6th New York Infantry Regiment

The 6th New York Infantry Regiment, also called "Wilson's Zouaves", was a unit of the Union Army during the American Civil War. It was organized at New York City on May 25, 1861. The Regiment was composed of 5 initial companies of A, B, C, and D. Companies E, F, G, H, I, and K were added May 25, 1861.

6th New York Infantry Regiment
New York state flag
ActiveMay 25, 1861, to June 25, 1863
CountryUnited States
AllegianceUnion
BranchInfantry
EngagementsAmerican Civil War
Commanders
Notable
commanders		Col. William Wilson
New York U.S. Volunteer Infantry Regiments 1861-1865
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5th New York Infantry Regiment 7th New York Infantry Regiment
Colonel William Wilson and his staff, May 1861

Service History

The 6th New York Infantry was officially organized into the Union army on May 25, 1861 in New York City. The regiment had its main headquarters at Tammany Hall, with other secondary headquarters around the city. There were reportedly 861 men at the initial mustering. While newspapers at the time ran with stories that the regiment was made up of thieves and gang members, this was likely exaggerated, if not outright false.[1]

During the mustering, the unit's Colonel and namesake, William Wilson, denounced the recent violence in Baltimore amidst chants of "Death to the Plug Uglies".[lower-alpha 1] The men were known to carry a seven inch blade "between a sort of bowie knife and butcher knife in shape".[3][4]

6th Regt. N.Y. Volunteer Inf. Col. Wilson's Zouaves - NARA - 528520

From June 15 through June 23, 1861, the regiment left New York state and moved to Santa Rosa Island, Florida, where they were attached to:

  • Santa Rosa Island, District of Florida, Department of the South, to May 1862.
  • Arnold's Brigade, District of Pensacola, Florida, Department of the South, to September 1862. *Wilson's Brigade, District of West Florida, Department of the Gulf, to November 1862.
  • Grover's Division, Department of the Gulf, to January 1863.
  • 1st Brigade, 4th Division, 19th Army Corps, Dept. of the Gulf, to June 1863.

Engagements

Mustered out

The 6th was ordered back to New York City for muster out, mustered out at New York City June 25, 1863, expiration of term.[5]

See also

Notes
  1. The Plug Uglies were a nativist gang who likely participated in the 1861 Baltimore riot where a Union regiment was attacked while marching through the city.[2]

References
  1. Morris, Gouverneur (2023). Grenan, Shaun C. (ed.). Wilson's Zouaves: History of the 6th New York Infantry. Orlando, FL: Veteran Volunteer Publishing Company. ISBN 9798834931041.
  2. Everett, Edward G. (October 1957). "The Baltimore Riots, April, 1861". Pennsylvania History: A Journal of Mid-Atlantic Studies. 24 (4): 331–342. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  3. "6th New York Infantry Regiment's Civil War Newspaper Clippings". museum.dmna.ny.gov. New York State Military Museum and Veterans Research Center. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  4. "6th Regiment, New York Infantry". www.nps.gov. National Park Service. U.S. Department of the Interior. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  5. Morris, Gouverneur. The history of a volunteer regiment: being a succinct account of the organization, services and adventures of the Sixth Regiment New York Volunteers Infantry known as Wilson Zouaves: where they went, what they did, and what they saw in the War of the Rebellion, 1861 to 1865. New York, 1891.
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