Chauncey B. Smith enlisted as a Private in Co.H, 146th New York Volunteers at Utica, NY on August 30, 1862. Smith was a 30 year old millwright who stood 5'10" with gray eyes, brown hair and a light complexion. Smith was made Sergeant upon the mustering of the regiment on Oct. 10, 1862. He subsequently received promotions to 1st Sergeant and Color Sergeant. Smith was captured at the Battle of the Wilderness on May 5, 1864 and sent as a prisoner of war to Andersonville, GA. From there he was moved to Florence, SC and Wilmington, NC. While in transit to Salisbury, NC he was killed when a Confederate guard fired recklessly into his rail car. Sgt. Smith's uniform is currently in the collection of the Robert Jenkins D.A.R. Museum in Hudson, NY. Below is a detailed description of this rare zouave uniform.

Jacket – The lining is grey/brown jean clothe with white muslin lining in the sleeves. The breast pocket on each side is 5” wide, 6” deep. The jacket is trimmed in ½” yellow tape and 1/16” yellow cord with 1/8” gap between the tape and cord. The tombeaux measures 12” top to bottom and consists of yellow tape 5/16” wide. The  sleeves have three small eagle cuff buttons. The 1^st Sergeant insignia consists of yellow stripes on a black background.

Pants – Front of the pants have six pleats on each side of the fly, spaced 1” apart. There are three small pewter buttons. There are two larger pewter fly buttons on the waistband. The inside of the fly is white muslin 10” long. There is a single large pewter button in the front on each side for the suspenders with matching buttons on back. The waistband is 2 ¼” wide in front tapering to 3” in back with 4” tabs in the middle of the back. There is a watch pocket on the right side 3 ½” wide made of grey-brown jean clothe. There are two pockets on each side which measure 6” wide. The pockets are made of white muslin attached to the waistband. The pocket openings are 4” below the waistband. There is a 1” cuff at the bottom of each leg. The pants are joined at back with a two pronged japanned buckle. There are grey flannel belt loops which appear to have been added at a later date

 

Sash – The sash is made of red wool, 12” wide, 91” long with ½” yellow wool border tape.

Fez – Fez is red wool,  8” from center to rim and has a 23 ½” circumference. The fez has a yellow tassel attached by an 8” long cord. The knot and tassel are  9” in lenght for an overall tassel 17” long.

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