Item No. 8428007

CDV of Marie Tepe, better known as French Mary, vivandière of the 114th Pennsylvania Volunteers (Collis’ Zouaves). When her husband enlisted in the 27th Pennsylvania in 1861, Marie went to the front with him in the role of vivandière. In French tradition, vivandières were women who were officially attached to military units. As Melissa Winn writes in a 2024 article in Military Images, “Marie carried a gallon-and-a-half keg thrown over her left shoulder from which she distributed whiskey or water. She sold tobacco, hams, whiskey, and other miscellanies to soldiers in camp. After the fighting at Bull Run in July 1861, she worked in the regimental hospital.”

She returned to Philadelphia in late 1861, but returned to service in the summer of 1862 when Charles H. T. Collis hired her as vivandière when he expanded his company of “Zouaves d’Afrique” into an entire regiment—the 114th Pennsylvania Volunteers. As Winn notes, Marie

embraced the role, making it and her trademark Zouave uniform on her own, complete with a lady’s bonnet to replace the white turban, a red-fringed skirt, and buttons to adorn the Zouave jacket. Unlike other vivandières, she also holstered a .44 caliber Remington revolver, which she wasn’t afraid to use. The Zouaves adopted her as the “daughter of the regiment,” and took care of her as if she were their own. For her work, Marie received soldier’s pay and an additional 25 cents each day for hospital duty.

Marie accompanied the 114th into its first battles, tending to the wounded and dispensing water from her keg. She was wounded slightly herself in the ankle at the Battle of Fredericksburg, after which she received the personal thanks of Colonel Collis. The following spring at the Battle of Chancellorsville, Marie was again conspicuous by her presence near the battle lines—close enough for her keg to be destroyed by enemy fire. For her bravery, she received the Kearny Cross, one of only two women to receive the honor.

In the CDV image, Marie wears her Zouave uniform with the Kearny Cross visible. Her keg hangs at her side. One hand holds the keg’s shoulder strap while the other rests near her holstered revolver. Identified (or signed?) in period ink on the verso, “Miss Mary Tepe / Co I 114th Regt. / Pa. Vols.” over the imprint of Philadelphia photographer Isaac S. Lachman. Measures 2 1/2” x 3 5/8”.