It's an interesting question Ron, to be sure. I wonder if Diana Henderson has anything to say about it in her book Highland Soldier? Dr. Henderson is respected scholar of the Scottish Regiments.

But in the meantime, there is the story of the Laing tartan:

This is the official Clan Laing Society tartan which was recovered from the grave of George Henry Laing who died in 1853 in East Texas. George had moved to Texas from Liberty County adjacent to the Gaelic speaking community of Darien in Georgia. James, his grandfather, had moved to The North Carolina Scottish Colony of the Cape Fear River from Scotland some time between 1745 and 1765 bringing the sett with him. The relatively dry climate and local soil conditions are accredited with the remarkable preservation of sufficient portions of his great kilt to allow the reconstruction of the sett. The exhumation came about through the construction of a pond adjacent to the cemetry which necessitated the removal of 56 graves - one of which was that of George H Laing.

-- http://www.tartanregister.gov.uk/tar....aspx?ref=2027
Regards,

Todd