IN THE EARLY 1970's, three decades after the last American Zouave had gone to his final encampment, several experienced Civil War re-enactors decided to resurrect the memory of those proud soldiers by organizing a living history unit clad in colorful Zouave regalia. Initially a small squad led by Sgt. Thomas Raysor, by 1972 the newly christened Co. A, 5th New York Volunteer Infantry had grown large enough to warrant commissioning of its first captain, Terrence Lee Daley of Wilmington, Delaware.

Above, soldiers of Co. A pose for a period-style photograph by Claude Levet. The men's uniforms represent an evolution from the uniform parts assembled nearly three decades earlier by re-enactors, including Sgt. Thomas Raysor (with flag in the picture below).

Under Capt. Daley's stalwart leadership, the 5th New York Zouaves assumed a respected place in the ever-expanding ranks of Civil War re-enactors, attracting those who wished to preserve the heroic legacy of the original regiment, and to emulate the military skills and unit pride of their spiritual forbears in a dignified and authentic manner. Capt. Daley continued to serve as commander of the 5th NY through its formative years. Upon his promotion to battalion command in late 1984, Scott Harrington was elected to the position of Captain, a role he filled with honor for the next four years, working diligently to perfect the tactical knowledge of his soldiers. When Capt. Harrington was transferred to the West, Brian Pohanka, a ten-year veteran of the Fifth, was elected to succeed him, and has served as commander of Company A from 1989 to the present time. Many men have passed through the ranks of the 5th NY in its three decades of existence. But the solid core of veteran officers and non-commissioned officers, and active members who date their service as far back as the mid-1970s, have vested our organization with a strong sense of unit morale. Cameraderie, a sense of duty, and pride and veneration for the "Old Fifth" are the spiritual bedrock upon which our organization has grown, and prospered.

At left below, 1st Sgt. Tim Sheads displays the Zouave verve with a demonstration of bayonet exercise, 1992. In the photo to the right, the men of the unit take time from a 1993 living history to pose in the ancient sallyport of New York City's Fort Schuyler, the birthplace of the 5th New York.

In January of 1982, Co. A, 5th New York, was incorporated as a non-profit organization. At our annual meeting, traditionally held in Gettysburg on the last weekend of January, we elect military and administrative officers for the following year. We consider the administrative positions of President, Secretary and a Board of Directors of equal importance to those who wear the shoulder straps and chevrons of military authority. Working with our membership, the Board shapes unit policy and procedure, engages in preservation and fund-raising activities, and determines our schedule of events. Our monthly company newsletter, the "Zouave Gazette," keeps the membership informed of upcoming events, and publishes historical accounts, artwork and photographs of the original Duryee Zouaves. More than a dozen descendants of 5th NY veterans are affiliated with our organization, proudly sharing family stories and wartime letters, and attending unit parades, ceremonies and memorial services.

Cooking over a campfire and re-enacting's other rigors foster strong bonds of friendship between the men of the 5th, as well as kinship with the men whom they portray and honor. This scene is from a living history encampment, in Gruber, PA, in 1995.

THROUGH DILIGENT research in archival and private collections we have assembled thousands of pages of historical documentation, including the service and pension records of every soldier who served in the regiment during the Civil War. This information helps us in our efforts to represent the uniforms, company drills and military life of the 5th New York Zouaves as accurately as possible. One aspect of this has been our studied attempt to perfect the complex choreography of the Bayonet Exercise -- a drill for which the original 5th NY was justifiably renowned. We also field a talented cadre of musicians, skilled in the use of fife and drum. Our affiliation with the battalion-strength National Regiment has enabled us to perform tactical evolutions on a regimental scale, and provides an authentic experience of Civil War duties, customs and decorum. By participating in battle re-enacments, living history encampments and ceremonial functions, as well as occasional films and television documentaries, we have broadened awareness of the service of Zouave soldiers in the Civil War, and perpetuated the memory of the "Old Fifth".

Capt. Brian Pohanka, pictured below, is only the third commander the unit has elected over its nearly 30-plus years.

Company A welcomes recruits who wish to step with us into that proud and storied past, and to experience the pride and military proficiency of Duryee's Zouaves. While our membership is centered on the Middle Atlantic States, from New York to Virginia, our 80 soldiers include men from California (where Company C is presently organizing), the midwest and Europe. We also would be honored to hear from descendants of 5th NY veterans, to exchange information, and to assist in the ongoing preparation of a comprehensive and heavily illustrated unit history, now in progress.

Below, the men of Duryee's Zouaves pose at Gettysburg, scene of the most fateful battle of the Civil War. Photo by Julio Zangroniz.

Potential enlistees will receive a recruitment packet from 1st Sgt. Marty Travis, in which they will find up to date information on unit requirements, dues, uniforms, weapons and accoutrements. Our organization maintains a number of supplementary uniforms, which we are willing to loan to new recruits on a case-by-case basis, so that you may fall in with us while in the process of assembling your outfit. Our Quartermaster will be glad to assist you in acquiring the requisite clothing and to refer you to authorized vendors or "sutlers," from whom you can obtain the variety of gear that is necessary for a complete impression of an 1860s soldier.

It is our fervent hope, as our organization enters its fourth decade, that the honorable heritage of the 5th New York Volunteer Infantry, Duryee's Zouaves, will forever remain a vibrant, living presence, to be cherished within the hearts and souls of the American people.

Remembrance Day, Little Round Top. Photo by Julio Zangroniz
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