July 30th - 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Last week, I (finally) finished 1861: The Civil War Awakening by Adam Goodheart. I have previously written about this book in my article about the Crittenden Compromise, but today I want to speak about the 11th New York Infantry "fire zouaves.” This regiment was formed by Colonel Elmer E. Ellsworth, and was comprised of NY firefighters, and became immensely popular as the war was breaking out in the country. The men of this regiment were known for their unusual uniforms and drilling. When they drilled, many townspeople flocked to see them, and proudly waved the regiment’s flag throughout the city. Their popularity became even more prominent after the “retaking” of Alexandria, VA the day following Virginia’s vote to secede. In Alexandria, there was a prominent Confederate flag draped over the Marshall House, which could be seen from the White House across the Potomac (believed to have severely offended Mary Todd Lincoln). The regent went to the house and tore down the flag, but in the process their commander Colonel Ellsworth was killed by the Inn Keeper (a rabid secessionist, who once assaulted a Catholic priest when the priest dared to speak out against slavery). In the aftermath, Ellsworth became a folk hero and public symbol of the union. There was great anticipation on how the fire zouaves would avenge their fallen leader and defeat the Confederacy. However, since this book only dealt with the first year of the war, the text never spoke about what happened to his regiment…until the Epilogue. Here, the author writes in several paragraphs how the fire zouaves acted so poorly during the First Battle of Bull Run that they were scapegoated in the press for being cowards and a symbol of early union pride and folly. The regiment faced desertion and quickly disbanded. 

This episode in American history reminds us that we cannot judge by outward appearances, nor is it wise to get caught up in public mania. People were drawn to the fire zouaves because they were different, they dressed, drilled, and conducted themselves differently than the other “boring” regiments. Yet in the end, they had very little impact on the outcome of the war. 

In our lives, there is always a new flashy piece of technology, a new program, or a new speaker which promises to help us live a better life. We may get caught up in the mania when we see many prominent people following the newest trend, yet we quickly discover that a newer “better” trend is always around the corner. Let us not concern ourselves with what is new and flashy, but instead that which is eternal, the Word of God. In modern society, it is not trendy to read the Bible or to carry one around. Our Bibles, if they are well-read, will often look worn and have rips in it. We don’t judge a book by its cover, rather we judge it by its contents. Contained within scripture is the salvific plan of God for humanity. It may not be flashy or new (it’s been around for a few years), but it is the one book whose contents we will be judged on when we meet our Savior.