The governor of New York accepted the offer of the company, and also granted the authorization to Hawkins to raise a regiment of Zouaves.

[2][3][4] On May 15 the regiment boarded a barge that was towed by the steamer Young America and moved from Castle Garden to its new camp on Riker's Island.

With the men and equipment loaded onto the Marion she steamed out to a point between Bedloe's Island and Castle Williams where she dropped anchor for the night.

It was during this brief trip that the regiment suffered its first casualty when Albert "Tobe" Warren died after he fell overboard during that afternoon.

[5] The following morning (June 6) the Marion steamed down the river and dropped anchor off of Staten Island to await the arrival of the additional transport required for the regiment.

With Gen. Burnside's force, the regiment arrived at Roanoke Island, early in February and was actively engaged in the battle there, losing 17 members.

On July 10, the regiment was ordered to Norfolk, Virginia, camped at Newport News, until September 4, when it moved to Washington, D.C., and to Frederick, Maryland, on the 12th.

Here it became a part of the Army of the Potomac; was active at South Mountain and Antietam, with a loss in the latter battle of 233 killed, wounded and missing.

After camping in detachments at various points, the regiment was concentrated at Fredericksburg, Virginia, participated in the battle there in December.

After several weeks of recruiting the command was organized into two companies under ex-Hawkins Zouaves officers William Barnett and James B. Horner.

Appointed as captain of Infantry in the United States Army on March 8, 1847; assigned to the 9th United States Infantry Regiment on April 9, 1847; brevetted to major on August 20, 1847, for his conduct in the Battles of Contreras and Churubusco, Mexico; honorably discharged from service on August 26, 1848, at Fort Adams, Rhode Island.

Enrolled and was mustered into service as lieutenant colonel of the 17th New York Veteran Volunteer Infantry Regiment on October 17, 1863, at Albany, New York, for three years' service; granted a ten-day leave of absence on account of physical disability on May 9, 1864; honorably discharged on May 10, 1864, to accept an appointment.

(Commissioned as lieutenant colonel on December 29, 1863, with rank from October 14th, 1863, original)[16] Appointed as captain of the 4th Company of the 2nd Battalion, Veteran Reserve Corps, to date from May 3, 1864; brevetted to the rank of brigadier general of United States Volunteers on November 2, 1865, for "gallant and meritorious services during the War of the Rebellion;" resigned his commission on April 12, 1866.