@ OC. Shane, Dewey, and I have been digging into the bonnet thing for a few months....

We think those vets are wearing new bonnets ....made in the late 1880. Of the 5 79th bonnets known to exsist, 4 have very late "warranted indigo dye / glengarry" stamps with the royal seal. They are all shorter, and have different more modern manufacture techniques. This hurts to say, but most of the 79th bonnets are GAR items.

In the images posted, you can see some of the guys have backwards dicing. All of the hat brass is the same, same hackle.

As for Scots in the war, there were a handful of kilted American militias before the war and dozens is plaid.wearing, scotch named militias. The 2nd NYSM had no less the 5independant scottish companies in 1851 with names like the Highland Guard, Scottish Rifles, Caledonian Fusiliers.

The Charleston Highlanders as well as the Chicago Highlanders both wore kilts till 1861. The Chicago Highlanders drilled against Ellsworth in kilts before his tour. There is an unknown Scottish American hidtory in our country, and it needs to he told.