114th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Regiment
| 114th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Regiment | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1862 – 1865 |
| Disbanded | May 29, 1865 |
| Country | United States of America |
| Allegiance | Union |
| Branch | United States Army |
| Type | Infantry |
| Part of | 1st Brigade, 1st Division, III Corps, Army of the Potomac (1862-1865) 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, 5th Army Corps (1865) |
| Nickname(s) |
Zouaves d' Afrique Collis Zouaves |
| Engagements | Battle of Fredericksburg Chancellorsville Gettysburg Wilderness Spottsylvania Court House Cold Harbor Petersburg |
| Commanders | |
| Commander | Col. Charles H. T. Collis |
| Insignia | |
| III Corps (1st Division) badge |  |
Zouaves d' Afrique
The 114th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. They were notable for their colorful Americanized version of the Zouave uniform worn in emulation of certain French light-infantry units that became world-famous during France's colonization of North Africa, the Crimean War, and the Second War of Italian Independence fought in the years prior to the American Civil War. The regiment was the brain-child of Charles H. T. Collis, an Irish immigrant who settled in Philadelphia becoming a prominent young lawyer. Collis initially raised only a small company of men calling them the "Zouaves d'Afrique" which served while attached to other regiments. They saw action in the 1862 Shenandoah Valley Campaign, the Battle of Cedar Mountain, and the Battle of Antietam. The "Zouaves d'Afrique" were much admired for their military bearing and prowess in battle to the point that it was decided to raise a full-sized regiment which was given the numeric designation of 114th Volunteer Infantry.
The 114th Pennsylvania's uniform from top to bottom began with a red Moroccan style fez with a yellow-gold tassel worn crushed downward on the back of the head like a skull cap. Some men were issued fezzes that were too large so they compensated by turning up the brim giving the fez the appearance of a beanie. The collarless jacket was dark blue with sky blue cuffs and red trim. Arabesque designs on the jacket breasts were called tombeaux and gave the appearance of large false pockets trimmed in red. A sky blue sash was worn wrapped tightly around the waist with Chasseur style madder red trousers, white leggings (gaiters), and leather jambières rounding out the ensemble. For dress parade and guard mount duty the fez was augmented with a white turban which was wound around the head in Arabic style. Although the turban was not worn on the march or in battle it has often been erroneously portrayed as such in post-war art. The material for the uniforms was imported from France by Colonel Collis himself. Like other Zouave regiments raised in the larger cities of America, the 114th attracted some immigrants to its ranks who were veterans of European wars, but the rank and file consisted mostly of American-born citizens from Philadelphia and its surrounding counties.
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Wikipedia