Modeling the
Franco-Prussian Armies 1870

Part II: The French Army

Zouave Infantry

By Pat Condray

Zouaves. Upper left figure has the 1868-71 rig with chassepot. Upper right the green turban of earlier wars. Note lower left figure with no turban, center with blue gray cap.

Probably the most renowned, and certainly the most colorful of the French infantry in this period were the Zouaves. Their appearance, in dark blue jacket with red lace, and the familiar pantalon rouge with gaiters, topped off with a red fez changed relatively little over the years from around 1840 (established 1830) to 1915. Regiments were distinguished by the color of the tombeau, or false pocket enclosed by the red lining on the front of the jacket; red for the ist regiment, white for the 2nd, yellow for the 3rd. The girdle worn around the waist, under the belt, was nominally light blue, but red sometimes appears. In 1855 Napoleon III raised a regiment of Zouaves de la Garde Imperiale, who wore a similar dress with yellow lace instead of red. The tombeau was dark blue for this regiment, which became the 4th regiment after the fall of the Empire.

There were some distinctions. The cuffs were pointed in the style of the light infantry, and self colored. After 1852, when the first three regiments were numbered and built up in battalions of almost Chasseur d'Orleans size,the turban was green until about 1867 when the chassepot was issued (except for the Guard). Although the trousers were supposed to be red, there are contemporary paintings showing them in white. The gaiters worn below the trousers were often yellow at the top. The turban (it was not usually worn in the the field), which was as noted, green much of this time for the line, was white for the guard. Drummers were officially suppressed by the 1852 decrees, horns being more appropriate to the light infantry. However, they seem to have reappeared at least for parades if indeed they ever entirely departed. Officers wore more European gear than did the troops, but increasingly favored a loose tunic often worn over the belt popularized by officers of the Chasseurs d'Orleans on African service. Musicians were distinguished by white turbans with red spiral stripes in the guard and blue in the line, with tricolor piping on the jacket.

Unlike the regular infantry who were not trusted until 1857-58 with the minie rifle, the Zouaves received the Tige model in 1852-53, those of the Guard receiving the Minie rifle with saber bayonet and steel scabbard in the 1856-57 period, followed by those of the line, who in the 1852 period had used a "baionette du modele en usage clans l'infanterie", thus triangular. It was the 1857 issue which inspired the zouave bayonets of the American militia zouaves, and which had been in use by the Chasseurs since the 1840's. It became the inspiration for the general issue in 1867 with the Chassepot.

More Franco-Prussian Armies of 1870

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