I'll bring the Hardtack...

[g koch]

I imagine some of you have heard of the kilted (at first) 79th New York Volunteers of the American Civil War. They marched off to war in Cameron of Erracht kilts and later trews.

Any of you Johnnie Rebs know anything of southern regiments that, at least in the early flamboyant days of the war, paraded around in kilts? I read once that, just as both sides had French inspired Zouave units, there where "highland" regiments both North and South.

With reference to my subject line, we're too late for this year but if y'all wear your Lost Cause Memorial Tartans, I'll wear my Cameron and we can shake hands at Appomattox next April 9th. (or we could shoot spit balls at each other at Fort Sumter a couple of days later!)

[Doc Hudson]

Let's make it snowballs at Manassas Creek in July. :P

Loosers buy the beer!

[g koch]

HA! The story goes that that first Virginia summer is when the kilts were abandoned!

[Angus]

Loosers buy the beer!

Don't forget the chicken wings!!!!!

[Jerry]

I live right in the middle of the Petersburg battlefield areas. Many places around here minnie balls can still be found on the surface of the ground. The route of Lee's retreat to Appomatox lies just a few hundred yards from my front door. I don't know about either sides kilts during that time, but I do know I'm living in the middle of an historic area.

[Doc Hudson]

And don't forget to bring some rat-trap cheese to go with the hardtack.

A few meals of Hardtack, cheese, beans, salt pork, and beer, and we can put the arabs out of business!

[macwilkin]

Unfortunately, there's just not a lot of information out there on regiments with a Scottish ethnicity in the pre-Civil War militia, north or south, save the 79th New York. I do know of a Highland unit in South Carolina, but there is just very little documentation about uniforms, etc.

Cheers,

Todd

[Thistle Stop]

There's a great picture of the 79th Highlanders by Winslow Homer, from Harper's Weekly, 25th May 1861, at http://www.sonofthesouth.net/leefoun...ighlanders.jpg.

The rest of the issue is at http://www.sonofthesouth.net/leefoun...ighlanders.htm.

[Thistle Stop]

The Scottish Military History Society lists these units:

Many American cities raised Highland or Scottish militia units prior to, or for service in, the American Civil War. There were 101,409 Scots in the United States. After the initial recruitment or embodiment, manpower needs opened enlistment to non-Scots. Most seem to have kept their "Scottish" identity despite large influxes of Germans, Americans, and of course the ubiquitous Irish. Little has been found to date on many of these obscure groups.

Scottish Guards - Raised in Charleston, South Carolina, as a company in the 17th Militia Regiment, circa 1835. The Guards are not mentioned in the order of battle for the mobilisation of 1860.

Scotch Rifle Guards - A company of native Scots or descendants were raised in New Orleans, Louisiana for the defence of the city. Not known if embodied.

79th New York Volunteers, Cameron Highlanders, AKA: Highland Guards, Bannockburn Battalion. New York State Militia. (USA) - Formed in 1859 as a volunteer regiment in New York from a corps cadre of ex-British Cameron Soldiers. Enlisted mainly Scots and Scottish-Americans and modelled after the Cameron Highlanders of the British Army. They wore the Cameron tartan kilt and Highland pattern jacket in dark blue with red trim and Glengarry bonnet. Mustered into Federal service for the American Civil War in 1861. By mid-war, uniform conformed to Union regulation. Embodied for the entire length of the War. Enlisted 795 men and took over 558 casualties. Initial 6 companies mainly Scots and then with expansion to 1000 men, Irish. Known to be very "clanish" and not friendly to American Scots and other "Americans" who joined. By mid-war, the Irish outnumbered the Scots. Went back to kilts after the war as formal dress. Disbanded in 1876.

78th New York Volunteers, Cameron Highlanders (USA) - Formed as part of the recruiting efforts of the 79th to form a Highland Brigade. Failed due to insufficient men and amalgamated with the 102nd New York Volunteers.

68th New York, Cameron Rifles (USA) - Nothing known at this time.

12th Illinois, Scottish (USA) - Wore Tam-o-Shanter caps. Nothing known at this time.

65th Illinois, Scottish (USA) - Nothing known at this time.

1st Battalion, Maine Light Infantry (USA) - Recruited mostly from Scots from Canada (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and P.E.I.).

Highland Company of South Carolina Militia (CSA) - This company was formed in the south by the Confederacy during the American Civil War. Reported to have been kilted. No other information at this time. Possibly the Scottish Guards above? Possibly Charleston Highlanders?

Charleston Highlanders (CSA) - Formed before the war. From William Todd's book 79th Highlanders: "We learned that there was a battalion of Charleston Highlanders on the main land, and a sort of armed neutrality was observed [Beaufort Island, SC]... We succeeded in securing one prisoner, a lieutenant belonging to the Charleston Highlanders who was acting as aid to the rebel commander. He seemed relieved when he found himself in the hands of his countrymen, and remarked: "Had I known I was to have been taken prisoner, I would have worn my kilt." Sergeant Campbell of the 79th had a brother serving in the Charleston Highlanders as a lieutenant.

Charleston Highland Artillery (CSA) - Thought to be part of Rockbridge Artillery. Possibly Charleston Highlanders above.

Company I, 2nd Alabama, Scotch Guards (CSA) - later the Company A, 45th Alabama - Organized 1861 or 1862. Reported to have had a Highland company in each regiment. Thought to have had 80 to 90 members, most of Scottish birth. Served at Fort Morgan for the year of enlistment, then reorganized as the 45th.

18th North Carolina, Scottish Rifle Guards (CSA) - Reported to have had a Highland company.

Source: http://www.newworldcelts.org/american.htm

[macwilkin]

Cyndi, you beat me to it -- I was just going to post that article from SMHS -- as you can see, there are very little sources about uniforms, but I doubt very few of these units were able to be uniformed in Highland attire throughout the war. The 79th's uniforms alone are a source of debate among Civil War historians.

Cheers,

Todd