Scottish soldiers

[rpkennedy]

I visited once when I was in college *mumble* 25 *mumble* years ago. I'd like to go back but getting time to go is the problem.

Ryan

 

[TallTallMan]

A different war:

 

[7thWisconsin]

When the 79th NY paraded at home at the end of the War, they received new glengerry caps from several ladies organizations. That was the only Scottish article of dress left in their uniform. There are pictures of some of the men in the caps with their otherwise ordinary NY Federal uniforms. The dress uniform of the 79th is one of those rabbit holes that reenactors who really like to dress up fall down, but it´s a dead end hole. It´s farb from the get go. No respectable event with any credibility will let you wear it on the field. It would be way more common for a Scottish immigrant to play the violin than the bagpipe.

 

[Old Soldier]

A different war:

And Soviet cavalry dressed as RSG.

 

[major bill]

Yes, Farby, and bagpipes weren't a big thing in the US quite yet at the time of the CW

This month is the Jackson, Mi. Civil War reenactment. They will refight the 1864 Battle of Deep Bottom (near Petersburg). Usually a few reenactors show up in kilts. Should they limit the reenacters in kilts to talks and demonstrations, or should they allow these kilt wearing soldiers to join in the battle? It seems mean to keep them from participating in the battle. Same could be said about the attending US Marines and Berdan Sharpshooters. Not sure any USCT will attend this year.

Some say too Farby, others say let them have fun like everyone else.

 

[TallTallMan]

Did anyone actually wear kilts in battle? Or those trews (tartan/plaid trousers)? I have seen reenactors wear the trousers. Is that farby?

How about bagpipes?

Thank you

It seems like I read in Sherman: Fighting Prophet about Michigan "Highlanders". I'll have to look at my copy.

 

[7thWisconsin]

This month is the Jackson, Mi. Civil War reenactment. They will refight the 1864 Battle of Deep Bottom (near Petersburg). Usually a few reenactors show up in kilts. Should they limit the reenacters in kilts to talks and demonstrations, or should they allow these kilt wearing soldiers to join in the battle? It seems mean to keep them from participating in the battle. Same could be said about the attending US Marines and Berdan Sharpshooters. Not sure any USCT will attend this year.

Some say too Farby, others say let them have fun like everyone else.

Some will call this heresy, but I´d say let ´em take the field if they´re safe to do so. Especially at an event that´s not on a historical site commemorating and trying to recreate a specific action. Thumbs up to ¨let them have fun like everybody else.¨

 

[captaindrew]

This month is the Jackson, Mi. Civil War reenactment. They will refight the 1864 Battle of Deep Bottom (near Petersburg). Usually a few reenactors show up in kilts. Should they limit the reenacters in kilts to talks and demonstrations, or should they allow these kilt wearing soldiers to join in the battle? It seems mean to keep them from participating in the battle. Same could be said about the attending US Marines and Berdan Sharpshooters. Not sure any USCT will attend this year.

Some say too Farby, others say let them have fun like everyone else.

I don't ever recall anyone being turned away from a small local event because they weren't authentic. That would be up to whoever is hosting the event and what their goals for the event are. Me personally I try to be right for whatever the theme of the event is but that's me.

 

[major bill]

I don't ever recall anyone being turned away from a small local event because they weren't authentic. That would be up to whoever is hosting the event and what their goals for the event are. Me personally I try to be right for whatever the theme of the event is but that's me.

This is the largest event in Michigan, it is reasonably large. Perhaps 250+ soldiers. If I go I'll post some photos.

 

[TallTallMan]

I'm trying to find the Highlanders. Did I hallucinate?!

 

[Dullknife]

Some will call this heresy, but I´d say let ´em take the field if they´re safe to do so. Especially at an event that´s not on a historical site commemorating and trying to recreate a specific action. Thumbs up to ¨let them have fun like everybody else.¨

Yeah but then arent you just putting out bad history?

 

[TallTallMan]

Ahhhhhhh ha!

 

[TallTallMan]

I was just wrong in saying they were Michigan people.

 

[Dullknife]

Where is this from?

 

[7thWisconsin]

Yeah but then arent you just putting out bad history?

I think it depends on the purpose of the event. If, as I said, it´s a commemorative event, near or on original ground, near or on the anniversary date, then I´m all for limiting impressions to those typical of the actual time and place in history. But your average ¨Civil War weekend¨ or ¨Civil War festival¨ in East Podunk Whereever, is not like that. I think of those events more as ¨tactical demonstrations¨ and it should be OK to have units which never appeared together since there´s nothing historical to recreate in the first place. Like those famous uniform plates in the old Life magazine history. They had no context, but they got a lot of us interested in the Civil War. I´m fine with 79th NY and USCT and Pennsylvania zouaves faced off against Tiger zouaves, Confederate Marines and James River Squadron sailors as long as everybody´s clear that it´s a demonstration of 19th century uniforms and tactics and not a recreatiion of an actual event.

 

[7thWisconsin]

Ahhhhhhh ha!

View attachment 517964

That reads a little bit like Bruce Catton´s writing. I know this story is in one of his books.

 

[Old Soldier]

Ahhhhhhh ha!

View attachment 517964

Yes. Nothing is worn under the kilt - if you are a real Scot. (or in a Highland regiment)

 

[TallTallMan]

That reads a little bit like Bruce Catton´s writing. I know this story is in one of his books.

Lloyd Lewis, his friend.

 

[TallTallMan]

Yes. Nothing is worn under the kilt - if you are a real Scot. (or in a Highland regiment)

Need we mention Braveheart...?

 

[The Ninth Ohio]

I think it depends on the purpose of the event. If, as I said, it´s a commemorative event, near or on original ground, near or on the anniversary date, then I´m all for limiting impressions to those typical of the actual time and place in history. But your average ¨Civil War weekend¨ or ¨Civil War festival¨ in East Podunk Whereever, is not like that. I think of those events more as ¨tactical demonstrations¨ and it should be OK to have units which never appeared together since there´s nothing historical to recreate in the first place. Like those famous uniform plates in the old Life magazine history. They had no context, but they got a lot of us interested in the Civil War. I´m fine with 79th NY and USCT and Pennsylvania zouaves faced off against Tiger zouaves, Confederate Marines and James River Squadron sailors as long as everybody´s clear that it´s a demonstration of 19th century uniforms and tactics and not a recreatiion of an actual event.

The problem is, even if the reenactors are clear that's the goal, which they rarely are, if the spectators are also not in on the gig, then it becomes misrepresentation. There are a lot of things you can depend on the average spectator to pick up, but in my experience, this isn't one of them. If this question about kilts keeps popping up here (where I assume most are at least slightly more than casually interested in the ACW), what kind of effect does having guys in kilts and poorly researched confederate marine uniforms have on the spectators?