoln, met with the most famous and influential newspaper man in America, Horace Greeley (pictured), asking for his help. Ellsworth wanted to raise a regiment of NYC Firefighters, men he believed were immediately ready for war. With Greeley's help, Ellsworth recruited over 1000 NYC Firefighters to his regiment, boasting to make all of them Zouaves. As Ellsworth's regiment marched into Washington, D.C., much was expected of him and his new group of Zouaves.
On 23 May, 1861, Virginia's resolution to secede from the Union became official, and on the same day, federal (Union) troops crossed the Potomac River, which included the First New York Fire Zouaves, commanded by Colonel Elmer Ellsworth. Ellsworth was part of an advanced guard in Alexandria, Virginia (across the Potomac from Washington, D.C.), and in a spur-of-the-moment decision on 24 May, 1861, he decided to take down the huge rebel flag that was on the roof of the Marshall House, an Alexandria, VA hotel. That rebel flag had become famous in a notorious sort of fashion, in that the flag was so large, it could easily be seen from much of Washington, D.C. (President Lincoln would often view the flag from with White House with binoculars). Colonel Ellsworth and very small detachment of his Zouaves ascended to the roof of the hotel, and Ellsworth and one of his men were carrying the large flag down the hotel's stairs, when the hotel's owner (an ardent secessionist) killed Ellsworth with his shotgun as he was heading down between the 2nd and 3rd floors (the hotel owner was almost immediately killed by one of Ellsworth's Zouaves). Ellsworth's death released a torrent of emotion in the North, leading to a fivefold increase of volunteers. The death of Colonel Elmer Ellsworth released a tide of dammed-up enmity in the North; in other words, the murder of Ellsworth released the pent-up bloodlust that had been building for years in the Northern states. Ellsworth, in the weeks that followed, became a sort of "Union Saint"; Ellsworth's likeness was recreated in many forms, and were treated by many Northerners as de facto relics. Americans would not mourn another single death from the Civil War again until Easter Sunday, 1865.
Postscript: At the 1st Battle of Bull Run (July, 1861), the 1st New York Fire Zouaves marched into battle, invoking the name of their fallen commander. Soldiers from the Army of Northern Virginia fired one volley into the Fire Zouaves, and the the regiment trained and briefly-led by Ellsworth retreated under fire. The Fire Zouaves had more men killed-in-action, wounded-in-action, or captured than any other Union regiment at 1st Bull Run.
Below: A WGN (Chicago) news segment on Elmer Ellsworth
Below: A WGN (Chicago) news segment on Elmer Ellsworth
