The 5th New York was the most famous of some fifty Federal units uniformed in the colorful North African style of the French Zouaves. The found and first colonel of the regiment was Abram Duryee, French businessman of New York city. He was a well known citizen. Known as the commander of the 7th Regiment NGSNY. The 7th Regiment is to the National Guard as West Point is to the Regular Army and known as the best drilled and most efficient militia organization in the United States. Recruiting started on Friday April 19, 1861.

 

Four days later enough recruits were selected to form eight companies. The volunteers hailed principally from Manhattan and the surrounding boroughs as well as Brooklyn, rural Long Island, Staten Island, Poughkeepsie, Baltimore and Philadelphia. The other two companies were soon filled and sworn into Federal Service. Many of Duryee's recruits included a high number of college graduates and businessmen, several law students, and veterans of the British, French, Italian and Prussian Armies. Army Troops, in the Army of the Potomac, which the 5th was attached , wrote "I doubt whether it had an equal, certainly no superior among all the regiments of the Army of the Potomac... I have always maintained it to be the best volunteer organization I ever knew."

 

The 5th had 1508 men serve in its' ranks, of which nine of it's ranks reached the rank of general. The Regiment lost in battle 211 men by May of 1863. It was reorganized into the 5th New York Veterans Volunteers by Colonel Cleveland Winslow. The Regiment fought at Big Bethel, Yorktown, the Peninsular Campaign, Seven Day, Gaines Mill, Melvern Hill, Harrison's Landing, 2nd Manassas/2nd Bull Run, Antietam, Snickers Gap, Gredericksburg, Mud March, Chancellorsville. The 5th Veterans fought with the Army of the Potomac at Petersburg, Bethesda Church, Poplar Springs, Hatchers' Run, Five Forks, and was present at Appomattox Court House. The 5th Veterans lost in battle 101 men.