That makes me wonder if they were some sort of Zouaves?

"... The company, we understand, will be retained for home service, being short-winded and unsuited for long marches; but they will form an impregnable rampart for home defence."

Jim, this reminds me of the "Invalid Corps". I'm not familiar with them too much but weren't the well known "Graybeards" used as prisoner of war guards by the Union formed along the similar idea that even old and out of shape men (like me) could be of use?