Great kilts in the American colonies

[Brasilikilt]

I didn't mean to hijack, or take this in a direction it wasn't meant to go! Sometimes my fingers out type my brain.

My apologies, I will just sit quietly hear listen and learn

No apologies needed

In my opinion, some of the best threads end up talking about something entirely different than what the initial post was asking.
Sometimes we end up learning a lot more when these things take on a life of their own.
I'm more than happy to plant a seed that has grown into what has become a very interesting and informative discussion.

[BoldHighlander]

Just to add briefly, one other battle that gets lost in the mix was the Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge (Febuary 27, 1776 at Willmington, North Carolina).

This pitted the local rebel faction against the Highlanders of Cross Creek & other loyalists. Some of the Highlanders were carrying traditional weapons, including broadswords. I've also read some accounts (including the NPS) that have some of the Highlanders wearing tartan (kilts etc) & charging into battle to the sound of the bagpipes.

Interesting points:

Those Highlanders who pledged service to the Crown, the British government promised 200 acres of land, cancellation of land fees, and tax exemption for 20 years.

Major Donald McLeod (one of the leaders of the Highlanders) gave the battle cry "King George and Broadswords!" to rally his men when stalled at the bridge (they subsequently lost the battle). McLeod went on to help form the 84th RoF Royal Highland Emigrants.

Flora MacDonald (yes, that Flora MacDonald, of '45 fame) helped raise the Highlanders of Cross Creek for service. Her husband was one of the officers involved.

The Moore's Creek NPS site
look for a small photo of the diorama that shows Highlanders in kilts & bonnets...

Moores Creek National Battlefield: An Administrative History - By Michael A. Capps and Steven A. Davis
Includes an artist rendering of the failed assault upon the bridge, note some of the Highlanders are depicted in full Highland dress...

Additional links:
http://www.myrevolutionarywar.com/battles/760227.htm

http://statelibrary.ncdcr.gov/nc/ncsites/moores.htm

http://www.patriotresource.com/battles/moores.html

[davedove]

... it is your persona that should fit into history, not the other way around...

Right, you should try to wear what the typical person would wear in the situation. You could almost always find an exception to the general mode of dress, but that's not what recreationists are all about.

The only exception would be if you were taking the role of a historical individual, in which case you would dress as he/she would.

[Sir William]

I agree with Woodsheal. In my research I've uncovered nothing to suggest expatriate civilian Highlanders wore their traditional highland garb. From all I've seen, it appears they adapted the same clothing as worn by the colonials where they lived. I think even the Scots bonnet is far overdone in the reenactment community (and I'm one of those guilty of it at times).

Yes, there were several Highland regiments in both the French and Indian War and the American Revolution but they were soldiers wearing a uniform. And, as Woodsheal also pointed out, even they transitioned into breeches and leggings or trousers after a few years of campaigning.

As an immigrant Scot, you might have had a plaid stored by for special occasions, such as a wedding, but not for daily wear.

[macwilkin]

True, but they weren't wearing their own (civilian) plaids, but were issued plaids, from royal storage, belonging to highland regiments such as the 71st, whose men were wearing philabegs on campaign.

I just don't think Iain's Jacobite look, w/ belted plaid, tartan waistcoat, targe - even white cockade, foresooth! - is anything that would have appeared in colonial N. America - other than in 1730s-40's Georgia (w/ black cockades) as mentioned above. Sorry, Iain...!

Quite right, Brian -- Reid clearly documents that the plaids were government surplus; apologies for not elaborating that point.

I agree with Woodsheal. In my research I've uncovered nothing to suggest expatriate civilian Highlanders wore their traditional highland garb. From all I've seen, it appears they adapted the same clothing as worn by the colonials where they lived. I think even the Scots bonnet is far overdone in the reenactment community (and I'm one of those guilty of it at times).

Yes, there were several Highland regiments in both the French and Indian War and the American Revolution but they were soldiers wearing a uniform. And, as Woodsheal also pointed out, even they transitioned into breeches and leggings or trousers after a few years of campaigning.

As an immigrant Scot, you might have had a plaid stored by for special occasions, such as a wedding, but not for daily wear.

I've seen a similar "overdone" factor in ACW reenacting where numerous Irish harp badges and other Irish symbols abound; yet unless you were an Irish immigrant serving in a ethnic Irish unit, wearing and flaunting such obvious displays of an unpopular immigrant group among "native" Americans in the 1860s could get you killed!

It should also be pointed out that Highlanders were not universally popular among their Ulster-Scots neighbours in the colonies due to their Loyalist leanings and their religion.

T.

[Dall_Piobaire]

Just a quck look found the 42nd and the Fraser's in the RevWar. I believe the Fraser's might have been in Wilmington as it was a major port of the time.

You might could claim your targe to be from Culloden, making kyou almost fifty, but chances are, if you were a blacksmith carrying your stuff at culloden, you were probably caught and killed. I don't know how many survived Culloden, but as I understand it, not many!

[macwilkin]

Just a quck look found the 42nd and the Fraser's in the RevWar. I believe the Fraser's might have been in Wilmington as it was a major port of the time.

You might could claim your targe to be from Culloden, making kyou almost fifty, but chances are, if you were a blacksmith carrying your stuff at culloden, you were probably caught and killed. I don't know how many survived Culloden, but as I understand it, not many!

General Hugh Mercer reportedly did, only to be killed at Princeton in 1777.

T.

[Dall_Piobaire]

Wow good find, Todd. Survive that to die here!

I am sure people survived but it was generally pretty much a slaughter!

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Just a quck look found the 42nd and the Fraser's in the RevWar. I believe the Fraser's might have been in Wilmington as it was a major port of the time.

You might could claim your targe to be from Culloden, making kyou almost fifty, but chances are, if you were a blacksmith carrying your stuff at culloden, you were probably caught and killed. I don't know how many survived Culloden, but as I understand it, not many!

Lots, and Lots, and Lots of "Loyal" Scots (on the Hannoverian side) survived...

Looking at the conduct of the war (1745-46) I wonder if Prince Charles would have had many "Mechanics" in his train. The Jacobite Army was largely composed of infantry, and on the march his men would have been able to attend to most "fix and mend" chores. If a blacksmith had been needed, it would have been a simple matter to force the local smith to attend to the repair. The same would have been true of the Jacobite cavalry-- simple ferriery-- like re-setting a cast shoe-- would have been carried out along the route of march, anything beyond that would be attended to at the next village or farm.

But then, I suppose, it's the research that separates "dressing up" from reenacting and living history displays, isn't it?

[Dall_Piobaire]

Lots, and Lots, and Lots of "Loyal" Scots (on the Hannoverian side) survived...

Oh I am sure lots of the loyalists survived, after all they did outnumber the Jacobites almost six to one. Well trained, with artillary and a better position. Charles should have listened to Murray much earlier.