Movement to Virginia

Moved by train to Virginia. The officers had their own car at the rear of the train, and the men used the occasion to drink heavily. At Garland, Alabama, the train stopped and the officers walked into town to find breakfast. The men uncoupled the officers’ car and rode off in the train.

After their astonished officers saw their train disappearing from town, they commandeered an engine and set off in pursuit. They caught up in Montgomery, where the men were holding “a drunken spree of looting, robbing, and harassing the civilians.” They men had just been rounded up at bayonet point by the 1st Georgia infantry Regiment when the officers arrived and violently forced the men back to the train.

The men cut loose again in Columbia, South Carolina, where they “ran wild through the streets.” One enlisted man was shot dead by an officer when he refused an order and another died in an accident. The men were again forcibly returned to the train, but insisted on riding on top of and between cars, losing a few men to a low bridge or being mutilated when falling under the train. Nine men were lost on the trip to Petersburg. When reaching that town one local described them as “the most savage looking crowd I ever saw.”

After arriving in Richmond the men were housed on the second floor of Glazbrook’s Warehouse. They tied their sashes together to climb out of the second floor windows, leading to many incidents of robbery and fighting. One favorite activity was to order a large meal in a restaurant and at the end to tell the owner to bill the government. The battalion had still not been paid.

Attack on Hampton, Virginia

The battalion took part in the burning of the town.

Battle of Williamsburg

The battalion was assigned to defend Redoubt 6, the center of the Confederate line, but was ot heavily engaged.

Battle of Seven Pines (Fair Oaks)

The battalion launched a bayonet charge on a hill that pushed back two Pennsylvania regiments. They rallied and counterattacked, and in the heavy fighting the Zouaves lost almost half of the 255 officers and men that went into battle. Colonel Coppens was badly wounded.

Seven Days Battles

Battle of Gaines’ Mill (Beaver Dam Creek)

The 1st Louisiana Zouave Battalion, combined with St. Paul’s consolidated battalion of Foot Rifles, were advanced early in the morning to push back Porter’s Union Fifth Corps along Beaver Dam Creek. The advance became held up at a ravine between two hills, where they settled down to a long exchange of fire with the enemy. After coming under fire from their own artillery it was discovered that in the dense fog and gunsmoke the Zouaves had been firing well below the enemy’s positions on the hillside for some time. Their aim corrected, Cadmus Wilcox’s Brigade of Alabamans crossed the ravine under the cover fire and the advance resumed.

By mid-afternoon the Confederares were faced with Porter’ Fifth Union Corps in a very strong strong position on a hillside behind a swamp. Parallel lines of defences were on the hillside, full of artillery. A.P. Hill’s Division attacked first. After an hour and a half of brutal fighting Longstreet’s and Jackson’s men took over the attack, and the Louisianans moved forward. They crossed the swamp under artillery fire, and then volley fire from the closely packed Union Infanty, but pressed forward.

“Nearing the gully in which the creek ran, the brigade loosed its shrill rebel yell, which rose clearly over the noise of battle. After clawing their way to the other side of the gorge, the men redressed their lines of battle, fired a volley, and charged forward again. Quickly the Louisianans reached a Union battery, and in ten minutes of hand to hand fighting, killed half its crew, and turned the guns to fire upon it’s former owners. The charge was begun again after the firing of a few salvos, which drove the Yankees from the field.”

The victory came at a steep price. Pryor’s Brigade alone 860 of its 1400 men. The 1st Louisiana Zouaves lost 5 men killed and 42 wounded, about half of the men who were engaged.

Battle of Frayser’s Farm

Cedar Run

The 1st Louisiana Zouave Battalion suffered light casualties from artillery as Pope was pushed back north over the Rappahannock.

Battle of Groveton (Brawner’s Farm)

The battalion formed line of battle on a hill overlooking the road and waited for Polk’s army. They arrived, and the battle began around five in the afternoon when Jackson’s men swept over the hill and attacked the Union Iron Brigade as it marched down the road. The two sides stood 80 yards apart and slammed volleys into each other until darkness fell, when a Confederate advance pushed the Federals slowly down the road.

Second Battle of Manassas (Second Bull Run)

The battalion is referenced on a trailside marker on the Deep Cut loop trail on the Manassas battlefield.

The 1st Louisiana Zouave Battalion started the day in reserve just behind the Confederate line on the right of the railroad cut. When Federal troops broke through the line the Second Louisiana Brigade launched a counterattack that recaptured the Confederate position and continued beyond, overrunning a Union battery and capturing two guns. They then went back into reserve for the night.

The Union attacks resumed early on the next day. The Louisiana Brigade was positioned in the railroad cut and ordered to “hold at all costs.” Three attacks were turned back, and by mid-afternoon ammunition was almost exhausted. A final Union assault was met with a barrage of thrown rocks as D.H. Hill’s artillery opened up on them from a new enfilading position. The Federal line collapsed and dissolved into a route as Longstreet’s Command launched an overwhelming counterattack on the right flank.

Major Hylested was captured in the fighting. At the end of the day only 17 men from the battalion remained.

Battle of Chantilly

Maryland Campaign

The Louisiana Battalion moved through Dranesville and Leesburg, then crossed the Potomachey continued through Frederick, Maryland, recrossed the Potomac at Williamsport, continued past Martinsburg, and arrived at Harper’s Ferry.

Siege of Harpers Ferry

Stark’s Louisiana Brigade was assigned the northern portion of the siege lines on Schoolhouse Ridge on the west side of Harpers Ferry, ending at the Potomac River.

Battle of Sharpsburg (Antietam)

Lieutenant Colonel Coppens was in temporary command of the 8th Florida Infantry Regiment during the battle. Major Fulgence DeBordenave commanded the battalion.

The 1st Louisiana Zouave Battalion was in reserve at the beginning of the battle, but was called forward to help repulse Hooker’s morning attack. The brigade advanced down the west side of the sunken road and through a small woods before plunging into the attacking Federals. General Starke almost immediately died from three wounds. Lieutenant Colonel Coppens was killed in the Cornfield in the opening volley. The tough westerners of the Union Iron Brigade met the Confederate counterattacks and pushed them back, forcing the Brigade to withdraw to near the Dunker Church. They remained there for the remainder of the day.

At the end of the battle the battalion mustered only 12 men fit for duty. Captain Marie Alfred Coppens took command of the survivors of the battalion and would be promoted to lieutenant colonel.

From the War Department marker for the brigade on the Sharpsburg battlefield:

On the evening of September 16, Starke’s Brigade formed line perpendicular to this road on the left of Taliaferro. When the Brigades of Jones and Winder were forced back on the morning of the 17th, this Brigade advanced with Taliaferro’s and the rallied Brigades, but was driven back. Supported by Early’s Brigade it again advanced, but was obliged to retire and reformed, with its Division, beyond the West Woods, where it supported the assault of McLaws’ Division on Sedgwick’s Division of Sumner’s Corps. During the engagement, General Starke was killed and the command devolved upon Colonel L. A. Stafford of the 9th Louisiana.

Battle of Fredericksburg

The battalion was in reserve.

Siege of Suffolk

Joined Longstreet’s operations around Suffolk.

Skirmish near Windsor, North Carolina

Attacked Union troops that had surrounded Colonel J.R. Griffin and a small force and allowed them to rejoin his command.

Siege of Petersburg

Guarded the Meherrin River bridge

Raid at Hicksford

One enlisted man was killed and six were wounded.