Glengarry Question

[OC Richard]

US Forces have also had a number of pipe bands.

Just to be clear, the quote I was responding to was not about pipe bands, it was the statement "there are a great many Scottish Highland regiments all over the world except for the USA of course".

As far as I know, the 79th New York in the 1858-1861 period was the only US unit to issue Highland Dress with kilts as standard uniform (for its initial companies, not the additional companies raised in 1861 to bring the regiment up to full strength for war service, who were issued tartan trousers).

[macwilkin]

Just to be clear, the quote I was responding to was not about pipe bands, it was the statement "there are a great many Scottish Highland regiments all over the world except for the USA of course".

As far as I know, the 79th New York in the 1858-1861 period was the only US unit to issue Highland Dress with kilts as standard uniform (for its initial companies, not the additional companies raised in 1861 to bring the regiment up to full strength for war service, who were issued tartan trousers).

There are some references to antebellum militia companies in Charleston, New Orleans and San Francisco wearing Highland kit, but so far I haven't found anything that confirms it. The hunt goes on...

T.

[Nick the DSM]

Just searching google I came across this book.
The Confederate Army 1861-65: South Carolina & Mississippi by Ron Field.

Of several Scottish Charleston companies the oldest was the Union Light Infantry, formed at the Carolina Coffee house in 1807. Named in the honor of the union of Scotland with England in 1707, this "Lowland" corps maintained a Scottish style of dress throughout its existence. A vetern writing to the New York Scottish American Journal in 1870 commented that its pre-war uniform included "the tartan plaid and pants and bonnet of the [British Army's] 42nd Highlanders, and gilt thistle buttons on their coats." Another company, called the Highland Guard, was established during 1857. Still in existence on the eve of the Civil War, this unit wore a full highland uniform even closer to that of the 42nd (Highland) Regt: a bearskin bonnet with red plume, scarlet doublet with dark blue facings, and kilt of black and green Government sett ("Black Watch" tartan).

Google books will only let me look at certain pages, I can't see much more about this.

[macwilkin]

Just searching google I came across this book.
The Confederate Army 1861-65: South Carolina & Mississippi by Ron Field.



Google books will only let me look at certain pages, I can't see much more about this.

Yes, I have seen that reference before. It would help if we could see the primary source where it originated from.

T.

[Nick the DSM]

Yes, I have seen that reference before. It would help if we could see the primary source where it originated from.

T.

Yes, it would be. Even a picture would be great.