150-years-ago -- ZOUAVES COMING TO BATON ROUGE

[Excerpt from UT-Tyler Digital Archives]

SUGAR PLANTER [WEST BATON ROUGE, LA], March 16, 1861, p. 2, c. 2

Two  Louisiana Zouaves 1861
(Harper's Weekly)

The Zouaves Are Coming!—The Inkerman Zouaves, about whose identity there can be no dispute, will pay the citizens of Baton Rouge a visit so soon as their engagement at the Academy of Music in New Orleans terminates. There is something about the name of "Zouave" that is highly pleasing to Southern ears in these "piping times of"—war. We sing the Marseilliese [sic] now instead of the Star Spangled banner, and our military men, in their uniforms, come as near the Zouave dress as possible. The daring deeds of this heroic body of French soldiery have filled the world with admiration and none are more willing to accord them all praise than the chivalrous sons of the Sunny South. The Academy of Music is nightly filled to witness the performances of the Zouaves, who amidst the dreariness of a long and arduous campaign in the Crimea, could find time to indulge in theatricals when every one else almost was thinking of home and its comforts. On one occasion in the Crimea, while the same company were performing at their little Theatre D'Inkerman, the Russians made a sortie upon the French lines. The Thespians flew to arms, with their comrades, while in stage attire, and completely repulsed their enemy. After it was all over, they returned to the theatre and resumed their performance as if nothing of the kind had occurred. We feel assured they will be well received in our sister city. Let them come, we want something to drive away ennui.