Description
Carte view of the famed 9th New York Volunteer Infantry, otherwise known as the Hawkin’s Zouaves. This view most likely dates to late spring or early summer of 1861 and shows the subject dressed in the dark blue Hawkin’s Zouave uniform trimmed in dark red with the dark red fez worn. By June they had left the city and moved to Newport News, Virginia. They would participate in Burnside’s North Carolina Expedition in early 1862. Later that summer they became part of the Army of the Potomac and fought at South Mountain and Antietam where they took heavy casualties. The battle of Fredericksburg would follow. The year 1863 was uneventful for the regiment. mostly serving garrison duty for a short period before the expiration of their term in May of that year. Hawkins was a meticulous man when it came to details and that trait was clearly evidenced in the design of the uniform issued to the 9th New York. Every detail of the uniform and the equipment the men were issued were thoroughly thought out and planned. The result being a regiment which became highly coveted in their discipline and appearance. This example has a partial id on the reverse of “Johnson”. There are however 9 men serving in the regiment with that last name, making a positive id difficult if not impossible. Back marked out of New York.
