Rockford Zouaves

Commander / 1st Sargeant Steve Aarli.

Steve Aarli

1st Sargent General Orders

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The Rockford Zouaves were chartered at the 2009 National Encampment in Louisville.

The unit's name was chosen because members live in or around the Northern Illinois City of Rockford, where in 1856 a military company was organized under the name of Rockford City Grays. Two years later a young man arrived in Rockford, from Mechanicville, New York: Elmer E. Ellsworth. He would soon become the drillmaster of the Grays at the invitation of Garrett L. Nevius, their Captain who was also from the State of New York. The two became good friends and on January 3, 1861 transformed the Rockford City Grays into the Rockford Zouaves, where they would go on to attain an even higher degree of proficiency.

The Rockford Zouaves would become Company D of the 11th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment. Garrett L. Nevius would one day have the Rockford Grand Army of the Republic Post named after him..

So it is with that spirit of 'elan and dash, that ten members of the SUVCW John A. Logan Camp #26 chose to form an SVR unit and carry on that sense of "Vigor in Action and Style."

Contact:

Steve Aarli
Rockford Zouaves

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