Born in Nouart in the department of (Ardennes), France, the son of a cavalry officer, Chanzy was educated at the naval school at Brest, but enlisted in the artillery, and, subsequently attending the military academy Saint Cyr, was commissioned in the Zouaves during 1843.
After the taking of Rome by the Piedmontese, Charette negotiated with Gambetta for the employment of the French Zouaves in the service of France against Germany; he was permitted to organize them as "Volunteers of the West".
The 4th Piedmontese Division under general Enrico Cialdini took position between Palestro and the road to Robbio, with the 10th Infantry Regiment on his left, the 9th Regiment defending Cascina San Pietro, and the 3rd Zouaves Regiment on his right flank, on an island in the river known as Sesietta.
Such units include the 5th New York Volunteer Infantry "Duryee's Zouaves," and the 69th and 88th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiments (the 1st and 2nd Regiments of Meagher's "Irish Brigade").
He reorganized the Zouaves of Death in Kraków and led them in battles of Chrobrze and Grochowiska.
Torelli made a stucco statuary group of an episode of the Battle of Palestro, with Vittorio Emanuele on horseback leading a charge, and the Zouaves dissuading him from entering into the danger.
At a meeting of the friends of Colonel Riker held on June 7, 1862 at the Everett House, New York, which was attended by, amongst others, George W. Morton, Ex-recorder Frederick A. Tallmadge, Mr. E. B. Wood of Kings County and several officers of the Anderson Zouaves, arrangements were made for his funeral.
In 1838, Lamoricère moved there with his regiment of Zouaves and built four forts: at Fouka, Tombourouf, Ben Azzouz, and Mokta-Khera.
Armed with seven 9 mm Browning semi-automatics and two long-barreled Mausers, the two outlaws, who had barricaded themselves inside the rental house, faced 50 detectives, 250 police from Paris, Republican Guards, and 400 Zouaves from Nogent.